Celebrate World Vegan Month With These Fab Vegan Finds — As Seen On CBS Austin

To celebrate November being World Vegan Month, I shared some of my favorite vegan finds today on CBS Austin’s “We Are Austin.” From skincare and beauty essentials to fashion accessories, flavorful sauces, and nutrient-dense snacks, check out all my picks below!

Skin Proud Face Melt Gentle Hydrating Cleansing Balm

Even if you’re a lip gloss and mascara girlie on an everyday basis, chances are you’ll want to do more elaborate makeup looks for your upcoming holiday parties. And if you want to keep your skin hydrated, healthy, and blemish-free, you’ll need to be all the more vigilant when cleansing your face in the evening in order to remove all traces of makeup. The key, then, is finding a cleanser that can effectively remove even the most stubborn makeup without drying or irritating skin. One great choice is the Skin Proud Face Melt Gentle Hydrating Cleansing Balm ($13.74 on Walmart.com).

This refreshing and gentle balm-to-oil cleanser removes dirt and impurities and dissolves any traces of makeup while leaving skin softer and smoother. The 100% vegan and PETA-approved formula is infused with skin-softening and moisturizing argan and coconut oils, a hydrating hyaluronic complex, and ceramides that reinforce the skin barrier to better lock in moisture.

To use, you apply the balm directly onto dry skin and massage onto the entire face, then add a bit of water to create an emulsion. You’ll notice the makeup melting right off as you work. Once ready, you can rinse off your complexion and pat dry!

Not only is this makeup remover gentle and effective, but it’s way more eco-friendly than using countless landfill-bound makeup remover towelettes.

BYROE Tomato Firming Serum

Founded by South Korean entrepreneur Amy Roe, BYROE is a vegan, superfood-infused skincare line inspired by the fresh and nutrient-rich natural ingredients you’d find in salad. Naturally, since tomatoes are a staple in so many salad recipes, they’re also a key ingredient in one of BYROE’s star products: the BYROE Tomato Firming Serum ($150 on BYROE.com).

While we know quite a bit about their dietary benefits, tomatoes also boast a number of skin-loving properties that are less well-known. For one, they’re a great source of vitamin C, which helps to brighten skin, fade dark spots, and stimulate collagen production. They also have astringent properties and can control oil production and tighten pores. Plus, they contain enzymes that promote skin exfoliation and antioxidants like lycopene that protect skin against free radicals and fend off aging signs.

The BYROE Tomato Firming Serum, then, is a 4-in-1, multi-tasking serum that harnesses the power of red, yellow, and green tomatoes to target multiple aging signs including sagging, loss of elasticity, dark spots, and both fine lines and deep wrinkles.

The vegan formula incorporates Green Tomato SE, a patented extract derived from heat-treated green tomatoes that supports firmer, tighter-looking skin. It contains high levels of glycoalkaloids such as tomatine, tomatidine and tomatidenol that have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant benefits. Another exciting ingredient is Upcycled IBR-TCLC, an antioxidant-rich complex from upcycled tomatoes that protects skin against free radicals and minimizes wrinkles. This purified extract is rich in the colorless carotenoids phytoene and phytofluene, which help to improve skin’s radiance and minimize the appearance of hyperpigmentation.

Other ingredients include palmitoyl pentapeptide-4, which works wonders to give skin a plumper appearance, and two forms of vitamin C that work synergistically to fade dark spots and brighten the complexion.

Juice Beauty Stem Cellular Anti-Wrinkle Booster Serum and Holiday Gift Sets

A trailblazer in the clean beauty movement, Juice Beauty specializes in high-performance, plant-powered, vegan, and cruelty-free products formulated using certified organic ingredients. In fact, many of Juice Beauty’s organic ingredients are grown in its own sustainable farm, located in the heart of Sonoma Wine Country in California.

This holiday season, Juice Beauty is ready to solve all your skincare and gifting needs!

First, for more youthful-looking skin, reach for the Stem Cellular Anti-Wrinkle Booster Serum ($80 on ULTA.com). It features a proprietary blend of fruit stem cells and vitamin C infused into a resveratrol-rich grape formula to boost luminosity, minimize wrinkles, and improve skin tone and texture.

And since we’re all about giving during the holiday season, we can share our age-defying skin secrets with our loved ones by gifting them the Stem Cellular Wrinkle Solutions Gift Set ($52 on ULTA.com). It features three travel-sized products from the Stem Cellular line: the aforementioned Anti-Wrinkle Booster Serum, the velvety and luxe Anti-Wrinkle Moisturizer, and the Anti-Wrinkle Eye Treatment, a rich gel eye cream that reduced the appearance of fine lines and dark circles along the eye area..

Lastly, the Juicy Delights 7-Piece Gift Set ($59 on ULTA.com) includes minis of 6 best-selling skincare items to cleanse, brighten, exfoliate, treat, and hydrate skin — all packaged in an adorable travel makeup bag. The kit includes: the Prebiotix Cleansing Cream, a gentle cleanser infused with aloe and coconut meant to balance the skin microbiome; the Prebiotix Freshly Squeezed Glow 20% Vitamin C Serum, one of my go-to Juice Beauty products, which helps to brighten the complexion and restore balance to the microbiome; the Green Apple Peel Full Strength Exfoliating Mask, which helps to slough away dead and dull surface skin cells to reveal a smoother and more even skin tone; the Stem Cellular Anti-Wrinkle Retinol Overnight Serum, a non-irritating retinol serum that helps to rejuvenate skin; the luxurious and resveratrol-rich Stem Cellular Anti-Wrinkle Moisturizer; and the Blemish Clearing Oil Free Moisturizer, which delivers gentle hydration while also giving skin a matte finish.

Thrive Causemetics Bigger Than Beauty Skincare Pout Hero Liquid Balm Treatment and Impact-FULL Smoothing Lipstick

These next two 100% vegan and cruelty-free products from Thrive Causemetics should be on everyone’s lips — literally.

If you want soft and mistletoe-ready lips or just want your pout to look supple and smooth under your go-to lip color, pick up the Bigger Than Beauty Skincare Pout Hero Liquid Lip Balm Treatment ($24 on ThriveCausemetics.com). This liquid lip treatment applies like a gloss, but it delivers long-lasting and cushiony moisture, plus it features a Lip Filler Technology that plumps and smooths fine lines to give lips a more supple appearance. Ingredients include: abyssinian oil, which is rich in omega 3 and 6 fatty acids that soften and replenish sin; sesame seed oil, which hydrates lips and protects them against free radicals; moisturizing vitamin B5; and vitamin E, which has powerful antioxidant properties. And, for the holiday season, it’s available in delightful limited-edition Peppermint and Gingerbread flavors.

And to create the ultimate statement lip, reach for the Impact-FULL Smoothing Lipstick ($26 on ThriveCausemetics.com). Available in 12 stunning shades, this weightless and creamy lipstick delivers bold, comfortable, long-lasting color (up to 8 hours of fade-free wear!) with just one smooth, tug-free swipe. Featuring a revolutionary Line-Refine Hydrating Complex, this lipstick moisturizes, plumps and smooths fine lines to reveal fuller, more youthful-looking lips. That means, you can wear as natural or bright a lip color as you desire without worrying about it feathering, cracking, or bleeding. Impactful? Absolutely!

Hair Proud Glass Hair Heat Activated Smoothing Shine Spray

Who wants dull-looking locks during the season of all things merry and bright? For a lustrous mane, reach for the Hair Proud Glass Hair Heat Activated Smoothing Shine Spray ($8.98 on Walmart.com). This heat-activated spray instantly smooths, de-frizzes, and strengthens strands, making hair more manageable while adding intense, high-wattage shine.

The 100% vegan and PETA-approved formula features heat-activated polymers that release a high-gloss film that eliminates frizz and adds weightless shine. The formula also contains hyaluronic acid to infuse hair with moisture and mitigate any damage caused by heat styling.

Playground Mood Maker Intimacy Oil

Co-founded by Christina Aguilera, Playground is a sexual wellness brand specializing in pleasure essentials for women. Playground’s newest launch, Mood Maker, is a clean, plant-powered, and vegan intimacy oil that can be used during solo or partner play. The pH balanced, vagina-safe formula harnesses the power of botanical aphrodisiacs to promote arousal and support a healthy libido. Aphrodisiacs like electric daisy, damiana, and maca are married with adaptogens like ashwagandha, reishi mushroms and cordyceps that help the body better adapt to stress, easing muscle tension and facilitating relaxation so you can be present, engaged, and totally present during intimate moments.

Featuring apricot and meadowfoam seed oils, Mood Maker’s oil-based, highly sensorial formula promotes tactile arousal by providing superior skin smoothness, heightening sensitivity and encouraging blood flow.

And the oil’s signature vanilla floral aroma is itself a mood maker, with notes of warm vanilla, sandalwood, rose and ylang ylang — all scents believed to have pheromone-boosting properties.

It’s $29 on HelloPlayground.com

Ayla & Co. Ayla Mini Bag

If you’re a fashionista and a mom, chances are you know how difficult it is to find a diaper bag that marries style and function. Luckily, in 2020, Utah native and mom of four Nikki Day came to the rescue with the launch of Ayla & Co., a line of line of functional, stylish, and minimalist diaper bags — all crafted using vegan leather. Since then, the female-owned brand has grown to include other vegan bags and everyday accessories — among them the ultra-versatile and chic Ayla Mini Bag ($149 on AylaBag.com).

Available in 6 stunning colors, the Ayla Mini Bag is perfect for parents who are transitioning out of the newborn stage and want a bag that’s more compact but which still features plenty of pockets and organizational compartments. The cleverly designed bag features a removable and washable liner, an interior insulated bottle pocket, a built-in wallet with credit card slots, two expandable exterior pockets, and more. Plus the removable straps allow you to rock it as a backpack, tote, or messenger bag, making it ultra versatile and a great addition to any wardrobe.

Catalina Crunch Apple Cider Donut Cereal

If there’s one cereal you’ll always find in my pantry, it’s Catalina Crunch’s Cinnamon Toast Cereal — which, admittedly, I tend to enjoy as a sweet evening treat as opposed to a breakfast meal. As someone who enjoys heavy lifting and HIIT, I’m always looking for high-protein foods that are also low-carb, low-sugar, and contain little to no artificial ingredients. And that’s exactly what I’ve found with Catalina Crunch’s cereals!

And, since it’s now autumn, I get to celebrate the return of Catalina Crunch’s limited-edition, plant-based Apple Cider Donut Cereal, which beautifully captures the essence of autumn while satisfying all my sweet cravings!

This cereal tastes like it came straight out of a New England apple farm bakery, marrying a crisp apple flavor with warm notes of cinnamon. Plus it’s keto-friendy, low-carb, high-protein and high-fiber — in fact, each serving contains zero grams of sugar, 11 grams of plant-based protein, and 9 grams of fiber, so it may taste sinfully delicious, but it’s actually a better-for-you cereal!

Like all Catalina Crunch cereals, it’s 100% vegan and features only clean ingredients — no artificial sweeteners, flavors, or colors.  

A 4-pack is $49 on CatalinaCrunch.com

Cedar’s Food Topped Organic Grecian Golden Hour Hommus and Snack Packs

Whether you’re hosting a football watch party or packing snacks for a family road trip, check out these tasty vegan hummuses from family-owned Mediterranean food brand Cedar’s Foods —all made using high-quality, fresh ingredients and zero preservatives. 

The creamy Topped Organic Grecian Golden Hour Hommus has notes of bright lemon and earthy oregano topped with a savory blend of paprika, thyme and parsley. It’s a great addition to any crudité platter, and it works beautifully in fall dishes like hummus-stuffed baked sweet potatoes, hummus pizzas, and hummus soup.

And if you’re looking for a healthy grab-and-go snack option to include in your kid’s lunchbox or to take with you to the office, check out the new Cedar’s Food Snack Packs, available in delicious flavors like Original Hommus with Chips and the Roasted Red Pepper Hommus with Chips. Both are vegan, gluten-free, and non-GMO verified.

You can find Cedar’s Foods at retailers nationwide including Whole Foods, Sprouts, and Amazon. For info, visit CedarsFoods.com

Melinda’s Craft Pepper Sauces

To elevate your culinary creations, look to Melinda’s and its incredible array of craft pepper sauces — all of which are plant-based and vegan. Founded by brothers Greg and Dave Figueroa, Melinda’s was born out of the desire to bring superior quality and freshness to the hot sauce space. To this day, freshness is at the heart of every Melinda’s sauce — starting, of course, with the best chili peppers on the planet.

Each sauce features a carefully crafted fusion of ingredients that creates a unique journey through the worlds of flavor and heat. Habanero, chipotle, cayenne, Scotch bonnet, jalapeño and Naga Jolokia peppers are married with root vegetables like carrots and onions or tropical fruits like papaya, mango and passion fruit to create exciting sauces that will tantalize taste buds. Some of my favorites include the Mango Habanero Hot Sauce and the Extra Hot Habanero Sauce.

You can find Melinda’s on Amazon and at Walmart, Target, and local grocery stores.