Friday Giveaway Archives - A Vegan Obsession

Friday Giveaway - 3 prizes worth £30 from Salcura Natural Skin Care

July 30, 2014 by India Leigh

I suppose I should think myself lucky that it has only been the last couple of years of my life that I have needed to make moisturising my body part of my daily regime. When I am in the USA I have my go-to creams that I use. When travelling around I shop in natural health stores and veer away from pharmacies as I like my products to be vegan, and natural as can be. I do tend to be drawn by packaging first. If it looks a bit ‘clinical’ I usually do not even give it a second glance. I looked at Salcura, a totally UK based company, because their products stated they contain absolutely ‘no chemicals’. Because I had pre-judged the range by the medical looking packaging, I was surprised to find it said it was free of SLS, perfume and chemicals. Also suitable for vegans (no Vegan Society approval as yet but scheduled to be applied for in 2015). I contacted the company to find out more, and they very kindly sent me a small range of their derma care products (the also sell hair products and have an extensive acne range) to review.

For the last couple of weeks I have been slathering, lathering and smothering myself in in Derma Spray Intensive , followed by the Zeoderm cream after showering or bathing in their Gel or Bath Oil. I do wonder at the effectiveness of a shower gel that is going to be on your skin so briefly but at least it is not stripping your body of anything good. The spray and cream combined have left my skin so deeply moisturised. I have had a condition called keratosis pilaris for a year and though it has not yet cleared it up (I live in hope) my skin is transformed to the shine and hydration of my teenage years. The effect minimises the appearance of the tiny bumps and makes me feel confident to go out in strappy tops again, which I am grateful for right now as the UK is kindly delivering a most beautiful summer.

The product range is suitable for people prone to eczema, psoriasis, dermatitis and dry and itchy skin. Most are ok for use with babies of 3 months and up (but always check the label first). And they have a Junior Range. Their products have the health benefits of Omega oils (and I am going to drop a few names here) natural healing benefits of plants such as…aloe, sea buckthorn and calendula. I have especially fallen in love with the Zeoderm (the zeo in Zeoderm is zeolite which is a natural clay. (i)zeolites form where volcanic rocks and ash layers react with alkaline groundwater. Zeolites also crystallize in post-depositional environments over periods ranging from thousands to millions of years in shallow marine basins).

I wanted you to get a chance to try the range for yourself. Salcura have agreed to offer 3 prizes with a value of up to £30 per winner; to spend on either a choice of products from their acne range or their problem dry skin range. If you win, you get to peruse their website and choose which you would like to receive.

EVERYONE can try Salcura as they also offer FREE samples via their website.

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(i) source Wikipedia

Friday Giveaway! A delicious FOODIE box. Gluten & lactose free. Burgers! Chocolate!

July 11, 2014 by India Leigh

I recently received some gluten free and vegan products to review from a company based in the UK called Amisa

They have a range of organic products including gluten free porridge oats. I tried the Apple & Cinnamon Spice. Three ingredients. All organic; oats, apples & cinnamon. Nothing else. Not like some ‘healthy breakfasts’ purporting to be good for you which have more sugar added than you’d find in an evil sugary drink! I enjoyed my cinnamon spiced oats with a dollop of soya yogurt and some pistachios and it was lovely. Not just for gluten sensitive folk or diabetics. Great for those who want to enjoy delicious food AND be healthy. Fab for kids, too if you want to avoid those sugary cereals.

I also had the rice and corn crisp breads smothered with homemade vegan pesto. Yum!

AND the falafel mix. It was so easy to prepare. Soak the entire contents in 200ml hot water and mix. Form into balls. Fry or bake. I fried mine and they were so delicious I could not wait until lunch and so had them for breakfast, with some spicy mango chutney. A good idea, not just for dinner (as I have demonstrated) but also for your lunch box, a spoon or two of hummus or a tasty chutney and you are all set. I think a box of falafel mix in your camping food box would be ideal as well. Think about it, flavourful food cooked on your campfire whilst sitting in a field or on the beach.

The good folk at Amisa, a division of a small family run company owned by Windmill Organics,

understand that there is a great need for healthy, tasty gluten/lactose free products. We have a goodie box for one lucky winner (it could be you!). In the box you will find..

Falafel Mix

Burger Mix

Lactose free Chocolate coated rice cakes

and gluten free crisp breads!

If you were wondering (as I was) where the name Amisa comes from, two sisters work in the company and the name ‘Amisa’ actually comes from both their names combined (Amy & Elisa). So now we know! Cute.

If you want to enter to win..

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Click here to find out more about Windmill Organics

Interview with Tim Barford. Founder of VegFest UK

September 9, 2013 by India Leigh

With our GIVEAWAY currently running (have you entered yet?) for free tickets to VegFest London 2013, I thought it would be interesting to find out just how an idea becomes a festival. Also how one man morphs into an entrepreneur, and head honcho of everything hemp.

Tim Barford kindly found some time out from running Yaoh and managing London Vegfest, to answer a few burning questions I had for him.

Why did you set up VegFestUK? I set up VegfestUK back in 2003, just for the crack really, seemed like a good idea for a party at the time. The vegan thing was obviously a lot smaller then so it seemed a really good idea to get it all in one place and then throw a big party around it and invite everyone to come. It’s worked a treat. Loads of people have taken their first steps towards a veggie, flexi or vegan lifestyle by coming to one of our events.

How and where did it begin?.

The first show was in Bristol at The Watershed on November 1^st 2003 – we had 40 stalls, and around 1200 visitors, plus about 300 more in the bar next door! We had a room for live music and some demos, and also a talks room, and it went from there. There was a classic moment when a Pink Panther went round the whole show and gave every stallholder a glass of champagne – that Panther must have known what was around the corner for VegfestUK, its turned out to be an incredible success story on every level.

How it has expanded over the years, as in venues and attendance numbers?

The first few years the show grew but not dramatically – we moved to the L shed in 2004 and the show grew to 80 stalls and around 4,000 visitors which was amazing. 2005 and 2006 continued at The L Shed with similar numbers and then in 2007 the L Shed shut and we moved over the river to our current home, The Amphitheatre. This gave us room to expand as it was all outdoors, and we now have a regular 140 stalls and around 20 – 25 000 visitors over the 3 days. It’s wonderful. Brighton has expanded too, with 135 stalls and 7,000 visitors since its launch 5 years ago. And with London in its first year, we await to see how that will go, as it stands a month ahead it’s looking like a cracker

Have there been any knock on effect achievements because of the Fest? Lots of other shows including the West Midlands and the North East Vegan Festivals have taken inspiration from our shows and gone off and started their own, which is really amazing. And a lot of people have started eating more vegan food after coming to our events – hundreds of thousands of people. And with our media and PR presence growing every year, we are reaching more and more people through a lot of different channels.

What is your vision for future events?

My vision for future events is that every food festival in the world is a vegan festival. Might seem a long way off but that is what I am working towards. Meanwhile we’ll keep what we doing and keep it interesting and going, it’s got its own energy now, the vegan thing, its growing of its own accord cos now so many people are on this tip. It’s for real.

What is your current favourite meal (is this an impossible question? probably, I can never answer it). I love hemp (*I should have guessed he’d say that!), especially dehulled hemp seed in smoothies. hummus and pitta with salad and olives. And noodles with chilli and garlic. Just discovered raw courgette noodles and a raw pesto which is pretty cool.

What a guy!

I can’t wait for VegFest London. Come too! Enter to win free tickets.

I hope to see your there. Please come say hello.

Vegan MoFo 2013 Day 6 - Free Festival Tickets - Friday GIVEAWAY

September 6, 2013 by India Leigh

Come to VegfestUK London in October! Saturday 5th & Sunday 6th.

It is one of Europe’s biggest veggie events. Tickets are selling fast but we have 7 tickets to GIVEAWAY!!

The event has received the backing of Sir Paul McCartney’s veggie group Meat Free Monday and has lots of great guests, including Chef Chad Sarno and American Comedian Jamie Kilstein, London’s own Ms Cupcake will be brightening up the room. A music line up is set to create a great atmosphere. Cookery demo’s, workshops and talks. There is always lots of vegan & veggie products and FOOD. And the free samples?! rave.rave!

The show features

- over 180 stalls

- lots of free samples

- one-off special offers on many products

- 12 handpicked veggie caterers

- talks on Nutrition and Lifestyle

- cookery demos

- yoga workshops

- Tai Chi demonstration

- live comedy

- live music

- kids’ entertainment

- celebrity presence from top chefs, athletes, entertainers, etc.

and much more!

This exciting event takes place on October 5^th 6^th (11am-7pm each day) at Kensington Olympia (West Hall), www.london.vegfest.co.uk

You can find out more in the event programme here www.london.vegfest.co.uk/programme

Tickets are £10 (standard), £6 (concession), £2 (under 16),But advance tickets available on BUY ONE GET ONE FREE (limited period only) at www.london.vegfest.co.uk/tickets

Enter the giveaway, if you’d like a chance to win free tickets.
Definitely come and TURN UP HUNGRY!!

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[Friday GIVEAWAY for Dog Lovers] Healthy Chew Bones For Your Darling Dog

August 2, 2013 by India Leigh

It’s the Friday Giveaway! We’re have 1 bag of medium or large BREATHBONES (you choose, depending on the size of your pooch).

Full of natural ingredients like sweet potatoes, carrots, cinnamon, spinach. Even chia seed get stirred into the mix(sounds delicious…try not to eat the chews yourself!). Parsley is added to make your dog’s breath sweet. Grain free, free of known allergens, and non-GMO.

A couple of months ago I posted an article about Vegan, Allergy Free Dog Food and it got you guys talking. Sometimes, something comes along that shifts beliefs we have had about how things are. It makes us question. That’s a good thing. It seems many dog owners are helping to optimise their dog’s nutrition with V-Dog. We really care about our pets and people are saying it helps manage their dogs diabetes, stops them itching, improves their digestion and keeps them bright. Now V-Dog have agreed to let you their Breathbones for free. If you want to be in with a chance for your dog to try them, just enter our giveaway.

Giveaway open to USA residents only.

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