Petunia Essentials was started by a woman named MyLynda who, like most of us ladies, loved bath and body products. She got her degrees in mathematics and industrial engineering (!) and then became an attorney. As her allergies became worse and worse, she started making her own beauty products without harsh ingredients found in many mainstream brands. Her friends and family kept asking about the “potions” she was cooking up and they became popular in her inner-circle. Eventually MyLynda chose to follow a new career path she had never dreamed for herself – beauty product entrepreneur!

I love supporting indie businesses whenever I can (I have an Etsy problem) and I especially love supporting women business owners (since I am one!).

A review from a happy customer: “I purchased soaps from this company for my guest bath. This past weekend, several guests commented on the lovely fragrances. We have Brown Sugar & Fig and Lavender. Thank you for a great product.”

Petunia Essentials specializes in hand made, natural and vegetable based, cruelty free bath and body products, including moisturizing bar and liquid soaps, whipped body butters, lotion crèmes and aromatic bath salts. They use hydrating and healing oils like olive oil, jojoba oil, avocado oil and sweet almond oil with quality essential oils, fragrance oils, and botanicals like lavender buds, rose petals, and jasmine flowers. Only cruelty free, natural and safe ingredients are used.

And if you haven’t already, read our review of Petunia Essentials cruelty free beauty products!

Want to win a Petunia Essentials gift set containing a body butter, a shower gel and a body spray? Just wait for the Rafflecopter form below to load and follow the instructions. You must be 18 or older to enter. US only. By entering you agree to the official rules.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Denise Richards is one of my hair idols. What I wouldn’t give to have her long, voluminous locks! I was excited to hear that she now has her own line of volumizing, cruelty free hair products! Produced by veteran hair care brand, Cristophe, Denise’s “Volume Extend” line has the following products: shampoo, conditioner, styling creme, volumizing spray and finishing spray.

The Denise Richards Volume Extend by Cristophe hair care collection is a revolutionary product line with a new technology and product formula which penetrates the hair shaft to actually increase the hair strands diameter;  giving the hair amazing beauty, body, volume, and shine. The line is completely paraben, sulfate, and cruelty free.

I loved all of the products. A little goes a long way – especially for the styling products. The styling creme is for damp hair and the volumizing spray can be used on damp or dry hair – great for a mid-afternoon pick me up or after-work happy hour date! It also contains UV protectors, Vitamin C and creatine to strengthen hair.

You really only need a tiny bit of the styling creme, so this is a really cost-effective purchase ($14.99 for 3 oz). Apply to damp hair and then blowdry and style as usual for great volume.

The shampoo and conditioner have wheat proteins, sugarcane, green tea, lemon, apple, sea fennel, probiotics (“good” bacteria) and peptides to boost hair strength and volume. A pretty unique blend of ingredients!

The finishing spray is a hair spray that you can use on your roots to boost volume, set a hairstyle or use when your hair is getting oily and needs a boost!

How would you like to win a full set of Denise Richards Volume Extend hair products? Just sign up for the My Beauty Bunny newsletter and leave the email address you used to sign up in a comment below, telling me which Denise Richards product you are most excited to try. If you’re already signed up, just leave a comment below. The winner’s email address will be verified. For an extra entry, like the Cristophe Facebook page. Leave a separate comment for each entry. You get up to 2 entries. Any additional comments will be deleted for the purposes of this contest! If your comment doesn’t show up right away, don’t repost. It just means I haven’t approved it yet!

You must be 18 or older, US only. Ends 2/29/12. By entering, you agree to the official rules here.

Want more? Check out our Beauty Blogger Coalition $500 Visa gift card giveaway!

Jen

Lisa’s Red Hot Tip:
This formula is the greatest! I searched high and low and found one that really STAYS PUT. I love having gloss on my lips at all times and got frustrated when they always wore off. But finally… a gloss that stays on for hours. I think you will enjoy the shade selections and your new kissable lips! MUAH! XX

And, just a reminder that Red Hot Makeup is having a crazy awesome sale right now. Buy any product of $8 or more and get a free blush/highlighter and free kabuki brush ($24 value)! You don’t need a promo code – all orders qualify. Hurry though – quantities are limited.

Check out the other Red Hot video tutorials on Concealer, Blush/Highlights, Eyes and Mineral Foundation!

Lisa’s Red Hot Tip:
All I can say is oooh la la! There are so many fabulous and fun shades to choose from in this line. These shadows are vibrant and easy to use. Not sure which shade to get? Try a few and mix them together! The possibilities are simply endless. Have fun experimenting and looking gorgeous while you’re at it!

And, just a reminder that Red Hot Makeup is having a crazy awesome sale right now. Buy any product of $8 or more and get a free blush/highlighter and free kabuki brush ($24 value)! You don’t need a promo code – all orders qualify. Hurry though – quantities are limited.

Check out the other Red Hot video tutorials on Concealer, Blush/Highlights, Lips and Mineral Foundation!

Sweek Hook

I only recently found out that budget nail polish brand, China Glaze, is cruelty free. I tried a few from their new ’80s inspired Electropop collection: Sweet Hook (a pastel purple), Make Some Noise (a dark pinky coral) and Aquadelic (a fun, sippin’ drinks by the pool teal blue). What do you think? Would you rock these colors?

Make Some Noise

Aquadelic

Jen