[REVIEW]: Africology Body Range

Look Good & Feel Good with Africology

Africology is a South African brand that is natural; eco-friendly and holistic. It's a brand that I've heard lots about but only recently tried their products out. With summer around the corner, they sent me these products to help me look good and feel good. I enjoy the fact that Africology only uses natural ingredients that balance with your body bringing a holistic approach to your skincare. Plus, they are local!

This Slimming Detox Cream contains a blend of seaweed; ivy; horsetail; queen-meadow and biting clematis which apparently helps with the slimming and firming action of the cream. It also contains the essential oils of Juiper; Rosemary and Lemon Verbena, which creates a scent that makes you feel like you are in a spa environment. Caffeine and guarana extract help trigger your cells to burn fat. 

I expected this detox cream to have a body butter consistency but it's a light cream that can be used both day and night. I prefer to use it at night after body brushing. 

This product retails for R320.00 

A natural shimmer in a body balm? This is created by mica minerals that create a natural shimmer and make you feel like you want to go head to a beach party! While this Renewal Body Glow Balm intensely hydrates your skin and gives you a glow with the shimmer, it's an everyday product in my books. I like to use a body balm when I got to bed so I can let my skin soak it up but the shimmer in this balms puts me off from doing that. Having said that though, now that the nights are getting longer, it's great for the summer parties! Plus, it has a divine floral scent!

This product retails for R500.00

For more information or to find out about their spas, go pop over to their website!

Which Africology products have you tried? I've heard great things about their serums! 

Love Always, The Glam Green Girl xXx

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Miss Earth: Updates & Thank You's

What I've Been Busy With, Plus a Few Thank You's

Hi everyone!

Wow, what a crazy 10 weeks it's been! I've loved every minute though! Felt so good doing what I'm passionate about! 

I wanted to share with you some of the projects that I did during the semi-finals of Miss Earth South Africa - most of you have been keeping up with all my events via my personal twitter and Instagram accounts but here are a few links to what I've been up to lately:

One of my first projects as a semi-finalist was to attend a hospital drive in Soweto for the Easter weekend but I was away with family and friends in Zambia so I decided to hand out Easter eggs to some of the kids along the Zambezi River, you can read more about that here.

Next up, I planted a small vegetable garden at a nursery school in Pretoria. I had such a great day with the kids, they were all so cute and so eager to learn! You can read more about that here.

From the beginning of my Miss Earth journey, I mentioned that I would be collecting gently used clothing and non-perishable food for the Jacaranda Children's Home. I also got a few of my beauty blogging friends to donate some of their beauty products that they weren't using. I was so overwhelmed with all that I received! One whole room in my house was filled with donations! Here is the link for that project. 

I live in a beautiful estate in Pretoria that even has a game reserve in the one section so I knew when I had to my tree planting, I wanted to do it close to home. Have a look at this post to see what this area is all about. 

As my last project as a semi-finalist, I donated food; blankets and jackets to the SPCA in Watloo, Pretoria. I'm a huge animal lover and it was important to me to make sure the animals had blankets and food to keep them happy during the winter. Here is where you can read more. 

And now for the acknowledgments of donations:

Main Sponsor: 

Jesper Kjøller from Ess-Foods

Jacaranda Children's Home Donations:

Sylvia Taylor-Memmory

Irina Domanchuk

Verushka Ramasami

Leanne

Ali Graaff

Hildegarde Koen

Chicara Joubert

Mairi Yates

Heidi Taylor

Alyssa Koorts

Vegetable Garden Donations:

Dolores Grundlingh

Tree Planting Donation:

Jesper Kjøller from Ess-Foods

SPCA Donations:

Alyssa Koorts

Chicara Joubert & Family

Dolores Grundlingh

Stationery Packs:

Dolores Grundlingh

Hessian Bag Sales:

Sylvia Taylor-Memmory

Dicky Bosma

Amy Giliam 

Caron Giliam

Anne Giliam

Dolores Grundlingh

A very BIG Thank You to you all! You son't know how much I appreciate all the wonderful donations!

Another big Thank You goes to each and everyone of you that has been supporting me every step of the way! You are the BEST!

Here are some photos from the events:

You all rock my world and thank you for allowing me the opportunity of spreading the green love ♡

Love always, The Glam Green Girl xXx

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GGG Tip: Easy Ways To Go Green

A Few Simple Tips

Hi there my green darlings!

It's a new month, a new week and it's National Environmental week here in South Africa! So what better time to start making changes in your lifestyle to become more green!

Here are a few tips on how to play your part in saving the environment:

♡ Switch off all lights before leaving the house

♡ Unplug all unnecessary electrical appliances when not in use ~ After I've done my hair in the morning, I always switch off the plug that I use for my hair styling tools, every little bit helps!

♡ Unplug your cellphone charger when you're not using it

♡ Reuse magazines & newspaper as wrapping paper

♡ Switch off the tap when brushing your teeth

♡ Try cut your shower time by 1 minute, you will save 3300 litres of water a year

♡ Wait until your dishwasher is fully loaded before running it

♡ Need a new light bulb? Replace it with a compact fluorescent bulb

♡ Buy local - food, clothes, beauty products etc

♡ Love to buy a coffee every morning? Take your own cup!

♡ Donate your unwanted clothes to a charity or organise a clothes swap with friends

♡ Choose paper less billing for your accounts

♡ Find out about recycling collections in your area and start a recycling program at home

♡ Change a small area of your garden to a vegetable garden and grow your own food

♡ Support brands that are cruelty free

Not too hard right?

Lets GO GREEN!

Let me know what tips you have for going green?

Love always, The Glam Green Girl xXx

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GGG Tip: Lavender

A Tip For The Use of Lavender Oil

Inspired by Day 6 of the SuperGorgeous May Photo Challenge on something purple I decided to share one of my natural beauty tips about using Lavender. Many people associate lavender with relaxation and tranquility but did you know that lavender oil can help heal minor burns?

As someone who loves beauty and thus loves a curling wand or hair iron, I've had my fair share of accidents when it comes to burning my fingers (or the one time I even burnt my forehead haha), when one of these unfortunate incidents occurs, I immediately apply a few drops of lavender oil to the burn and it works wonders! Lavender has so many healing benefits and is a natural way of treating your burns or scratches! If you don't have any lavender oil on hand but have the actual flowers, you can crush a few up and apply it to the wound and cover it with gauze (do allow your skin to breathe every now and then though).

Pretty amazing right?

Hope this tip helps!

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Spring Care - Part 1

SPRING CARE

Part 1

 

 

September is one of my favourite months, because I know that spring has sprung which means my beloved summer is right around the corner!

 

Due to the popularity of my 'Autmun Care Segment' I decided to dedicate one to the best time of the year.. spring

 

 

 

Part 1 features the brilliant Tasha Saha from Miöja and the great CEO of Indie Lee Co herself, Indie Lee.

 

I hope you enjoy xXx

 

 

Tasha from Miöja

 

 

 

 

Spring-time…apple blossom, greening grass, baby animals! The world is on the move again and so it is within, as our bodies wake from the winter and begin to bloom. As the weather warms, this internal thaw can result in flu and colds, skin rashes and blemishes, congested sinuses and headaches. Inconvenient as they are, these are all signs that your body is beginning to throw off the fluids and toxins accumulated over a long winter: a healthy, positive process. This year, support your body’s innate wisdom and move in tune with nature by following these simple tips for a graceful shift into Spring.

 

spring clean- Spring is the natural time for undertaking a seasonal cleanse. Give your body the boost it needs by cutting out animal products, processed foods, sugar, alcohol and coffee for a week or longer to allow it to catch up on Winter’s cleansing backlog. Supplementing your morning juice with a teaspoon each of bentonite clay and psyllium husk will cleanse stagnant energy and matter from the digestive tract and often makes a vast contribution to looking and feeling more vibrant and alive. Twisting yoga asana assist the colon, liver and kidneys with elimination.

 

spring greens- Put aside the heavy, rich comfort foods and eat for life by incorporating more fresh greens into your diet. Leafy greens, particularly the bitter or sour varieties like dandelion, chicory or sorrel help to cleanse your liver for bright eyes, bushy tail and glowing skin. Try growing your own sprouts for food full of life force that packs a protein punch. More raw foods in your diet mean that your skin and your body’s other systems stay hydrated and happy, too.

 

spring skin- use skincare products with lighter, natural formulations to allow your skin’s elimination processes to function to their full. Moisturisers that include petrochemicals such as petrolatum, paraffin wax or mineral oil, can block pores and prevent toxins from being released, resulting in blemishes and blackheads. Try products that include detoxifying plant extracts to assist the process instead. Miöja’s Grapefruit and Fennel Intensive Therapy helps to draw excess fluids and toxins from your skin with a detox-specific blend of organic plant and essential oils.

 

click here for more info

 



spring blossom- use the energy and vitality of the season to initiate positive habits or start new projects. Let the kinder weather encourage you to get outdoors and get active, and love the world while you’re at it. Where Winter’s slow energies encourage us to nestle down and retreat, Spring brings fresh winds and vast potential- breathe in deep!

 

 

 

Thanks Tasha for that great information!

Indie Lee

 

 

Hey Everyone,

 

The changing seasons have been putting my body to the test this year. Hot to cold and back again really messes with my skin and body’s pH levels. As nature tries to find the right balance of temperature your skin can be as sensitive as ever before. No need to worry, I have an easy cure to leave your skin relaxed and reduce the irritation it may have suffered.

 

Two words: Calendula and oil. Calendula oil is derived from the calendula flower. The flower, which is edible, yum, begins to bloom and become pronounced each June. Beyond being beautiful and natural the plant oil provides immense relief to a multitude of ailments.

 

Did winter leave you with dry and chapped skin? Calendula acts as a natural moisturizer, soothing cracked areas and aiding the body’s natural healing process.

As an anti-inflammatory, calendula oil can greatly soothe inflamed and swollen tissue. This property allowed the oil to help with dry skin and eczema. For young children and newborns, soft skin means increased sensitivity in the first few years. Calendula oil works to balance the sensitivity of a toddler’s diaper rash by reducing the pain and irritation.

Since spring is here and summer right around the corner, all the little bugs and mites will be biting at your extremities. There is no better way to combat their nuisance with calendula oil. It prevents infections from the bites, helps heal cuts faster and soothes burners quicker.

 

Last, but not least, calendula works with the body’s natural chemicals to help raise collagen levels, making those scars less pronounced.

 

Because of calendula’s unique and helpful properties I use it in my Eye Balm, Baby Balm, and my new Body Lotion. I encourage you to all check them out!

 ~

Spring is in the air and as summer fast approaches, we start to show some skin. Here are three simple recipes that’ll keep your skin looking great and feeling refreshed. The recipes, made in minutes, are all natural and simple for someone on-the-go.

 

TANGERINE FACE CREAM

Tangerine face cream helps keep your face moisturized and smooth.

INGREDIENTS

• 3 tablespoons of raw mango butter
• 3 tablespoons of sour cream
• 1 tangerine’s worth of juice
• 1 capsule of vitamin E oil

Mix the mango butter, sour cream, and vitamin E oil in a blender, then puree. While pureeing, mix the tangerine juice in. Enjoy!

 

APPLE AND HONEY ACNE TREATMENT

This paste helps clear up acne and leaves your skin looking and feeling great.

INGREDIENTS

• Honey
• Grated Apples

Mix the honey with grated apples until a paste is formed. Apply and leave on for 15-20 minutes to allow time to dry. Rinse with warm water. This can be done 2 to 3 times a week.

 

COCONUT OIL AND BROWN SUGAR BODY SCRUB

This scrub helps exfoliate your skin and leaves it smelling great!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• ½ cup virgin coconut oil
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Find a jar or container and put the brown sugar in. Add the coconut oil and stir it thoroughly. Then, add in the vanilla extract. Mix well. Remember to be gentle, no one wants over exfoliated skin! This should be done about once a week.

 

xoxo Indie

 

Thanks so much for this information Indie and the easy DIY beauty treatments we can all try at home!

 

For more info on Mioja and Indie Lee - click on the following links:

 

Posts including Mioja

Posts including Indie Lee

 

 

I really hope you all enjoyed Part 1 of my 'Spring Care Segment' ~ let me know your thoughts?

 

xXx

The Glam Green Girl

 



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Review - Miöja

Review of Miöja products

Last week in my post Interviewing Tasha from Mioja I noted that I would be posting a review - here it is :)

As I mentioned, the colours of the Miöja website immediately drew me in, not knowing that I would soon become hooked on the products for their elements and not just the colours. Another reason I'm a fan of this brand is because of the three key bases - Natural, Organic & Holistic. Tasha, believes that these three keys are vital to one's well-being.

I was lucky enough to be able to try 7 of the Miöja products, the complete orange range, two form the purple range and one from the green range. Tasha explained the three ranges as the following :  "Each range contains a different handmade vibrational remedy, supported by botanical, organic plant oils and essential oils that work holistically towards the same purpose. The Green Range protects and calms reactivity in the skin while supporting the corresponding qualities of resilience, courage and trust. The Orange Range energizes the skin by stimulating the circulation and helps to inspire creativity, enthusiasm and focus- revitalizing on a mental and emotional level too. The Violet Range detoxifies and brightens the skin while facilitating openness, awareness and integrity, for all over radiance. Products from different ranges work happily together, which is great, because most of us can benefit from balancing more than one of these aspects of our skin and ourselves at any given time."  - from Interviewing Tasha from Mioja.

The orange range is a range that I use daily (apart from the mask), it consists of the Yarrow and Honeybush Body Cream; Pomegranate Vitalising Day Cream; Wild Ginger Stimulating Mask; Cardamom and Orange Lip Treatment.

My favourite from this range is definitely the Lip Treatment, so great especially with this dry winter weather, and the smell reminds me of summer

From the purple range, I tried the White Clay and Chamomile Skin Polish and the Grapefruit and Fennel Intensive Therapy - both are aimed at detoxifying and to brighten the skin, and both achieve that goal!

And from the green range which is targeted towards deeply calming and restorative I tried the Palmarosa Balancing Cleanser. I end my day off with this product in m beauty routine and I love that your face doesn't feel dry after washing it as it is a gel-like cleanser. Plus it smells so fresh!

Miöja truly is what their slogan is 'deeply, naturally beautiful'

To fall in love like I did - click here to view their website.

Deeply, Naturally Beautiful Miöja is loved by The Glam Green Girl

xXx

The Glam Green Girl





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Interviewing Tasha from Miöja

The Glam Green Girl and Mioja interview:

A few weeks ago I went on the Miöja website and instantly fell in love! The eye-catching colours and the wonderful beliefs really draw you in - as soon as I went on, I knew I needed to know more about Miöja.

Next week I will post a review on the Miöja products but first I wanted to know more about the founder Tasha, and her company. Here is some information about Tasha:

Tasha Saha is the founder of Miöja: natural, organic skincare formulated with vibrational remedies to bring you back to your innate balance. Tasha is a Yoga Instructor, teaching from her studio, Maitri Yoga in the KZN Midlands, and at retreats and workshops nationwide. Committed to holistic health, Tasha has treated herself and her family with herbal and home remedies for over 15 years and is still learning

 

Tasha is so full of knowledge, I hope you enjoy reading more about Miöja and what it entails:

1.    Tasha, what inspired you to create Mioja?

I was inspired first by the natural goodness of the plants in my garden. Such precious, powerful things! Coming from London, I never had a garden of my own until I came to South Africa, and when I did, there was such a lot of learning and exploring to be done.

In those days, I suffered from chronic eczema, so it was a natural progression to look to the herbs in my garden for a solution. None of the commercial skincare products I had tried helped, and some of them made my skin feel much worse. I started to understand that I needed to treat the underlying causes of the eczema, not just the symptoms, and began to make creams that included herbs and oils for physical healing and essential oils and flower remedies to balance the bio energetic field, and in turn mind, emotions, spirit.

2.    I love the three elements you emphasise on your webpage – natural, organic & holistic, why do you feel these are so important in skin care?

Our bodies are incredibly finely tuned organisms capable of  protecting, healing and renewing themselves in the most extraordinary ways. The chemicals in conventional skincare can interfere not only with the functionality of the skin, but also with other, deeper body systems. Artificial ingredients are often not properly tested and their effects on our health are as yet unknown. Some have been strongly linked to allergies, hormone disruption and cancer. The natural ingredients in Miöja Skincare have been employed safely and effectively for thousands of years; I trust them to heal rather than harm.

We use organic ingredients (and are currently in the process of becoming Certified Organic with Ecocert) not only to ensure the purity of our products, but also because we feel a responsibility towards our world. Our health is inextricably linked to the health of our environment and the choices we make as individuals always have an impact on the wider world. As a small business, our impact is wider still- I want it to be a positive one.

Our products are holistic because they work to heal and balance both the skin and deeper aspects of the self, too. The health and radiance of our skin is dependant on the products we put on it, but also our food choices, how much sleep we get and how we feel emotionally. The vibrational remedies in our products (similar to Bach Flower Remedies or Rescue Remedy) help to bring more of these variables back to a state of balance, for the well being of the whole person.

3.    Mioja has a green range, orange range and a violet range – what are the differences between the ranges?

Each range contains a different handmade vibrational remedy, supported by botanical, organic plant oils and essential oils that work holistically towards the same purpose. The Green Range protects and calms reactivity in the skin while supporting the corresponding qualities of resilience, courage and trust. The Orange Range energizes the skin by stimulating the circulation and helps to inspire creativity, enthusiasm and focus- revitalizing on a mental and emotional level too. The Violet Range detoxifies and brightens the skin while facilitating openness, awareness and integrity, for all over radiance.

Products from different ranges work happily together, which is great, because most of us can benefit from balancing more than one of these aspects of our skin and ourselves at any given time.

4.    What is your favourite ingredient to use and why?

There are so many, but I love Elderflower- it’s heady scent, its creamy blossoms, its brightness, its magic. I love chamomile too- such purity and sweet ingenuousness. Working with herbs over many years, their qualities have come together to form distinct personalities. It’s fascinating.

5.    What advice do you have for those who are switching over to ‘greener’ products?

Do your research! Skin Deep (http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/) is a good resource if you want to decipher the ingredients lists on products and find out exactly how green they are. Research brands too, and support those with a green ethos that goes deeper than their marketing campaign. Look at the whole picture- Do their products have recycled/ recyclable packaging? Are the ingredients organic, non GMO and ecologically sound? Do they safeguard your health and the health of the people involved in the manufacturing process? Do they test on animals? It sometimes seems like an effort to unearth the one product in 20 that meets all these criteria, but once you have, the work is done!

6.    Any advice you have for my readers to help them in their journey to become more Glam and Green?

Remember that your efforts are always worth it, no matter how insignificant they may seem sometimes. When we live conscious, more compassionate lives, the effects are far reaching, beyond measure. The more ways we can find to be kinder to ourselves, to each other, to the world, the easier we make it for others to do and be the same.

The three different ranges

I hope you found that interesting and that you are looking forward to learning even more when I post my review?

Im such a fan of this brand - and even more exciting, Mioja is also sponsoring a prize for The Glam Green Girl's Birthday Competition

Thanks for the great information Tasha xXx

xXx

The Glam Green Girl

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