Thursday, August 8, 2013

UPDATE: theBalm | Leaping Bunny




Hey guys!
Do you guys remember my post of theBalm? I was excited to learn that they are cruelty-free! However, I really urged them to become certified by either PETA or LeapingBunny. Which, I'm sure you can agree, would make shopping SOO much easier! Well, I have exciting news!!

Today, I emailed them urging them to take a look at the comments of that post! THis is what I said:

Hello [I've omitted any names],I emailed you back in March about your cruelty-free status. Being an animal lover, I was so thrilled to find that theBalm is cruelty-free! I even wrote an article on my blog. I have emailed you guys before urging you to become accredited by PETA or leapingbunny. I would like you to take a look at my article and read the comments. You will find that when a company is accredited it makes it soooo much easier to shop. I'm not the only one who thinks so. I love your company! Especially because you stand up for the furry ones, but not everyone knows that. Please consider it. 

They emailed me back! Take a look for yourself:

Hi Camila, Thank you for reaching out again!  We completely understand you concerns and are working to become part of the Leaping Bunning list. If I can help answer any further questions, please let me know.
How exciting is this!!!???? I am beyond thrilled! This is a huge milestone! I can't wait to hear back from them once (fingers crossed) they become certified. Which, like I've mentioned before, just because a company is not on a list it DOES NOT mean they aren't cruelty-free. However, it does make life easier for the cruelty-free community! 

Lots of Love,
Camila 



Wednesday, August 7, 2013

First Impression/ Haul | Cruelty-Free Body Butter. Body Wash, and Hand Lotion


If you've ever been to a Marshall's, TjMAX, or Ross (a discount store like that) you would be familiar with their messy beauty/body/hair/face displays. If you ever decide to taken the time to dig through the mess, you might be surprised at some of treasures that are hidden. You will often find cremes/lotions/&potions that are marketed down at 50% or 75%! It's a dream for those wishing to save some dinero!

On my last trip to Marshalls I found these three little guys whilst digging through the display. (When I say digging I mean digging, I even sat down to look through the lower shelves.)

Seeing as I only buy cruelty-free products, I'm sure you'd be glad to know that everything I purchased is cruelty-free*! YAY!! For more information on cruelty-free companies check Humanely, Chic out!

I. deep steep: Argan Oil Body Butter warm vanilla coconut
First Impression: I usually hate vanilla scented sprays, candles, shampoo, etc- I often find it obnxiouslyly sweet! This scent -however- is very pure and pairs well with the coconut. 
Cost: $3.00

II. Greenscape: Organic HOMEMADE multigrain skin care  
for hands and nails is made of Apple, Carrot, & Oat Milk. 
First Impression: Such an odd combination of ingredients but it SMELLS delightful! It wasn't at all greasy on my hands! 
Cost: $ 4.00

III. Desert Essence: Organics ( Green Apple & Ginger Body Wash)
First Impression: I thought it was a scrub until I got home! Opps! I love anything that has ginger in it so I was naturally drawn to the scent. I've tried other Desert Essence products (their face washes) and loved them. 
Cost: $5.00

I'm planning on posting a review of each, that goes just a little bit deeper. So far I'm pleased with the three!

What treasures have you found in these displays?

Lots of Love,
Camila


*Repost from Space-A-Lah
 

Monday, August 5, 2013

UPDATE: Flower Beauty Inquiry (Drew Barrymore's line @ Walmart)

UPDATE: (August 6, 2013)

*A representative from Maesa has emailed me back explaining the China issue:
Hi Camila,
We have an office in Hong Kong, but we do not sell product in Hong Kong. Simply, we do not test on animals as our products are sold in the US and Europe.
Maesa is the parent company for FLOWER.
You can visit our Web site for any additional information.
Thank you,
[I've omitted any names]
Also, they wanted to clarify for all of you:  
I already stated that Flower does not partake in animal testing nor done on any formula or ingredient.  This includes raw materials for our formulas.  We are not affiliated with any companies that tests product ingredients on animals. Our products do not contain any animal-derived ingredient.  Our cosmetics lab has signed a Statement of Assurance through PETA.  Our ingredients are non-toxic according to the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics.   
This is all good news guys! Flower Beauty has signed with PETA which in addition to not testing raw ingredients, having a cruelty-free parent (Maesa Engineering Beauty), and not selling in the Chinese market makes me feel 1000% more safe in purchasing from them! YAY!! &  I will be adding them to my Cruelty-Free list. 
  
(flowerbeauty.com)

UPDATE: FLower Beauty has clarified that they do have an office in Hong Kong but DO NOT sell in China. They only sell in the US and Europe. 




Hey guys. When Drew Barrymore came out with this line, I was excited but hesitant. I actually wrote an article on here about my concerns.

I did receive a reply from Masea Engineering Beauty which is Flower's parent company. Of course, I wanted to share it with you guys, but I held-off because I do have some concerns.(This have been cleared up with the new information).   Anyways, I used the format I always use. (I used the old format).

A representative got back to me, with:
Hi Camila,
Please see the answers below.
Thank you for your interest in FLOWER.
 [I've omitted names]
www.maesa.com
To Whom It May Concern:I am doing research on animal testing, and I need to verify a few key points about your company. 
1. Does your company test ingredients or finished products on animals? There is no animal testing done on any formula or any ingredient used by Flower factories in these formulations. 
2. Do you test ingredients or products on animals through a 3rd party? There is no animal testing done on any formula or any ingredient used by Flower factories in these formulations. 
3. Do your manufacturers test ingredients or products on animals? The raw material manufacturers do not test any ingredients on animals. 
4. Are you owned or affiliated with any companies that test products or ingredients on animals?  NO 
5. Do you/your parent company currently or have plans to market and sell your products in the Chinese market, which requires animal testing by law to sell in that country?  NO 
6. Do you use palm oil/carnuaba wax in any of your products? If so, is it from an organic and sustainable source?  NO 
7. Could you provide a list of all of your current vegan items available for purchase?  All products are vegan 
Thank you so much for the information.   Please note, that any correspondence I receive will be published on humanelychic.blogspot.com, which is my own privately owned blog. -Camila 
I was at first relieved to receive this reply. However, after looking at Maesa website I had some doubts. First I was confused at what exactly they do. Are they the manufactures of the raw ingredients for Flower or just provide the packaging design? 
Well according to the Maesa website(Under the "Our Business tab) :
"Maesa partners with over 100 leading retailers and beauty brands worldwide creating exclusive beauty and home fragrance programs.Maesa launches more than 3,000 proprietary products a year ranging from fragrance, color cosmetics, bath & body, skincare, haircare, and home." 

Also under "Expertise" you will see a list of what they do.


This is a screen-shot from their website. (http://www.maesa.com/


Feeling overhelmed and confused I emailed them back. 


[I've omitted any names],
Thank you for your reply. I have some questions I would appreciate you cleared up. I understand the manufacturers of Flower are Maesa Engineering Beauty. I was looking at Maesa's website and found that they also manufacture for Ralph Lauren, Giorgio Armani, etc. Those two companies are owned by Coty which does test on animals, at least for retail in the Chinese market; which as you might be aware of requires animal testing for cosmetic products.

  • Is Maesa Engineering Beauty the parent company of Flower Beauty? 
  • Does Maesa provide the raw ingredients or just package design? 
  • Does Maesa test ingredients or finished products on animals?
  • If you sell in the Chinese market?

Thank you for your time,
Camila



They replied with: 

Hi Camila,
Is Maesa Engineering Beauty the parent company of Flower Beauty? YES
Does Maesa provide the raw ingredients or just package design? Maesa provides the package design and we work with a factory who provides the raw ingredients. Neither Maesa or the factory tests on animals as stated in my previous answers to your questions.
Does Maesa test ingredients or finished products on animals? NO
If you sell in the Chinese market? WE DO NOT SELL FLOWER IN THE CHINA MARKET

UPDATE: FLower Beauty has clarified that they do have an office in Hong Kong but DO NOT sell in China. They only sell in the US and Europe. 

_________________________________________________________________

*****DISCLAIMER: Everything in grey is old information. I have updated this. Scroll up to see!

This sounds good and all, but I came upon Maesa's Organization Profile. Where it clearly states: 
"The Maesa Group is the fastest growing and most comprehensive resource for "Beauty on Demand" products and services. With branches in Paris, New York, Los Angeles, Hong Kong, and Shanghai..." 

So far things are looking bad for Flower Beauty. You guys know that I do not support companies who have a parent company that test on animals**. How can I? I have no idea where my money would go, it might even go to fund animal testing. 


 I have emailed them back, asking about their selling in Hong Kong.

**(If a company sells in China, they are required to test their products on animals.) 

I am waiting for his reply and I will update you guys once I receive it. If I was you I would definitely HOLD OFF on buying from Flower Beauty. 



Please leave me your feelings about this mess! What you do you think? 

Until Next Time,
Camila









Sunday, August 4, 2013

e.l.f. Haul | Cruelty-Free Blog





I was walking through Walmart the other day and was shocked (I yelped, nope I'm not exaggerating) when I saw this beautiful, magical, glowing (I swear I heard music playing) ELF display. With their new studio blushes, new brushes, lip-glosses, mascaras, etc. Why is this significant you might be asking? Well, usually you can only find ELF products at Target or sometimes at DollarTree but they never have a big selection. Also, if you've ever order from the ELF site and live in the Western part of the US you know it takes FOREVER to get your stuff! I'm actually proud if myself for only picking three things. I wanted to share with you guys some swatches and my first impressions of these products. Later I went to CVS, where I picked up the derma E Creme. 

Disclaimer: Everything in this Haul is cruelty-free, at least to the best of my knowledge. For more info on which companies are and aren't cruelty-free check Humanely,Chic out. 

I. ELF: Flawless Eyeshadow in "Beautiful Browns"
First Impression: I'm surprised with the pigmentation! They are a bit dusty & do have some fallout.



 I love that crease color. It's a penny-bronzy color.








 II. ELF: Jumbo Lip Gloss Stick in "Movie Star"
First Impression: The color wasn't as opaque as I was expecting. It's smooth though & not drying at all.






Good for just a flush of color.




III. ELF: Small Angled Brush
First Impression: It's sooo soft without being flimsy.





IV. derma E :Tea Tree and E Antiseptic Creme with Tea Tree and Vitamin E
First Impression: Definitely has that Tea Tree scent, which is herbally. I LOVE Tea Tree products for controlling breakouts and keeping my skin clean. It's surprising thick!! 



 It's soo thick and feels cooling on your skin. 

I can't wait to review these products! Let me know if you're excited to see ELF at Walmart. Also, what are some of your favorite cruelty-free brands?

Lots of Love,
Camila

Light Mountain | Natural Hair Color and Conditioner | Cruelty-Free Inquiry



Hey guys. Someone on my facebook page requested that I look into cruelty-free hair color companies. I had seen Light Mountain in Sprouts and decided to go ahead and email them. I received a reply within 24-hours, which is always great & doesn't happen often! 

I emailed them using the format I usually use. Click here to see it. 

Light Mountain replied saying: (They went ahead and just answered directly from my email. Which I appreciated.)

To Whomever it May Concern:
I am doing research on animal testing, and I need to verify a few key points about your company. Please be sure to answer each question.  
1. Does your company test ingredients or/and finished products on animals?   NO. 
2. Do you test ingredients or products on animals through a 3rd party? If your answer is no, how do you ensure that your manufacturers do not test? NO.  we are party to the convention of Leaping Bunny which sets up protocols for both supplier declarations and for ongoing assurances that no animal testing is being done. 3. Do your manufacturers test ingredients or products on animals?   NO.  We actually do our own blending and we buy directly from the grower for all our raw materials, which are certified organic and monitored by 3rd party certification organizations.  There is no intervening manufacturer. 
4. Are you owned or affiliated with any companies that test products or ingredients on animals?  NO. 
5. Do you/your parent company currently or have plans to market and sell your products in the Chinese market, which requires animal testing by law to sell in that country?   NO 
6. Do you use palm oil/carnuaba wax in any of your products? If so, is it from an organic and sustainable source?   NOT USED. 
7. Could you provide a list of all of your current vegan items available for purchase? Our entire product line is Vegan.  You can see it at www.light-mountain-hair-color.com  we have 20 shades of hair color, 12 “regular” and 8 “color the gray” in the line.
Thank you so much for the information. Also note that any reply I receive, I will be sharing on humanelychic.blogspot.com, which now has over 20,000 views! -Camila A.

YAY!! They meet my three criteria! They are also 100% vegan which I know a lot of you will be really happy about! I'm actually thinking of lightening my hair, so I might be reviewing their products.

Until Next Time,
Camila

Cruelty-Free Blog & Your Opinion!



Don't you guys hate the fact that a lot of the YouTube beauty community isn't cruelty-free? I know I find it sad and annoying to hear about all these products that, yes might be good, but at what cost? Also, I always consider that fact that there are GREAT cruelty-free companies that don't get enough recognition. Well, for maybe six months now I have been running my own Beauty-Blog. Where I review cosmetics & skin car stuff, etc. Basically only cruelty-free beauty-stuff!! It's called Space-A-Lah.

I have hesitated on sharing it on here, just because it took awhile for me to grow into my cruelty-free activist shoes. Meaning, I often found out some companies I thought were cruelty-free, were not. I was scared of swaying you to -potentially- buy stuff that has been tested on my furry friends. Now that I feel more confident about what companies are truly cruelty-free I have decided to share it here.

You might be wondering why I didn't post reviews, hauls, and such on here. I actually have been thinking about it, but I wanted to have your support first.

So, I would really appreciate your feedback! Should I stay or move my reviews, etcs. here? Be honest! I know it would be easier to maintain just one blog and have all the info. easy to find in just one place. Thank you for allowing my little 'ol blog to blossom! I can't believe I have over 25,000 views! WHAT??? I have so much more planned! I love you all! <3 <3 <3

Lots of Love,
Camila

Thursday, August 1, 2013

HumanelyChic now on Twitter

Hey guys!


HumanelyChic is now on twitter! I know some of you follow this blog on facebook, bloglovin', or google-plus! This is just another option for you to stay in touch with updates, new posts, some news, etc.

Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Models Own | Animal Testing Inquiry



I contacted Models Own and received a reply. I actually received this reply this past May! I think it got lost in my email. I have a "companies" file and I guess I miss placed it! Opps. My hope is to keep you updated with the latest information, so I've contacted them again to make sure their policies have not changed. Sorry guys :P 

Anyways. I used the format* I always use. 



To Whomever it May Concern:
I am doing research on animal testing, and I need to verify a few key points about your company.
1. Does your company test ingredients or finished products on animals? 2. Do you test ingredients or products on animals through a 3rd party? 3. Do your manufacturers test ingredients or products on animals? 4. Are you owned or affiliated with any companies that test products or ingredients on animals? 5. Do you/your parent company currently or have plans to market and sell your products in the Chinese market, which requires animal testing by law to sell in that country? 6. Do you use palm oil/carnuaba wax in any of your products? If so, is it from an organic and sustainable source? 7. Could you provide a list of all of your current vegan items available for purchase? 
Thank you so much for the information. Also note that any reply I receive, I will be sharing on humanelychic.blogspot.com . Which is my blog.
A Models Own representative emailed me back with:
*To make it easier for you to follow along, I've added the original question in pink. That way you don't have to scroll up and down! Whatever is in black is originally from the email. I didn't change anything, all I did was add the questions.


Hello,Thank you for your email.Models Own takes the welfare of animals very seriously, and we have never tested any of our products or ingredients on animals, either directly or through third parties.To answer your questions directly:1. [Does your company test ingredients or finished products on animals?]
 No

2.[
Do you test ingredients or products on animals through a 3rd party?]
 No

3.[
Do your manufacturers test ingredients or products on animals?]
No

4. [
Are you owned or affiliated with any companies that test products or ingredients on animals? ]
 No

5.[
Do you/your parent company currently or have plans to market and sell your products in the Chinese market, which requires animal testing by law to sell in that country?]
 No

6. 
 [Do you use palm oil/carnuaba wax in any of your products? If so, is it from an organic and sustainable source? ]
Yes (in pencils), from organic and sustainable sources

7. [Could you provide a list of all of your current vegan items available for purchase?]
The vast majority of our products are vegan, including all 130+ of our nail polishes, all nail art pens, all standard lipsticks, all eyeliners and the majority of our brushes (see below). Non-vegan products include bronzers, mascaras, Hyper Brite lipsticks, cream eyeshadow, Smokey Eye Kits, and the blending and shading eyebrow brushes. While these products use animal-derived ingredients (typically waxes), no animals are harmed during this process, and everything comes from sustainable sources.

Hope that answers your enquiry. x

Regards,
Models Own
Models Own is owned by Harlow & Co. They are manufacturer "indie nail polishes". As far as I know they don't sale in China.  

As you can see they meet my three criteria for determining is a company is cruelty-free.  I would feel safe purchasing from them as of now. TO check out other cruelty-free companies click here



If you have ANY concerns or questions about this inquiry feel free to ask me! Just leave me a comment below. The entire point of this blog is to help YOU! So don't be shy!!


Until Next Time,

Camila


To get updates!

Sunday, July 28, 2013

UPDATE!!

If you've messaged me or emailed me recently and I have not replied FORGIVE ME! I relied on google to alert me when I received a new comment, but for some reason I have not received any alerts. Don't shy away & feel free to email me at ca.alva@yahoo.com !

I've contacted a bunch of companies but have not received a reply. I wanted to focus on contacting at least four companies per month, please leave in the comments what company YOU would like me to contact, I will chose the top 4. I think this new system will make you and me happy. I hope you are all doing well. Also LIKE this blog on facebook to receive updates & extra information!

Until Next Time,
Camila

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

Kinky-Curly | Hair Products


Hello guys! I hope you are having a wonderful day!

Today, I received a reply from Kinky-Curly. If you've never heard of them, they make hair products specifically geared towards women (&men) with luscious curly or kinky hair.

I've heard some cruelty-free YouTube gurus talk about their products and I've seen PETA's bunny logo on their products; however, I felt the need to email them myself.

I emailed them using the format I always use. Click on here to see it.


They emailed me back within a couple of days:

Hi Camila 
Thank you for emailing us.Kinky-Curly Hair Care does not test on animals.
Also we do not work with any 3rd parties who test on animals.
We have no plans to sell our products to a market that requires our products be tested on animals.
As you can see they meet the three criteria that I look for when I add a company to My Cruelty-Free List. They are also verified by PETA. I also appreciate that they got to the point! Many companies babble about their "efforts to end animal testing", yet they sell in the Chinese market (which requires animal testing).

As of now I would feel safe purchasing from Kinky-Curly, especially as someone with curly hair!

Let me know if you've tried Kinky-Curly products! Leave me any feedback you'd like!

Until Next Time,
Camila






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