What's in The Vegan Kind Box? May 2018

It's National Vegetarian Week!! So what better time to take a rummage through this month's The Vegan Kind Box? Here's a peep at everything inside TVK55...
 

Following on from my last post, I'm sticking with a veggie theme - not least because it happens to be National Vegetarian Week in the UK this week. I've been sitting on my hands on this one ever since I received my The Vegan Kind May box because I don't want to be that person doling out spoilers and ruining it for other subscribers. So I've been patient. But I'm done being patient....

It seems like forever since I reviewed a TVK box! I haven't yet been able to bring myself to explain my absence fully here, but I'm sure it'll come with time. The important thing is, I'm back now, so I'm raring to go on this month's box. 

For those of you who might be new to TVK subscription box, or have had your curiosity peaked with all the veggie chat going on this week, The Vegan Kind were the first in the UK to offer a 100% Vegan lifestyle subscription box. Each month, TVK subscribers receive a yummy parcel of vegan treats, food items, and other household products or toiletries through their door. What could be better, right? They even branched out into doing cruelty free beauty boxes! 

It really is a fantastic way to introduce yourself to new vegan products each month, and a great way to ease yourself into a more plant-based way of living.

So, what's in the Box?!

Herby GEOSticks

Crispy, herby little multigrain sticks made from rice, lentils and quinoa. These were the first item to fall prey to my office munchies (I tend to stash the contents of each box in my desk drawer each month) and contain some gorgeous Fairtrade ingredients from Japan and Peru.

Belvas Flaked Belgian Chocolate Truffles

Oh, my goodness! Very decadent, flakey-soft truffles made using 73% Peruvian cocoa. You'd never in a million years assume these were plant-based - they're so morish and indulgent!

BetterYou Daily Vitamin B12 Oral Spray

"Where do you get your B12?"... RIGHT HERE! 

I've always favoured oral and sublingual B12 supplements and I'm looking forward to trying this one. It has the added bonus of chromium and green tea extract to keep you awake and alert. Just 4 sprays per day delivers 48,000% of your RDA(!!) and with a pleasant apricot flavour. 

I Love Snacks Californian Smoked Almonds

Are you a nutter like me? If you're partial to a tasty hit of healthy fats, these will be right up your alley. And if portion control is an issue then the handy little mini-packs mean you can't get too carried away. These are great for a quick afternoon pick me up. 

YumEarth Organic Fruit Snacks

SWEETS!! I love a good veggie jelly sweet and these are particularly tasty. They are flavoured using natural, organic fruit juices with no syrups or artificial colours/flavours. The icing on the cake is that they're also packing a hit of Vitamin C! 

Montezuma's Dark Chocolate Chilli Mini-Bar

There is no bad kind of mini-bar, and this little slab of pure joy packs quite a punch! You might have noticed Montezuma's creations in supermarkets, and this chilli variety was one of their original 5 products and inspired by a traditional Mexican recipe.

Turmerlicious Choco Latte

I'm really looking forward to trying this! I've heard amazing things about 'golden milk' turmeric lattes. This one is blended with coconut milk, ginger, cinnamon, black pepper and... well... turmeric (obvs). All you need to do is add hot water!

My Thoughts... 

To be honest, I've yet to receive a TVK box I didn't like! This one, however, is particularly wonderful! I love everything in it! As always, it's super value for money, containing 7 good-sized products worth over £23. It's a great combo of sweet, savoury and functional too. I think if I had to pick a favourite product of the bunch, it would have to be the Belvas truffles. They are spectacular, and really didn't last long. I could have done with another box! 

As always, there was a delicious recipe card included with the products for a yummy green veggie curry. 10p from each TVK55 box sold was also donated to Well Small Animal Rescue, which is a small cat rescue charity based in Lincolnshire. 

To subscribe to The Vegan  Kind, head over to thevegankind.com, pick your box, pick your subscription, and you're all set! The Lifestyle Box Subscription (which is what I have) starts from just £8 per month. Or, if you're a cruelty-free beauty lover, you might also love their bi-monthly Beauty Box.

The Vegan Kind also operates an online vegan supermarket - probably the biggest in the UK - where they offer a HUGE range of cruelty-free, plant based products for home delivery anywhere in the UK! 

What Veggie/Vegan Treats have you been enjoying for National Vegetarian Week?

Summer of TVK | 3 Box Bonanza!

Well HELLO there! Once again, I'm going to kick off another post by apologising for how awful I've been with this blog. In my defense, I am on a mission at the moment to figure out a way to generate my own personal blog content more efficiently alongside the content I create for clients as part of my paid job. I hope this post goes some way to making up for it, because I've got a bumper summer crop of The Vegan Kind* for you today. 3 whole months' worth of wholesome, cruelty-free, vegan food and lifestyle goodness! 

The Vegan Kind TVK 32 - June 2016

The TVK box for June threw me right into the mood for summer. I guess they were as excited as I was, because the stars of this box were the Green People Edelweiss Sun Lotion and natural tan accelerator, and the Smooze coconut and mango fruit lollies. The only thing that could have made this box better would be a plane ticket, a palm tree, and a good book (fat chance of that for me at the moment though - busy busy busy - maybe next year). 

Also tucked away in this box was a glorious Chocolate and Raspberry Cookie from The Foods of Athenry. I'm a huge fan of their baked goods after discovering their gluten-free mince pies last christmas and they're a regular with TVK. The Good Full Stop cocoa orange bar was a refreshing change for me from the Nakd version, and I'd not got round to trying the Granovita Vegetable Pate, despite seeing it around multiple times. Also... cheese and onion Hoots! Enough said. 10/10 TVK!

The Vegan Kind TVK33 - July 2016

I have another apology to make (that makes 2 so far this post, I'm going for a record) and that apology is to Angelic Gluten Free, whose chocolate, coconut and oat slices were too delicious and were the only item out of all 3 boxes not to survive to the photography stage of this post (although, the Yushoi Snapea Soy and Balsamic Vinegar rice sticks bag also looks mysteriously empty... my bad). Believe me when I say that you need them in your belly. I thought I could just pinch one and photograph the rest. How wrong I was. I will make it up to them by annihilating their stock at Vegfest London in October. 

Massive shoutout once again to Harper's Bizarre for another TVK exclusive candle. I'm lucky enough to call Victoria Harper a friend and her candles are always welcome in my house. Particularly her raspberry and rose, so The Raspberry Kind was very well received. 

This was a very sweet box, with Goody Good Stuff cola bottles, a Conscious Chocolate Goji and Coconut mini-bar, and a delightfully refreshing Virtue Lemon Iced Tea in addition to the Angelic cakey goodness, but I also o-loved (see what I did there) the Oloves chilli and garlic olives.

The Vegan Kind TVK34 - August 2016

Hard to choose a best out of all 3 summer boxes, but... I think this one just takes the trophy, purely for the Follow Your Heart Veganegg. Prior to becoming vegan, I remember citing eggs as something I could never give up. I was extremely 'meh' about cheese and I've never been able to stand the smell of bacon, but eggs were my bae (if I were the sort of person to use the word 'bae' *shudder*). I think I'm going to save my thoughts on this product for a full review and maybe even a taste test video. 

Elsewhere in the box, I've thoroughly enjoyed munching my way through the Hippeas Far out Fajita chickpea puffs, the Landgarten crunchy choco balls, and the Squirrel Sisters Coconut and Cashew energy bar over the last few days. We had my brother's 6 year old step-daughter staying over on Thursday night and she was only too happy to share the Candy Kittens Sweet Pineapple candies with me (in fact, she rather liked them - see below).

I shared the @candykittens_uk from my @thevegankind box with my brother's 6yr old step-daughter (yes, I do occasionally share food - shocking, I know)... I think she liked them! 💚💚💚 #aww #vegan #vegansofig #vegansweets #cute #thevegankind #tvk34 #candy #sharingiscaring

A photo posted by Lisa Clare 🇬🇧 (@thatlisaclare) on Aug 19, 2016 at 9:01am PDT

And, finally, there was the Native Unearthed Volcanic Crystals and Aloe deodorant, which I haven't got round to testing out yet, but that I have high hopes for. I was also lucky enough to get a £5 John Lewis/Waitrose gift card with my box, which I donated to my preggers sister-in-law towards baby clothes as my first duty as an Auntie-to-be. 

I know I say this every time I review a TVK box, but I've been getting these boxes (initially as a paying customer and now as a blogger) for well over a year now, and I can honestly say they never send out a bad box. They are amazing value for money and there's always something new to try with TVK. It's never the 'same old stuff' with them. I've never felt tempted to order from any of the other vegan subscription box services that have sprung up in the UK (TVK were the first). 

For more information and to subscribe to The Vegan Kind Lifestyle Box visit www.thevegankind.com

Unboxing The Vegan Kind #TVK29

This month's The Vegan Kind* lifestyle box had a lot to live up to. It's March. March means Easter. and Easter means treats. Luckily, vegan and cruelty free treats are what TVK do best. Somehow I've managed to keep the lid on this box for almost an entire month, and finally broke the seal on it on Easter Sunday to check out what was inside (and apply it to my face)... 

Considerit Chocolate Cream Egg

No Easter is complete without at least one creme egg, and vegan/dairy-free folks no longer have to miss out. This version by ConsiderIt is ever-so-slightly more luxurious than it's Cadburys counterpart, made from hand-tempered Belgian dark chocolate with a fondant filling. It's also not as sickly as the original, which is a bonus for me. Also, excuse my fake-tan-stained nails in this pic (because it appears that 6 years of beauty blogging has taught me nothing)

Wheaty Red Hot Chilli Pepper Spacebar

I'm familiar with Wheaty products. One of the best things about my digital marketing internship with PETA was that their offices are just around the corner from Vx in King's Cross and I could exploit their Wheaty gyro kebab wraps every day. The Spacebar is a first for me, and I found it most like a Pepperami/Frankfurter hotdog hybrid. I wouldn't say it was *red* hot, but then again I have a high tolerance for spice. 

Vegan For The Animals Magnet/Choose Compassion Sticker

These really are delightful. The Vegan Kind have thrown these into the box themselves, as an added extra. The magnet is now proudly stuck on the side of my filing unit in my office. I'm looking at it right now as I type this. I'm still looking for a home for the sticker. You can also buy these separately from the TVK website.

Hectares Red Onion & Black Pepper Sweet Potato Crisps

Always happy to find a bag of Hectares in my box. Hectares are a regular feature with TVK and they always manage to come up with great flavours that pack a punch. These have the moreish-ness of the red onion favour along with the bite of black pepper. Winner!

The Foods of Athenry Cookie Shots Brownie Biscuits

I love The Foods of Athenry. I devoured an entire box of their vegan, gluten-free mince pies over the festive period. They are a gorgeous family business hailing from Ireland, and these Cookie Shots are a cross between a biscuit and a mini brownie. I devoured them straight from the bag, but I must get my hands on some more because I feel like they'd be perfect for decorating a huge chocolate cake, which now obviously has to happen. 

Soypresso

Vegan, organic, fairtrade, recyclable packaging.. Soypresso is one seriously ethical iced coffee! I'm an absolute sucker for iced coffee and I'm drinking this as I write. Soypresso is the first cold coffee drink to be made from a soya base. 

So, once again, TVK can do no wrong. It shouldn't really be a surprise to me by now, to be honest. They're the most consistent subscription box service I've ever known (and I've tried a few and had my fair share of disappointing boxes). Their quarterly beauty boxes are also very special. Note to self - must order one of those soon. 

TVK monthly lifestyle boxes are £10 each (plus £3 P&P)
For more information about The Vegan Kind, visit their website at
www.thevegankind.com

You can also find them on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram

The Ultimate Festive Treats for a Plant-Based Christmas

I was going to do some epic Christmas gift-guides this year. I really was. I was even excited about doing them. Not really sure what happened but, with the influx of various gift guides already doing the rounds on my social media feeds, I lost my festive mojo a little. Long story short, I've compromised. This post, whilst being packed with last-minute festive treat ideas and stocking fillers for your vegan or dairy-intolerant loved ones (we're really not that difficult to buy for if you know where to look), is also dedicated to anyone who wants to indulge themselves with plant-based goodness over the festive season. 

 Vegan Life Magazine - December '15

If you're planning a cruelty-free Christmas there's no better place to start than with the December issue of Vegan Life Magazine*. This issue has you covered with recipes, gifts and vegan news and stories. Their subscription packages also make for amazing gifts for anyone looking to explore plant-based living in the new year. Doing Veganuary in 2016? This is your perfect companion! You can read via your tablet or pick up a print copy at Sainsburys, Tesco, WHSmith and other stockists. 

Artisan Grains Cashew & Cranberry Roast

I'm a huge fan of the Artisan Grains nut roasts. I've usually got one in the cupboard ready for my next roast dinner. They're also a hassle-free, last-minute Christmas dinner option. Just add water and bake in the oven. I'll be having this cashew and cranberry one on Boxing Day though, as part of a buffet. You can grab these roasts in Holland & Barratt, Tesco and Ocado. There are several varieties to choose from and all come with the TLC stamp of approval. 

The Vegan Kind Monthly Subscription Box

Let's talk about The Vegan Kind for a second: Their lifestyle boxes are the highlight of my month, every month. This month I've got two boxes to delight my palette. Their regular December box (I'll be unboxing TVK26 over the weekend, so stay tuned for that) and a one-off Christmas chocolate selection box, which is staying firmly sealed shut until Christmas day. TVK subscriptions are a real treat for anyone, not just for vegans. They always find the perfect combo of sweet and savoury snacks, eco-friendly and cruelty-free toiletries and household items, as well as interesting ingredients you may have never thought to try before. Perfect Christmas gift!

Moo Free Chocolate

Moo-Free have saved my chocolate cravings many a time over the last 2 years. Last year was my first Christmas as a vegan and I was scared to death that I wouldn't have any chocolate to line my stocking. Then I came across the Moo-Free selection boxes (available in Holland & Barrett, Sainsburys and other supermarkets) and advent calendars. As it turns out, this year I am practically overflowing with chocolate, but I still couldn't resist adding this mini chocolate santa bar to my festive stash. 

Booja Booja Fine De Champagne Truffles

If you want to go all-out posh with your choc this year, you've got to go for Booja Booja. There are loads of different varieties and flavours of these rich, naughty, truffles (including this box of 12 champagne truffles I received as a gift from my gorgeous boss) and they're widely available from Holland & Barrett, Waitrose, Ocado and other stockists. Don't be put off by the price - this box comes in at £9.49 - I can assure you the quality is more than worth it as a Christmas indulgence. As an added bonus, these chocs are also gluten and soy free and are made with coconut oil. 

Choc Shot Spiced Orange Liquid Chocolate

I'm still bummed about being unable to indulge in many of the festive seasonal selections at the likes of Costa and Starbucks, due to the presence of milk powder. Terry's chocolate orange is also off-limits. I'm seriously looking forward to mixing this extra special edition Choc Shot with some hot oat milk and smothering it in soy whip and marshmallows (see Freedom Mallows in the above pic - available from Holland & Barrett). This will be my Christmas Eve treat I think. You can pick up Choc Shot in most supermarkets. It's also perfect drizzled over desserts and porridge. 

Harper's Bizarre Handmade Soy Wax Candles

Couldn't not mention Harper's Bizarre, could I? These candles are one of my favourite things at the moment and Victoria has, once again, come up with some gorgeous Christmas fragrances this year. My favourites include Jingle Bells, Holy Moley and Figgy Pudding. There is still some availability on the Harper's website for these Christmas candles, but be quick! I can also recommend their entire range. For a few of my other favourite Harper's winter smells, see this post.

More Top Festive Tips

- Stalk supermarket free-from aisles for dairy and egg free treats such as dark chocolate pennies, chocolate santas and other nibbles.

- Loads of supermarket own-brand mince pies are accidentally vegan. Aldi's mince pies have no dairy or egg ingredients at all and are an absolute bargain!

- Holland & Barrett is your best friend for DIY vegan/gluten-free Christmas hamper fillers, as well as veggie party nibbles, non-dairy cheeses and roasts.

- If you want to be super-lazy, there's still time to order yourself (or a loved one) a luxury, vegan-friendly Christmas hamper. There are loads of options now. Planet Organic, Archie Browns and Hotel Chocolat all have amazing vegan and vegetarian selections and can still ship in time for Christmas. 

- Of course, you could always give a gift to the animals on behalf of a vegan/vegetarian loved one. Many animal sanctuaries, shelters and charities offer sponsorship gifts. Why not adopt a turkey? Or donate food and hay to rescued animals? 

I'm really looking forward to Christmas this year. Last year was the trial run and this time around I'm 100% on the ball and ready. I'm catering all of the veggie options at my family's annual Boxing Day gathering and have enough treats in my hoard to keep myself, my gluten-free sister in law and my dairy-free niece extremely happy over Christmas. 

Wishing all of my readers a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from TLC xxx

The Vegan Kind TVK24 Unboxing

Another month, another dose of The Vegan Kind*! I really do look forward to this little box of loveliness every month. I'm running out of ways to express my love for TVK in these posts, so I'll just hop straight to it. The October TVK box marks the company's second birthday and includes the usual selection of plant-based snacks, cruelty-free toiletries and chocolatey goodness. Here's what in the box...

 Yushoi SnaPea Rice Sticks - Lightly Salted

Interesting fact: This company was founded 65 years ago to address post-war malnutrition in Hiroshima, Japan, and has recently made its way to the UK. These crispy little beauties are made with rice and fresh green peas with a little added salt. They remind me so much of the old-school Chipsticks we all used to get in our lunch boxes as kids, but these are so much lighter and have a really fresh flavour. Massive thumbs up from me.

Fitbites Baobab Bounce Superfood Balls

Okay, I wasn't too keen on the last FitBites product I received in one of these boxes. The cacao variety was just too bitter for me, even though I am a fan of bitter chocolate in general. However, these Baobab Bounce ones were really tasty. I love baobab in smoothies and juices, and it's a great source of calcium. These little bites are perfect as a pick-me-up or workout snack and use wholesome, plant-based ingredients. 

Almighty Foods Mindful Mylk Chocolate Bar

This is actually one of the best-tasting chocolate bars I've tried since being vegan. It's so creamy! What's most impressive, however, is that Almighty Foods products are completely raw. The creaminess in this bar comes from cashew nuts and coconut combined with Balinese cacao. The sweetness comes from vanilla and palm sugar.  Only complaint? Not nearly big enough. 

 Organii Strawberry Shower Gel 

There were several varieties of the Organii shower gel included with this month's box, including Aloe & Bamboo, Argan and Liquorice, but I got the Strawberry. I've been a long-time fan of The Body Shop strawberry shower gel so this was going to be a definite hit with me (see this post for more on my shower gel addiction). This version is eco-certified and made from 100% natural ingredients from sustainable suppliers. Aside from that, the packaging is super-cute and it smells gorgeous. All-round win for me.

LazyDay Foods Millionaire's Crispie Squares

I'm quite familiar with LazyDay Foods products. They're a regular feature in supermarket free-from aisles here in the UK and I feel no shame in admitting my unhealthy addiction to their rocky road and chocolate tiffin. I've never come across these before though. They're a little drier than I would prefer and I don't think I'd choose them over either of the aforementioned but I still munched my way through the whole pack in less than a day, so I'd say that's pretty good going. 

The TVK featured charity for the month of October is Austin's Hamster Haven, who will receive 10p from each box sold. AHH are based in Doncaster and focus their efforts on rescuing unwanted and abused hamsters and other small critters. TVK feature a different charity or campaign each month, as nominated and chosen by their Facebook followers.

For more info on TVK's boxes (which also include a quarterly beauty box subscription), visit them over at www.thevegankind.com

Their lifestyle subscription box costs £10 per month (plus P&P) and is a great way to introduce more wholesome, cruelty-free products and quirky brands into your life. 

Unboxing The Vegan Kind TVK21

Another month, another glorious The Vegan Kind* box! As I said last month, I usually post these reviews over on my vegan-only blog, but I'm crushing so hard on this blog at the moment and I thought I'd bring the cruelty-free treats to you for a second month in a row. After all, you don't have to be vegan to scoff all these yummy treats. Their July box was another hit (seriously, these guys have yet to get it wrong and, in my experience, it's rare for a subscription box service to be this consistent). Here's what's in it...

Ananda Foods Chocolate Marshmallow Lolly

I love Ananda foods. I was a hardcore Wagon Wheel addict as a kid and their vegan version is my guilty pleasure. Ananda make the best marshmallows and this one is made with organic madagascan vanilla and encased in dark Belgian chocolate. The sprinkles are a cute touch, although I only took half a second to appreciate their beauty before I devoured it. As a Derbyshire girl, I love that Ananda are a Derbyshire-based company. I will eat their sweets in solidarity for many years to come. 

 Harper's Bizarre 'Washing Line' Soya Candle

You'll probably see Harper's Candles appear again very soon on this blog because I happen to hoard them. After their 'Jingle Bells' candle appeared in the December TVK box I've been ordering regularly from them so I was delighted to see them included again for summer. I go bonkers for 'clean laundry' fragrances and this one is spot on. These candles are handmade, eco-friendly and from sustainably sourced materials. 

 Ten Acre Crisps - The Day Sweet & Sour Became Friends

You might have noticed that the packet in this photo is... well... empty. They didn't last a second after being taken out of the box. Despite being a total crisp-fiend I must admit I've never tried a sweet and sour flavour before. Sweet chilli, maybe, but never sweet and sour so this was a new one on me. Ten Acre crisps are fantastic quality and are free from gluten, MSG and dairy. Their cheese and onion flavour is the only one I've found that don't contain milk powder so, for that, I will love them forever. 

Clearspring Snack Organic Roasted Seeds with Goji Berries

I'm gonna have to get creative with these because, in all honesty, I'm not a huge fan of seeds on their own. I tend to prefer them in baking or sprinkled on breakfast. I do, however, make a point of trying everything so I will definitely give these a whirl. Clearspring have some great products. I love their pureed fruit pouches. 

Maple - Pure Maple Water

This is a first for me. I'd never heard of maple water until I opened this box. Is it a thing? Anyway, I'm not entirely sold on this. It just tastes like regular water that's been slightly sweetened and maple syrup was never my sweetener of choice. That said, it's not bad... just nothing special in my opinion. I much prefer coconut water. I do, however, love that TVK give you the opportunity to try products that you've never come across before. Keeps things interesting. I'm always discovering new foods now that I'm vegan. It's a never-ending journey haha. 

So, that was this month's round-up. I never have any disappointments with The Vegan Kind. They always manage to combine old favourites, new discoveries and different flavours that I would never have thought of in a million years. Roll on August! As always, 10p from every TVK box sold this month has been donated to a featured charity and July's choice is Wing and a Prayer, who rehome rescued battery hens in Scotland. 

To subscribe to The Vegan Kind check out their website at
www.thevegankind.com

You can also follow them via Twitter, Facebook and Instagram

What are your favourite cruelty-free snacks? Do you love TVK? What did you think of this month's box?

Unboxing The Vegan Kind TVK20

Recently, I've taken to posting my The Vegan Kind* reviews on my other blog, Bananas For Breakfast, which is solely dedicated to all things vegan. However, I thought it was about time I offered my readers here a fresh dose of TVK deliciousness. For anyone unfamiliar with TVK, they were the first to offer a 100% vegan and cruelty-free lifestyle subscription box in the UK and, in my opinion, are still the best. They also offer a quarterly Beauty Box packed full of bunny-friendly toiletries and beauty finds. June marks their 20th lifestyle box: Here's what's in it...

The first thing to jump out at me when I opened this box was the glorious Coconut Choc Shot liquid chocolate and I was so delighted that I may have cradled it in my arms for a moment. The first TVK box I ever had contained the original Choc Shot and I've been a fan ever since. Despite my rocky love/hate relationship with coconut, I'm happy to report that this stuff is like a liquid Bounty bar. I'll be using this in milkshakes and ice cream sundaes galore over the summer! 

I already love Roots Vegetable Crisps so I was pleased to see them included in this month's box. They are a combo of carrot, parsnip and beetroot with a pinch of sea salt. The Pip & Nut Almond Butter is a completely new product to me and I look forward to trying it out. I'm not a big user of nut butters so I'll have to get my thinking cap on as to how I'm going to use it. I can imagine it would be fantastic for smoothies or baking.

Because the brownie deserved a photo all of its own

This box really hit the mark with its sweet offerings. This Elements For Life Yummy Scrummy Brownie was seriously special. It's a gloriously decadent product, yet contains wholesome ingredients such as goji berries, coconut and lashings of raw cacao. It's practically a superfood salad! Guilt? What guilt? 

I'm not much of a fan of bar soaps, to be honest (or peppermint). I much prefer a liquid with a pump top, but I will definitely use this Friendly Peppermint and Poppy Seed Soap with essential oils. I love that it's SLS, paraben and palm oil free and there's always room in my heart for any handmade, cruelty-free product. I think it's really important to support natural, handmade companies and increase the demand for ethical, sustainable products. TVK do a fantastic job of introducing more and more people to these options.

All in all, this box is another resounding hit for The Vegan Kind. They pull it out of the bag every time with their product selections and I've never had a disappointing box from them (which I can't always say about other beauty/lifestyle boxes I've subscribed to in the past). The highlights of TVK20, for me, have to be the sweet offerings. The featured charity for June is Rabbit Run-Away Orphanage, who will receive 10p from every box sold.

The TVK lifestyle box is £10 per month (plus P&P) 

For more information on The Vegan Kind and to subscribe to any of their boxes, check them out at
www.thevegankind.com

You can also connect with TVK via Facebook, Twitter and Instagram 

The Vegan Kind #TVK10 Unboxing

Not one, but TWO offerings from The Vegan Kind this month!! Last week I brought you the contents of their debut beauty box and now I'm back with an unboxing of their August #TVK10 box. Regular readers will know that I love getting my TVK boxes every month. They've been a real treat and introduced me to a whole world of new, cruelty free products and treats. 

For those not in the know, The Vegan Kind were the first to offer a 100% vegan monthly subscription box service in the UK and they're now onto their 10th box! It's been a pleasure to watch their business grow with more and more vegan (and non vegan) subscribers every month. It really is a great way to introduce more cruelty-free, eco friendly and wholesome products into your life and discover just how delicious vegan treats can be. This month's box, for me, is one huge snack attack! Here's the run down of what's in the box...

I'm munching on my bag of Sweet & Salty Propercorn as I type. I've had a bit of an addiction to this for a long time so was delighted to find my favourite snack when I opened the box. This box is all about the snacks. There are also strawberry flavour Freedom Mallows, which I have been keen to try for quite a while, a Pulsin Vanilla Choc Chip protein bar (remember how much I loved the Pulsin Brownie I got in my first ever TVK box) and some super-healthy Nothing But Mange Tout and Red Pepper snacks. Literally, all they are is dehydrated veggies so it's actually one of your 5-a-day! 

The two non-food items in the box have got me very excited indeed. I have so much trouble sourcing cruelty free laundry detergents so I'm over the moon with the Living Naturally soapnut laundry tabs. These are a world first product and are organic, hypoallergenic and completely biodegradable. Yay for the planet!! And how cute is this "Fuelled by Compassion" wristband from TeenVGN? They even matched the colour perfectly with my blog theme hehe. TeenVGN are an amazing vegan youth organisation aimed at helping compassionate young people connect with each other and inspire others. 

*****

This month's TVK featured charity is Nut House Hen Rescue who, since opening their coop in 2011, have rescued almost 5000 ex battery hens. TVK are a wonderful, compassionate company who also have great fun on social media so make sure you connect with them on Facebook and Twitter. 

For more info and to subscribe to The Vegan Kind, visit
www.thevegankind.com

#TVK Does Beauty!

Yes, yes, I know. Slap my wrist, I've been a bad blogger. 

I do have a legitimate excuse for my absence. Interning has had to take priority over the last couple of months. I've spent so much time researching and drafting for the PETA UK blog that I've been totally zapped for inspiration for my own! However, my time there has now come to an end (sad face) so maybe I can find some focus and crack on with more personal projects. I'm here today to bring you an exciting new box by the lovely people at The Vegan Kind... They've only gone and done a BEAUTY BOX!!! 

The Vegan Kind, who have been providing me with such wonderful, yummy vegan treats for the last few months have gone one better and brought out a one-off TVK Beauty Box! Needless to say I was all over it. My own quest for quality cruelty free, vegan cosmetics has had its ups and downs, to say the least, and I was hoping that TVK could help point me in the right direction. 

Here's a little peep at what's inside...

My Thoughts....

I'm thoroughly delighted with everything in this box. So many wonderful, natural and organic ingredients and everything, as always, is 100% cruelty free and vegan. I'm particularly taken with the Furless stippling brush by Furless Cosmetics. It's super soft and I can't wait to try it out. I have a feeling it will be perfect for powder. Another product that has got me excited is the Lime and Coconut Cleansing Water by White Rabbit Skincare. It smells so lovely and fresh and mixes spring water, coconut oil and orange blossom water with essential oils which sooth both skin and mind.

Inika are a brand that beauty box devotees will be familiar with, but did you know that as well as being organic they are also cruelty free and vegan friendly? I'm still using up the dregs of my pre-vegan eyeliner stash (seriously I have loads) but it's great to know that I have a trusty cruelty free option to fall back on. Beautiful Movements are a completely new brand to me but apparently they also sell in Holland and Barrett. Their loose mineral eyeshadows are free from parabens, synthetic dyes and animal products and come in a variety of beautiful colours. According to the product list there should have been two shades in this box, but I only found one, Adobe Brick, which is a lovely muted golden shade. Not that I'm complaining. TVK can't do much wrong by me at the moment.

Last up is a great sized Orange Cocoa bath melt by Simply Soaps. This bar has the freshest citrus orange scent and is made with raw cocoa butter and essential oils. I'll have to keep reminding myself not to eat it. TVK promise me that it will make my skin feel silky soft as well as leaving me with that pampered feeling.
*****

TVK keep consistently wowing me with their monthly offerings. To read my thoughts on their July #TVK9 box head over to my other blog Thirty-Something Vegan. It really was a BELTER! Ever heard of Coconut BACON??? This Beauty Box is currently just a one off, but for £10 a month (plus P&P) you can subscribe to receive monthly vegan treats, which also include cosmetics and toiletries. They've never managed to disappoint me yet! You also get discount codes and monthly vegan recipes.

For more information on TVK and to subscribe visit
thevegankind.com