What I Buy: Arbonne

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Arbonne, beauty, by-products, consultant, cruelty free, cupcakes, deal, discount, eye cream, gelee, hostess, joyful, Kelsey, kid in a candy store, not tested on animals, paraben free, personal care, pistachio, protein powder, quality, rosewater, skin, spa night, vanilla, vegan

There’s a really joyful feeling I get when I walk into a vegan restaurant and can order anything – absolutely anything – on the menu!

As easy as it is to find (or create!) vegan items from most menus (for tips on how to order vegan, check out this post), it’s just nice every once in a while to not have to even think about it.

I get that same joyful eating-in-an-all-vegan-restaurant feeling when I flip through an Arbonne catalog.

I found out about Arbonne after I wrote my Leaping Bunnies article. In that post, I detailed how to find personal care items that are cruelty-free and vegan.

But with Arbonne goodies, I don’t have to search the labels for symbols or ingredients because the entire company is vegan and cruelty free!

How awesome is that?!

My dear friend Kelsey introduced me to Arbonne. A South Dakota native, she became pescatarian after a high school trip to the local pig slaughterhouse.  Kelsey took the vegan plunge as a new year resolution in 2009 and never looked back! Go, Kelsey!

She is an attorney, a wife, a stepmom to an awesome 10-year-old, a board member for a national therapy dog organization, a rescuer of five dogs and one cat, and an Arbonne consultant.

Wow! And um, no big deal, but did I mention she was on a billboard for the local no-kill shelter last summer? Fabulous.

I asked Kelsey to share the inside scoop on why she loves Arbonne.

Please note, as always, I am not being paid or compensated in any way to promote Arbonne. I’ve used the products and really love them, so I wanted to share the info with all of you!

All right, let’s talk with Kelsey!

What I Vegan: Kelsey, why did you decide to sell Arbonne?

Kelsey: I joined the Arbonne team the night I hostessed my first Arbonne party in January 2013.  I researched veganism a LOT, so I was very surprised and pleased to learn something new during the Arbonne presentation.  I had never heard of Arbonne before, so I had no idea that the entire product line was not only not tested on animals, but also free of any animal ingredients or by-products making it completely vegan and cruelty free. 

I was like a kid in a candy store flipping through pages and pages of the glossy catalogue from which I could order, literally, anything and not be worried about my choices’ impact on animals. 

I wanted to share my excitement with others, while improving their skin and confidence.  The fact that I (and you!) can make money sharing Arbonne with others is a bonus!

Kid in a candy store!

WIV: Kid-in-a-candy-store is a great way to describe that feeling! And I’m glad you pointed out that anyone can join your Arbonne team and make money selling an awesome, animal-friendly product. The company is vegan and cruelty free, but it’s also free of harmful chemicals. Can you tell us a bit more about that?

Kelsey: I learned at my Arbonne presentation that propyl paraben is a filler in most cleansers, lotions, and cosmetics.  I also learned that propyl paraben comes from rendered animal fat and that parabens mimic estrogen and can act as potential hormone system disruptors. 

I went straight to my bathroom to investigate and was appalled and disgusted to discover that all of my dermatologist-recommended products to treat my adult acne were either prescription (mandatorily tested on animals) or contained propyl paraben.

Arbonne is a Swiss company with the goal of creating beauty from the inside out, and, although it is manufactured here in the US, abides by European standards of production, cutting out more than 10,000 products allowed in the US but banned in Europe for their potential to harm people. 

Arbonne also formulates all of its products without added scents or colors, so all of the colors and smells are natural and result from the premium quality ingredients. Arbonne has a gluten free list for those with gluten reactions (including baby care products!) and is tested by volunteer people and dermatologists to eliminate allergic reactions.

WIV: OK, I want to know what your favorite Arbonne product is and why!

Arbonne Eye Creme

Kelsey: My favorite Arbonne face product is the Corrective Eye Creme. After using a dab of this product twice a day for just two weeks, I don’t have to use brightener or cover up underneath my eyes anymore.  It has changed the way the skin around my eyes looks and feels, removing bags and dark circles and firming and smoothing the skin. 

My favorite body product is the Renewing Body Gelee.  It is formulated for athletes and helps soothe sore muscles, pulls out lactic acid so you’re not so sore after a great workout, and leaves your skin cool, smooth, not greasy, and with a great clean natural fragrance.

Vanilla Protein Powder

My favorite wellness product is the vanilla protein powder.  You can mix it with just water or almond milk or toss it in with your smoothie fruits and greens – it’s a great breakfast or meal replacement if you’re on the go.  It’s gluten and soy free and contains 20 grams of complete protein and 20 essential vitamins and minerals.

Awesome! I actually bought the eye cream and the gelee after your party (love them both!), and I got to try the vanilla protein powder shake – it was delish!

I hostessed my own Arbonne party for friends in February, had a blast, and got a great discount on all sorts of goodies. Check out the items I picked out!

All the Arbonne goodies I got from my spa night!

If you want to try Arbonne, give Kelsey a shout! You can like her Facebook page Arbonne Consultant Kelsey or email her any time, and she’ll hook you up!

In fact, she’s offering a special to What I Vegan readers!

Mention What I Vegan when you purchase your products and enjoy 20% off!

Or, if you want to hostess your own Arbonne spa night for your friends, mention What I Vegan and, in addition to the great rewards you will earn, Kelsey will throw in your choice of the Pure Mint Deodorant or Pure Mint Toothpaste as a special thank you gift.

So go ahead; check out Arbonne, pick absolutely anything you like because it’s all vegan and cruelty-free, AND enjoy a great discount from Arbonne Consultant Kelsey.

To Being a Kid in a Candy Store!

Sarah

P.S. The night of my spa party, I served vegan pistachio rosewater cupcakes. That sounds so spa-y, right?! Everyone loved them. For the recipe, click here!