Having long tried to virtually transport listeners to beaches, rain forests and other dreamy respites, meditation apps today are also trying to appeal to people who are actually traveling to such places.

Several apps, including Buddhify, Calm, OMG. I Can Meditate and Simple Habit, offer specialty meditation sessions for travelers on planes, trains and city streets, making their way across oceans or simply across town, be it "Waiting at the Airport" or "Commuting: A Mindful Journey."

On my first trips of 2017, I tried several such apps, including some veterans, to see if they could alleviate the stress of long lines, crowded planes and busy streets. Meditation is personal the teacher's voice, words and methods affect each of us in different ways so I didn't rank the apps. Instead, I've highlighted certain features and to whom they may or may not appeal.

Research began at Newark Liberty International Airport, where my plane was being de-iced. I put in earbuds and tapped the "Prepare for Travel" session from Simple Habit, an app with meditations for situations as varied as remedying procrastination and easing PMS. Users can choose from sessions that span the vacation process, from "Waiting at the Airport" to "Just Landed" to "Relaxing on Vacation" and "After Vacation." To gain access to all of Simple Habit's sessions, you need a subscription ($3.99 for seven days; $11.99 for one month; $99.99 for a year on iOS). As with other app subscriptions, you can cancel through iTunes. (I used an iPhone, but the apps are also available for Android.)

"Travel can sometimes be a tumultuous experience," a male voice said. "You just got your seat on the plane?" the voice said. "Just this breath. Just this moment."

Another app, OMG. I Can Meditate (access to all sessions, $12.99 a month; $89.99 a year on iOS), offers sessions like "Mindful Walking," "Waiting in Lines," "Public Places" and "Mindful Eating," which I selected during breakfast.

"Notice all the different colors, textures, shades, different food types," a female voice said. The travel-related meditations on this app may appeal if you're beginning to practice mindfulness and want step-by-step instructions. The eating session, for instance, asks listeners to rate their hunger from 1 to 10 to help them learn when they are full.

Experienced meditators may want to try an oldie but goodie: Buddhify ($4.99 for iOS and $2.99 for Android), which has a rainbow wheel with the question "What are you doing?" in the center. Users can select slices of the wheel with sessions like "Walking in City." I tapped one that said "Traveling" and up came options like "Connecting with stillness in a busy place" and "A unique meditation for when you're on a plane."

The latter is about 10 minutes. A soft male voice asks you to notice the sounds of the plane, and the people within. To help you stay present, the voice suggests that when your thoughts drift to the past, you say to yourself the name of the city from which you're departing. If your thoughts drag you into the future, you say the city where you're headed. Simple but effective in gently guiding the mind.

Meditation sessions for travelers? There's an app for that 02/16/17 [Last modified: Thursday, February 16, 2017 4:39pm] Photo reprints | Article reprints

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Meditation sessions for travelers? There's an app for that - Tampabay.com

President Trump's antipathy for the news media was on full display at his 75-minute solo press conference on Thursday, and as he usually does, Trump singled out one news organization for special abuse: CNN. But Trump is doing more than throwing the phrase "fake news" at the network that pays Jeffrey Lord to defend him on the air; he has also sent his son-in-law and senior advisor Jared Kushner to complain to executives at CNN and its parent company, Time Warner, The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday night, citing "a White House official and other people familiar with the matter."

In a recent White House meeting with Time Warner executive vice president Gary Ginsberg, for example, Kushner reportedly argued that CNN was unfairly critical of Trump. Kushner "has taken issue with specific CNN contributors including Van Jones, a Democrat who served in the Obama administration, and Ana Navarro, a Republican strategist, who have each criticized Mr. Trump in harsh terms," The Wall Street Journal reports. Navarro did not seem particularly concerned:

As it turns out, Time Warner is awaiting federal approval for an $85.4 billion sale to AT&T though "people familiar with the matter" told WSJ that Kushner and Ginsberg, longtime friends, did not discuss the merger in the White House meeting. Trump opposed the merger in the final weeks of the presidential campaign, specifically citing CNN, which isn't normal, according to University of Maryland journalism historian Mark Feldstein. "Lord knows that every president has been angered by their news coverage, going back to George Washington," he said. "But to engage in that kind of bare-knuckled tactics is extraordinary."

The unidentified White House official suggested that CNN be more like Fox News, saying "it's obvious" that CNN's "ratings have suffered as a result" of it's "dishonest coverage of the president," while Fox News' "ratings have never been better," thanks to their "mostly fair" Trump coverage. According to Nielsen, CNN's daytime ratings are up 51 percent this year in the key 25-to-54 demographic, while Fox News' ratings are up 55 percent among the same groups. You can read more at The Wall Street Journal. Peter Weber

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There are more than 1300 apps dedicated to mindfulness and meditation - The Week Magazine

Its hard explaining the appeal of animals to people who dont like animals. Its like trying to explain color to a blind person theres really no way to convey just how deepthe love one can have for a pet, or for animals in general, can be. Objectively, the whole idea of keeping animals as companions seems strange: they cant talk; your communication with them is limited to commands and observations that yes, you are indeed a good dog; and they have no more understanding of how you see the world than you do of how they perceive it.

And yet, as anyone who does love animals will know, theres perhaps nothing more purely joyous than the company of a cat, or a dog, or any other creature that happens to come across you in its daily routine and stops to hang out for a while. Its a joy thats captured marvelously well by Kedi, which is director Ceyda Toruns paeanto the cats of Istanbul. If youve ever visited the city, youll know that there are many, many cats there it is, after all, the city that gave us this fellow. Kedi provides awonderful portrait of thelives of seven such cats, of the people who love them, and of the city itself.

Plenty of observers have noted that the film is as much about the last two of those subjects as it is about the first, which is true, but its important not to sell the former short; while the film certainly provides plenty of fascinating insights into the life of the city, its first and foremost about the cats themselves. Torun must have shot oodles of film (or, yknow, filled up a ton of flash cards), because her camera captures every aspect of the animals lives: their daily patrols around their appointed territory, thefierce love and care they give to their young, their long hours sleeping and/or derping happily in the sun, the clever ways in which they feed themselves (which doesnt always just involve either getting fed by people or stealing peoples food when theyre not looking), and their social interactions.

All of this is rendered in some of the most beautiful cinematography youll see anywhere Toruns camera follows the cats at street level, making it feel like youre right there with them as they forage and wander, and then pulls back for picture postcard shots of Istanbul (which is, of course, one of the worlds prettiest cities.) Her letter to the audience, which accompanied the films release, relates her own affection for these most fascinating of creatures: I grew up in Istanbul and I believe my childhood was infinitely less lonesome than it would have been if it werent for cats and I wouldnt be the person I am today. It shows.

Her letter also notes that she missed their presence in all the other cities [she] ever lived in. This is an interesting point. Theres a tendency in countries where animals arent allowed to roam the streets of cities willy-nilly countries like America, for instance to assume that street cats/dogs/etc are strays and that they live lives of misery. This isnt true at all these were, after all, originally wild animals, and while a cat that has lived all its life in an apartment and then gets lost will struggle to survive on the street, animals born into this life cope with it perfectly well. Ive lived in cities where there were plenty of local cats and dogs just hanging out on any and every street, and Ive been surprised at how much Ive missed them since. Animals, as I noted above, enrich our lives in unpredictable ways.

This is certainly true for the humans of Kedi. Perhaps the films most memorable non-feline character is the gentleman who appears to spend pretty much his entire life caring for street cats.We follow him as he visits a colony based in a field, and hes familiar enough with the cats that he notices immediately that one is missing no mean feat considering that there are perhaps 30 or 40 cats surrounding him, all rubbing up against his legs and headbutting him affectionately as they wait for him to dole out their treats. The missing cat, it turns out, has just given birth, and we follow the man as he visits her and her kittens, explaining as he goes that he has suffered from crippling depression for years, and that if it wasnt for his cat friends, he probably wouldnt be alive. The tenderness with which he treats the new mother will bring a tear or two to many eyes, and rightly so.

Theres a similar devotion shown by many of the films other characters the boatman who we find feeding several tiny kittens from a bottle, nursing them to health after their mother has disappeared; the baker who explains that he and his colleagues all have running tabs with the local vet, tabs that the vet in question is never overly strict in collecting on; the gruff iron worker who starts by telling us that the cats are only here because hes tried to shoo them away but theyve refused to leave, and a minute later is telling us earnestly how much he loves them. The animals ability to elicit kindness and tenderness from people is as great a gift as the simple and profound peace you feel with a cat asleep on your lap.

The film ends on a pensive note, with a visit to a market in the citys outskirts, which is currently home to a large colony of cats, but which will soon be demolished to make way for a high-rise apartment complex. Several of the people that Torun speaks to express concern for their animal friends: where will they go? What will they do when theres no more food to be had from the market? The answer, in this case, is probably that theyll do just fine cats are survivors, after all. But the situation speaks to a wider point about urbanization and destruction of habitats, and also about the apparent desire on the part of Istanbuls administrators to rid the citys streets of stray animals. We can only hope that this doesnt happen; it would be a cruel and unnecessary extermination of creatures who have lived there for many generations, and it would rob the city and its citizens of one of the things that makes it special.

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Turkish Cat Documentary 'Kedi' is a Beautiful, Profound Meditation ... - Flavorwire

Although Rishikesh is the self-styled "yoga capital of the world," there's lots more to do there than simply run through vinyasas mouthing "Om Shanti."

In addition to being a melting pot of worldly intellectuals, the Hindu pilgrimage site that rests peacefully on both sides of the sacred Ganges river has recently become a hub for outdoor activities.

Here's a basic Rishikesh to-do list which can be explored over several weeks or in just a few days.

Rishikesh boasts one of the world's largest clusters of ashrams, loosely defined as spiritual retreats. The process of bunking on site begins with a 5 a.m. call to mediation followed by a sunrise yoga class, and ends with more yoga, chanting, lectures and group meals.

Heating and hot water can be inconsistent, however, which is worth bearing in mind between November and February.

Aartis, a Hindu religious ritual, are performed on river banks every night at sunset, and involve music and fire as offerings to the Ganges, known as the "mother" in Hindu culture.

It is not uncommon to see bonfires blazing in the distance, signaling a body being cremated with ashes soon to be scattered into the river -- a Hindu ritual that promises to free the soul from the constant cycle of rebirth.

Dipping your feet in the Ganges while setting a flower bed afloat is part of the tradition -- as is full bathing, for those who want a more authentic experience. The river runs rapidly, however, and the banks can be slippery with moss, so do exercise caution.

A day trip to the charming neighboring city Haridwar is worthwhile to contrast its aarti, which is less catered to western visitors. Be wary of false holy men looking to fleece you for a "donation," however.

Rishikesh is home to a number of small temples which act as makeshift venues for musicians performing kirtan (lengthy call and response prayer chants) accompanied by harmoniums, tablas, flutes, symbols and whatever other instruments happen to be lying around.

These sessions can carry on at all hours and participation is usually welcomed (though it is best to ask first with a silent nod).

Technically it's the former ashram of the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, who famously taught transcendental meditation to celebrities that included Mia Farrow, Mike Love of the Beach Boys and Mick Jagger. But it was the Beatles who put the Maharishi and Rishikesh on the map when they visited his sprawling 14-acre ashram in 1968.

Despite distancing themselves from the Maharishi after their trip, Rishikesh was a creative boon to John Lennon and Paul McCartney. The pair wrote over 30 songs at the ashram, including most of The White Album, while the visit would have a lasting impact on George Harrison both musically and spiritually.

The compound was left discarded after the Maharishi moved to Europe in 1970s. Although the Indian government has done little to restore it, it was opened to the public in 2015. Foreigners like to gripe that they are charged nearly $9 for entry, while Indians pay $2.

Only a 90-minute drive away, Rajaji National Park is home to more than 500 elephants, along with scattered panthers, leopards, deer and even anteaters, and offers on-site accommodation for those who want to take in more than a day's worth. The park is also home to one of India's 48 tiger reserves, though you're more likely to spot a shooting star in the night's sky then a roaming Bengal Tiger.

Rafting has become increasingly popular and can be booked for half or full-day excursions down the Ganges, taking in up to 36 kilometers of glorious scenery along the way.

A more pedestrian form of outdoor activity -- but one that can be just as treacherous -- involves crossing Rishikesh's two narrow suspension footbridges.

Built in 1929, Lakshman Jhula rises 59 feet above water level, stretches 450 long, and is just six feet wide. Though it is mainly used for foot traffic, pedestrians crossing the bridge -- which shakes noticeably -- must maneuver around honking motorcycles and bicyclists, as well the odd cow or family of monkeys swinging from the cables.

Though its sister bridge Ram Jhula was built in 1986 and spans 750 feet, it offers no less of an adventure.

Many pilgrims to Rishikesh bypass this microcosm of India, unaware that a bustling street market exists just minutes from their quiet confines.

Rishikesh town is a maddening cluster of restaurants, sweet shops, vegetable and fruit stands, mechanics and bric-a-brac shops hugging either side of busy Haridwar Road.

Sampling the specialty sweets as well as the fresh peanut brittle is highly recommended.

As a holy city, Rishikesh strictly forbids alcohol and non-vegetarian food, so dining out is a pretty sober affair. Though restaurants are plentiful -- with some making feeble attempts at serving international cuisine -- it's the coffee shops that get buzzy.

Many travelers tend to hang around these cafes for a lot longer than a meal, since Wi-Fi is free and relatively stable. This can be a fun way to exchange stories with other travelers, link to their Instagram accounts (a virtual must-have for travelers in photogenic India), and keep track of their journeys.

As in most parts of India, many different animals coexist with humans around town, including sheep, cows, pigs and dogs. Monkeys are notorious for grabbing food off people as they walk by, or raiding hotel rooms if they spot open windows -- even while attended.

Though it's best to avoid the monkeys, feeding the peaceful dogs any leftovers is a cause worthy of stirring up some good karma.

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Exploring Rishikesh, India: The birthplace of yoga - CNN.com - CNN

By Tara Duggan, San Francisco Chronicle

Photo: Liz Hafalia, The Chronicle

High Sierra Rustic Alpine is ready to be aged at Miyokos Kitchen in Fairfax.

High Sierra Rustic Alpine is ready to be aged at Miyokos Kitchen in Fairfax.

CEO and founder Miyoko Schinner, who makes artisanal vegan cheese from cultured nuts and nut milks, shows the Miyokos Kitchen cheese aging room in Fairfax.

CEO and founder Miyoko Schinner, who makes artisanal vegan cheese from cultured nuts and nut milks, shows the Miyokos Kitchen cheese aging room in Fairfax.

Production associates Cori Ander (left) and Lance Domdey (back) make High Sierra Rustic Alpine cheese at Miyoko's Kitchen in Fairfax in 2014.

Production associates Cori Ander (left) and Lance Domdey (back) make High Sierra Rustic Alpine cheese at Miyoko's Kitchen in Fairfax in 2014.

High Sierra Rustic Alpine cheese has its temperature read while churning at Miyoko's kitchen in Fairfax in 2014.

High Sierra Rustic Alpine cheese has its temperature read while churning at Miyoko's kitchen in Fairfax in 2014.

Production assistant Cori Ander readies High Sierra Rustic Alpine cheese to be aged at Miyoko's kitchen in Fairfax in 2014.

Production assistant Cori Ander readies High Sierra Rustic Alpine cheese to be aged at Miyoko's kitchen in Fairfax in 2014.

Vegan cheese startup Miyokos Kitchen drawing lots of investors

When she started her first vegan food company in 1997, Miyoko Schinner couldnt get anyone to invest in the business, despite its $1 million in annual sales. She closed that company, Now and Zen, in 2003.

People werent putting money into food certainly not vegan food, said Schinner. Vegan food was something you had to explain to people.

Oh, how things have changed. Just over two years after Schinner founded Miyokos Kitchen, a producer of plant-based cheese, the Fairfax company has received $6 million in funding. The investment will help pay for a much larger Petaluma facility and more efficient equipment that will help it keep up with demand. Its products, like cashew-based Cultured VeganButter and Fresh VeganMozz, are sold across the country in at least 2,000 stores, including Trader Joes, Raleys and Whole Foods.

After starting out making 800 rounds of cheese per week, the company now produces 100,000 a month. Schinner expects to hit $10 million in sales this year, and 10 times that in five years.

The explosive growth was not part of the original plan. We were going to be a local, artisanal producer like Cowgirl (Creamery), have a retail shop and sell our products in Northern California, said Schinner, also a cookbook author and co-host of the cooking show Vegan Mashup. It didnt work out that way.

The new investment also will allow Schinner to add a line of more basic cheeses with the same nutritional value as, for example, a milk-based cheddar cheese. They will cost $5 to $6, as compared to the current price of $10 to $13 for packages of her artisanal vegan cheeses. Shes also about to introduce a smoked mozzarella version.

The funding comes from JMK Consumer Growth Partners, joining previous investors like Obvious Ventures, the venture capital firm of Twitter co-founder Evan Williams, which also backs the plant-based companies Urban Remedy and Beyond Meat.

Schinner said that their interest shows how much the market has changed in the 20 years since she started her first food business, a change she attributes largely to Millennials.

People are eating foods that align to their mission in life, she said. Its more about conscious eating and the relationship between the food on your plate and the impact it has, not just on your own health.

Schinner believes her investors are not just responding to current trends but what they think the future will bring: (Investors are) aware of the greater impacts of food and they realize this is the time to get in on it.

Tara Duggan is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: tduggan@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @taraduggan

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Vegan cheese startup Miyoko's Kitchen drawing lots of investors - SFGate

As Kitchen 17 moves around the corner in Lakeview into a larger space, another vegan eatery will take over the soon-to-be vacated space. Heather Bodine-Lederman hopes to open Chicagos first all-vegan bakery, Pie, Pie My Darling, by August at 613 W. Briar Place. The news has already put a smile on many faces. Vegans have stood in line for hours at pop-up markets trying to procure one of the bakerys popular pies or cakes.

Bodine-Lederman uses canola oil, non-hydrogenated vegetable shortening and non-dairy butter substitutes like Earth Balance to avoid eggs and dairy products in her baked goods: I find that butter can sometimes weighs the cake down a bit, she said.

She started out concentrating on pies, but has expanded to cakes, including cheesecakes. When the bakery opens, she wants to make cookies, breakfast pastries, cake and pie shakes, and savory pies. Bodine-Lederman envisions selling grab-and-go items, too.

Right now, the bakerys most-popular item is Funfetti cake. The sprinkles give customers of all ages a child-like feeling, and thats Bodine-Ledermans goalto bring back memories. The space will be remodeled and will feature a totally-new decor. Theyll also serve coffee.

Chicagos vegan community can be a close-knit group, and Bodine-Lederman met Kitchen 17 owner Don Clements two years ago at Vegan Vortex. Thats the vegan festival where Pie, Pie My Darling was a vendor. Clements offered his space to Bodine-Lederman back then, as he had plans to move to a larger restaurant. Bodine-Lederman hopes she can bake for the new Kitchen 17, offering fancy desserts that would be exclusively available at the new restaurant.

While Clements struggles with the oven space at Kitchen 17, Bodine-Lederman said thats not a worry as theyll install new equipment. Bodine-Lederman also wants to broaden her audience to non-vegans. She still relishes how her baked goods make her fellow vegans happy. Few restaurants and bakeries offer vegan choices, and theyre often subpar. That wont be a problem at Pie, Pie My Darling.

I want a bakery that vegans can walk into and have to struggle with what to choose because theres so many choices, she said.

Theyre touting this as Chicagos first all-vegan bakery. Restaurants such as Soul Vegetarian East on the South Side have been selling vegan baked goods for years, but Pie, Pie My Darling has more of traditional bakery/cafe component.

VegNews was the first to report the story.

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Chicago's First All-Vegan Bakery Will Sell Pies & Cakes In Lakeview - Eater Chicago

By admin | February 15, 2017

If youve been sitting out on coffee break runs, consider this your chance to tag back in.

Pop Sugar (and about one hundred other blogs) announced that 600 Starbucks locations across New York have rolled out a new vegan menu item; overnight grains. The parfait-like breakfast item blends steel cut oats, quinoa, and chia seeds together with coconut milk, shaved coconut and almonds. Served in the cold case section of the store, itsbasically a jazzed up version of the internets beloved overnight oats, for those who dont have the forethought to prepare breakfast before bed.

Photo from StarbucksMelody

Ringing in at a hearty 360 calories with 6 grams of protein, theyre hoping to leverage the popularity of their other best-selling, protein-heavy options (none of which are vegan) with the current sensationalism of plant-based eating. At least its a much healthier option than the Justins dark chocolate peanut butter cups that stare down vegans at the cash.

With an abundance of great vegan options on every corner in New York, time will tell if this item is a success for the coffee chain, and if it rolls out to their other trillion locations.

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Starbucks adds a new vegan option : Ecorazzi - Ecorazzi

When an eagle-eyed Philly-area vegan spied yet-to-be announced new dairy-free Ben & Jerry's flavors, we couldn't wait to try them. When reached for comment, its Grand Poobah of P.R. (yes, his real title) just told us he could neither confirm nor deny that the new flavors would be announced by mid-February (but that they were delicious). And finally, the day has arrived and with a whole new flavor we didn't even know was coming.

The three new flavors, Caramel Almond Brittle, Cherry Garcia, and Coconut Seven Layer Bar, use the same almond milk base as the O.G. certified vegan dairy-free flavors. And they weren't playing around when it came time to introduce diary-free alternatives to their family of pints. It took 60 tries before they finally hit the jackpot: a vegan alternative that could stand proud next to their line of beloved pints. Creamy, but without the cream. Impossible? Not to the people who already taught us that we could imagine Whirled Peace and that humans could eat Phish Food. To see if the new flavors were equally delectable, we assembled some R29 taste-testers who were are regular ice cream devotees. Could we be swayed?

In a word, yes. Having never tried a vegan ice cream before, I had a lot of assumptions: compared to regular ice cream, it might be icy, or chalky. Or, even if it tasted pretty good, I might still rather be eating the real thing. All those misconceptions flew out my head as soon as I tried my first spoonful of the Caramel Almond Brittle.

Like the O.G. vegan ice creams, the new flavors use an almond milk base that mimics real ice cream to a creepily accurate degree. Velvety-smooth, the almond brittle flavor also packed a flavorful punch. The almond base matched perfectly with the almond brittle flavor, reminding one taste tester of a wedding cake. The salted caramel swirls added a nice contrast to the small bits of crunchy toffee. It would taste delicious with a healthy drizzle of chocolate on top.

Next, we scooped into the Coconut Seven Layer Bar. So packed with coconut flavor, we had to double-check to make sure the base wasn't coconut milk. Just as creamy, this was also the chunkiest of the pack. Fudge, walnuts, and swirls of graham crackle and caramel filled ever bite. If you're skeptical of almond milk base, this one is a good place to start: the delicious coconut flavor almost completely masks any almond flavor.

The final flavor we tried was Cherry Garcia. Like its original, dairy-based older sister, it's a cherry-flavored base with cherries and fudge flakes. It got high marks from tasters for how well the almond base flavor complimented the cherries.

When we tried to choose a team favorite, however, we fell into infighting. And when we couldn't declare a winner of the three, it became clear that it also meant there were no losers. Vegans, lactose-intolerant, and regular 'ole ice cream eaters alike all gave the new pints two spoons up.

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We Tried Ben & Jerry's 3 New Vegan Ice Cream Flavors - Refinery29

Whether youre picking them up from abandoned trains or ordering them online, it seems that its raining vegan condoms in Australia.

While the mainstream media is busy being perplexed over how so many condom brands contain animal products, we thought wed share the good news with our Australian friends. Hero, purportedly the only vegan sex company available in major retailers across Australia, has just launched a selection of new products. The two types of condoms currently on offer are the natural and ultra thin variety.

As well as condoms, Hero has launched a vegan, aloe vera based, pH balanced, petrochemical & paraben free lubricant. With every bottle sold, Hero donates 12 condoms to Africa in an effort to help combat HIV/AIDS. The same goes for the sale of condoms too; currently over half a million free condoms have been sent over during Heros initial months.

While the news is only relevant to those in Australia, the company is currently in discussions with major retailers in the UK and China too. Dustin Leonard, founder of Hero, aims to have tapped into those markets by the end of 2017.

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Hero Launches New Vegan Condom Range - Ecorazzi

When the cold weather is giving you the winter skin blues, nothing has the power to perk up your makeup look like blush. Despite its status as one of the first documented makeup products used in history, blush is often overlooked by the modern beauty in favor of bronzer. Blush is known by makeup artists as the secret to looking healthy, but many blushes are hiding an ugly secret that might make you feel sick.

This Might Bug You To give blush its rosy hue, a pigment made from crushed female cochineal insects is sometimes used. This bright red coloring is called Carmine, but might be disguised in the ingredient list with nicknames like Cochineal, Carminic Acid, Natural Red 4, or C.L 75470. In addition to this creepy crawly secret, some cosmetic companies use other animal-derived ingredients and test makeup products on animals, causing them to suffer in unimaginable ways. Thankfully, you can easily add blush to your makeup wardrobe without harming animals. There are dozens of cruelty-free and vegan blushes available, but weve hand-picked 5 favorites just for you!

Touted by beauty bloggers as a universally flattering blush thats gorgeous on any skin tone,Pacificas Blushious blush in Camellia provides a peachy-pink glow. Pacifica is a cruelty-free and vegan company that uses natural ingredients like coconut and rose in their affordable luxury cosmetics. At just $12, this blush is a steal and a total must-have.

Before blush was powdered and packaged, women used red fruits to color their cheeks. Cruelty-Free brand 100% Pure offers fruit pigmented vegan blushes that are suited for sensitive skin and available in a wide array of shades to suit any skin tone. The classic pink shade Cherry offers a satin finish and a flush of color in adorable packaging. At $35, this blush is less expensive than some better known luxury brands that favor cruelty over quality.

If your lifestyle is a little more active, you might prefer the ease of a blush that you can throw in your bag and apply without brushes.Tarte cheek stain comes in 6 vegan-friendly sheer shades that can be applied on the go and blended with fingers for that I just worked out look. Try the shade True Love, a sheer watermelon hue that looks like youre naturally blushing. Since not all shades are vegan, be sure to select one of the 6 shades that bear the Vegan Friendly stamp on the product photo.

While many blushes have a bit of shimmer, some prefer the natural look of a matte formula. Cruelty-free brand Modern Minerals offers a neutral shade called Love, a matte warm pink with mauve undertones that perfectly suits a minimal no makeup look. This vegan blush is ideal for those who arent comfortable with brighter hues, but want to give blush a try. At just $20, its a low risk option that adds just a little pink to your cheeks without taking much green from your wallet.

If you like pretty packaging and an equally lovely product, youll love Too Faced Long Lasting Blush. While the whole brand is Cruelty-free, only the shades How Deep is Your Love and Your Love is King are vegan so far. The first is described as a watermelon pink and the second is a plum toned rose; both of which would flatter both light and dark skin tones.

You dont need makeup to be pretty, but when you choose to use a cruelty-free and vegan blush, youre making life just a little more beautiful for the animals. To find out which cosmetic brands are cruelty-free, try our helpful database!

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Save Animals Beautifully With Vegan and Cruelty-Free Blushes - PETA (blog) (press release)