Essena O’Neill’s Guide To The Best In Vegan Beauty
We’ve been totally obsessed with 18-year-old vegan model and youtube super star Essena O’Neill for a while now – her chilled vibe, informative vegan vlogs and the fact that she appears to have more going on at 18 than we do at 28… she’s like the BFF we wish we had on speed dial.
Squarely on a mission to inspire and empower young women across the Pacific ocean (with over 500K followers we’d say she’s pretty much kicking goals on all accounts), O’Neill splits her time between Australia and LA and yet somehow still manages to look amazing straight off the plane. Actually, she kinda radiates all year round.
Intrigued by her vegan glow and seemingly never-ending stores of energy, we just had to hit her up for her favourite beauty buys and her tips on how to adapt vegan skin-loving foods into our diets. Read on for instant enlightenment.
The Gnarly Whale Beach Waves Hair Spray
“This smells like sweet ocean water and actually has sea salt included in the ingredients! It is the perfect thing for spraying in wet or dry hair for that beachy/wavy/textured everyday style. PERFECT for curly hair!”
Acure Argan Stem Cell + Coq10 Dry Shampoo
“’Save water and go dry’, but this is a little lifesaver. If I’m in a rush or just feeling lazy (most likely lazy), I’ll puff it onto the oily parts of my scalp and it makes my hair look freshly washed. I love this brand because it doesn’t stain my head white and is completely organic (no nasties).”
Dry Body Brushing
“Around 6 months ago, I bought a cheap dry brush from Coles (you can also get them from health food stores/pharmacies, all you need is something wooden and long enough to reach all parts of your body). I’d heard about the benefits of ‘dry brushing’ before but never really believed brushing yourself before you shower could dramatically increase blood circulation, improve skin complexion, softer skin, decrease signs of cellulite! Seems too good to be true, right? Yep, I once thought so too, but it’s all due to the natural exfoliation of dead skin cells and how the process stimulates the normal lymph flow within the body. I try to dry brush for 3-5 mins before showering most days.”
Jane Iredale Glow Time Full Coverage Mineral BB Cream
“I just discovered this and it is by far my top beauty essential. My skin really broke out when I travelled through Thailand last month and this little baby has helped conceal all blemishes whilst still allowing my skin to breathe and heal. This magical mixture feels extremely lightweight on but actually looks like a full coverage foundation, just in terms of how well it covers imperfections, but sinks in enough to blend naturally throughout the day. I’m obsessed. It’s perfect for everyday but is easily buildable if you want that flawless full coverage. I love blending it with my moisturiser to help it sink in with my natural skin tone even more!”
“With certified organic ingredients, this little pink pot is a real go to beauty essential for me. I apply a little onto my lips and the apples of my cheeks most mornings for a soft, natural dab of colour. It blends beautifully into my everyday BB crème and lasts for hours on my lips. Lifesaver.”
Diet Secrets
“I personally love eating as much ‘whole food’ as I care for, especially fruit for breakfast (easy digestion and instant energy hit from the pure glucose). I find that eating foods in their most natural state (rice, beans, potatoes, lentils etc.) to be the easiest way to cook for myself and the best for overall health – let’s get real, it takes about 2 minutes prep time to bake a sweet potato, combined with a fresh green salad.
So much research is coming out about how consuming pure carbohydrates improves metal health and stability through raising serotonin levels. Not to mention that those forms of carbs are the easiest for our bodies to convert to energy (if that interests you, look up research by Dr. McDougall). So I just love eating a high carb (fruit, veggies, legumes) plant based diet, it just makes sense for me and is super tasty. I’ve never had a better relationship with food since learning about the power of clean carbs! I feel full, satisfied and energised after every meal.”
Pacifica Beauty Tuscan Blood Orange Perfume
“This smells incredible. Lasts hours. Is natural and eco friendly… what more can I really say?”
“This is my go to hair mask. Nothing compares. For the last year I have been preaching how amazing pure coconut oil is for a 30minute hair mask, then I found Lani… woah. It’s 100% organic, comes in the cutest little blue bottle (easy to travel with!) and makes my hair feel nourished, soft, and actually strong. I use it once a week, make sure to put it in my hair dry and leave for around 20-30 mins (this is usually bath time) and then shampoo it out twice (!!) and condition as normal.”
