Slow Beauty - Green Independent Natural Magazine

Monday

29Jun2009

Aloe Vera, the 'miracle' health and beauty plant

Aloe Vera wins its 'miracle' status hands down as it works beautifully inside and outside your body. Hundreds of research papers have validated its anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties. It also works fabulously well as a moisturising agent. When I lived in Australia our aloe vera plants were put to full use, particularly for insect bites. But its soothing power works equally well from the inside, being renowned for its powerful effect on your digestive system, which in turn will help boost your natural glow. We've round up our favourite top ten wellbeing and beauty products that maximise the powerful effect the aloe vera.

NO.1: ORGANIC ALOE VERA JUICE

Perhaps our favourite Aloe Vera product is by Pukka Herbs as their pure Organic Aloe Vera Juice has been tried and tested by the team and receives the biggest round of applause. Pukka go one step further than most and offer the purest aloe vera juice and only from the inner leaf gel, the most potent part of the plant. Used for centuries, aloe vera is known as a natural skin 'elixir' and taken as a juice in this form, you will see a difference alongside a healthy lifestyle, that's for sure.

VISIT PUKKA TO DRINK ALOE VERA JUICE FOR GOOD SKIN AND DIGESTION!

NO. 2: TARA SMITH BIG BABY SHAMPOO

Tara Smith has quickly made a name for herself as a celebrity Green Goddess and offers us a fabulous range of natural hair care products. Babies, and the sensitive among us, need gentle products, so not surprisingly, aloe vera features big time, together with camomile, to create a Big Baby Shampoo to gently cleanse sensitive hair and scalps while still enjoying a fabulous hair cleaning experience.

BUY TARA SMITH FOR GENTLE HAIR WASHING!

NO. 3: KING OF HAIR COLOUR

While we're on the subject of hair, Daniel Galvin Junior is another natural hair care guru who uses Aloe Vera to soothe locks. And this organic range is superb for coloured hair, as this conditioner will treat and soothe coloured hair without a heap of chemical nasties. So if you have a 'not quite' blonde, red or brunette bombshell to treat, DGJ is your natural hair cure!

VISIT DANIEL GALVIN FOR COLOURED HAIR!

NO. 4: GREEN PEOPLE SHOWER BATH

This is definitely one for the whole family as it's geared up for all skin types, but is especially ideal for those prone to eczema or psoriasis. Aloe Vera, combined with lavender, is all natural, as its foam wash is free of any SLS/SLES, Parabens, phthalates and artificial fragrances "to bring you the purest shower gel that nature can offer". So if your bathroom is due another natural body wash then this Aloe Vera Shower Gel is the one for you!

BUY GREEN PEOPLE'S ALOE VERA BODY WASH!

NO. 5: GREEN PEOPLE DEODORANT

While we were browsing Green People's online shelves, we spied a natural roll on deodorant containing Aloe Vera and has won the approval of health editors. Putting aloe vera's anti-bacterial powers successfully to the test, it will refresh you, keep you scented nice and will moisturise your underarms naturally.

BUY SOME ALOE VERA DEODORANT!

Aloe Vera Article continues below with a natural hayfever cure & more...

Visit Pukka Herbs, our Slow Beauty Sponsor

NO. 6: DR. ALKAITIS SOOTHING GEL

This is our Editor's top pick and is firmly in the beauty regime. In fact you really can tell the organically sourced herbs and goodies are held in an aloe vera gel. This product has to be the ultimate soother and many, like our editor, use it as a face toner as well as an all round soother - think bikini post-wax, insect bites etc. All in all, aloe vera's anti-inflammatory power is put to good use if you invest in Dr. Alkaitis' Organic Soothing Gel.

BUY DR. ALKAITIS FOR ALOE VERA'S SOOTHING POWER

NO. 7: SOPHYTO MEGA OMEGA

Sophyto, the American brand that's taken the beauty world by storm, has also used Aloe Vera as its medium for its lightweight daytime moisturiser. Alongside the aloe vera, essential Omega fatty acids are packed into this cream to help restore moisture, elasticity and tone and protect against damaging environmental pollutants.

BUY SOPHYTO TO BEAT ECO POLLUTION!

NO. 8: THIS WORKS

If your legs are really suffering from dryness, then 'This Works' works! Their 'enjoy really rich lotion' combines the power of Shea Butter with Aloe Vera together with 8 essential oils to lather on to restore and rejuvenate very dry skin. With none of the major chemical nasties about, while not organic, this stuff really works. Hats off to Aloe Vera again!

BUY THIS WORKS WITH A REALLY RICH LOTION

NO. 9: HAYMAX ALOE VERA

For hayfever sufferers, look no further than HayMax's Aloe Vera organic balm. Apply to the end of your nose and gain relief the natural way, without taking any drugs! With no drowsy side effects, HayMax Aloe Vera has to be a winner!

BUY HAYMAX TO RELIEF HAYFEVER!

NO. 10: SKINFOOD PRODUCTS

Skinfood is the natural skincare range from New Zealand and uses Aloe Vera as its medium to hold a whole host of natural goodness to treat your skin with. Widely available in Tesco, Lloydspharmacy, Morrisons, John Lewis, Amazon.co.uk and independent pharmacies nationwide, it's definitely worth looking out for as it's unisex and appropriate for all ages. To gain the chance to win two skinfood bottles of goodness, click here (comp ends 27th July 2009). Alternatively you can buy direct from skinfood.co.nz

Honey and its Beautiful Health Effects

The Gin Lady

A bee on a Manuka Tree, courtesy of honeynz.co.ukIt's National Honey Week so it's a fine time to sing the praises of the humble bee's honey. Honey has long been known as a powerful remedy: Cleopatra bathed in milk and honey to maintain her youthful looks. Since these ancient times, a whole suite of benefits have been heralded, from healing to a healthy glow. We take a look at honey's power and bring you our three best honey products to restore and maintain your glow.

Honey's healing power is something to marvel at. Here are a few remedies to rejuvenate you:

Wrinkles: Super nourishing, honey's moisturising ability can smooth away fine wrinkles. This skin food will make for a super face pack. Try it!

Tummy: Honey converts to easily digestable sugars, e.g. fructose and glucose, it will help your tummy function better. Got constipation? Mix 1:1 honey with apple cider vinegar and dilute with water.

Bed wetting: Any ma or pa with a kid who wets his bed knows how upsetting it is for everyone. A teaspoon of honey at bedtime is known to calm the nervous system and helps retains fluid in the body.

Anti-bacterial: Known as the 'the inhibition effect', honey has antibiotic as well as anti-fungal powers, increased when diluted with water. They reckon bees know this as they nourish newly born bees with a diluted form. Clever huh?!

Cuts and grazes: Even surgical treatments including amputations can be avoided with the super healing effect of honey. Apply and cover with a bandage and honey will work its power by drawing away water from the inflammation.

Dental care: As strange as it may sound... yes honey is sweet, its antimicrobial power will help prevent those nasty bacteria that cause cavities.

Coughs and cold: If you've got the sniffles, infuse a basin of hot water with a tablespoon of honey with a towel over your head; If you have a sore thoat, eat some honey to soothe away the inflammation.

Brain food: At a rapid speed - 7 minutes - honey taken with luke warm water will enter your bloodstream and feed your brain. Who doesn't want to be super brainy?

Beats cholesterol: Scientists have found honey slows the oxidation of bad cholesterol. The darker the honey, the more powerful its effect.

Oesteoporosis: If you're 50 and above, take note. A teaspoon a day of honey will help your body's ability to use calcium.

Burns: Bacteria can't live in honey, so its salve, antibiotic and healing power will soothe burns and prevent scarring.

Baldness: If you've got an onion and some honey handy, rub the onion on the bald patches until red and then apply some honey. Anything's worth a go, right? We advise wearing googles too.

Infertility: A honey and milk drink is said to boost sperm count to an astonishing level. That's because the vital sex organs need the sugars honey converts to. Don't believe us? Read the Quran. They wrote about this 1400 years ago.

TOP 3 HONEY PRODUCTS

To reap the benefits of this elixir of life, here are our top 3 honey products.

No. 1: FOOD FOR THOUGHT...

Manuka honey, or to be more specific, its UMF (Unique Manuka Factor) really comes to mind, as it's widely known to be the most potent. Manuka honey is indigenous to New Zealand, where bees collect nectar from manuka trees. I first came across it when visiting New Zealand and discovered Honey New Zealand. They offer some very powerful Manuka Honey with a UMF of up to 30+. Scientists have discovered that Manuka Honey with a UMF 15+ and above has clear and proven therapeutic effects. I eat at least a teaspoon of manuka honey every day. Without a doubt, it works!

Visit Honey New Zealand today!

No. 2: ORGANIC SKIN FOOD

Pai Skincare, a top notch certified organic skincare range, recognises the super regenerative and antibacterial properties of manuka. Many of their products contain manuka oil, such as their organic moisturisers, Echium Eye Cream and Camellia & Rose Natural Cleanser.

Take Sarah Beeny's choice of moisturiser, Pai's Avocado and Jojoba Organic Moisturiser for Normal Skin. This moisturiser is not only is 100% clean - no chemical nasties here, it also combines the power of manuka with well known natural products to keep your skin soft and supple.

Try Pai Skincare today!

No. 3: HANDY HELP

Simply Manuka offer a wonderful range of body care products containing the super power of manuka honey, including shampoos, soaps, body washes and much more.

I've been trying their Very Hardworkers Handcreme and its deeply moisturising - the perfect elixir for very dry skin. I'm probably doing too much washing up!

Visit Simply Manuka and try their affordable luxury products!

So there's our round up of honey's incredible healing powers. Oh, and be a honey and tell a friend about The GIN Lady. The more people who know about us, the more we can write loads of fascinating stuff!

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Tuesday

31Mar2009

Meet the Pukka Boys

The Gin Lady

Without a doubt, Pukka Herbs is one of my favourite brands. Pukka delivers on flavour every time, and their superfoods and teas are packed full of the essentials. But it's not just my tastebuds that do a jig every time they meet Pukka. My conscience is happy too. Pukka Herbs is one of those brands whose ethics us GIN ladies dig: Carbon neutral, fairtrade, charitable, organic, Ayurvedic, and oh, let's be shallow for a moment, their eco sensitive packaging is pretty cool too. So when I got the opportunity to meet up with the two Pukka founders, Sebastian Pole and Tim Westwell, I leapt at the chance.

When I meet the boys, I check to see if they look healthy... Let's face it, if the Pukka boys walk the talk, they should look a picture of health. Phew... I'm relieved to say they passed my visual health check. Sebastian in particular, an Ayurvedic practioner, boasted a healthy glow to his cheeks. Not that I'm surprised... when I detoxed in January, I ploughed through their Pukka products and they worked a treat.

Yet it's Tim's story that fascinates me the most. Tim suffers from Rheumatoid arthritus and I was intrigued to know whether working with Sebastian has improved his health. "Yeah, it was pretty depressing finding out. Rheumatoid arthritus is genetic and guys in particular can get it if they're very sporty as it aggravates it. Ayurveda is so simple. It really does help. We all know the simple things but don't listen to the advice. I used to have a healthy breakfast and half a pint of orange juice. I didn't know orange juice would make it worse. But having a balanced lifestyle, combining a healthy diet and yoga, with the herbs, makes all the difference. Turmeric works really well too."

As we chat, the Pukka founders' enthusiasm for their product is tangible. "Plants really have the power for radical transformation. They have an innate healing capacity. Those with innate anti-bacterial and fungal properties also work for us." Sebastian laughs, "I'm not joking!".

But what makes Pukka different from all the other brands that increasingly crowd the shop shelves? The boys rattle off a list of things, such as being organic, but the real point of difference in my mind is their relationship with their farmers. "We're working closely with 500 Indian families, who have been growing our herbs since we started 7 years ago." And the lovely ethos driving Pukka means they pay these farming families 50-200% above market rates for their raw materials. Even better, it's all done in a sustainable manner, with ecologically sensitive and certified organic methods. This factor may help explain why Pukka's products taste so good too!

It's not just the ability to track each herb or flower back to the field it was organically cultivated in that makes Pukka so different. It's the brand's roots in health. Sebastian emphasises "Bad health traps you. Good health frees you." And this powerful statement sums up the whole brand. "Pukka isn't about tea as such. Health is at the centre of everything we do. Healing is what drives us. We want to do more of this."

I regularly check out Pukka's website and everytime I visit, another fabulous product appears. The latest to hit their wonderful shelves is their Organic Bio Nutrients. These "superfoods" are geared up to optimise our health, as well as our looks (don't forget, you are what you eat!). Sebastian has worked his Ayurvedic magic and conjured up concentrated blends of roots, fruits, grasses, seaweeds, flower pollens, freshwater plants, seeds and sprouts. I for one have started to take some. After all, where else could I find such optimal food in doses measured to perfection? With an ever increasing workload and responsibilities, I need every bit of help I can get. How about you?

If optimal health and a beauty boost is your aim, then Pukka Herbs is a terrific partner to journey with. I should know. I was practically a saint in January, and then it all went to pot during London Fashion Week. And guess what, my health and looks deteriorated... I'm back with Pukka now, although I never gave up my Pukka Detox tea. It tastes so good! And funnily enough, the very same tea was the official drink in the Sanctuary Spa Erin O'Connor set up as a relax escape for the catwalk models. Now, I'm no model but I can sure relate to the benefits this sanctuary must have provided. Pukka's Detox Tea and its huge range of products, is the best means I know, combined with a healthy lifestyle - think meditation, yoga, a damn good stroll, take your pick - mixed with a daily dose of Pukka is a mighty fine way to get the most of out life and give back too.

My final two words on the matter: Pukka Up!

Enter our Pukka Herb prize today to win a bottle of their pure Organic Aloe Vera juice, the perfect elixir for beautiful skin and easy digestion, some Cleanse Tea and another Box of Tea of your own choice! Click here for your chance to win our Pukka Prize!

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