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When I started using anti-aging products in my 20s, before a single wrinkle had appeared, I did it all wrong. I purchased products for mature skin believing that the extra-strength would be extra-effective in preventing aging but instead I burned myself with retinoids and peels and caused break out after break out with deep moisturizing creams and night masks. At around age 30, I made a switch to natural skincare and my skin started improving. Now in my late thirties, I’ve found a routine that works and although my skin isn’t perfect, I never could have believed it would look this healthy at my age.
That’s me on the left at 27 and me on the right at age 37, earlier this year!
I organized all my favorite vegan skincare products in my Amazon Store if you’d like to check out the full list but I figured I’d share a more condensed list of the current products in my daily and weekly routine here. Included are cleansers, moisturizers and products that target signs of aging like wrinkles, sagging, puffiness and redness.
All of the items listed below are cruelty-free and made with vegan ingredients. I love them all and think you will too!
2. Plant-Based Beauty
3. Rescue, Shelter & Sanctuary Support
4. Vegan Fashion
5. Peaceful Yogi
Keep reading and click on the links beneath each item to start some feel-good shopping!
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This week, our Smock Rock students at TLB Music are creating an art project inspired by Henry Mancini’s “Moon River”!
Student Materials:
1 dark blue piece of 8.5″ x 11” cardstock paper with template printed on it for background
(get the free bridge & water template here)
small ripped pieces of tissue paper in blue, light blue and purple
2 pieces of .5” by 4.5” black cardstock paper for bridge towers
1 piece of .25” x 11” black cardstock paper for the bridge deck
thin strips of black cardstock paper for kids to cut for their bridge’s suspension cables
1 yellow paper moon
.25” hole punched yellow paper circles for bridge lights
white paint, small paint brush
glue stick, glue, scissors
Teacher Materials: -paper cutter -scissors -circle hole punchers
Teacher Prep: -print template on blue cardstock paper -prepare tissue paper pieces
-cut and prep all bridge pieces -hole punch moons -hole punch bridge lights
Project Intro:
This art project is inspired by the music of Henry Mancini! Mancini was an American composer, conductor and arranger. Show pictures. Do kids know what composer, conductor and arranger mean? Discuss briefly. Mancini was best known for the music he wrote for television and movies! One of his most famous pieces of music is called “Moon River” which he wrote for a movie called “Breakfast at Tiffany’s”, that takes place right here in NYC! Let’s create a colorful East River, then a Brooklyn Bridge with lights, a moon in the sky and stars! While we craft, let’s listen to Mancini’s music: “Moon River”, “The Pink Panther Theme”, “Dear Heart”, music from “Peter Gunn” and more!
This week, our Smock Rock students at TLB Music are creating Carmen-inspired paper fans and handmade castanets while listening to music from Bizet’s opera Carmen (The Habanera) and Flamenco music!
Student Materials:
2 small rectangular pieces of cardboards (1.75 x 5” each)
4 bottle caps, glue, glue stick, scissors
small items for decorating top of castanets (I used small paper circles)
2 pages of Carmen sheet music (with folding lines printed on the back)
Get Carmen sheet music here (pages 30-31) | download lined paper template here
glitter glue sticks (we use these washable glitter glue sticks by Elmer’s)
paint brushes, tape for making fan’s handle
Teacher Materials: -stapler
Teacher Prep: -cut cardboard into 1.75 x 5” pieces
-print sheet music with folding lines printed on back
Project Intro:
Today, our art project is inspired by Carmen! What is Carmen? Carmen is an opera by French composer Bizet and Carmen is also the name of the lead character in the opera. Opera is a kind of theatre where the story is told through music and song. Elements of opera that help tell the story: stage and scenery, costumes, opera singers and a musical ensemble. Today, we’re going to create Carmen-inspired costume accessories: a paper fan and castanets! The story of Carmen takes place in Spain so, while we craft, we’ll listen to beautiful Spanish Flamenco music in addition to our music from Carmen. Ask students: what do we do with a fan? How do we use? What are castanets? Show classroom pair of castanets and demonstrate how to use. Show craft sample and discuss how we can create castanets out of cardboard, bottle caps and glue!
This week’s TLB Music Smock Rock project theme is Jazz music! We’re creating a Charlie “Bird” Parker-inspired saxophone collage! While they craft, our students are listening to Benny Goodman’s “Sing, Sing, Sing”, Duke Ellington’s “It Don’t Mean a Thing”, Louis Armstrong’s “Basin Street Blues” and Charlie Parker’s “Ornithology”!
Student Materials:
a sturdy sheet of white paper
tissue paper in a variety of colors cut into small shapes (mine were rough squares, some pieces I ripped!)
1 yellow paper saxophone (get the saxophone & mouthpiece template here)
1 paper saxophone mouthpiece (can be any color, use about template)
small 1/2” circles for saxophone keys (can be any color)
1 paper oval for saxophone bell (can be any color)
Charlie Parker sheet music (printed 4 per page, links below)
Ornithology Sheet Music | Yardbird Suite Sheet Music
black music notes confetti or small paper music notes
glue stick, scissors
Teacher Materials: scissors, 1/2” circle hole puncher, bird hole puncher
Teacher Prep: -cut saxophones -print sheet music 4 per page and cut
-punch 1/2” circles for keys -cut mouthpieces -cut bell (kids can help cut an oval here if you’d like)
*view hole punchers, music notes and tissue paper used at the bottom of post!
Project Intro:
Today, we’re going to listen to Jazz music while we make a collage inspired by a very famous Jazz musician, Charlie “Bird” Parker. Show picture. What instrument did he play? Does anyone know its name? Now, can kids find the saxophone in the classroom? We’ll include a bird in our collage because Charlie’s nickname was “bird”- isn’t that funny? Several of his compositions reference birds: “Yardbird”, “Ornithology”, “Bird Gets the Worm”, and “Bird of Paradise”.
Today’s bowl!
Strawberry Raspberry Smoothie Bowl
(makes 1 large serving or 2 smaller portions)
For smoothie, blend together:
3 frozen organic bananas
1/2 cup fresh organic raspberries
1/2 cup frozen organic strawberries
2 tablespoons pomegranate powder (I use Navitas brand.)
1 scoop vegan protein powder (I use Vega’s vanilla protein smoothie powder.)
1/4 – 1/2 cup soy milk (I used Silk’s organic soy milk. You can use any dairy free milk. Use less liquid for a thicker, more ice cream-like texture.)
Toppings:
shredded coconut (I use Let’s Do Organic coconut.)
hemp seeds (I use Nutiva.)
organic kiwi
organic banana
pomegranate seeds
organic raspberries
hemp granola (my favorite is this granola by Nature’s Path Organic.)
Follow me on Instagram (@thebirdfeednyc) to see more smoothie bowls!
This week, our Smock Rock at TLB Music students are creating Hawaiian leis and grass crowns while listening to some of our favorite Hawaiian songs like “Aloha ‘Oe”, “One Paddle, Two Paddle” & “Lovely Hula Hands”.
Student Materials:
Lei: hole punched flowers in a variety of colors with holes punched in center for stringing
green paper leaves with hole for stringing, string, a variety of colorful straws, scissors, green crayon
Crown: 2 strips of green cardstock paper (3” x 11”) attached
scissors, glue stick, paper flowers
Teacher Materials: -scissors
flower hole punchers (shown at bottom of post), small circle hole puncher
Teacher Prep: -punch flowers in a variety of colors and cut green leaves
-punch holes in flower and leaves for stringing (leaves some flower without holes for crowns)
-cut string to appropriate lengths – cut 3” x 11” green cardstock strips
-glue strips of green paper in pairs to double length -precut straws if using heavy weight paper straws
Project Intro: Today our art project is inspired by hula dance and music! Hula dance comes from the Hawaiian Islands. Show pictures. What do kids see? Beach, ocean, palm trees, dancers, etc. The dancers wear grass skirts, flower headbands and leis and dance using graceful arm movements and swaying their hips. Demonstrate briefly. Hula dance is most often accompanied by accompanied by chanting, ukuleles, guitars, drums, puili sticks and other rattles. Today, we’ll make our own flower leis (a necklace of flowers!) and grass crowns while listening to beautiful traditional Hawaiian music!
This pretty purple smoothie is delicious and packed with antioxidants! If you have any leftover smoothie, pour it into popsicle molds and freeze!
Blackberry Mango Smoothie Bowl
(makes 1 large serving or 2 smaller portions)
For smoothie, blend together:
3 frozen organic bananas
3/4 cup frozen organic mango
1/2 – 3/4 cup frozen organic blackberries
1 scoop vegan protein powder (I use Vega’s vanilla protein smoothie powder.)
1/4 – 1/2 cup soy milk (I used Silk’s organic soy milk. You can use any dairy free milk or coconut water! Use less liquid for a thicker, more ice cream-like texture.)
Toppings:
shredded coconut (I use Let’s Do Organic coconut.)
hemp seeds (I use Nutiva.)
organic banana
organic mango
sprouted organic buckwheat groats (I LOVE Emmy’s Super Cereal!)
organic blackberries
Follow me on Instagram (@thebirdfeednyc) to see more smoothie bowls!
This week’s Smock Rock students at TLB Music are creating Beatles-inspired “Octopus’s Garden” collages complete with yellow submarines! This project is amazing for practicing fine motor skills: it includes cutting, pasting, pressing, drawing, bending, threading and manipulating small pieces. As children craft, they’re listening to some of our favorite Beatles’ songs like “Octoptus’s Garden”, “Yellow Submarine”, “Here Comes the Sun”, “Good Day Sunshine”, and “Hello, Goodbye”!
Student Materials:
ocean scene printed on sturdy sheet of white paper (PDF below)
printed octopus template on sturdy purple paper (PDF below)
2” circles: 1 red (for crab) & a few more in a variety of other colors to create fish
small white 1/2” circles for eyes
2 small red crab claws (precut by teacher)
small paper hearts for fish tails
small paper shells (precut by teacher)
1 paper yellow submarine (precut by teacher, image below)
small tissue paper pieces to create coral
crayons, glue stick, scissors
Teacher Materials: scissors, circle hole punchers
Teacher Prep: -print ocean backgrounds, octopus templates, and yellow submarines
-precut crab claws, shells, heart tails -cut octopus templates out, leaving legs for students to cut
-hole punch 2 inch circles and small circles for eyes (add black dot on eyes for pupils!)
Project Intro:
This art project is inspired by The Beatles! The Beatles were a very popular band! Has anyone heard of them? Show pictures. What are their names? What instruments do they play? Today, we’re going to create an Octopus’s Garden in honor of their song “Octopus’s Garden”. What other sea animals do your students know? Other songs we’ll listen to today: “Yellow Submarine”, “Here Comes the Sun”, “Good Day Sunshine”, and “Hello, Goodbye”. To begin, give each student an ocean background. What do they see? (ocean floor, sand, water, seaweed, coral)
This is my favorite summer smoothie. So light, sweet and refreshing! Use just a little bit of dairy free milk or coconut water when blending to achieve an ice cream consistency or add more for a delicious drinkable smoothie.
Watermelon Pomegranate Smoothie Bowl
(makes 1 large serving or 2 smaller portions)
For smoothie, blend together:
3 frozen organic bananas
1 cup fresh organic watermelon
1/2 cup frozen organic strawberries
2 tablespoons pomegranate powder (I use Navitas brand.)
1 scoop vegan protein powder (I use Vega’s vanilla protein smoothie powder.)
1/4 – 1/2 cup soy milk (I used Silk’s organic soy milk. You can use any dairy free milk or coconut water! Use less liquid for a thicker, more ice cream-like texture.)
Toppings:
shredded coconut (I use Let’s Do Organic coconut.)
hemp seeds (I use Nutiva.)
organic banana
pomegranate seeds
watermelon stars
hemp granola (my favorite is this granola by Nature’s Path Organic.)
Follow me on Instagram (@thebirdfeednyc) to see more smoothie bowls!
This week, our Smock Rock students at TLB Music are creating watercolor seahorse collages inspired by the art of Eric Carle! In particular, the beautiful artwork from his book, Mister Seahorse. While we craft, we’re listening to ocean-themed music including “Under the Sea” from The Little Mermaid, Bobby Darin’s “Beyond the Sea”, Aquarium from Saint-Saëns’ Carnival of the Animals and The Beatles’ “Octopus’s Garden”!
Student Materials:
sturdy sheet of white paper with seahorse outline printed on it
blank sturdy sheet of white paper for background (can use watercolor paper for both if you’d like)
crayons: orange, blue, green, magenta, white and black
watercolor paint, paint brushes,water
glue stick, glue, scissors
*all supplies used are listed at bottom of post!
Teacher Materials:
scissors
copy of Eric Carle’s Mister Seahorse
Teacher Prep: print seahorse outline on white paper (download outline below)
Project Intro:
Before starting the craft, flip through the book. Has anyone read this book? How do you you think Eric Carle created his art? Eric Carle uses watercolor and painted paper collages to create his distinctive style! Ask children to help you identify colors, shapes, animals and anything else that interests them.
Inspiration:
I love a day at the beach or sitting by a pool but can’t stand having oily hair, a sweaty face or sunburnt skin so I’m always looking for the most effective summer beauty products. These are my favorite beach beauty essentials. Hydrating leave-in conditioner, age-defying hand cream, waterproof bronzer, my secret for an oil-free face in seconds, an ingenious underarm product and more! All vegan and cruelty-free, of course!
1. Supergoop! “Forever Young” SPF 40 Hand Cream with Sea Buckthorn
This is my favorite summer hand cream. The subtle scent is delicious, it absorbs quickly and brightens and improves skin’s texture! The small size is perfect for throwing in your beach bag.
view on www.amazon.com
2. Mineral Fusion SPF 30 Brush-On Sun Defense
In addition to my liquid face sunscreen, I always use a brush-on powder sunscreen for touch-ups and to control shine. This power is antioxidant-infused with sea kelp and white tea!
view on www.amazon.com
3. Klorane Dry Shampoo with Oat Milk
This is my absolute favorite dry shampoo. It quickly absorbs excess oil and restores bounce after a long day at the beach. I use the tinted version but they also offer their original clear dry shampoo!
view on www.kloraneusa.com
4. Tatcha Aburatorigami Japanese Blotting Papers
These are the best blotting papers I’ve ever tried! I always carry a package in my purse during the summer. The sheets are made of 100 percent natural abaca leaf and gold flake. They’re as pretty as they are effective!
view on www.amazon.com
5. Sun Bum SPF 30 Lip Balm
This vegan lip balm is made with moisturizing cocoa butter and comes in so many yummy flavors. Flavors pictured: key lime, pink grapefruit, coconut, banana, mango & pomegranate!
view on www.amazon.com
6. Tarte Matte Waterproof Bronzer in Park Avenue Princess
If you’re protecting you’re face like me, you’ll need a bronzer to give your cheeks and forehead that perfect summer glow. This bronzer contains vitamins A, C, and E and even contains water to help your skin retain moisture!
view on www.amazon.com
7. Supergoop! SPF 50 Defense Refresh Setting Mist with Rosemary
This three-in-one mist controls oil throughout the day, sets makeup and provides UV photoaging protection. I love the fresh rosemary-mint scent!
view on www.amazon.com
8. Sun Bum 3-in-1 Leave-in Spray
This lightweight leave-in spray smells amazing. Like one Amazon reviewer put it: “this product smells like your childhood summer at the beach”! It conditions and protects with coconut oil, argan oil, sweet almond oil, sunflower seed oil and banana leaf.
view on www.amazon.com
9. Coola SPF 30 Piña Colada Sunscreen Spray
This hydrating sunscreen is made with organic ingredients like cucumber, algae extract, strawberry extract and red raspberry seed oil. It sprays on evenly and smells incredible! Want higher SPF? Try their unscented SPF 30 sport sunscreen spray!
view on www.amazon.com
10. MyChelle Cucumber Cooler Soothing Spray
Soothe, cool and hydrate your skin after a day in the sun with this cucumber and aloe spray! Made with all-natural, non-GMO ingredients.
view on www.mychelle.com
11. MyChelle Replenishing Solar Defense SPF 30 Anti-Aging Cream
This is such an amazing anti-aging sunscreen for your face. It protects, moisturizes and reduces lines with plant-based ingredients like zinc oxide, red algae extract, kukui oil and macadamia nut oil!
view on www.mychelle.com
12. Pacifica Underarm Deodorant Wipes
This ingenious product by Pacifica wipes away underarm sweat, neutralizes odors and soothes with coconut milk and essential oils.
view on www.amazon.com
This is the most delicious smoothie bowl! It tastes just like chocolate peanut butter ice cream but so much better because it’s good for you and cruelty-free! I’ve made variations of this amazing nice cream before but using Peanut Butter & Co.’s white chocolate peanut butter made it extra special.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Smoothie Bowl
(makes 1 large serving or 2 smaller portions)
For smoothie, blend together:
3.5 frozen organic bananas
2 tablespoons peanut butter (My favorite: Peanut Butter & Co. White Chocolate Wonderful!)
1 scoop chocolate vegan protein powder (I used Vega’s chocolate protein smoothie powder.)
1/4 – 1/2 cup soy milk (I used Silk’s organic soy milk. You can use any dairy-free milk!)
Toppings:
shredded coconut (I use Let’s Do Organic coconut.)
hemp seeds (I used Nutiva’s organic shelled hemp seeds.)
sliced banana
cacao nibs (I use Navitas!)
hemp granola (my favorite is this granola by Nature’s Path Organic.)
pomegranate seeds
sliced strawberries
Follow me on Instagram (@thebirdfeednyc) to see more smoothie bowls!
Strawberry Mango Smoothie Bowl
(makes 1 large serving or 2 smaller portions)
For smoothie, blend together:
2 frozen organic bananas
1 cup frozen organic mango
3/4 cup frozen organic strawberries
1 tablespoon Goji powder (I use Navitas. Extra boost of beta-carotene & antioxidants!)
1 scoop vegan protein powder (I use Vega’s vanilla protein smoothie powder.)
1/4 – 1/2 cup soy milk (I used Silk’s organic soy milk. You can use any dairy-free milk!)
Toppings:
shredded coconut (I use Let’s Do Organic coconut.)
hemp seeds
sliced organic banana
pomegranate seeds
strawberries
hemp granola (my favorite is this granola by Nature’s Path Organic.)
sliced organic mango
Follow me on Instagram (@thebirdfeednyc) to see more smoothie bowls!
This week at TLB Music, our Smock Rock art students are creating handmade maracas while listening to Cuban music! These maracas are easy for little hands to make, help students practice fine motor skills and they sound great to play!
Student Materials:
masking or duct tape, in a few colors or patterns
2 plastic spoons, 1 plastic easter egg, about 1-2 tsp of rice
Teacher Materials: scissors
Teacher Prep: -place a small of of rice in a cup for each child
-cut strips of tape for students or help students cut
