beauty basically - LUSH

So the brightly colored, delectable smelling party that is LUSH (created by Mark Constantine and Liz Weir) has been going strong since 1995. At that time I was addicted and dedicated to another product line and could not be swayed. But as my concern for our environment, our animals and our planet has exponentially increased over the last several years...LUSH has landed smack dab on my radar!

I feel particularly concerned about the amount of materials companies continue to use to package their merchandise. Plastic wrappers around tubes of product, that are then boxed, then sealed again with a much harder plastic...ridiculous! It's a problem, one that LUSH has been addressing for years with their innovative solid beauty products. Sold like produce at an open market, with ingredients and aromas to heighten the luxury.

Today I shine a light on their artful shampoo bars. Long lasting, concentrated, packed with active ingredients and essential oils (with 14 different flavors to choose)...and will do the job of 2-3 bottles of liquid shampoo!

No packaging whatsoever, it sits in a soap dish on the side of the tub. Perfect.

Lather. Rinse. Repeat.  The bars last for up to 80 washes for lavish locks every time.

LUSH products are 100% vegan.

LUSH are against animal testing and are supporters of animal rights and welfare.

LUSH are charitable and support environmental conservation and human rights.

LUSH works tirelessly to leave a small carbon footprint behind.

Smitten!!

in philly?...Rosa's Fresh Pizza!

A simple, friendly, loving gesture = how we might save ourselves, and the planet.

Mason Wartman, spent three years on Wall Street...then he left to open Rosa's Fresh Pizza in Philadelphia.

Rosa's serves hot, cheesy, yummy slices of pie to their regulars...those with homes, and those without.

Not like any other pizza shop, colorful Post-its cover the walls and each note represents a free slice of pizza, paid for by other customers.

Homeless can come into Rosa's and exchange one of the Post-its for a free slice.

So far, Rosa’s has given away 9,000 slices.

Wartman says he didn’t come up with helping the homeless, rather he just wanted to provide a place to grab a $1 slice, like you could in New York. It was his customers who came up with paying it forward...one dollar and slice at a time.

Rosa’s serves about 40 homeless customers every day and each patron is recognized like any other paying customer.

Wartman says he named his restaurant after his mother, Rose..."I think she's proud.”

Daily, directly, openly, gently helping one another...this is the world in which we all want to live in.

This business model truly knocks my socks off! Well, well done Mason!

Absolutely Smitten.

for the love of elephants - The Elephant Art Gallery

What a unique and creative idea...Elephant paintings! These 9000 pound elephants create rare and striking works of art at The Thai Elephant Conservation Center (TECC) in Lampang, Thailand.

The TECC is 19 years old and works in elephant conservation science. They are focused primarily on the care and wellness of Thailand’s elephants, 2,700 of which live on private grounds. They operate an onsite hospital and Thailand's first mobile clinic, which treats sick and injured elephants free of charge.

Asian elephants are an endangered species. If something isn't done to halt the rapid decline in numbers, it is likely that within the next 50 years, this amazing creature will be gone forever.

The TECC in conjunction with The Elephant Art Gallery (TEAG) found a genius solution with Elephant art...selling paintings in order to raise awareness and funds for the preservation of this endangered species.

While the elephants are painting, they are unaided in the creative process by humans. Elephants understand spatial awareness and are able to apply strokes within the confines of the paper.

Each piece is original...and a blessing.

This painting was created by Thanwa. Glorious. This painting being sold through Design With Benefits.

These are cool. I am Smitten.

a splendid union - Stella Artois & Water.org

This is just a no brainer of a post for me. I grew up in Minnesota, where we are practically bred on beer. When I didn't know any better, I drank Coors...I now drink Stella Artois.

When I heard that the Belgian beer makers had officially announced a partnership with Water.org at the Sundance Film Festival in January, I literally jumped out of my chair. 

Women in developing countries spend a combined 200 million hours a day walking for miles to collect clean water for their families. To raise awareness of this issue and to help provide solutions, Stella Artois has launched its first global social impact campaign, “Buy a Lady a Drink."

With the support of Water.org and its co-founders Matt Damon and Gary White, “Buy a Lady a Drink” aims to help put a stop to this global water crisis.

These entities have come together to tell the stories of women around the world who take these long journeys for water. The stories focus on what it is like to live without water...and the betterment of life with it.

All videos currently take place in India. However, you can buy a limited edition Stella beer chalice with patterns that represent India, Ethiopia or Honduras. For every chalice you buy, Stella gives an extra $6.25 to Water.org - enough to provide one person clean water for five years.

Stella has made an outstanding $1.2 million donation to Water.org to date.

Love this partnership. Totally Smitten.

100 beads at a time - 100 Good Deeds

In the world of charming, fashionably conscious jewelry, the 100 Good Deeds bracelet is at the top my list. Engaging colors, beautiful, hip...and glamorous! 

In 2000, artist and activist Mary Fisher, was asked by the White House AIDS office to act as a Special Representative of the UN and travel to Africa. While there, Mary worked with those affected by poverty, violence and the stigma attached to HIV. 

Mary started the Abataka foundation to partner with these women by designing jewelry that they could make and thereby earn a positive, sustainable living. 

In 2012, Mary released her memoir Messenger, and also met filmmaker Thomas Morgan. He shared with Mary a game that he and his family created, where they would complete 100 good deeds anonymously. 

Mary was Smitten and responded by designing the 100 Good Deeds bracelet. Each bracelet is hand-braided with one hundred glass beads and a single rubber ring. After wrapping it around your wrist, each time you do a good deed, you move the rubber ring one bead closer to the 1GD charm.

"The motivation behind the 100 Good Deeds collection is to inspire simple acts of kindness around the world." ~ Mary Fisher 

The bracelet serves as a reminder to pay it forward, and has found ambassadors in celebrities like Susan Sarandon, Katie Holmes and Naomi Watts.

Smitten!