Organic

How toxed-up is your box?

So, the big news is: I’ve just started a new, full-time job. As of next week, I’ll be stepping into the full-time shoes of Digital Editor & Special Projects Magic Maker at Dumbo Feather. Yep, you read right. Dumbo. Feather. This means that I’m going to be writing slightly less frequently here at Superéthique (but I’ll still have my finger 100% on the pulse, trust me).

It’s an incredible new opportunity to help grow an amazing publication, business and community, and it’s buoyed only further by the fact that I work in the same building as a bunch of other amazing businesses whose social and ethical heart is whole and vibrantly beating.

And of course, the other (seriously super) ethical business that lives under this roof that couldn’t be closer to my heart – or should I say, vagina (and yes, I did) – is TOM Organic. Keep reading…

Detox your locks & Al’chemy haircare pack giveaway!

Keeping with the theme of getting so fresh and clean this summer, today’s post is all straight up, simple steps to get detoxin’ yer locks.

The folk at The Purist Company develop the A’kin, Al’chemy and Pure Therapy brands, so they’re pretty serious about ethical haircare. Here, Purist’s Iona Yeung and in-house Botanical Chemist extraordinaire Annabelle Personeni share 4 simple tips on what to look for (and avoid!) when it comes to making the switch to shampoo that’s better for you and far, far easier on the world.

Image attribution to o5com via Flickr

Oh, and I do believe we have an Al’chemy shampoo, conditioner and treatment to giveaway here too! So read on!

1. Cut out the silicones.

Silicones are proverbial fast food to the hair, a quick fix with immediate results. They make your hair nice ‘n shiny – Silicones can be found in most “nourishing” shampoos, and in almost every conditioner and serum. Often found in hair styling serums, silicone based products don’t actually treat or nourish the hair. Used long term, product can build up, weighing hair down. Opt for products that offer nutrients to your hair, so it can shine naturally without the help of silicones.

Good to know: Products containing silicone may also be listed under its synonyms (i.e. Dimeticone and Cyclopentasiloxane). If there is a cone or silane at the end of an ingredient, it is likely to contain silicones.

2. Invest in a quality shampoo and conditioner.

Annabelle says: To nourish the hair and scalp, switch your silicone based conditioner to a natural conditioner. Using a natural conditioner will “re-boost” your hair with the nutrients and proteins it needs to look shiny and healthy. A deep cleansing shampoo will aid in removing product build up.

If it’s too difficult to part with your current styling regime, try reducing the use of silicones by choosing a natural based shampoo and conditioner, but keep your silicone based serum for a while. Then, slowly reduce the use of the serum and switch to a leave-on natural hair conditioner.

We recommend: Al’chemy Lemongrass Shampoo, RRP: $14.95 225ml, $26.95 500ml and Al’chemy Leave in conditioner – and yep, we’ve got these up for grabs!

3. Make good use of the basics

Break the habit of over washing: Wash hair with a gentle shampoo once every few days, as using shampoo daily strips hair of its natural oils while over stimulating the production of sebum. (It’s a vicious, oily cycle.) Those who perspire a lot from physical activity or weather may still rinse hair daily if necessary, as perspiration is freely washed off with pure water.

To get the most out of your conditioner, Annabelle suggests rinsing it out in two steps as it enhances the deposition of natural conditioning ingredients. Apply conditioner as usual and but rinse with only ½ cup of water first, followed by a full rinse. Doing so will break down the emulsions, releasing more nutrients to the hair.

I say: One of the main reasons we’re obviously reluctant to make the switch is because it can be a big splurge to do so. But on the other hand, once you’ve detoxed your hair from its silicone and frequency dependencies, you’ll use far less product. So over time, you’re not only financially breaking even (or doing even better), you’ve also considerably reduced your eco-impact! 

We recommend: Al’chemy Jojoba Light Conditioner, RRP: $14.95 225ml, $26.95 500ml

4. Lastly: Be smart, read your labels.

Annabelle says: Healthy hair will benefit from products that are free from harsh chemicals like parabens, sulphates, ethoxylated and petrochemical cleansers, silicones, phthalates, mineral oils, DEA and artificial colours. If you come across an unfamiliar ingredient, sites like www.skindeep.org are a great resource for ingredient profiles and safety ratings.

I say: And you’d also be amazed if you heard from water and soil scientists (I used to work with some) how much of a pain in the arse these particular chemicals are to remove from wastewater at the treatment plant. They’re a real concern because they’re ecological disruptors when leaching into waterways and soils, persisting in food chains and ecologies.

And now it’s (drum roll please)….

Giveaway time!

We have a hair care pack, courtesy of Al’chemy to give away, and we are super-stoked! Valued at least $43.95, this trio of a shampoo, conditioner and leave-in treatment will have you pretty well sorted!

All you gotta do is sign up for our newsletter, and you’ll be in the draw. You’ll have the chance to win something like this – and it should last you for months. I’ve been using my shampoo and conditioner since mid October and feel like I’m only half-way through the bottles. I’m serious.

A word about Al’chemy

Al’chemy products are ingredient-rich, vegan, 100% natural and formulated without parabens, sulfates, ethoxylated and petrochemical cleansers, parabens, propylene glycol, silicones, phthalates, mineral oils, DEA and artificial colours, animal ingredients or animal testing. www.purist.co

To make sure you’re in the running, sign-up here:  

 

It’s been incredible. The newly-found self-confidence. The sideways glances. The compliments.

Especially since right now it’s pretty hot in Australia and we’re all just that little bit more – well – naked. To feel genuinely comfortable in my skin for the first summer in well over ten years, I can only describe as exhilarating.

The Back Story:

I adopted an almost entirely plant-based diet just under a year ago. I’d been a nutritional vegetarian for two years prior to this exciting new phase in my foodie journey, so it wasn’t a big leap for me to make – either culinarily or psychologically.

After having gotten schooled up on the hows and whys, I splashed out on a juicer (for my greens), swapped a stack of conventional produce for organic, and got my vegan on.

The first few months were all about trying stuff out: discovering new alternatives to the claggy dairy that we had become used to, reading the fine-print on the backs of packets, and over compensating with waaaay too much bread. (Way too much.)

All the while, I was managing to cart my ass to yoga maybe once or twice a week, and squeezing in 20-30 minutes’ walking 5 days a week if I was lucky – punctuating a working lifestyle that had become scarily sedentary.

I was maybe a tiny bit healthier, but hardly the energy-filled spunk-rat I wanted to be.

Then all of a sudden there was an overseas wedding to attend. We jettisoned off to Singapore where the searing heat meant that (for cosseted Melbournians like us) the majority of our waking hours had to be spent poolside, or in the heavily air-conditioned gymnasium. There were noodle dishes, gluten-based meat substitutes, sweet iced coffees, G+Ts, and mirrors everywhere. I felt at total and utter odds with my body, and my – let’s be honest – fairly crappy overall health and fitness.

It was time to overhaul my whole lifestyle. So, when I returned to Melbourne, I started working with a trainer to change and up my exercise. I re-read Crazy Sexy Diet and Skinny Bitch from cover-to-cover (it’s not actually as insanely LA as the title suggests, trust me). I got back on the raw-juice wagon in earnest, and cut out the white bread, the sweetener and the rather hearty soy-based smoothies that had slipped into my daily diet.

I cut my alcohol consumption down to almost nil, and weeded out almost all processed, substitute-style foods. I sought out the purest, organic, cruelty-free products to use on and around my body, too.

At the same time I started eating more raw fruit and vegetables. Stacks more. I embraced salad-creation as a way of life. I drank chilled, filtered water like a muthaf**ker. I learned how to lightly steam. Priceless.

Jump-cut a teeny-tiny two months: From this declaration of newly-found-health-dom to the lead-in to the silly season, I’d lost 7 kilos (that’s about 1.1 stone, or 15.4 pounds depending on where you live). Not Biggest Loser-style masses, but enough for people I hadn’t seen for a while to start to notice the difference. It was about 10kg (1.6st/22lb) short of my ultimate goal. But despite this, I’d gotten to a place where I was happy to take my cardigan off in public – plus my skin was glowing with radiant, veggie-love.

And then the new year hit in full force. Friends and family went on annual leave and flew into Melbourne (or at least just back into our social calendar), apple cider (the alcoholic type), pinot noir and gin and tonics once again became a regular fixture in the schedule; the white-bread creep was inexorable, irresistible, deadly; soy ice-cream visited her havoc upon me.

The scales stopped moving. Sort of. To be honest, they actually started moving in the opposite direction. Mild hangovers and insane heat started making regular exercise something to be avoided and then put off altogether. I have felt the old patterns sinking in.

But this time, instead of conceding to the inert apathy about what I put in my mouth and how much I move my booty, I decided to seize my health by the balls and slam home those last ten (okay, now eleven) kilos with absolute love and commitment.

Enter, Living Clean:

What a great opportunity! To take my fired-up journey to better health and a fitter body via pure, kind and conscious living choices and turn it into a whole resource for Superéthique readers to make healthy and practical changes in their lives and for the planet and its inhabitants.

I started out adopting a plant-based lifestyle for largely ethical and environmental reasons. At the same time, I learned about the significant health benefits (longevity, increased libido, avoidance of serious diseases anyone?). But then… I noticed the tangible changes to the way it made me look and feel.

Living cleanly has been the greatest lifestyle choice I’ve ever made, and certainly the one with the richest (and most holistic) rewards. It’s not a fad, it’s not a diet, it’s not a regimen. It’s a whole-life approach. And whatever it is you’re wanting to achieve in 2012 – be that getting fitter, looking better, losing weight, being more mindful about the choices you make (even changing your job, or earning more money!) this approach will support you 100% of the way, and positively impact your success in both direct and indirect ways.

So, let’s get started! Because today’s post is an introduction to Living Clean, I’ll be posting again on Monday morning with the first “official” installment in the series. From there on in, you’ll hear from me and the Living Clean project every Friday. Here’s a quick run-down of some of the things that you can expect to get:

  • Lifestyle tips for re-framing your approach to shopping, eating, et cetera.
  • Recipes, recipes, recipes… delicious and simple, but wildly nutritious.
  • Tricks that I use to keep myself on the wagon, easily.
  • Inspiration, motivation and a links to research-reading if you’re interested in it.
  • Hat-tips to my favourite brands (and businesses) that keep me Living Clean every day.
  • Lots. Of. Photos. (& maybe even a couple of videos…)

Sound good? Great. Let’s do this! Oh – and don’t forget to sign-up to our eNews: you’re going to want to get access to the awesome 2012 giveaways we’ll be doing regularly – including a few from Living Clean features (cunning plans afoot!).

I’ll see you on Monday, sweetpeas!

Santé! Ming-Zhu. xx


The Wish List.

Hey, everyone’s doing it. We had a bit of fun compiling some gorgeous goodies that we’d absolutely love to be gifted from our loved ones. We hope they’re reading!

By Ming-Zhu …

1. The Centre of Gravity gift pack from Aesop.

2. A much-rumoured great vegan-friendly dinner at Vue de Monde.

3. A pair of black, mod skinny jeans from Nobody.

4. The Edible Balcony by Indira Naidoo.

5. A 3-month membership to The Coffee Circle from Ritual Coffee, Tasmania.

By Cassie …

1. Anything from the Grown Botanical skincare range – but especially the cleanser, toner and facial exfoliant.

2. A pair of Sosume’s silky shorts in charcoal, of course.

3. This incredibly timeless Ecochic atelier bookshelf on wheels, made from recycled timber.

4. A Shade of Turquoise handmade rug made from custom-dyed recycled cotton t-shirts. Made to order, from Green at Heart on Etsy – with a minimum 3 month wait…but soooo worth it!

5. Recycled timber flower mat. Designed and made in Melbourne by Bonnie Ashley and Neil Downie of Bonnie and Neil, and available via State of Green.

… Of course, we’re just getting our hint-hints out early. Next week, we’ll share our picks on gift ideas for friends and fam. Can’t wait! Have a great weekend!

-Love, Ming-Zhu & Cassie xx

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Skincare 101: Rosehip Oil

Rose hip oils by Kosmea, A'kin and Renew

The decision to put mindful consumption into practice is an ever-unfolding journey.

Of course, we don’t wake up one day being the super diligent, completely ethical person who only buys ethical things. Our awareness grows, and our choice to act on that awareness matures through understanding. Things we initially think are good, ‘green’ or ‘eco’ enough will at some point no longer stand up to our internal scrutinies. I noticed that I was applying a lot of standards and criteria to food and grocery shopping, but I had no such standards for what I’d put on my skin or in my hair. I’m not at all a ‘beauty’ person, so who cares, yeah?

One stupid weakness I had (or perhaps still have) was/is for moisturisers. Not super expensive ones, but for all kinds of day creams, night creams, eye creams…yep. I never really stuck with one, because none of them ever were truly amazing enough to warrant product loyalty. As far as that entire market is concerned, you don’t just buy moisturiser; you buy an image behind a brand of moisturiser. What’s in them is masked by a shoddy language of ‘complex scientifically proven formulas’ and/or emphasis on some 0.005% (insert DNA-regenerative magical obscure fruit peel enzyme extract here). I don’t eat food that way, and so an intervention into my skincare regime was born accordingly.

I can’t recall how I came to to see rose hip oil as a replacement for all moisturisers, but once tried, it became self evident that it is all I actually need. In short, I’ve found it to be a remarkable substance, and a far more effective one than any moisturiser I’ve ever tried. I now confess that my quest has turned towards sampling various Australian brands of 100% organic rose hip oil to suss out their nuances. They’re all a bit different depending on the extraction process, the species of rosehip used and where the roses are grown. The roses for these oils are not grown in Australia because they’re not native; they’d be a weed. And besides, the climate isn’t quite right.

The thing is though, that there’s a lot packed into such a simple product. Rather than concocting a cream with 50 ingredients, it is possible to find one single product  that contains all the goodies necessary for great skin! And they’re all certified 100% organic. Where have I been my life!?

Well, Oh, My. The most striking thing I noticed was the instant change in skin tone; as in instantly I’m not so pale white. It actually absorbs, and doesn’t feel oily at all. (I can’t vouch for all skin types though!) I can swear that it has reduced some finer lines (of the variety that most people will tell you they can’t see but you can) and the overall effect is of me looking more alive. It’s a big call. But I am clearly so convinced of this, that I pretty much no longer wear any make up. A skincare product that gives you confidence to wear no make up? That’s my testimonial. Onwards!

[A'kin] Pure Radiance Rosehip Oil

A'kin pure radiance rosehip oil, certified organic.

Made from only the Rosa canina seed extract of the rose variety native to Europe, A’kin uses a method called CO2 extraction. Involving low temperature so that the heat doesn’t destroy the vitamins, this process seems to produce a high quality, refined product. This is a good one for the rosehip oil unitiated, being it is much less ‘oily’ than the others I’ve tried, feeling more like a ‘serum’ than anything. The texture and scent are both light, and is quite transparent. It absorbs pretty fast, and as they suggest, is totally feasible to go under a moisturiser should you find that necessary.

Coming in a 23 mL bottle, A’kin is pretty good value compared to other brands I’ve tried.

A’kin has a reputation for being openly against the use of chemical pollutants in skin care products and product formulas as simple as possible. They’re also vegan friendly, and are actively reducing the carbon footprint of all their operations and product life cycles.

www.purist.com

Kosmea skin clinic Rose Hip Oil

Kosmea Skin Clinic certified organic rose hip oil

Kosmea’s version uses handpicked rose hips from the wild rose, Rosa eglanteria, also known as the Sweet Briar Rose. Kosmea claims a point of difference in their source of roses, which are grown in the Meluti Mountains of Lesotho, South Africa. Oil is extracted from both the skin and seed, giving rise to its deep amber colour, and I suspect this plays a role in the seriously instant skin-tone altering qualities of the stuff.

However, it absorbs as fast and well as the others I write about here. It has a smell that reminds me a just a little of sesame, but I think over time I will come to appreciate as simply the smell of rose hip oil, in its own right. Coming in a 20 mL bottle, Kosmea’s version was slightly pricier than the others.

www.kosmea.com

Renew Rose Hip Oil

Renew certified organic 100% rose hip oil

A hard choice, but possibly this is my favourite right now. Much like Kosmea’s oil, Renew’s rose hip oil is a deep, rich amber colour and does magical things to your skin’s appearance on immediate application. How it does this, I am stumped, but in an awesome way. Renew’s rose hips are sourced from Chile, where the plant also grows in great abundance. In a 25 mL bottle, this one is also seriously great value.

www.renewskincare.com.au

In summary…

I realise it might not be for everyone, but my skin loves the stuff. I’m of the ginger-haired, fair skinned and freckly variety of person. My skin isn’t exactly sensitive or oily, but I’d always be prone to the odd hormonally induced chin break out. The interesting thing about using rose-hip oil, is that it seems to be seriously reducing my frequency of skin outbreaks, and at the same time does a better job at hydrating my face than anything else I’ve ever tried. Importantly though, I feel like I’m well on the way to finding myself a much more simplified ‘beauty regime’; one that involves a far greater level of awareness of what I’m putting on my skin, and in turn becoming a much more educated consumer in all other areas of my shopping habits.

-Cassie.

(Petrochemical Free) Papaya Love

Hardly the reserve of health food stores, I think we can say that paw paw/papaya balm usage is in the mainstream.

The salve, ointment, balm (whatever) is as good for treating topical ailments as it is for softening up man hands (or my feet – whichever your imagination can handle).

A burgeoning market of late, the stuff is now available in stores everywhere. Queensland produces a shit-tonne of papaya, and presumably for reasons other than eating, since it’s possibly not the world’s most delectable fruit. Thank goodness, it’s great for skin, possessing many therapeutic qualities. Nothing, you know, that the ancient mesoamerican civilisations hadn’t figured out already.

Use it for:

Dry lips. And to keep your pout lubed. Er, I mean sexy. Sorry, I have a science degree, I say that.
Sunburn, if you’ve been misbehavin’.
Moisturising dry skin in general.
Healing nipples on breastfeeding boobies.
Managing Bub’s nappy rash. (Perhaps those above are your boobies?)

Sweet. So, I was only slightly gutted when I saw via comments on Sarah Wilson’s blog earlier this year, that the more ‘mainstream’ paw paw products contain mysterious quantities of petroleum jelly – Yep, AKA the ol’ Vaseline. This was the very product I assumed I’d found an alternative to, in purchasing said alternative. Gutted, slightly dude. This warranted a Google search.

It turns out that our relevant regulatory body here in Oz, the Therapeutic Goods Administration, only requires the ‘active ingredients’ in a product to be listed. As long as petroleum jelly isn’t the active thing in the balm, it doesn’t heed a mention on the label. That is not to say it’s an inactive ingredient. And, I think that’s more than slightly deceptive marketing/labeling. Boo. </End rant.>

Enter three fabulous products I’m test driving on my lips at the moment: (petrochemical free) Paw Paw balms.

Product love #1: PURE by Phytocare Paw Paw Papaya Ointment with Calendula

I can be superficial, and this product comes in sleek black, so I’m sold. However, we are Superéthique, folks – and brands need more than a pretty face. Phytocare was established in Australia by naturopath Daniel Baden in 1996, and their products are purposely free of petroleum derivatives, artificial preservatives and other not-so-great nonsense. I pretty much comprehend what all the ingredients are, even if I don’t get how they make it. That’s a pretty good start.

PURE by Phytocare's Papaya ointment with Calendula.

Pure Papaya Ointment contains shea butter, macadamia and jojoba oils, fermented papaya, and extracts from olive and calendula plants. Calendula has a wealth of healing properties, especially when applied to skin. It’s known as a dermatitis cure, an anti-inflammatory and anti-irritant. The Aztecs had that one figured out, too.

And how is it?

The key difference you get when using a petrochemical-free paw paw salve is that is has a much creamier consistency, and you can smell what’s in it. You can definitely smell the shea butter. Salves, balms and the like generally require a fatty (I mean ‘lipid’) base in which the fermented papaya and oils are mixed and fixed, so it can do its awesome thing without needing an urgent expiry date.

It’s far more absorbent than expected, instead of smearing a layer of lubricant on the skin. In fact, I just moisturised my hands with it and I’m not getting it all over my keyboard. That’s a quite good thing.

Finally, given its consistency in winter is pretty smooth, I’ll be curious to see how darling this goes during the summer heat. Aside from that speculation, this product comes in 25g and 100g tubes, and more recently a 200g tub. I’ll be using this again. www.phytocare.com.au

Product love #2: Suvana Organic Paw Paw & Honey Balm

Suvana is a 100% Australian owned company based in Sydney. Their paw paw balm comes with added honey, and this definitely characterises the scent. Like this if you like honey, honey.

Suvana's Paw Paw & Honey Balm

With a base of castor seed oil, beeswax, and cocoa butter, Suvana’s balm closely resembles in consistency the more mainstream paw paw products but comes with the ethical props, no nasties. It’s a great consistency at room temperature but can get a little hard on cold day. They know this, and you’ll live. This one, I feel is particularly suitable as a lip gloss because it stays on for ages.

A certified organic product, this balm contains heaps of other natural ingredients, including jojoba, carrot and vanilla bean oils. Suvana have pursued Cosmebio and Ecocert certification, stating that over 98% of ingredients are derived form organic farming.

OK, so the bright yellow packaging isn’t my favourite colour ever but I can’t hold that against a brand which is clearly pitched at a younger, youngish but especially eco-aware Gen Y audience. Given the waterproof, staying qualities of this product, I can totally appreciate how great this would be for beach loving summer kids and surfer chicks. And I bet they don’t mind yellow at all. So plenty of ticks for that. www.suvanabeaty.com

Product love #3: Only Papaya paw paw balm

Only Papaya with Optimised Fruit Extract Paw Paw Balm

Our final test choice for this batch is a balm from the Only Papaya range by Health Focus Products Australia.

With optimised fruit extract, the Only Papaya balm uses a base of rice bran oil, papaya and beeswax. So out of the three balms reviewed, this one seems to contain the highest amount of actual paw paw according to ingredient listings, which is also stated at 200mg/g. I like that they say that. It also comes with a dash of shea butter, vitamin E and coconut oil. Yum.

If you’re averse to scented products, then this one is a good choice, because there’s not much smell about it, quite frankly. The consistency is light and creamy, which means it easily doubles for a (non-greasy) hand cream if you’re so inclined to use it that way.

This guy comes in a shorter, fatter little tube to make up the 25g market standard. This balm is part of a more comprehensive range of products, including facial scrubs, moisturisers, serums and other tubs of wonder; several of which we have our eye on for future reviewing – be sure to stay tuned for a follow up! www.onlypapaya.com.au

-Cassie

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