Meet the Maker: Indie Lee

I recently had the pleasure of meeting and interviewing Indie Lee, the founder of Indie Lee & Co. a clean and eco luxe line of skincare, formulated with efficacious ingredients that combine science + plant botanicals enhancing the health of your body or skin. We sat down and talked about clean beauty, wellness and her launch in Sephora Australia.

Indie’s story is unique and a heart warming. She started the line over ten years ago when she was diagnosed with a fatal brain tumour that doctors felt could be environmentally derived and attributed to something as simple as what she was putting on her skin. After learning that up to 60% of what we apply to our skin, including toxic ingredients in conventional skincare, may be absorbed in as little as 26 seconds, Indie had her awakening. After surviving a successful surgery on Earth Day 2009, she embarked upon a wellness journey to create a clean beauty collection dedicated to inspiring and empowering others to be mindful about what they put on their skin as well as into their body.

“When I was given a finite amount of time to live, the world became technicolor – I now appreciate every moment and I feel very fortunate to be creating a platform that will allow others to do the same. Education and empowerment are my driving forces and this line is the medium enabling me to pay my knowledge forward.” – Indie

The clean and luxurious collection of skin and beauty products will be launching in Sephora, Australian on March 20th, 2019. Indie is a kind, genuine and positive person who started her line purely out of her passion to live and literally to beat the odds of a life threatening disease. It was fascinating and inspiring to meet Indie and to learn more about her story and products. Enjoy the interview below.

How does a typical day start for you?

Every morning starts the same for me. I begin the day by mediating and taking that time for myself to get centred, I then pick up my phone to text my business partner and best friend GMS, which stands for ‘Good Morning Sunshine’. I then go look after my daughters, puppies and make myself a smoothie.

What is your morning beauty routine like?

My morning beauty routine is quite simple, as I don’t always cleanse in the morning. I do my thorough cleanse in the evening, but if I wake up and feel like my skin needs a good cleanse then I use the Indie Lee Purifying Face Wash. I typically start my morning routine with the COQ-10 Toner (this is my a.m. cleanser), it really helps to fight free radical damage and is a preventive to environmental pollution and living in an urban setting. I then follow this by using the Stem Cell Serum, because I’m 47! I follow this with the Daily Vitamin Infusion, (which has plant ceramides in it) followed by the Daily Skin Nutrition and the I-Waken Eye Cream and I’m good to GO!

What was the first skincare product you developed?

The first product I developed is not in the line anymore, but it was a moisturising oil. It had jojoba, apricot kernel, lavender and chamomile oils, a really lovely and gentle all over body oil. The other product developed first was the Coconut Citrus Scrub, it exfoliates whilst hydrating the skin so after you’ve used it you don’t need to follow with a body lotion or moisturiser. I developed this body scrub as I suffered from Rheumatoid Arthritis and one of the side effects from the therapy was very dry skin – this scrub helped keep my skin super soft and hydrated!

What are your hero products from your line?

I would have to say the hero products from the line are the COQ-10 Toner, The Awaken Eye Serum, the Purifying Face Wash (this is very popular for oilier skin types) and the Radiance Renewal Pads.

What’s on your bedside stand?

It’s my phone, a noise cancelling machine (so I can really go to sleep), books as I am forever reading. I love reading and the current book I’m reading is: While You Sleep, it’s  about Auto Immune Diseases and I just finished reading Crazy Rich Girlfriends, it’s a great light hearted book that’s absolutely hilarious.

What are your tips to keeping skin healthy?

I believe that what you put on your body is just as important as what you put in your body. It’s wonderful if you’re going to use clean skincare but you have to match that with healthy eating. Don’t over-cleanse – work with your skin type and use a cleanser that won’t strip your skins natural oils. I don’t think we are getting enough hydration and we need to think about what we are drinking to make sure we are staying hydrated. My most important tip is BE KIND to yourself – we are living in a Instagram-selfie generated world and we are really hard on ourselves! We need to start loving ourselves more and believing in ourselves! Have more confidence in yourself, self confidence is one of the best beauty tips I could ever give someone – LOVE yourself!

Bondi Chic – Clean Beauty Skincare

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A few months ago Bondi Chic launched their new line of clean, biocompatible and natural skincare. This innovative Australian brand has created a range of beauty products that are based on science, natural ingredients, technology and delivering results without comprising your health. Bondi Chic harnesses the goodness of local Australian spring water, native botanicals and plant extracts that have many beneficial vitamins and nutrients that help to strengthen, nourish and repair the skin.

I love a new skincare launch and was super excited to try the products. I’ve had the chance to test and use the products for a sufficient period of time and have fallen in love with the Zinc Ionised Blue Mountains Natural Spring Water Toner as well as the Four Seasons Envi Hydrating Moisturiser-Night. Both these products are formulated with natural Spring water from the Blue Mountains in Sydney – the water has an abundance of vital minerals that are highly beneficial for healthy and soothed looking skin.

The Bondi Chic Zinc Ionised Toner – is an absolute skin beauty regimen must have! It’s a multitasking product that does so much for your complexion as well as the health of your skin. This mineral rich toner is not your average “toner” it’s a moisturising mist and toner in one; that helps to provide hydration without disrupting the natural pH of your skin. The Zinc, Aloe Leaf, Sugar free Lemon Enzyme and Witch hazel have profound benefits and effects on the skin. This careful formulation of antioxidants, astringents and minerals help to promote the healing and rejuvenation of skin as well as providing protection from environmental and urban city damage. I love spraying this on my face and neck as my am routine it’s the perfect step to help renew and protect my skin whilst also providing a brightening effect.

If you love gel (creams) or sleeping masks you are definitely going to love the Four Seasons Envi Hydrating Moisturiser – this is the perfect product for your pm skin routine. This Hydrating Moisturiser has really impressed me – because it’s quite difficult to find hydrating gel products that are formulated with clean, botanical ingredients that work for my (oily/combo) skin type. It doesn’t clog my pores or leave an excess of product behind – it’s actually well suited for all skin types especially those prone to congestion and breakouts. The Envi Hydrating Moisturiser has the perfect lightweight gel consistency that glides onto your skin like a dream, providing an instant tightening and hydrating effect. Your skin instantly looks brighter and even more luminous upon rising the next day. I love how the product works its magic whilst you sleep and with continued use you can really start to see the remarkable results for yourself. Formulated with potent botanicals, native extracts and vitamins like: Vitamin C, Noni, Trehalose, Manuka Honey, Finger Lime as well as Spring water from the Blue Mountains. These healing and natural ingredients assist the skin whilst delivering minerals and antioxidants; that are imperative to the regeneration of skin.

If you’re after products that deliver results and are conscious of the ingredients that they are formulated with – I highly recommend trying Bondi Chic.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Meet the Maker: Holistic Green Beauty

 

 

Meet Holistic Green Beauty, a luxurious, organic and natural skincare brand founded by Danny Stokes and Scott Bentley. The two London-based founders created the line to help with health and skin issues they were suffering from. I have been using Holistic Green Beauty for a few years and fell in love with the products straight away. A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of  interviewing Danny and Scott, to find out about their inspirations, motivations and their latest addition to their product line Mångata (The Road to organic beauty). They really have a unique and fascinating story to tell… enjoy the read:

1. What inspired you to create your own line of skincare?

Danny had a wealth of knowledge and an interest in skincare from a young age, due to his Ehlers Danlos Syndrome. Danny graduated in Environmental Science at Bournemouth University in 2007.  He started a natural skincare blog in 2012 as a hobby. The blog featured everything from natural ingredients, health tips to mainly organic and natural skincare reviews. Each product review that Danny would create, went into detail and focused on the ingredients and their effectiveness. Over time Danny built his knowledge and together, with his partner Scott, started to experiment with creating their own range. Scott had suffered skin concerns throughout his teenage and young adult years, which, naturally gave him an interest in skincare and wellbeing.

At the time of creating and researching the new line, the market was saturated and we really wanted to create something special that was pure, personal, effective and unique. Holistic Green Beauty skincare was born and launched in 2015.

2.  What is your philosophy on Skincare?  

At Holistic Green Beauty skincare, we are great believers that skincare should be a lot like food, it should feed the skin. Products should be fresh, synthetic free, environmentally friendly and use organic and natural actives to deliver potent skin benefits. You should always protect your skin a with a high SPF but ensure you are maintaining those Vitamin D levels! We believe your skin gets the very best from organic skincare, we love to look out for up and coming natural ingredients and we search the globe for some of the highest quality botanicals to use in our formulations. We try to support local communities where we can and work to build trusting relationships with our suppliers to maintain quality.


3. How is the Mångata line different from your Holistic Green Beauty range? 

Mångata is a 100% organic line that is also as raw as possible. Every single ingredient is certified organic. It is for those that want ultimate pure skincare. The line also contains a cleaning oil, moisturising face balm and body serum, which, the Holistic Green Beauty line does not.

Our Holistic Green Beauty line is for those that are concerned with the signs of ageing. We incorporate some really exotic ingredients such as Pink Lotus, Orchid, Mafura Butter and Ximenia Oil. We use ingredients that are always 100% natural and as organic as possible. Not all of the ingredients contained in our HGB line are organic, this is due to them being unobtainable certified organic, however, many of these ingredients are wild crafted.

4. What are your favourite products from your line?

From Holistic Green Beauty our favourite product is the Pink Lotus Cellular Repair Oil. We adore its exquisite scent, the incredible array of antioxidant rich oils and the healthy results it gives our skin. We really notice a difference in our skin when we stop using this product. It is a real pleasure to use and exceptionally versatile.

From Mångata it would have to be the star of the line, Baume de la Rose. Danny is a huge fan of rose and it’s his favourite of all time. We spent many years searching for a rose extract to create the ultimate rose product and finally we found an Organic White Rose CO2 extract, which, is incredibly rare and unique. Being CO2 extracted, this White Rose extract is raw and you get all of the powerful skincare benefits of rose in its raw form. When rose lovers first smell Baume de la Rose they are blown away by its euphoric scent. The texture of the balm is lovely and we really enjoy massaging it into our skin.

5. What are your tips to stay healthy and glowing from within?

We believe in living an organic plant-based lifestyle. Eat the colour of the rainbow with fresh organic vegetables, fruits, healing spices and raw superfoods. Cook meals from scratch and eat food that has had minimal processing. Hydrate your body with matcha tea and the cleanest water available to you. It is very important to have a positive outlook on life and take time out for yourself to reduce stress. Selfcare of both the mind and body are ultra-important. Take care of your skin, protect it in the sun and use the most nourishing pure skincare products to feed it and destress your mind.

 

OCINIUM SKINCARE

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Ocinium has been on my radar for a while, as they are a luxurious beauty brand with a range of very interesting products backed by clinical science.

This Australian beauty brand focuses on the skin-enhancing powers of natural ingredients and combines this with cosmeceutical actives to deliver a range of skincare that is formulated without sulfates, silicones, parabens and is cruelty free.

I have tried the Ocinium Age-Defiance Discovery Pack. This is a great way to introduce yourself to the products, test them and see how they perform for your skin. This little set of three mini Ocinium products, features the Ecdysis Cleanser, Immortelle Vitamin B3 Serum and Metamorphis Crème. This trio is designed to boost collagen, promote DNA repair, reduce the early signs of fine lines and wrinkles and deliver age-defying benefits to address modern skin concerns.

The Ocinium Ecdysis Cleanser is a cream based cleanser that has worked wonderfully on my (oily/combo) skin. It not only effectively cleanses, it also gently exfoliates the skin as well. Formulated with probiotic fruit ferments, alpha-hydroxy acids and enzymes, the cleanser promotes cellular turnover, brightness the complexion and leaves skin feeling balanced. A great and impressive cleanser that can easily be incorporated into your a.m. and p.m. routine.

The Immortelle Vitamin B3 Serum is undeniably my favourite product from the trio. Upon first use, this serum did wonders for my skin (Hello glowing skin). The B Vitamins and Hyaluronic Acid in the serum aid in repairing the upper most layer of the skin, providing hydration and moisture as well as treating an array of skin concerns. Think of this product a your one step solution to treating  your skin’s issues. It is brimming with vitamins, plant based botanicals and antioxidants that assist the skin to look brighter and calmer. If you are after a serum that gives your skin that healthy glow, you definitely need to try this serum.

The Metamorphis Multi-Vitamin Crème is the last step in the trio and provides the skin with immediate hydration. The innovative formula of plant nutrients, antioxidants and actives protect the skin, stimulate collagen and promote cell renewal. This nourishing face cream maintains the moisture in skin leaving it to feel supple and soft. An elegant and beneficial product that works well in the a.m. beauty routine.

If you are after a high-performing, organic, science-lead skincare, I can highly recommend Ocinium.

 

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WILDCRAFTED ORGANICS

 

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Wildcrafted Organics is an Australian skincare line that is inspired by the healing power of plants. Nicole, the founder has a background in nutrition, botanical medicine and extensive experience in the area of herbalism. Her broad knowledge and practice in this field led her to create clean and pure skincare products that incorporate Australian botanicals that are unique and wild crafted. Read about the importance of wildcrafting in the interview with Nicole below.

What is wildcrafting?

Wildcrafting is the practice of harvesting certain plants from their natural or wild environment to use for food or medicinal purposes. Its something that has to be done sustainably and with considerable respect for the environment and in some cases would involve only removing a certain part of the plant so as not to endanger the species.

Why are wildcrafted ingredients so important to your line of products?

Wild Plants have grown without any interference, they develop differently as they must survive in the harshest of environments and it is here that they don’t just survive – they thrive where other plants could not exist. Incredibly high levels of antioxidants are produced to enable their survival and it is these bio active antioxidants that are so beneficial for our skin. The essence of all things “Wild” – Strength, Wisdom and Beauty.

Can you tell us more about where your ingredients come from?

I use only the purist organic or wildcrafted ingredients in my products and they come from all over the world but it is Australia’s unique botanicals that excite me the most. As an Island Australia is a sanctuary where nature evolves and flourishes in a pure environment, sheltered from the influence of the rest of the world. Australia has an abundance of unique botanicals that the Aboriginal people have been Wildcrafting for thousands of years and as these plants are studied using advanced extraction methods we are seeing incredibly high levels of bioactive ingredients. An example of this is Kakadu Plum which has the world s highest Vitamin C concentration, equivalent to 100x that of an orange. The Kakadu Plum powder I use  comes from the Dampier Peninsula just north of Broome in Australia and it is here that Bruno Dann is bringing back to his community the traditional ways of taking care of the land and the Kakadu Plum or Gumbinge trees, which is helping restore the amazing bush in this region. All profits from this product are sent back to the Nyui Nyui people who wild harvist it. Other native botanicals I use are found in pristine parts of  North/ North East Australia and are now being organically grown so as to ensure the sustainability and survival of the plant.

What are your favourite ingredients to work with?

I use a bioactive complex of three indigenous Australian plums Kakadu Plum, Illawarra Plum and Burdekin Plum. The research on this particular extract is compelling showing it to to contain incredibly high levels of antioxidants, stimulate Hyaluronic acid, pro-collagen 1and fibronectin synthesis in the skin reducing fine lines and wrinkles and increases hydration while strengthening the skins barrier.

What was the first product your created for Wildcrafted Organics?

The first product in the collection was my Wildflowers Rejuvinating Serum, from the beginnning it was so important to me that all of  the products were concentrated in skin loving ingredients, nutrients and bioactive botanicals – no ingredient is added to reduce cost or fill and all bioactives are used at the required level for efficacy. This product is used instead of a moisturiser and is basically a daily multi vitamin for your skin with a scent of wild jasmine and cacao.

What is your hero product from the line?

The Everlasting Beauty Balm Concentrate with 24 kt gold. So concentrated in skin regenerating / collagen promoting / healing butters and precious oils. It absorbs effortlessly into the skin leaving no trace but providing a level of nourishment that moisturisers just can’t compete with. Multi tasking it transforms into a luminous, skin loving foundation when mixed with your dry mineral make up and can be used anywhere that needs extra nourishment. Is suitable for all skin types but especially dry, stressed, scarred or sun damaged skin. Massage into the skin with a Gua Sha for an incredibly indulgent treat.

LA VIBES

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Los Angeles is one of my favourite cities to visit, the sun is always shining and the streets are lined with gorgeous green palm trees. With the weather being amazing for majority of the year, you can definitely soak up the California sun and chill by the pool.

I’m always excited when I visit, because LA has some of the best vegan and pressed juices places. On this recent trip I discovered some new delicious vegan places as well as revisiting some classic favourites.

Classic favourites are: Moon Juice, the best one is in Melrose Avenue. The store itself is open, bright and inviting and they have a fabulous collection of green beauty products and other cosmic juices, snacks and drinks. Another favourite is Tea by Alfred, as the name suggests it’s all about tea. There is also Kreation Juices, this place is next level cold pressed juice AMAZING! I have never seen so many healthy, creative and nutritious juices, and smoothie options in one place. They also have cafes too, their menu as well as juices are inspired by Persian cuisine (YUMMM).

New places I discovered, Beaming Smoothie Juice and Bar. This place has the best vegan cookie ice cream, full of protein and very very scrumptious. Another new favourite of mine is Erewhon Market, this place is the epitome of health and exceeded my expectations. I spent an hour alone in the kombucha and pressed juice section, there are so many options and what they don’t compromise on is quality. All the products in store are exceptional. You can find teas, food, supplements, beauty products, chocolate and other products. A must if you’re in LA.

LA has so much to offer, there are incredible fashion/lifestyle stores, the latest eco beauty, fabulous restaurants and bars. And if you’re into health and well being this is definitely the right town for you!

BORN AGAIN BODY

MEET THE MAKER: BORN AGAIN BODY

I had the opportunity to meet with Jess, the founder of Born Again Body. We spent the day at the beach, soaking up the sunshine and moisturising ourselves with her refreshing and unique Skin Tonic.

The motivation behind Born Again Body came while Jess was living in Bali and  experienced how basically every body lotion and cream she applied simply melted or glided off because of the hot and humid conditions. After lots of research and development she created a very unique solution, a hydrating skin tonic, which has all the moisturising benefits and withstands heat and humidity – conditioning your skin.

Spending the day with Jess in the sun and heat, I was able to experience the benefits of the tonic first hand. The product feels absolutely AMAZING – fresh, light and hydrating. I really like that this moisturiser is a tonic and not a cream – and can be applied within seconds. Although originally designed for hot summer conditions, it can be effortlessly and used all year round.

Enjoy the interview below.


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After living in Bali, your idea for Born Again Body was born. Has the lifestyle and culture in Bali influenced Born Again Body?

Bali was such a special, uplifting and life-changing time for me. The simple lifestyle, complex culture and yet beautiful landscape all had a huge impact and influence on the direction of Born Again Body. While I was living there I found it so hard to look after my skin, particularly living under the harsh sun. Most of the products I found were either full of toxic ingredients or were too thick and greasy for the humid climate. Having spent most of my days outdoors I needed a product that was lightweight, non-greasy and preferably natural. It had to complement this kind of active lifestyle. For me, being outdoors and in nature is so important; it re-energizes and inspires me. Which has become the ethos behind the Born Again Body brand and the essence I’ve tried to capture in our signature product.

How important are the ingredients you have chosen for the Hydrating Skin Tonic?

The ingredients I chose for the Hydrating Skint Tonic have been carefully thought out and researched. I didn’t want to jump on the latest beauty bandwagon, I didn’t want to use the latest beauty craze ingredient. I wanted to use trusted, reliable and natural ingredients that actually work and have stood the test of time. Hence why some of the main active ingredients include aloe vera, cucumber seed oil, vitamin E, rose oil, green tea and jojoba oil. This combination not only performs so well together but each individual ingredient plays its own important role in hydrating and replenishing the skin.

What is your approach to beauty?

Less is more. As I’ve gotten older I wear less makeup because it makes me feel more confident, I’m less concerned about other people’s opinions of me and I want my skin care products to be super simple and no fuss. You also start to become more comfortable in your own skin and accepting of your “flaws”. What you think are your flaws are actually so beautiful and unique and what makes you different.

The Hydrating Skin Tonic is such a unique product. What is your favourite way to use it?

I love the simplicity of it. Like I said I’m all about products that are no fuss and are easy to integrate into your lifestyle. Through the colder months I’ve been spritzing it on my face during the day for extra hydration. And then during the warmer months I love the ease of jumping out of the shower, spraying it all over my body and within a minute my skin is nourished, hydrated and feeling smooth without that greasy feeling.

What is your beauty routine?

A beauty routine to me encompasses not only looking after what’s on the outside but also what’s on the inside. It’s about taking care of your body as well as your mind and heart. Every day I make sure I get up and move in some way; a walk along the beach, a hot yoga class or just stepping outside to get some fresh air. Plenty of sleep and staying hydrated also does wonders for the health of your skin. And the good ol’ cleanse, tone and moisturise has been a faithful routine of mine since I was quite young.

 

 

 

 

 

VOTARY

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I have wanted to try Votary for a while and was so excited when I finally got my hands on two of their cult beauty products. The Rose Geranium and Apricot Cleansing Oil and the Votary Intense Night Oil.

Votary are a luxe British brand, famous for their oil cleansers and face oils.  The products in the Votary line are cold pressed natural oils that have been extracted from plants, flowers, fruits, vegetables and seeds. No fillers just pure plant based ingredients.

I have been using the Rose Geranium and Apricot Cleansing Oil, as my cleanser for over a month. I immediately fell in love after my first cleanse, it really is an effective oil cleanser that works so well on all skin types, especially oily/congested skin like mine.

I pump the oil into the palm of my hands, I take a moment to inhale the soft aroma.  As I inhale the scent of fresh apricots with the subtle hints of rose, I feel an immediate sense of relaxation and apply the oil to my skin. I love oil cleansing in the evenings (maybe because I have more time), I find it’s a great way cleanse all the daily impurities and pollution that have built up during the day on my skin. It’s also a really great way to end the day by connecting with the ritual of applying the cleanser, delicately massaging it and removing it with a hot towel.

It’s a beautiful oil cleanser, that gives a great deep and nourishing cleanse. It is a great product to try if you’re new to oil cleansers or need an oil cleanser that suits skin on the more oilier or nomination side. The grape seed, apricot kernel, rose geranium and chamomile oils provide the skin, with anti-inflammatory, wound healing, antiseptic and essential fatty acids (omega-6).

Votary’s Intense Night Oil, is AMAZING! This is the most luxurious face oil/night treatment I have used that is clean and plant based. It contains Retinoid (Vitamin A) in an oil-soluble form and is a great natural alternative to the harsh retinol products that are on the market. Retinoid aids in renewing skin and helps with pigmentation/dark spots. It also stimulates collagen production and new blood vessels in the skin.

Packed with active plant botanicals like rose-hip oil, avocado oil, paracress, tomato seed oil and rose. These ingredients work simultaneously with the retinoid to provide antioxidants, help improve elasticity and the tone of skin as well aiding in the regeneration of skin. I have loved using this as an evening treatment, I can definitely feel the active botanicals working on my skin. I have seen a notable difference in some pigmentation I have, it has also improved my issues with congestion. I can also see how it has helped with the overall tone of my skin as well.  I love the results and highly recommend it to anyone looking for a clean, active product.

 

YOUTH TO THE PEOPLE

 

 

MEET THE MAKER: YOUTH TO THE PEOPLE

I recently had the opportunity to meet Joe and Greg, the founders of Youth To The People. We spent the day drinking green juices, talking about superfoods, pressed juices, California and the inspiration behind their skincare. If you’re not familiar with the brand or you’re a huge fan (like me), you will definitely appreciate Youth to the People’s nature meets science approach to skincare. Read the full interview below.

 

How has the Californian lifestyle influenced YTTP?

The Californian lifestyle has been a big influence to YTTP, growing up in California we live active and healthy lifestyles. We have always been interested in a healthy lifestyle, our families were taking vitamins in the 70’s and 80’s and making natural skincare. Growing up in California has been a big part of YTTP, we enjoy the natural our surrounding and draw inspiration from the healthy lifestyle.

Green superfoods are keys ingredients in your products, how important are they to your line?

Prior to launching YTTP, we had a strong interest in superfoods and cold pressed juices.  Green superfoods contain large amounts of antioxidants, chlorophyll, vitamins and phytonutrients. Knowing the health benefits of drinking cold pressed juices, we thought how great they would work topically on skin.

We were consuming our green juices daily and wanted our skincare to have the same benefits as our diets.  Working with our chemist and getting an extract that would be ideal in skincare, we were able to build a line of products that provide a great source of antioxidants, whilst helping fight free radicals and preventing signs of ageing. All the things we love in our pressed juices, but being able to apply the benefits to your skin.

One of the more unique ingredients in your products is ALFALFA. Can you tell us more about it?

Alfalfa is used in the YTTP products as it contains high amounts of chlorophyll, being such a great detoxifier we use a lot of this in our skincare. Our cleanser contains alfalfa for this reason and it also gives it the green colour (naturally). We wanted an ingredient that is rich in antioxidants, calming on the skin and helps with the detoxification process and helps remove the daily build up of toxins and pollution. Knowing how important chlorophyll is internally, we wanted to apply this topically.

 

Your grandmother created skincare, how has she inspired YTTP?

Our grandmother launched her skincare line in 1979, she wanted to create her own line of products after seeing the various skincare trends in Europe. She created a botanical based line, as it was more effective for the skin. We grew up around the business and learnt about skincare, in the last five years we thought how can we create a skincare line that utilised our grandmothers creative ideas and experience, as well as our inspiration from drinking green juices/superfoods. Having our grandmothers industry experience and growing up in the skincare industry has really helped us make quality skincare, our aim is to create quality products that make a difference.

What are your grandmothers tips on skincare?

Our grandmother believes in creating quality and effective products that work for everyone. One of her tips is education, educate yourself about the products and ingredients you’re using, are they going to help with your skin goals. Our grandmother really believes in the importance of ingredients, educating yourself about ingredients and picking the correct products for your skin.

What is your hero product from the line?

Our hero product is the Kale + Green Tea Spinach Vitamins Age Prevention Cleanser and the Kale + Spinach Hyaluronic Acid Age Prevention Face Cream. It’s packed with so many great superfoods that help detoxify your skin as well as providing skin with an abundance of antioxidants, vitamins and hydration. The cleanser is our hero product, it was one of the first products we launched. We wanted to create a product that was a cleanser and toner in one, to help simplify the beauty routine as well creating a comfortable pH balance for skin. The Kale + Green Tea Spinach Vitamins Age Prevention Cleanser is our favourite hero product that multitasks and suits all skin types.

 

 

 

 

Meet the Maker: Buddha Body Care

 

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Interview with Buddha Body Care

I recently had the pleasure of interviewing Sandra, the visionary and maker of the lovely products from Buddha Body Care. There is so much care and love behind each luxurious product.

How do you start Buddha Body Care? 

I started Buddha when I became frustrated that good quality organic skincare brands didn’t seem to have a holistic approach to their business. I didn’t think it was good enough to just be ‘organic’ and ignore environmental impacts of the beauty industry. What’s the point of being organic and good for us if it deprives another species of its environment and possible extinction, how selfish are we! For example the degradation of the Orangutan habitat for Palm oil production just isn’t good enough and at some point we have to make a conscious choice. My other passion in life is hiking, I’m talking serious hiking, like 1000km trails, so I spend a lot of time in nature and enjoying nature all over the world and I’m fiercely protective and passionate about protecting what we have, because unfortunately I’ve travelled to parts of the world that have been devastated by humankind.

What is the brands philosophy?

The Buddha philosophy is best summed up by our Mandala. Mandala’s are intricate and complex and created from the centre outwards, but their message is simple. The Mandala is a metaphor for ourselves and for Buddha it symbolises that true beauty comes from within, our products support and encourage true beauty by being pure, simple and honest.

What is your favourite Buddha Body Care skin care product?

At the moment my favourite Buddha skin care product is Rose Therapy Serum, I absolutely love it!

What are your favourite skincare tips?

Be adventurous with products, use them to multitask. Buddha Rose Therapy Serum contains certified organic Argan Oil as its main ingredient so any residual oil can be run through your hair. Our Fabulous All Over Oil really can be used anywhere and Buddha Pure Organic Rose Mist will hydrate, tone and refresh, you can even use it as a room spray.

What is your current skincare routine?

I always remove my make up with Buddha Divine Cleansing Oil, wash with Organic French Clay Facial Soap (morning and night) finish with either Rose Therapy Serum or Rose hip Replenishing Oil (evening) or Nourishing Rose Moisturiser under make up and exfoliate once a week with Buddha Gentle Exfoliating Powder.

Check out the full range of products and experience the amazing benefits of Buddha Body Care, your skin will love it!