5 Vegan Drugstore Beauty Buys

The Topic: Getting (and sitting) pretty with drugstore beauty and body essentials with Online Editor Anna Peraino

The Dish: I'm sure it's no surprise when the soaps, moisturizers, makeup, and cleansers that keep us looking good can wreak havoc on our wallets. With some of the world's most popular beauty buys topping off at $140 per ounce (Here's looking at you, La Mer), one might think that keeping our bods clean, healthy, and looking like 140-bucks-an-ounce will break the bank. Not so! Many inexpensive, vegan products are just waiting on the shelves of your local drugstore and often work just as well as the expensive stuff. Below are five of the VN editors' favorite drugstore buys that definitely don't cost an arm and a leg. (Disclaimer: I can't promise everything in them is all-natural or organic, but at least they're cheap and totally vegan, right?)

1. Rosebud Perfume Co. Smith's Rosebud Salve, $5.59* (0.8-oz. tin). Loved by fashion and beauty editors the world over, this lip balm is light, smooth, and works like a charm. And it's multipurpose to boot: The salve also treats rough cuticles, diaper rash, minor burns, and even blemishes. A tip from a Rosebud user: If you can find the tins of Strawberry Lip Balm, clear the shelves.

2. Alberto VO5 Hot Oil Weekly Intense Conditioning Treatment, $3.99 (two treatments). Whether it's constant blow-drying, winter weather, or bad genetics, sometimes your tresses need a little TLC. Enter: Alberto VO5. This stuff has been around for decades, and for good reason: It works. The oil gives the one-two punch of moisture and strength for your mop, all for two bucks a pop.

3. CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser, $9.59 (12 fl. oz.). I read labels all the time that say "Dermatologist Recommended," and usually don't believe a word of it (truth in advertising!). My own personal dermatologist actually recommended this calming cleanser for my sensitive skin a few years ago, and I've never looked back. The fact that it's loads cheaper than any of that fancy stuff is just the icing on the cake.

4. Tom's of Maine Soap Daily Moisture Natural Beauty Bar Soap with Olive Oil and Vitamin E, $5.99 (two 4-oz. bars). All-natural and all-soothing, this sud-maker is sure to make your skin baby soft. And the more you use it, the better your skin gets. Plus, Tom's gives 10 percent of its profits to human and environmental causes. That's a lot for a bar of soap.

5. Alba Botanica Very Emollient Body Lotion, $10.49 (12 fl. oz.). Green tea, aloe, and chamomile combine to create one of the best lotions we've ever used. It's also hypo-allergenic and unscented, so those with sensitive skin can benefit from its über-moisturizing effects.

The Final Word: If you want to get more DIY with your beauty routine, this Lavender-Rosemary Scrub works wonders for a pittance. To simplify even further, try Managing Editor Elizabeth Castoria's go-to scrub for soft and supple skin: mix two tablespoons of sugar with olive oil and scrub away! I also hear that dousing your hair in a can of flat beer is a great way to add shine and body post-shampoo. And everybody knows how cheap a can of PBR is.

* All prices from drugstore.com

Walgreens Wonders

Topic: Mainstream Snacking

The Dish: I've written about my favorite veg-friendly grocery stores before—Trader Joe's, Aldi, hidden-gem discount shops—and I'm still happily surprised at all of the new great products and deals they offer. But sometimes, I'm not within walking distance of one of these veg havens when hunger strikes, be it when I'm out in the city, in Missouri visiting family, or driving through a random town on a road trip. In those cases, I find a Walgreens.

In San Francisco, there's a Walgreens on pretty much every corner. I'm certain its numbers compete with Starbucks. At first glance, all of the edibles seem frustratingly not vegan, especially when I'm in dire need of a pick-me-up and bags after bags of "cheese"-flavored chips are staring me in the face. After careful perusal of the shelves, I've come up with my favorite snacks under $5. Are these healthy? Um, no. But they're for special occasions! Like, you know, when I'm hungry.

1. Deerfield Farms Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies. ($3.49) Holy crap. This delightful off-brand replicates the chewy version of Chips Ahoy!, but leaves out the milk products. The result is a package of accidentally vegan cookies that must be hidden in a cabinet to prevent total annihilation upon opening. If you're not into chewy, the regular, crunchy variety is vegan, too.
2. Walgreens Peanut Butter Bars. ($0.99) These old-fashioned candies are little wrapped bites of happiness. They sort of remind me of the inside of a Butterfinger, but far less gross because they're just peanut butter and sugar. At less than a dollar a package, it's the perfect sweet purchase when you know friends are going to be mooching off of you.
3. Blue Diamond Wasabi and Soy Sauce Almonds. ($1.49) A single-serving of these roasted almonds will completely cure any savory craving you have, thanks to a generous dusting of wasabi powder and a little soy sauce flavoring. And of course almonds are good for you with all of their protein and good fats, et cetera et cetera. More importantly, they're delicious.
4. Original Chex Mix. ($2.49) I'm sorry, didn't Chex Mix used to have whey in it?! I recently discovered that the original party snack either removed the animal products, or I have been mistaken all along. Whatever happened, it's made it possible for me to revel in this childhood favorite.
5. Lindt Excellence 85 percent Cocoa Dark Chocolate. ($2.99) It's dark chocolate. What else can I say? Lindt makes a decent bar, and it's more affordable than a lot of frou-frou brands who ruin a perfectly good chocolate bar with some funky non-vegan filling. It's perfect for my daily 3pm, "Where is the chocolate?" moment.

The Final Word: If junk food isn't your forte, the big W also stocks some healthier veg standbys, such as Odwalla juices, Probars (I'll take a dozen), vegan Clif-brand bars, and fresh, nearly free fruit. Of course besides the snacking, it also has the necessities in life, including BioBag's biodegradable doggie bags, L'Oreal EverPure vegan hair care, and tons of products from the cruelty-free Yes to Carrots line. Keep an eye out for sales, do the vegan label-check, and you'll be good to go.

DIY Veg-Friendly Clothing

The Topic: Repair and Wear

The Dish: In addition to seeking deals on veg-friendly clothing, I'm an avid second-hand shopper, from thrift stores to trendier resale shops. They're gold mines for finding stylish, animal-friendly pieces (fashion is cyclical, after all). The major downfall? You get what you pay for, and that can mean missing buttons, broken zippers, and funky seams. In the case of affordable retailers such as Forever 21, the life of clothes can be unfairly cut short when you indulge in a new dress, wear it to work, and the strap button pops off mid-commute (ahem). Instead of giving up on it—or any of the potential finds at Thrift Town (one of my favorite San Francisco shops), I'm getting a lesson in DIY clothing repair from VN Associate Editor Liz Miller.

Surprisingly, this whole sewing-on-a-button thing isn't rocket science like I thought it was. Learning a few mending tricks can be huge in keeping your wardrobe from looking ragged, and helpful when you find the perfect cotton vintage dress that needs just a little help. For the novice like me who isn't ready to invest in a sewing machine and learn advanced seamstress skills (some day), a well-stocked sewing kit at Walgreens will only set me back $5. That's about the price of my favorite vegan Frappuccino combo!

As for learning the ropes, I plan on taking a few lessons from Liz and hitting up this beautiful new thing called the internet. I'm currently loving What the Craft—there are lots of free tutorials, not to mention a place for requests if you're really stuck. There are countless sites, so get searching!

The Final Word: Once you're confident in your sewing know-how, the possibilities are endless for expanding your wardrobe with minimal investment. Shirts become skirts, conservative dresses turn into perfect Vegan Drinks attire, and the things you can do with old t-shirts are endless. Are there any crafty vegans out there? Share your favorite tips and projects with me! I'd love the inspiration.

Guest Post: Resale Shop Rundown

The Topic: Resale Shop Wardrobe Redux

The Dish: After you've purged your closet of the gems you'll never wear (if you haven't worn it in six months and it isn't seasonal, give it up!) via clothes swapping, there's always the option of selling your stylish duds to local resale shops. When it comes to trading in cast-offs for must-haves, no one knows more than Editorial Assistant Liz Miller. Clothes are to her as biscuits are to me, so you know she knows what's up. In a very special guest post, Liz shares the secrets to the resale retail industry.

5 Secrets for Selling Your Clothes

By Liz Miller

1. Case the Joint. Okay, so not in the 1930s-bank-heist way, but casing out a resale shop should always be the first step to crafting a discerning seller's eye. Every secondhand store has its niche, from name brand buyers to vintage purveyors. So, after performing an intensive wardrobe inventory, separate items by style and figure out which clothes will garner the most value from varying shops.

2. Buyer's Market. Vintage-friendly shops are less likely to care about retail labels, meaning that they want your cute Forever 21 party dresses as well as your grandma's old school Dooney & Burke purses, but have no use for your collection of J. Crew khakis. Save those for the brand focused boutiques, which look for current styles and routinely check the season/year listed (example: SUM08 indicates summer 2008) on the inside tag to determine value. Carefully cut these tags out of older, still stylish apparel.

3. Time of the Season. Most stores only buy by season, so it's crucial to call ahead to find out what items a store is currently buying. If you're set on making a dime on out-of-season items, save them until the appropriate season comes around.

4. Stealthy Shopper. If you've had bad luck selling clothes in the past, consider rethinking your strategy and scouting bargains to buy and sell. Use your shrewd sensibilities to shop for buried treasures at thrift stores, where nothing is off limits based on size or personal style—if it looks trendy, it's worth the investment. Remember to also keep an eye out for hidden high-end gems.

5. On the Mend. If some of your cast-off clothes need small repairs, take the time to fix them before hauling them away to sell. Sewing new buttons onto a cardigan or quickly stitching up a small hole are easy ways to upgrade old pieces of clothing. For super-faded items, buy a cheap box of RIT dye at Walgreens and give those dull duds a washing machine makeover.

The Final Word: It's all about understanding the resale shop at which you're trying to sell. If you make an effort to play the game, you'll be rewarded Mario-style with more than a few gold coins—or, more realistically, dolla' dolla' bills.