The Glam Green Girl: 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.