Product Review and Giveaway: Funk Off Bath & Body

August 26th, 2010 - filed under: Furthermore » Reviews

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You know what’s even better than getting a package in the mail?

The absolute delight of getting a package that smells amazing, filled with wonderful handmade soaps and salves, from a [mostly]* vegan company!

I recently had the pleasure of this experience when I received a small box of goodies from Etsy seller Funk Off. The little shop is run by partners Michelle and Chad, and promises “To Keep You Fresh Not Funky”. They asked me to put their motto to the test and sample a variety of their products. Um, yes please!

* Funk Off is now in the process of selling out the last of their non-vegan items and will be switching over to an entirely cruelty-free, animal-free line! Yay!


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Kiss This! Vegan Lip Balm – Vanilla

Of course, I dove right in with the chappy. See, I’m a lip balm freak and I gotta say, the vegan pickin’s are pretty slim! I’m slowly going through all the available options out there, to put together a comprehensive review. And, well, this one just shot to the TOP of the list!

This is my ideal balm: not too gummy, not too grainy, not so sweet I actually want to eat it, haha. It’s got a lovely smoothness that leaves my lips feeling moisturized with just the tiniest tint of shine. Truly, the *perfect* texture. And the scent is spot on: appealing but not edible. What can I say? I LOVE IT!


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Keep It Fresh Body Spray – Lavender Vanilla

Mmmm, this is delicious. This one is a bit edible-smelling, but luckily it’s not made for mouths so you’re safe. The biggest problem may be that your sweetheart tries to eat you up – not such a bad thing!

The vanilla definitely dominates here, with the lavender hiding in the background for a certain je ne sais quoi. I’ve been spritzing this on after my daily dog walks, and I find it super refreshing. Just make sure to give it a good shake, as the oils tend to settle at the bottom.


Later, Gator Lotion – Oatmeal Milk and Honey (but vegan!)

This lotion is rather intense – very spicy, like strong chai or holiday baked goods, haha. It’s not an unpleasant smell, but it’s just not so much my style. I prefer a more subtle scent in lotions, as I use a lot at once (whole body). I found it a bit overwhelming for me.

That said,the consistency is great and it goes on very well. I’m a self proclaimed lotion snob and I can attest that this is a quality concoction. Not too greasy but not at all thick, it rubs right in without any issue. For those that like a heavy scent, this is a great lotion.


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Vegan Soaps – Assorted

These are really, really great soaps. They smell strong but not overpowering, and are elegant in their presentation. Each bar has a layer of ground apricot seed pressed into the top for an interesting visual affect. When you use the soap the apricot seed disperses, creating a grit in the lather. At first I was freaked out by this – “hey man, there’s sand in my soap!” But I quickly realized that this is an AWSOME built in, all natural, exfoliant. Insta-love!


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I was sent 8 samples to try: spring mountain mint, lavender vanilla, sandalwood vanilla nag champa, moon goddess, vanilla blackberry sage, sapmoss bonsai, oatmeal milk and honey, & cool mountain moss. Of course I tried sapmoss bonsai first!! Not that it matters since preferences vary, but my favorites were lavender vanilla, moon goddess, and omg the vanilla blackberry sage is so yummy!

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Conclusion: I feel like there are two schools of body products – the ‘spicy/musky/incense-y’ variety, and the ‘cool/light/mild’ type. Funk Off is definitely the former, with bold aromas that are meant to be fully experienced. It can be a bit much (for me, personally) in an all-over body lotion, but I love that richness in a fancy soap. It’s indulgent and ancient and absolutely soothing.

Overall, I’m very pleased with these products. I love to see vegan ingenuity and it’s great that there’s a growing market for awesome compassionate care items. I think these would make perfect gifts for the coming holidays, or as a sweet treat for yourself (because don’t you deserve it?!)

And speaking of gifts, Funk Off is offering a little goodie bag to one Bonzai reader! All you have to do is visit their site, and then leave a comment here telling me which product you’d like to try. It’s that easy! The contest will close at midnight on Sunday 29 August, and I’ll draw the winner on Monday morning.

Now, get thee to funk off!
sign-off

  • Tenise Rae

    WAHOO!!! I LOVE giveaways…I mean, who doesn’t, right? LOL.
    This sounds like an awesome company and if Sayward loves em I’m sure I’ll love em. I wanna try that Oatmeal Milk and Honey lotion. Okay…and the chapstick too (I am also a chapstick freak).
    Alright FINE I wanna try everything they have…lol. I just love supporting Etsy sellers and their businesses! :D

  • Tenise Rae

    Sapmoss Bonzai!! Doooood…..I wish I could smell through the interwebs….

  • Abhishek Duggal

    Pina Colada Kiss This Vegan Lip Balm

  • Minna

    Sapmoss Bonsai Vegan Body Spray :)

    (I just bought a big jar of LUSH Dream Cream and a “None of your Beeswax” lip balm. The cream smells so fresh :) They’re both SO great! And if something is good for my skin, it has to be damn good! I happen to have the most ultra-sensitive skin in the world :D)

  • megan hall

    Sandalwood Vanilla Nag Champa. Later, Gator Lotion

  • http://www.deviantart.iamthelizardqueen.com Miranda Obscura

    That Zen Kiss This Vegan Lip Balm sounds awfully nice! I’m on the hunt for the perfect lip balm at the moment.

  • Erin

    If the lip balm is as wonderful as you say, I’d want that! I too am a lip balm addict.

  • Melisa

    I want to try everything!!!!! But, ok, I will pick the lavender vanilla spray. I may make an order one way or another–their prices are really good! Thanx for introducing us!

  • http://www.windycityvegan.wordpress.com windycityvegan

    I was really hoping they would have shampoo bars. Since they don’t, I would love to try the vanilla blackberry sage soap.

  • Laura Louise

    Oh how I’d love some Zen Kiss This Vegan Lip Balm. The weather here is on the hunt for my lips so lip balm is essential and this just sounds extremely yummeh!

  • http://twitter.com/erosan erosan

    mmm… the Sandalwood Vanilla Nag Champa Vegan Hemp soap bar intrigues me…

  • Annie

    These do look good.
    I try not to buy any pre-made cosmetics/body products, though, and make my own – mostly out of soap nuts, essential oils (tea tree, calendula, vanilla etc) and the almighty baking soda.
    Having tempermental eczema and being part DIY enthusiast, part total stinge means I’m pretty resourceful and know a lot of recipes for stuff.
    Sometimes, my mum (mistaking DIY for destitution!) buys me stuff from LUSH. Those products are soooo yummy smelling.
    But, I prefer home-made. I rarely have random unknown-cause eczema attacks, I save loads of money, have heaps of fun and always manage to give people awesome personalised gifts. Works for me!

  • Shango

    Sapmoss Bonsai Vegan Hemp Soap for sure. Thanks for including us!

  • Annelise

    Oh man, these look amazing. It’s hard to choose! I think I’d pick the Sandlewood Vanilla Nag Champa, though. I can’t wait until I have some extra cash to spend on these babies!

  • Annelise

    Oops! Sandlewood Vanilla Nag Champa lotion*

  • http://www.kirstenskitchen.ca kirsten

    That lavender vanilla body spray sounds like it would smell DE-licious!

  • http://mutualmenu.blogspot.com Joselle

    Oooh, I’d like to try the lavender vanilla vegan lotion.

  • Neko

    Okay, I definitely want to try that Vanilla Blackberry Sage soap! I’m like you in that I don’t like super strong scents, but do I love that combination. In fact, my mother (who normally never, ever wears any scent) has a bottle of perfume that she spritzes on occasionally, and it is a blackberry-vanilla scent that smells amazing. I also love that the soap has a built-in exfoliant!

    I am bookmarking that site for Christmas gift ideas (to go along with all the handknit dishcloths I’ve been making in preparation :D). Thanks!

  • Singh

    Sandalwood Vanilla Nag Champa Vegan Hemp Soap 4.5oz

    I’m a big fan of Sandalwood and incense smells. Definitely bookmarking this etsy page for future gifts and splurges. Thank you for introducing us to these Funk Off products.

  • http://www.iKarly.etsy.com Karly

    Awesome! I’d like to try the Sprint Mountain Mint soap. =)

  • Melissa

    The blackberry vanilla soap and the Zen lip balm sound great!

  • Nahui

    I’m debating which I would like to try more: the root beer lip balm or the Moon Goddess Vegan Lotion. I think I’ll go with the lotion.

  • http://thedesiresofyourheart.wordpress.com/ Erin B.

    Oatmeal Vanilla anything! Soap, lotion, u name it I wanna try it!

  • Melissa C.

    I am a lip balm FREAK. I have 4 in my bag right now. The Strawberry Kisses and Honey Vanilla will be MINE the next time I have a few extra bucks!

  • Lauren

    Would love to try the blackberry vanilla soap!

  • http://contagioushealth.blogspot.com Melissa

    I would love to try the vanilla nag shampa hemp soap!! Very cool company and thanks for the giveaway!

  • fawn

    I’d love to try out the Lavender Vanilla Vegan Shea Butter Soap. Mmm, I bet it smells nice. :)

  • http://the-fire-witch.blogspot.com Jade

    Geez, this blog keeps getting more awesome! I’ve been looking for a good cruelty free lotion and the Oatmeal Milk and Honey lotion looks awesome.

  • akeeyu

    Oooh, the Honey and Vanilla Kiss This Lip Balm looks tempting!

    I have a hard time finding daily wear lip balms (too fruity, too greasy, too sticky, too drying, you name it), and I think my favorite is being discontinued. Yikes!

  • Kat F

    Their products look amazing! I’d love to try the spring mountain mint soap.

  • Pat

    def the Mocha Latte Kiss This Vegan Lip Balm. I am a coffee addict and since i breast feed I had to give up on coffee altogether as my boy gets the worst possible colics if I dare to drink them…but I miss my Latte’s sooooo much!

  • http://bird-feet.blogspot.com Katie

    Mmm Oatmeal Milk and Honey Vegan Lotion! I would apply that even if my skin were already fully moisturized…

    They have totally reasonable prices, too. Thanks for bringing this to our attention, Sayward!

  • http://flightsofthevalkyrie.blogspot.com/ Valerie

    I had a hard time deciding between the Spearmint and Vanilla Lip Balm I think I’ll go for the vanilla. I hope they come up with a shampoo soon and a body wash since I am allergic to all solid soaps. Thanks for sharing!

  • http://www.livingsimplicity.com Tammi

    Oh FABULOUS!

    The Lavender Vanilla shea butter soap sounds awesome. :)

  • Cary M

    I would love to try the Sapmoss Bonsai Vegan Hemp Soap. All of the soaps sound like they smell amazing.

  • kristen

    oh shoot, i want that moon goddess body spray. like, immediately.

  • Josey

    I’d love to try any of the hand soaps!

  • MathTutor

    The lavender vanilla vegan lotion looks like something I would use :)

  • Neslie

    Like you, I’m a lip balm freak.
    I would love to try the Zen Kiss This Vegan Lip Balm!

  • miss_ellie

    the moon goddess stuff sounds like it smells incredible…. anything with that sent would be awesome!

  • Meredith

    They had me at Lavender. Anything, and I mean ANYTHING with lavender in it is not safe around me. I will eat it, bathe with it, drink it, rub it all over me, hell I’ve even been known to put it on my dog when he gets a little funky.

  • Leslie

    I love my body sprays, so I would have to go for the Lavender Vanilla Body spray!!!!!! What a great site, I am sure your post will be bringing them lots of us peeps that want the sweet smelling goods without the nasty smell of harm!!!!!!

  • Nandy

    The Moon Goddess body spray has me so intrigued. Sayward, thank you for showcasing this store, it all looks so awesome!

  • Tabitha

    OMG I have been looking for good, affordable soaps and such. These are so amazing! I want them all. But, as I’m a chapstick obsessive, I’d have to say that’d be my top pick. Though the soaps are great too.

  • http://www.iheartrhody.com boliyou

    Oh, it all sounds so lovely. I’d love to try the Moon Goddess body spray, or the soap, too. So hard to decide.

  • http://s-melville.blogspot.com Sarah E. Melville

    Ooh, I have such a weakness for anything lavender, so I’d have to pick the Lavender Vanilla soap! Sounds beautiful.

  • http://penelopes-prints.blogspot.com Penelope

    Oh man, I’m a sucker for fancy soaps :) I’d love to try the Moon Goddess soap–sounds (and looks) lovely.

  • http://radicalturtle.com/ Leslie Cao

    I’d love to try the vanilla blackberry sage soap, yum yum. Cool company! though I’d like them even more if their products were also organic

  • http://alternativehousewife.com Janine

    I’m a big fan of that musky variety!

    Sprint Mountain Mint Cruelty Free Honey Soap sounds pretty amazing.

  • Kim

    WOW, everything looked AWESOME. I’d love to try the lavendar vanilla shea butter soap.

    I think I’ll be ordering from them regardless. :P Great, another vegan production addiction, that’s all I need.