I get chapped lips when the weather’s cold which is annoying, painful and NOT luscious. That’s why I carry lip balm with me in the winter. In my lip balm search this year, I discovered that my blogger buddy, Michelle, started a company, Olivia, that makes vegan, all-natural, petrol-free lip balms.
I was impressed with this because it’s hard running a business (I know, I’ve tried and failed!). I’m also excited about Michelle’s company because I trust that everything she makes is of the highest quality and cruelty free. Right now she’s just selling lip balms, but she’s developing a host of other body care products that will be available soon.
Check her stuff out now, because she’s giving 10% off to my readers until February 28, 2014 (use code honkifyourevegan). Just in time for Valentine’s Day!
I asked Michelle what prompted her to start Olivia and here’s what she has to say:
It All Started with Balms
It all started with balms. There is a lovely company that makes all-natural, organic balms. They have balms for the hands, nails, and body. They have aromatherapy balms for headaches, stress, muscle aches, and insomnia. The problem is that they’re not vegan.
When I couldn’t find any vegan, all-natural, petrol-free alternatives, I decided to start making my own. I discovered the silkiness and emollient properties of olive wax, the richness of cocoa butter, and the luxuriousness of jojoba oil. I began playing with plant extracts and floral waters. I fell in love with these (and other) ingredients and then with aromatherapy. This quickly led to making lip balms, body butters, lotions, serums, conditioners, and eventually, soaps.
At the moment I can only sell lip balms, because in the UK there are quite a few laws governing the sale of cosmetics and each recipe has to be assessed by a cosmetic chemist, and in some instances, the product itself has to be tested. This is all pretty time-consuming and requires considerable financial investment, so I need to be absolutely sure of my recipe before I submit it for assessing. I try to look on the bright side as all this red tape helps prevent the sale of inferior-quality products. I hope to have more products available by mid-march.
I’m currently working, literally during every free moment, on developing and perfecting new recipes. I’m studying aromatherapy, working on a skin care course, and plan to begin an aromatherapy course next year which will result in a clinical practitioner’s diploma. I also hope in the future to donate a certain percentage of my profits to an animal sanctuary in Ireland.
About Olivia Lip Balms
I use only 5 main ingredients in my lip balms:
Olive wax
Cocoa butter
Jojoba oil
Castor oil
Vitamin E oil
These ingredients are fair trade, organic and unrefined (where possible). I use only the best quality, fair trade, organic essential oils.
Image of woman courtesy of Voguepk.com.
I love this! Thanks Celeste! And I think it’s great how strict the oversight of the cosmetics are in Europe. Wish it was that way here too!
I wish they were as strict about cosmetics here too!! Maybe we should all order our beauty products from Europe. I know that would be expensive – just saying. Thanks for your comment! Celeste 🙂
Sounds like a great product, Celeste. I will check it out. Thanks for sharing!
They look great to me too – love the tins! Thanks for stopping by chica! Celeste 🙂
How cool! Yes, with this cold weather it’s very hard to keep my lips not chapped. Thanks for sharing!
I always appreciate your support chica! Celeste 🙂
Wow!! It’s so great to know that there are options out there if one is looking for vegan, all natural petrol-free lip balms! My lips are currently extremely chapped, and I’m excited to check out your blogger buddy’s website for sure!!! Thank you for sharing! 🙂
Hey there Violet! I hope you check Michelle’s products out – I know she’s putting lots of love into everything she makes. I hope all’s well in your neck of the woods chica! Celeste 🙂
Hi Celeste! All is well, thanks. 🙂 I did check Michelle’s products and they’re wonderful! The only sad thing is that she doesn’t ship them to Canada. 😦 I think I’ll have to contact her or stock up when I’m in UK next time. I hope you’re having a great week and an even better weekend ahead!! xx, Violet
This is great. Since I live in the UK, I am definitely going to order. Thanks, Celeste. 🙂
That’s wonderful!! I’m sure you’ll love the product. Celeste 🙂
🙂
This sounds great! I recently became tired of using pure vaseline as a lip balm, so I bought None of Your Beeswax vegan lip balm from Lush. I might have to try this one too (I am a lop balm fanatic and was anxious when I learned that almost none are vegan).
Ok. Let’s make that ‘I’m running late for work because I couldn’t contain myself, I had to order the 6 flavour set. My my, I’m excited! I’m keeping this is mind for my next giveaway 🙂 Thanks Celeste, for introducing this beautifully looking product to us!
Wonderful!! Thanks so much for supporting Michelle’s small, cruelty-free business. And it is a great product for a giveaway, isn’t it? Hmmmm, maybe I’ll have to do a giveaway with these one day too!! Have a lovely day! Celeste 🙂
They do look great, do they deliver to the UK?
Absolutely! It’s actually a UK company, so what I need to find out is if she ships to the states. Celeste 🙂
Oh I see, lucky me!!
She does! And Europe has free shipping 🙂
Cool 👍
Reblogged this on Wolf Is My Soul and commented:
Vegan alternatives you can rely on!!
Aw thanks for the reblog! I love supporting small companies that make high quality vegan stuff. And Michelle’s company is certainly that! Celeste 🙂
Ugh, I have the worst lips in the winter and even summer!!! They’ve been peeling non-stop. Will definitely give her balms a try!
Sorry to hear you’ve got such a problem with chapped lips chica – that’s no fun. I know Michelle puts a lot of love and care into her products, so if anything can help these will for sure. I was just on your site and know that you’re feeling down at the moment, I hope you feel better soon. Celeste 🙂
Sounds good, do hope she is successful. I currently use Jason’s (from CA!) which I think is extremely good, similar ingredients 70% organic – but does have beeswax, so ain’t vegan, but it’s a whole lot better than many other products, so I’m not losing sleep. Will check out your pals products though.
I’ve seen Jason’s products before. Or maybe I’m confusing Jason’s with Justin’s vegan products (they make vegan peanut butter cups and other such stuff). Anyway, I hope Michelle is successful too. Starting a business is such a challenge! Celeste 🙂
Hi Celeste 😀 Luckily I don’t have chapped lips. A chap with lips……yes !! That’s enough lip from me. Big hug. Ralph xox 😀
Seriously Ralph, I think they picked the wrong guy to replace Jay Leno. You would make the best Tonight Show host ever!!!!! The main quality they need in that position is a chap with lips and you got that down (and then some!).
So, are the Valentine’s Day cards rolling in yet? Celeste 🙂
Oooh !! I would love to compare a show like that. What fun !!
There are already 2 Valentine cards ready for opening and I have had quite a few promises of many more to come. I wonder what a wacky vegan Valentine card would look like 😉
Oh wow, thank you! I was just thinking the other day that I was uncomfortable with the fact that my face cream, hand cream and lip balm are almost certainly not vegan – and now you have resolved one of those at least, and maybe more in the future! So exciting, thank you 🙂
I have to admit that despite being vegan for two years I still use a few non-vegan personal care products. When I first went vegan it was too much to deal with everything at once, so I started out focusing just on what I ate. The next thing I cut out was leather and other non-vegan clothing. I still haven’t dealt with the personal care items yet. Like you say, at least now I know of a good vegan lip balm. Thanks so much for your comment! Celeste 🙂
I finally am using all vegan products on my face and hair and love it!! Super hard to find vegan hair care products for my insanely thick hair that actually work, but happy to finally do it! The balms look great!
You’re one awesome vegan!!! I can’t say that I’m that good yet, but I’m working on it. Thanks so much for stopping by – I appreciate it!! Celeste 🙂
Thank you for this useful lovely post! x