Let us introduce you to Jannifer Black - a woman on a mission to prove that you can be vegan, support ethical brands and look fabulous at the same time.

Jannifer runs THE V SPOT, which is an Australian based online store for vegan friendly, ethically made and eco fashion and beauty products (with a special emphasis on small and indie brands). She's also mother to two beautiful young girls, who have been raised vegan since birth, and Jannifer herself has been vegan for over 20 years (she grew up as a fourth generation vegetarian).

This lifetime of experience has clearly taught her how to cook with veggies too, as she's often sharing the most delicious and soul warming plant based creations on Instagram, which make us want to pop over to her place for dinner!

OVER TO YOU Jannifer..

Jannifer Black:
What's in my Ethical Handbag?

THE HANDBAG

"I am very partial to red handbags, and because I cart my MacBook Air everywhere with me, they need to be big red bags! I’ve almost exclusively used the Naomi in Red with its stunning faux ostrich leather. But I recently added Alexandra K to my store and I’m in love with the 1.5 Maxi Tote in Raspberry. So today I’m using this stunner. 

IPHONE

As I said I always carry my laptop and of course my iPhone. Admittedly I’m a slave to both these devices however, it’s more about having them on me than actually being on them all the time. (Anyway, if my Eve baby is with me the phone is with her. She has a girl power play list that she is forever listening to!) 

WALLET

Naturally my wallet is with me and I carry this precious CoversCrafts piece during the day. I have (Henrietta*) to thank for putting me on to this gorgeous handmade brand!"

(*Henrietta has the same sweet Bird In The Hand wallet, and shared it on Instagram after discovering it on Etsy.)

Reading Material

"I’m toting the latest edition of Vegan Good Life which has to be my favourite publication. I rarely get time to read so I carry it with me and sneak in some reading any chance I get. This is one of those publications you read every word from cover to cover. Perfection!

Glamorous Pen

One of my many obsessions is Rose Gold and this Swarovski Crystalline Stardust Ballpoint Pen is an unapologetic necessity!  

Lip Balm

Talking of obsessions, lip balm is everything. I would have at least 5 going at a time, located in my car, office, bathroom cabinet, bedside and of course in my handbag. This is Rose by eLo. eLo are truly artisanal balms made with only Shea and Jojoba oils infused with essential oils, flowers, and fresh fruits.

Makeup

I don’t wear makeup most days except for a highlighter, perhaps mascara and a subtle lip tint – vegan, all natural and non-toxic of course! But as the weather is cooling I’m wanting more colour. At the moment I’m loving Identity by Axiology, a sweet, soft pink shade with lots of sheen, and one of my newest brands to join the store, Fra Lippo Lippie. This delicious matte colour is Madonna and it pairs perfectly with Au Naturale’s Primrose lip liner. The tin is supremely handy as the lid is a mirror. Today it’s Madonna’s turn to adorn my lips!

Perfume

Love, love, love perfumes! I will always carry a solid perfume with me – an obsession of mine since childhood – and I am so in love with Candied Violets from Shanghai Lil. And I always have a Flora Remedia treatment oil on me, too. Currently it’s Immunity because tis the season to keep our immunity in tip top shape.

Hand Sanitiser

Which leads me to my hand sanitiser. I have a thing for washing my hands, and if I can’t wash my hands I use a hand sanitiser. Regularly. I picked up this Coconut + Lemon spray while in the US last year. Effective, gentle and sweet smelling.

The V Spot Cards

Lastly, there are my store’s postcards. Promise you this is not shameless promotion! Although as a business owner you would expect me to carry my calling card. I never know who I'm going to meet or what fabulous ethical finds I discover that I want to carry in my store. Or if I will be stopped by someone on the street just itching to know where I got that fabulous handbag from 😁 ".

Thanks for sharing what you carry in your bag Jannifer!

I (Henrietta) can attest to the eLo lip balm being fabulous, as I now use it myself after Jannifer got me onto it.

Virginia and I have gotten to know this lovely lady through our conversations on social media, and we're excited to be catching up with her in person next week when she visits Melbourne (she's based in Sydney). It's wonderful how social media can connect you with people like that!

You can follow along with Jannifer's adventures (and the yummy, vibrant meals she cooks) on Instagram or Facebook, or check out her ethical fashion store THE-V-SPOT.

Feature Series: What's In My (Ethical) Handbag