A Guest Post by Clare Frances C.

This post has been a long time coming, so when Keri approached me, asking if I was willing to contribute an article to share my Reiki story, I could not refuse. Reiki has and continues to be a pivotal part of my personal growth, and life as a whole. It is something I wish for everyone to experience, and I hope that sharing my story may inspire others.

I remember my very first experience as if it were yesterday. It happened seven years ago when my friend kindly offered to give me a Reiki healing treatment. I had no idea what it was. All she told me was that I would feel deeply relaxed. That was all I needed to hear to agree to it.

She had me lay down on a yoga mat, with a pillow under my head, and asked me to close my eyes and relax. What was really interesting was, despite her hands not physically touching me (she hovered them an inch above) throughout the one hour treatment, I felt sensations around the crown of my head, which felt like a mix of tingling and buzzing. There was also a pulsating warmth unlike anything I had felt before – not quite the same as what I know to be regular body heat. This was different. It felt like a radiating heat pack. I was intrigued to say the least. What was this, I wondered?

I must have drifted off to sleep because the next thing I knew, she was gently nudging me awake. I felt incredibly calm and relaxed – a lightness in my being unlike anything I had experienced before. I did not quite understand it, but I knew I wanted more. Five years later, I decided to learn Reiki for myself, which remains one of my best decisions.

So, what exactly is Reiki? It is an energy therapy, which works with the body’s own remarkable healing capabilities, helping to encourage and accelerate its natural healing process, and restore overall balance to the body’s physical, mental, and emotional well-being.

Reiki originated in Japan and was founded by Mikao Usui. The word ‘Rei’ may be referred to as divine, spiritual, pure or source, and ‘Ki’ refers to energy – similar to ‘Chi’ in Traditional Chinese Medicine, and ‘Prana’ in Indian Ayurvedic philosophy. Reiki today is commonly known as Universal Energy, and to me, is energy at its purest.

A Reiki treatment is done through the hands, simply by having the practitioner place or hover their hands on, or above the body (fully clothed), which activates the energy to flow into the body. No special movement, posture or action is required. The Reiki energy will be used by the body to help heal, rejuvenate and reinvigorate. Whatever health or wellness issue the person suffers from, including physical ailments, disease, stress or anxiety, and any emotional or trauma based issues, can often be helped with Reiki in a very gentle and releasing way. Another wonderful trait of Reiki is there are no known contraindications. This means that Reiki is complementary to other forms of healing, be it conventional medicine or other holistic therapies.

When I signed up to learn Reiki, I went in with my sights on level two – at this level, we learn advanced tools like how to send Reiki over distance, and often seems to be what gets most people excited. This was appealing to me because I wanted to be able to offer healing to my loved ones – who live overseas – in times of need. I saw it as my way of offering them love across the miles, in a tangible manner. However, in order to do that, I had to go through level one first – getting Reiki activated in my hands, and learning how to use it.

I expected to stop at level two, but life had other plans for me. Level two progressed to level three, and before I could fully make sense of what was happening, I found myself signing up for the Reiki Master Training (RMT). I remember having many doubts, the main one being my fear of public speaking. How could I possibly teach a class?! It was never my plan to go on this journey with the intention to teach Reiki. My focus was always on personal growth, and to offer healing to my loved ones. However, it grew into something much bigger than myself. I felt a pull to go further. So I asked for a sign. Early one morning, two weeks before the start of the RMT course, I looked out the window. As I was gazing at the trees, I was surprised to see four white butterflies fluttering above the canopy. I live on the seventh story, and had never seen any butterflies from that height, let alone four of them together. I took that as my sign. I cannot explain how I knew, I just did – one butterfly to represent each of the three levels I had completed, and the fourth, to represent my future Reiki Master certification. I will always remember that magical morning, and since then, life has repeatedly given me moments of wild synchronicity to affirm me that I am on the right path. I completed my Reiki Master Training in September 2016, and in addition to hosting upcoming healing groups for beginners, I also have plans to conduct my first level one workshop later this year.

Although my desire to learn to Reiki was intended around offering healing to others, I soon learned that at its very core, Reiki is fundamentally a way to self-healing. Two years on, I can tell you that Reiki has helped me far beyond my physiological ailments. What I feel I have gained the most is deeper awareness, profound clarity and insight into issues that I previously didn’t have, being mindfully present, and having greater peace from being able to accept circumstances as they are, as opposed to resisting them when the outcomes were – in my limited belief – not ideal. Having a full time corporate job also means that Reiki helps to balance and ground me from the daily stresses that it brings.

There are many various forms of holistic healing therapies, but the wonderful aspect which Reiki offers that I find lacking in others, is the element of self-empowerment. My role as a practitioner and teacher allows me to shine light where needed, so that my clients and students can realize how to heal themselves, through greater clarity and their own Reiki practice. In my experience, the body has proven to be highly intelligent and remarkable, capable of profound healing.

Reiki has shown me that true peace and happiness comes from within. My purpose as a Reiki practitioner and teacher, is to inspire others to uncover this potential within themselves, and to be a guiding light for them on their own journey of self-healing, towards a more holistic and fulfilled life.

Clare Frances C. is a certified Reiki practitioner and affiliate teacher with The Reiki Centre (read more HERE). Through Reiki, Clare is passionate about empowering her clients and students to realize the potential of self-healing within them, towards a more holistic and fulfilled life. Clare also has a full-time corporate job which helps to fund her burgeoning crystal and Lotus Wei obsession. Clare recently discovered a new-found love for Kundalini Yoga which she shares along with her favorite natural lifestyle choices and reflections on life, on her social media platforms. Clare has three beautiful nieces whom she adores. They live aboard, in the Netherlands, and she dedicates her free time FaceTiming with them.

The post Guest Post: What is Reiki? Clare shares her transformational journey appeared first on The Greenly Guide.

In addition to being ingredient savvy, Omiana is also first and foremost a family-centered business.  They are a privately held, family-owned company, that caters to a small niche clientele who are looking for a wide variety of safe and high performing cosmetics.  They pride themselves on always remembering that there is a real person on the other end of an email or phone call, and they operate on a strategy of putting heart, not profit, at the center of all that they do.

In addition to providing helpful and friendly customer service, they take their family-first stance a step further by providing their employees a “classroom” to bring their children with them to work.  This room is filled with books, piles of compostable diapers, toys and comfy couches for nursing moms. They believe in harmony between work and family, and they certainly take the steps to provide their employees this incredible benefit.

The Greenly Guide is so excited to share with you more about this company on the blog today.  We had the wonderful opportunity to get to know Lauren, founder of Omiana, and to ask her a few questions about her company and their products. Please read on below for our full interview with Lauren, a wonderful discount code plus a chance to win some of Omiana’s fabulous products!

The Greenly Guide: Can you share a little about your story and how you first became interested in using natural and non-toxic beauty products?

Lauren: My mom’s family is Mennonite, straight from Germany, so we (my sister, cousins, and I) spent a lot of time helping husk corn and riding horses on the farm. I think that environment kept my head health-geared from a young age. My grandma wouldn’t keep sugar in the house, for example. Just honey, and only once in a blue moon would she let us use it! It’s always been a lifestyle for my family and me. My sister and I delved into makeup when my mom, who did not stay within the Mennonite circle, let us; we have always enjoyed makeup and considered it an art form.

The Greenly Guide: How was Omiana born? What inspired you to start your company to create safer cosmetics?

Lauren: Omiana came about during my first pregnancy. I was looking for a line with numerous safe options; there are a lot of amazing pure lines out there, but sometimes their shades and finishes seem limited.

The Greenly Guide: Is there a special meaning or significance behind the name Omiana? How did you decide on this name for your brand?

Lauren: My [then small] team and I actually cycled through a few names, but the trademarks didn’t go through! Omiana (“ah-me-ah-nah”) is a name my toddler helped me devise, ha-ha! We polled a good deal of our loyal customers, too: they seemed to agree it’s a memorable, ‘clean’ name.

The Greenly Guide: Omiana caters not only to those looking for cleaner beauty products, but to those with specific ingredient sensitivities as well- can you talk a little about the ingredients you have omitted from your formulas and why?

Lauren: It may sound odd, but even avoiding coconut oil is a biggie within Omiana. We certainly use it, and a lot of us love it, but it would probably come as a surprise to many how some skin types are sensitive to this ingredient. Ditto for beeswax, castor oil, even zinc oxide and other oxides. Chromium greens, ultramarines, mica … some colorants, colorants that have ‘iffy’ research findings. There is inconclusive research, pros and cons, to virtually every ingredient out there, though, so when we source, we are diligent to be sure it’s the safest option among its kind. For example, Omiana’s iron oxides are not coated, are not micronized, and are certainly not nanoparticle. Our zinc oxide is high-micron; our beeswax is kosher, cruelty-free … the list goes on and on. Every ingredient has a strict sourcing process.

The Greenly Guide: When creating products with natural and non-toxic ingredients, what challenges have you encountered and how have you resolved these issues in your formulas?

Lauren: One thing we talk about a lot with our manufacturing team is what we call the ‘preservative battle’ … we can make an amazing pH-balanced formula that passes safety tests but then have a savvy team member or even customers (we enlist some very loyal customers in early product creation) want or not want a preservative because a preservative can offer ‘extra security’ yet some are sensitive to them or don’t like a moderate EWG-rated ingredient (e.g., a “3” over a “0” or “1”) — on the other hand, some are sensitive to or disapprove of herbal preservations systems … they might not want an herbal preservation system only in a mascara because if it gets contaminated because it’s opened and closed so much, that’s awfully risky, being so close to one’s precious eyes. It can be a catch-22 … so we opt to offer a variety of formulas.

With the care we put into formulations and ethical, legal, customers’-right-to-know full ingredient disclosure, it can be so disheartening seeing companies mislabeling in effort to win customers in the ‘natural’ segment. We have seen this with mom-and-pop shops that might not understand strict labeling mandates, and we have seen this with big companies — I don’t want to throw anyone under the bus, but an example is a company claiming an anhydrous (no-water) formula, with numerous extracts, yet their extracts are suspended in water. Or not disclosing an ingredient combination because it’s trademarked. It can get a little frustrating as consumers ourselves and caring about other consumers’ right to know what is honestly in their products.

Omiana is full of young women and mamas: we shouldn’t have to choose if we want to have a career or be a mom. Merging the two is what is natural in our case. -Lauren, founder of Omiana

The Greenly Guide: As a mom myself, knowing that family is at the core of Omiana is so inspiring. I love that you have given your employees access to a ‘classroom’ in your offices so moms can bring their little ones with them. So amazing! As this is definitely not the standard, can you explain why you decided to offer this incredible feature at Omiana?

Lauren: Thank you so much for caring; We have two men who are in our warehouse, and my husband is our COO, but other than that, Omiana is full of young women and mamas: we shouldn’t have to choose if we want to have a career or be a mom. Merging the two is what is natural in our case. These little ones, our future, are our driving forces: seeing my babes’ faces and getting to plop down to feed them — it’s why I work so hard, and I know many women who are the same way and would prefer this. Totally not judging anyone who prefers otherwise, but this is a great set-up for us here. We have to keep kiddos away from manufacturing and order fulfillment, of course, but fortunately that’s quite separated. Our ‘classroom’ area, as we call it, is neat. It’s modern and comfy with lots of learning centers and is downtown Columbia, Missouri, so there are fun little organic cafes and other local businesses surrounding us.

The Greenly Guide: Let’s talk about your products – what was the very first product created at Omiana, and is it still in production today?

Lauren: It was Omiana’s loose powder, and you bet, it is!

The Greenly Guide: For someone who is new to your brand and wondering where to start, can you share some of your current best-selling products?

Lauren: Omiana’s mineral veil really flies off our shelves. It’s simple and silky and really helps allay the appearance of pores, lines, and imperfections. Also, it sort of surprises me how well the baby bum powder does! I love this so much. Normally clay is an awesome ingredient, but it made me a little nervous with my newborn, so we formulated without clay, even, and no cornstarch … I think moms really appreciate all its omissions. A little secret — you can totally use this as a dry shampoo, too : )

The Greenly Guide: What brings you the greatest joy through owning Omiana?

Lauren: Two things: the experience it provides my family and remaining as bonded as we are and the connection I and other team members get to establish with our amazing loyal customers. We have heard so many stories about triumph over illness; healthy pregnancies; landing-the-job, Omiana getting a tiny role in these stories. It’s just awesome hearing how Omiana plays a part in lives, even if it seems small. Augmenting our natural beauty through fun colors and ingredients — it’s an art form and a way we get to connect with people.

The Greenly Guide: Can you share any exciting plans or new products that we can look forward to in 2017?

Lauren: We are working on at least one new mascara, more foundation choices, and eye shadows! Also you will see more in our ‘holistic’ section: Beauty and health go hand in hand, so offering EMF protection, essential oil-fragranced lead-free soy candles, and much more really excites us and hopefully our supporters, too.

Interested in trying some of Omiana’s Products?

You can find many of Omiana’s amazing products on Amazon. Check them out here.

Connect with Omiana on their website, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram.

The post Brand Profile and Interview with Omiana appeared first on The Greenly Guide.

Written by Sarah Price for The Greenly Guide

Born and raised in North Carolina, Sarah dived into green beauty when she adopted a vegan lifestyle in 2011. Discovering what ingredients worked, finding new products, and building a skincare routine that actually worked totally changed how she saw beauty.

After being diagnosed with an anxiety disorder and depression, beauty routines became an important part of her self care routine, and a major part of her everyday life. There’s nothing more relaxing than taking some time to treat your skin, do a creative make up look, or researching new products and ingredients.

When she moved to Toronto for university, starting a beauty blog was a no brainer. Dedicated to holistic beauty and self care, her blog is the place to go for effective products made with simple ingredients, self care tips and rituals, how to’s, and some creative DIY recipes. She loves connecting people to their favorite products and empowering them to take time for their own wellness and self care.

Spring is one of my favorite seasons. There’s nothing like feeling the sun on your skin after a season of layers and sweaters.

While we enjoy the sun, flowers, and everything Spring has to offer, it’s also important to switch up how we take care of ourselves.

Today I’m going to walk you through the skincare adjustments I make to prepare for the seasonal change, the Spring herbs to boost your skin’s health, and I’ll share two DIY recipes to get your skin right on track.

Skincare Routine Updates.

I love updating my skincare as the seasons change because when the weather changes, your skin’s needs will too.

When it comes to Spring, the first thing I do is check in with my sun protection cream. Is it effective? Am I using it? Protecting your skin from the sun is so important. The sun can damage your skin, causing wrinkles and sun spots, but also causing serious health issues, like skin cancer.

Check in with your sun protection cream and make sure you’re using an effective one. You can also avoid the sun’s harmful rays by wearing wide brimmed hats, staying in the shade, and wearing protective clothing. I also recommend checking in with a dermatologist to have your moles looked over to ensure you’re good to go.

As the temperatures rise, I like to lighten things up. Instead of an intense night balm, I opt for a light facial oil. For dry skin types, argan oil is wonderful. If you have oily, or problematic skin, try jojoba.

I also switch my serums. During the Winter, I always use a hydrating serum because that’s what my skin needs. But during Spring, I’ll look for serums that brighten my skin and prevent acne. If you’re not sure what your skin needs, take a look in the mirror and check in with your skin.

When it comes to masks, I usually put away my hydrating options and bring out the clay based, clarifying masks. I tend to get more acne as the temperatures heat up and the clay helps to detox and clear my skin.

Seasonal Herbs to Boost Your Skin’s Health.

I love incorporating healing herbs into my every day routine through teas, scrubs, toners, and of course, facial steams.

The Spring brings lots of new growth, from beautiful flowers to healing herbs. I want to share some of my favorites to help boost your skin’s health.

Dandelion is a detoxifying herb that’s actually delicious as a tea. Not only does it support your internal organs, but when your insides run smoothly, it will show on your skin.

Peppermint, Lemon Balm, and Saint John’s Wort are also wonderful additions to spring teas and beauty treatments that can help cleanse and brighten.

I’ve actually included peppermint in the DIY facial steam as I find it has energizing, rejuvenating properties for the skin that are so wonderful after months of cold. You can also infuse your favorite oil with peppermint to create a naturally healing body oil.

Source: Maddy, Celestine, and Abbye Churchill. A Wilder Life: A Season-by-season Guide to Getting in Touch with Nature. New York: Artisan, 2016. Print.

DIY: Grapefruit + Mint Body Scrub

This scrub is made with exfoliating sugar, hydrating coconut oil, and healing essential oils that smell incredible. Grapefruit is one of my favorite fruits and scents, as it’s really uplifting and energizing, making it the perfect post Winter scrub.

Ingredients

• ½ cup Sugar
• ¼ cup Organic Coconut Oil
• 5 drops Peppermint essential oil
• 12 drops Grapefruit essential oil

*Note: I like making scrubs in small amounts to ensure they’re incredibly fresh and perfectly safe to use. If you go through scrubs pretty quickly, you may want to double this recipe.

Instructions

• Simple mix all of the ingredients in a bowl until combined. If you have a blender, go ahead and blend it for a more uniform texture and scent.
• Pour into a glass jar with a good seal. A classic mason jar is perfect.
• Use within a few months, store in the fridge if you’re not going to use it right away.

DIY: Grapefruit + Mint Facial Steam

Facial steams are a really great way to boost your skin’s glow. I love doing them weekly and I make them extra healing with herbs, fruits, and essential oils.

By using fresh grapefruit and mint leaves, we’re able to extract all of the benefits from the energizing, clarifying fruit and the refreshing mint.

If you’ve never done a facial steam before, please check out this post for more info on the benefits and how to do them, plus more recipes.

Ingredients

• 2-3 Slices of Fresh Grapefruit
• Several Fresh Mint Leaves

Instructions

• Add your ingredients to a heat safe bowl. I always opt for a medium glass bowl.
• Pour in hot, but not boiling water.
• Place your face over the bowl so you’re close enough to feel the steam, but do not put your skin into the water.
• Cover your head with a towel to trap all of the healing fruit and plant goodness.
• Sit for 5-15 minutes
• Follow with a face mask and your skin care routine

I hope these skincare tips and recipes will help you get your skin sorted for this new season! If you have any questions leave a comment below!

Connect with Sarah on her website, Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram

*All photos in this post are courtesy of and belong to Sarah Price.

The post Guest Post: A seasonal skincare update for Spring + 2 simple DIY recipes appeared first on The Greenly Guide.

After trying many conventional products to soothe and heal her dry, sensitive skin, and finding that nothing worked, she discovered the reason for this was that she had developed an extreme chemical sensitivity.  All of the ingredients used in mainstream personal care products were making her feel miserable and causing her watery eyes and headaches.  Upon making the switch to all natural products, these symptoms disappeared.

After this discovery, she began her journey into the world of herbal remedies, plant-based treatments and ancient practices.  Formulating products in her kitchen and sharing them with family and friends led to the business she has created today.  Lydia not only focuses on sourcing wonderful ingredients, she is also passionate about giving back to her community and is striving for a zero-waste manufacturing process.

Lydia is so kindly sharing her story on The Greenly Guide today.  In addition to sharing more about herself and her brand, she has also very generously provided a discount code that can be used on their website!  Now through April 5, 2017, enter the code ‘thegreenlyguide15‘ to receive 15% off your order!  Please read on below for the full interview with Lydia, founder of WEBA Naturals.

The Greenly Guide: After experiencing chemical sensitivities to the products you were using, you eventually turned to creating your own products. As a therapist by training, coming from a very different profession, can you share a little about your background with natural products, how you began formulating and any training you have?

Lydia: After realizing that I could no longer use certain products, I began researching this phenomenon. I learned that I was not alone. I found terms like “Extreme chemical sensitivity” and “Toxicant-induced loss of tolerance (TILT), which has been misunderstood among many professionals. I also realized that I did not experience the same reactions to naturally-produced, plant-based ingredients. I began spending years researching formularies, consulting with cosmetic chemists, attending webinars, and reading anything that I could get my hands on. Everything from aromatherapy and herbal medicine to ayurveda and wild edibles were fair game. I am always learning, and continue to do so to this day. The rest is history.

The Greenly Guide: WEBA stands for ‘whole earth body actives’ which you have stated guides your decision to provide the highest quality ingredients that are good for us and our planet. Can you talk a little about your ingredients and how you source them?

Lydia: The first rule of thumb is to make certain that wild-harvested essential oils are not endangered or “rare.” I try to ask the right questions when expanding our supply chain so that I can feel good about adding that ingredient to our products. I try hard to source products that are made locally or in the U.S.A., but it isn’t always possible. Most of the oils and butters that we use are sourced in Europe, Africa, and Asia, for example. These products provide real wages to many poor communities in these countries and are a major source of income. Many of our botanicals, however, are grown in the U.S. organically and sustainably, so we buy from them.

The Greenly Guide: On the topic of ingredients, do you have a favorite ingredient that you work with and include in your products? What about any difficult to work with ingredients you have used?

Lydia: It can be difficult to choose one favorite; I have so many. My favorite essential oil is lavender for its healing properties and its relaxing scent. A favorite emollient is shea butter. The only ingredients that I find challenging is the sodium hydroxide that I use to create the bar soaps. Care must be taken with it, as it is a very strong base.

The Greenly Guide: You have mentioned the importance of simplicity and minimalism within your line, and using multi-purpose products to reduce the number of items a person needs in their collection. Can you share some of the different ways your products can be utilized?

Lydia: All of the bar soaps are “3-in-1” soaps – that is, they are suitable for cleansing, shaving, and shampooing. The secret is in the rich, creamy lather they produce. In fact, ounce for ounce, bar soaps cost less than shower gels. My husband, Marvin, uses nothing else. We like to use the tea tree/oatmeal soap on our dog, Millie. Our balms have as many as ten uses –beard balm, cuticle oil, lip balm, anti-itch salve and everything in between. The lavender balm is also effective against mosquitoes. The Dry Oil is not only effective against frizzy hair and flyaways, but it’s a great massage oil and after-shower oil.

The Greenly Guide: I loved reading about your avoidance of the controversial ingredient palm oil. For those who may not be aware, can you briefly explain why you omit this ingredient and why that was important to you?

Lydia: I first read about the problems with palm oil on the Rainforest Action Network website. “Conflict” palm oil is grown primarily in Indonesia and Malasia, where rainforests are being clear-cut to accommodate this product. It is found in everything from food to feed to cosmetics and skincare. As a result, many native species like the Orangutan, which is now near extinction, are displaced. This is also responsible for many human rights abuses, including child labor practices. I decided early on that my business would not be a contributor to this problem. The butters that I use to substitute it are more expensive, but I feel that it is worth it.  While many big players in the palm oil industry have committed to buying certified sustainable palm oil, we have a long way to go before a total commitment to rainforest-free palm oil can be achieved. I hope that it happens.

The Greenly Guide: For someone who may be viewing your brand for the first time, what are your more popular items that you would suggest someone try to get a taste of what WEBA Naturals has to offer?

Lydia: The first bar soap that I made – “Relax” – is still my most popular item. If you pair that with the Lavender/Tea Tree Body Balm, you have a complete skincare system. Pairing the sugar scrub with the dry oil is also a good combination for normal to dry skin.

The Greenly Guide: In your manufacturing, you strive for a zero-waste process to reduce your impact on the environment. Can you explain a little about the practices you use to achieve this in your production?

Lydia: “Zero-waste” embodies two principles; using what you have and using less than you need to. I engage in both. For example, instead of buying packaging for my shipments I utilize re-used and recycled cardboard boxes and used/recycled paper. I never use bubble wrap or peanuts that don’t degrade. I re-batch our soap ends and mold them into bars that we donate to a local food bank. I re-use and recycle all glass and plastic bottles. My paper towels are recycled unbleached paper or I use cotton towels. Every ingredient is biodegradable. As a result, there is very little that ends up in the trash. While I can’t always control what suppliers send me, I can certainly control what goes out.

The Greenly Guide: In addition to your efforts to reduce your footprint on our planet, you are also passionate about giving back. Can you talk about how you are using WEBA Naturals to support your community?

Lydia: Since I began the business 3 years ago, I’ve given back by donating soap to a local food pantry. I also donate 3-4 gift baskets/year to local charities for their fundraisers. I try to stick to local small businesses when I need professional business services like graphic design and photography. I hire local crafters to make our accessories (sachets and washcloths). I also buy from local businesses. I feel that it’s important for small businesses to support each other given the current retail climate.

The Greenly Guide: What are your goals for WEBA Naturals in 2017, and what new things can we expect from you in the future?

Lydia: I’m always looking for opportunities to partner with businesses that are doing good. I’m hoping to collaborate with a local animal shelter to create a balm that can be used to soothe paw and skin problems. I’m hoping to roll out an ayurvedic deodorant, an oil cleanser, and a few serums. It’s an ambitious undertaking, but I like to aim high.  I will also be doing tabling events later this year, including one at a NYC college for Earth Day. I’d also like to hold a few workshops. I’m excited to see what the future brings for WEBA in 2017 and beyond.

Connect with WEBA Naturals on their website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest

The post Brand Profile and Interview with Lydia Diaz of WEBA Naturals appeared first on The Greenly Guide.

As a mother myself, this is where my journey began.  I became concerned with every single thing I put into my body and onto it as well, knowing that for the first time, my actions were impacting a life other than my own.  My concern for product and ingredient safety became a part of my lifestyle, and it has led me to find incredible brands with these same motivations and goals in mind.

Today, I am so thrilled to introduce you to one such brand, Pleni Naturals.  I had the great pleasure of speaking with founder, and fellow Mom, Allyson Owens, and am excited to share with you the full interview below.  If you are not yet familiar with her products, they are filled with fruit and vegetable ingredients, pure organic essential oils and skin loving ingredients that will help to nourish and soothe your children’s sensitive skin. On top of amazing ingredient quality, Pleni Naturals has taken their commitment one step further to become certified by MADE SAFE. (Read more HERE).  Read on below for our interview with Allyson.

Allyson has very generously offered a wonderful giveaway for readers of The Greenly Guide, so make sure you don’t miss the information on how to enter at the bottom of this post.

The Greenly Guide: Can you talk a little about how you first become interested in natural and non-toxic products and how this lead to the start of Pleni Naturals?

Allyson: Like a lot of women, my journey into the natural and nontoxic world began while I was pregnant with my first child in 2009. It was a journey for me; I didn’t completely go “nontoxic” while pregnant because I was still somewhat unaware of toxic chemicals in the home, but my first detox was definitely my skincare routine! It was also important to me that my babies used safe, nontoxic skincare as well. Before I started Pleni Naturals I was an aesthetician and then I became a consultant and helped skin care brands develop their skin care products. I knew that eventually I would create my own skin care line and I wanted to do something different than what was currently being offered in the natural baby category. Don’t get me wrong; I love flowers but every baby skin care product at the time had flowers in it! I chose to focus on fruit and vegetable ingredients because they are wholesome, just like our babies. Plus, fruit and vegetable oils offer amazing nutritional benefits for the skin. For example; red raspberry seed oil and cranberry seed oil contain omega 3 and 6 essential fatty acids, which our bodies don’t produce and it is necessary to obtain through diet or topically on the skin. These two ingredients help to keep sensitive skin happy and is great for babies and kids suffering from eczema. You can find these two ingredients in our Cucumber + Grape Baby Oil and Berry + Olive Baby Balm. Two other stand out ingredients from the Pleni Naturals skincare line are broccoli seed oil and cucumber seed oil. Broccoli seed oil has a silky finish and works like a natural silicone alternative that leaves the skin smooth and the hair soft and shiny and cucumber seed oil is fantastic for soothing and replenishing the skin’s moisture balance. Both broccoli seed oil and cucumber seed oil can be found in our Apple + Broccoli Hair and Body Wash and the cucumber seed oil can be found in our Cucumber + Grape Baby Oil.

The Greenly Guide: You mention that you created your line of wholesome and organic skincare products for babies and kids to help them develop a lifelong love for veggies, and you also partner with the organization, Life Lab, to help change the way kids think about fruits and veggies. Can you share a little about your partnership and why it is important to your company’s mission?

Allyson: In addition to the answer in question #1 the idea for Pleni Naturals to focus on fruits and veggies was because of my own struggles as a parent inspiring my own kids to love their fruits and veggies! It can be a lot of work! I know other parents struggle with this as well. The fruit and veggie characters on the packaging are fun and silly and it is our mission to deepen that connection with kids and the healthy foods they eat. Plus, the skin is our largest organ and at Pleni Naturals, it makes sense to us to “feed” the skin with the same nutritious fruits and vegetables we put in our bodies. We decided to partner with Life Lab because their values are in alignment with ours — to deepen the connection with kids and the healthy foods they eat. Life Lab is a nonprofit that provides garden education curriculum for schools and I 100% believe that every school should have access to a school garden so they can experience an “edible education”.

The Greenly Guide: How do you keep your own children interested in healthy foods?

Allyson: In many ways! By being an example and making healthy foods choices every day for myself; always stocking plenty of fruits and veggies they have easy access to as a snack; I juice with my son and make smoothies for my daughter regularly (which is how they prefer to get those extra nutrients in, respectively); we go to farmer’s markets; we visit Life Lab on the weekends and enjoy running around the farm (it’s in Santa Cruz, CA which is fairly close to us); we provide a lot of color on the plate especially at dinner time so the food is visually appealing; I tell the kids why the healthy foods they are eating are good for them (i.e. good for your eyesight, makes your bones strong). I also get a lot of healthy recipe inspiration from food bloggers.

The Greenly Guide: As a mother and business owner, how do you find balance between your work and home life?

Allyson: It’s a juggle! But I am so grateful I am able to do this kind of work. I work very efficiently between school drop-off and pickup and I don’t look at my computer again until after the kids are in bed (unless it’s urgent–sometimes things come up!). I often stay up late to get any unfinished work completed and I’m a little more tired than I like, but I honestly wouldn’t change a thing about my current work/home life situation. I love it!

The Greenly Guide: Pleni Naturals has been certified as a brand with MADE SAFE – can you share why it was important to you to pursue this certification and what it means for your brand?

Allyson: I knew while developing the Pleni Naturals line I wanted it to be nontoxic and I spent a lot of time in R&D making sure every product was clean. People may not realize how much work this is; especially when your ingredient “NO” list is as long as ours! Plus, there is a lot of greenwashing in the skincare industry and no regulatory body that prevents companies from calling their products “nontoxic”. How is the consumer supposed to trust skincare brands with all of this greenwashing going on? What products are truly safe to purchase/use? I like MADE SAFE because they screen products for us – the consumer – and only certify products that do not contain harmful toxins that affect our bodies and our environment. And when I learned about MADE SAFE and their mission to eliminate toxins from all products we use in our home, I knew this was the certification I had to have for our brand. Currently, all three Pleni Naturals products are MADE SAFE certified and I plan on all future products we develop to be MADE SAFE certified as well.

The Greenly Guide: What has been your greatest challenge in developing your line of products?

Allyson: By far, the biggest challenge in developing the Pleni Naturals products is preservation! If a product has water in it, it needs to be preserved. Period. The challenge is that it is truly difficult to find preservatives that work and are also natural. There needs to be more options in this area and I am sure every single green skin care company feels the same way! We were lucky to find a 100% natural lactobacillus preservative that works great for our Apple + Broccoli Hair and Body Wash but it doesn’t work for our yet to be released lotion, which we won’t launch until we find a safe preservative blend that works and is in alignment with our values. Also, the problem with the few natural preservatives that are available is that some contain salicylates (think salicylic acid) and these are not appropriate for babies and kids or pregnant women, who also use our products.

The Greenly Guide: Can you share what brings you the most joy about Pleni Naturals?

Allyson: The product development process is a huge joy for me. I absolutely love it! It’s exciting every time. Also, the biggest thrill is when I hear from customers on how the baby oil treated their baby’s cradle cap or how the hair and body wash left their kiddo’s skin so soft and hydrated. This is what it is all about!

The Greenly Guide: What can we expect from your brand in 2017? Any exciting plans you can share?

Allyson: YES! I’m so excited! We are in development with some new products that will launch later this year. Hint: it will be a treat for moms and all ladies alike that care about effective, clean beauty!

Win a Pleni Naturals product bundle!

I am very excited to give you an opportunity to try some of these wonderful organic and non-toxic kids products! The Greenly Guide has partnered with Allyson and Pleni Naturals to offer one of you the opportunity to win all three of their current products: the Cucumber + Grape Baby Oil, the Apple + Broccoli Hair and Body Wash and the Berry + Olive Baby Balm!  Not only are these great for your kiddos, but for the adults in your family too!

Make sure to head over to our Instagram page HERE for all of the giveaway details!

[Giveaway is only open to residents of the United States who are 18 years or older]

*All photos in this post are courtesy of and belong to Pleni Naturals.

Connect with Pleni Naturals on their website, Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest.

The post Brand Profile and Interview with Allyson Owens of Pleni Naturals appeared first on The Greenly Guide.

All it takes is a quick google search, or a stroll through the aisles of your local toy store and you will surely find a large selection of children’s play makeup kits.  Those makeup kits are cute and most likely appeal to your child with their favorite TV character on the front of the box, but what is inside these products is anything but appealing.  The majority of these items, which are marketed toward young girls, are filled with unsafe ingredients – parabens, phthalates, synthetic fragrances and synthetic dyes to name a few. With so many unsafe options on the market, I am so pleased and excited to introduce you to a safe and organic option, Prim & Pure.

As the mother to a daughter who loves playing dress up, and is always begging to play with my makeup, Prim & Pure was an amazing discovery.  Prim & Pure is focused on providing earth-friendly and sustainable products that are safe for your aspiring princesses.  Their products contain a variety of certified organic and plant-based ingredients, and are always cruelty free, paraben free, phthalate free, non-GMO, free of synthetic FD&C dyes and fragrances, gluten free and made in the USA.

While their products are intended to be fun and playful, they are also packed full of beneficial ingredients such as natural plant oils and extracts, and soothing flower essences that are safe for the sensitive skin of our precious little ones.  Their range currently includes lip glosses, cream eye shadows, body glitters, perfume rollers, blushes and odor free, peel-off nail polishes.  With an adorably branded line of products that will excite little ones, and have mom’s raiding their daughter’s vanity, you can feel good about allowing your little girls to play and use their imagination with fun and safe makeup.

We had the pleasure of speaking with owner and creator of Prim and Pure, Kelli Jackson.  In our interview, she is sharing her journey in creating her company and what makes it special, and safe for our little ones.  Kelli has also very generously offered a giveaway, where one of you will have the opportunity to win a gift set of your choosing to spoil a sweet little one in your life, so make sure to head over to The Greenly Guide Instagram feed HERE for the details on how to enter!  Read on below for our full interview with Kelli!

The Greenly Guide: Like a lot of moms, I know you mentioned becoming very aware of toxins and chemicals after you had children – what was it that finally inspired you to take action to create Prim and Pure?

Kelli: After dealing with my own endocrine health issues and working with some other natural product companies, I started blogging and working with some groups in my community. Over the past few years, the amount of growth in the industry has been astonishing and I’ve loved watching so many new products and companies come to the market giving consumers more choices. There are so many great green beauty brands now, however; I struggled to find clean products at reasonable price points for parents and children, so that’s when I set the wheels in motion to start my own line.

The Greenly Guide: Having just launched in November 2016, can you share a little about Prim and Pure as a company and what someone can expect from your products?

Kelli: When I decided to start my own line, I laid out what was most important to me. Those things ended up being safety, affordability and social impact. There are many products I could push to market but the quality or integrity of ingredients aren’t there. There are other products I would love to offer but right now, I can’t source them at affordable enough prices I’d want for my customers. Lastly, I want to make an impact….. that’s why I work as hard as I do. If I wanted to make more money, I’d take my MBA and go back to my corporate 9-5 job….. but now what’s more important to me is my kids and following my passion, and Prim and Pure has been that outlet to help spread awareness and offer safer alternatives.

The Greenly Guide: Do you have a favorite product in the line? What was the first product you created?

Kelli: Great question. Funny enough the first product I worked on was the one that actually tested my patience and aggravated me the most! Nail Polish is a tricky product. There are dozens of companies now making 5 Free, 7 Free, etc. type polishes which leads consumers to assume it must be a safe product and stop looking further to see what else is really in the polish besides just what it’s free of – when you take out something, you have to replace it with something else. I was determined to offer a water-based polish that also didn’t require the use of polish removers which are also known to contain many harmful chemicals.

Water based polishes consist of 75% or more of water, and trying to get a water base to act like a paint and form a hard film that’s going to last for a period of time on top of a porous nail surface can be challenging. Hence, not many main stream companies are attempting these formulas because it’s expensive and they don’t perform as long as their conventional counterparts. Nitrocellulose resins are the most commonly used because they are really cheap to formulate with. Prim and Pure polishes are 5 Free and also without nitrocellulose, glycol ethers, biphenyl A, acetates, acetone, alcohol, FD&C colors….. and instead we use a water and fruit and veggie base. They truly are odorless, and if you have a polish that gives off odor – you need to ask yourself what ingredient that might be!

That being said, the manufacturing process for the polishes ended up delaying my launch and frustrated the heck out of me because I was so excited to get going, but I’m so glad I waited because they came out beautiful! I’m excited to offer more colors as the business grows and I can invest in more inventory.

The Greenly Guide: Are there any items that you think Moms would want to borrow from their daughter’s stash of Prim and Pure products?

Kelli: Yes! I’ve had many moms coming back to purchase lip glosses, perfumes and eye shadows for themselves! The lip glosses for sure right now have been a huge hit! The shades are really beautiful and they wear very well while also being very nourishing for your lips! Hard to find many green beauty products under $10 with clean ingredients, but like I said that was one of my goals!

The Greenly Guide: How do you stay motivated as a mom and a business owner?

Kelli: Pure and simple…. Passion! Sure some days are hard, and I get frustrated when my kids are storming through my office while I’m packing orders, but I’ve been getting better about finding the balance that works for all of us as a family. My motivation comes from my kids, my customers, and the constant feedback I get about how much I’ve helped a person or their family get their health back just by creating awareness about our surroundings. When you know you’re making a difference, even just the smallest bit….. that’s all the motivation you need to keep going, no matter how hard it gets or how high that stack of bills grow.

The Greenly Guide: What are your favorite ways to relax after a long day?

Kelli: My guilty pleasure is wine! No shame, it keeps me sane! I find my balance through healthy and clean eating.

The Greenly Guide: I loved reading on your website about your passion for giving back – for every sale made, Prim and Pure donates to various children’s causes – can you talk a little about some of these organizations that you have worked with so far?

Kelli: Right now, I’ve been working with a lot of local events and causes – whether its donating product for various events or raising money for a specific cause or sick child in need. My customer base has been mostly local, but as the brand grows and the business becomes profitable, I am looking forward to working with larger organizations and programs to make an even bigger impact while also continuing to support my local community as well.

The Greenly Guide: What has been the best part about your journey to open Prim and Pure? What has been the hardest?

Kelli: The best part is making a difference and seeing the delight on all the kids faces playing with and enjoying my products. When customers send me their photos of their little ones, my heart melts inside each time – seeing all the fun they are having and also knowing they aren’t burdening their bodies with harmful chemicals.

The hardest has definitely been the back end…. as with any entrepreneur the ideas come easy for me, but the expense and execution have proven challenging. My husband sold something very important to him to raise enough funds for me to purchase my first batch of inventory to get launched, and it was scary for me to take that risk and leap. I hope to pay him back one day…… I have the passion to succeed so I will keep grinding!

The Greenly Guide: Can you share with us any exciting future plans for your brand?

Kelli: I have so many great ideas, I just need to continue to grow the brand so that I can continue to execute future lines and products. The process to just get one product ready from start the finish is a lot more challenging than it seems. Prim and Pure was never intended to be a line just for girls or moms….. but that was what I launched with. I have plans to create fun products for boys as well! Stay tuned and follow us for future exciting updates!

Do you know a little one who would love to try these products? [giveaway closed]

We are very excited to give you an opportunity to try some of these wonderful and safe products! The Greenly Guide has partnered with Kelli and Prim & Pure to offer one of you the opportunity to win a Gift Set of your choice for a special kiddo in your life!  These gift sets are the perfect birthday gift or party favor, and include a lip gloss, eye shadow, nail polish, body glitter and perfume roller!

Make sure to head over to our Instagram page HERE for all of the giveaway details!

[Giveaway is only open to residents of the United States who are 18 years or older]

Connect with Prim and Pure on their website, Facebook, and Instagram.

The post Brand Profile and Interview with Kelli Jackson of Prim & Pure appeared first on The Greenly Guide.

Their mission began as consumers themselves as they tried to find a place to purchase natural and organic items for every day life with convenience and affordability.  With health food stores not always locally available, they decided to create their own place where individuals could shop over 800 brands and over 13,000 high quality products without every having to leave home.  In addition to stocking only the best in natural and safe products for the whole family, The Green Life is also constantly striving to reduce their environmental impact as well.  Their warehouses are designed and constructed according to the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED^® standards and all packages are shipped in recyclable boxes.

A Convenient Way to Shop

With products categories ranging from baby care, skincare, makeup, eco fashion and even safer products for your pets, The Green Life has all of your needs covered – and then some!  What we also love is that The Green Life offers an incredibly convenient ‘Subscribe & Save’ option so you never have to worry about running out of your must-have items.  This allows you to purchase any items in their store at an interval of your choosing so the products will be automatically delivered right to your door – how’s that for hassle-free shopping?

We are so excited to have The Green Life Co-Founder, Dina Dunkley on the blog today sharing more about what you can expect to find on their website, what plans they have for the future and a wonderful Giveaway to try out The Green Life shop for yourself!  Continue reading below for our interview with Dina as well as how you can enter to win a $50 shop credit to their website!

The Greenly Guide: When did you open your shop and what inspired you to create The Green Life?

Dina: The Green Life launched in August, 2016. We came up with the idea of opening The Green Life because we, as consumers were looking for a one-stop-shop where we could purchase natural and organic products for our everyday life with convenience and affordability. Stores like Whole Foods and Fresh Market were always a far distance and when we did make the trip, the prices were always extremely off-putting. We also had trouble finding an online natural and organic store that was trustworthy, made shopping simple, had good customer support and actually had all of the products that we needed. When we created The Green Life we not only created a store stocked with the highest-quality natural and organic brands and products, we wanted to create a community where people could come, explore, shop, learn and have access to a highly-knowledgeable team of customer support staff to answer any of your questions. We hope that The Green Life shop will allow families, just like ours, to be able to finally fill their home with safe, clean, non-toxic products all while contributing to the protection and longevity of our environment and all of the animals and people living in it.

The Greenly Guide: What can your customers expect to find on your website?

Dina: Everything! We offer eco-friendly products for baby, beauty, home, health, pet and more! When we first launched we had 13,000 natural and organic products, now, we are up to about 25,000 and we are still growing. We recently added an additional 8,000 grocery items. We also expanded out into the world of ethical fashion (vegan leather bags, bamboo sunglasses, organic cotton kids clothing, etc.) Because we wanted to offer more products for the home, we added organic mattresses and we will soon be adding home filters, and much more.

When we created The Green Life we not only created a store stocked with the highest-quality natural and organic brands and products, we wanted to create a community where people could come, explore, shop, learn and have access to a highly-knowledgeable team of customer support staff to answer any of your questions. – Dina, Co-Founder of The Green Life

The Greenly Guide: What makes your shop different from other similar online natural marketplaces?

Dina: I cannot speak on other eco stores but what I can say is that we take an approach with our customers that not many other stores take; we are extremely personal. A customer can literally call me at 11pm and I will personally answer any questions they may have. If I cannot speak at the time, they get a call that same day. We have been complimented many times on our customer service and it means so much to us. Also, we’ve noticed that many eco stores tend to stick to a niche and offer products in that area, for example: beauty products, kid’s toys, etc. We want people to be able to shop for ALL of their needs in one convenient location. We also have an awesome Subscribe and Save feature that allows you to have your order come automatically so that you never run out of your most-needed green goods.

The Greenly Guide: What are your guidelines to decide which products or brands you will include on your site?

Dina: The Green Life is very vigilant in ensuring that all of our brands and products that we carry hold at least three or more of the following eco-friendly traits:
• Non-GMO Project Verified
• Certified Vegan
• Fair Trade Certified
• Kosher
• USDA Certified Organic
• Cruelty-Free
• Certified Gluten-Free
• Certified B Corporation
• Recyclable
• BPA Free
• Non-Toxic
• Made in the USA
• Sustainable Materials

The Greenly Guide: Do you ship worldwide?

Dina: We are only shipping within the states at the moment, however, we are currently setting up international shipping and hopefully we will be all set to ship worldwide by the end of the year.

The Greenly Guide: Can you explain your ‘Subscribe and Save’ feature, what products this applies to and what benefits are provided?

Dina: Subscribe & Save is a convenient way for you to shop. It allows you to purchase any items as a recurring order. These items will be automatically delivered to your door at a set time of your choosing. Not only is it a hassle-free way to ensure that you never run out of your much needed goods, but it’s also a way to save money. The more you subscribe, the more you save because you will get 5% off of every order you subscribe to.

We’ve made it very easy for you to subscribe to any items in our store. All you have to do is go to the product page and choose the Subscribe & Save option on the right. You can choose to receive your product(s) every 1 – 9 week(s) or month(s)

Once you place your order, you will be sent an email confirming your subscription. You can cancel, add items or remove items from your subscription at any time.  The best part is that you can add recurring orders and one-time purchase orders all to one cart!
We want your shopping experience to be easy. Life can get really hectic at times. We all have those moments where we forget to stock up on the necessities, hey, we’re only human! We are doing everything we can to improve the quality of life for every single person, and that includes by making their life easier.

The Greenly Guide: What are some of the more unique items found in your shop or something a customer wouldn’t expect to find at your store?

Dina: We have some beautiful fair trade, handmade pieces like our Recycled Metal Menorah from India. We also have some of the most beautiful vegan leather bags and bamboo sunglasses. Something that is a bit more practical and maybe taboo is that we offer all natural, sexual health care products such as personal lubricants and condoms. We also have a wonderful section just for men (because REAL men go green).

The Greenly Guide: What have been your biggest struggles in curating The Green Life?

Dina: Some of the biggest struggles is researching brands that we want to offer on The Green Life. Because we have such strict standards, it is no easy task trying to find the right brands and products to offer. We were lucky enough to be able to work with the world’s largest distributor for natural and organic products and they provided us with hundreds of the brands we sell. However, many of the other brands were sourced by me, personally. For example, I LOVE Sophie la giraf’s cosmetic line so I took a chance and reached out to them and they approved The Green Life to sell their products immediately because they loved our store. Some brands will contact me after they find us through Instagram or some other source. One of the high-end brands we carry, Secret in-a-tube reached out to us and we were glad they did because they sell vegan, PETA-approved, high-end skin care products and we definitely wanted to start offering their lines because it is not common to come across a facial care or cosmetic brand that not only works incredibly well, but was started by a Doctor and is cruelty-free.

The Greenly Guide: Can you share with us any exciting plans for your shop or what you are most excited about for the future of your business?

Dina: Our greatest goal is to make every home and every family a little greener. It is so important to us that being eco-friendly and a conscious shopper starts to spread worldwide. We find that other countries like England, Australia and Israel seem to have very progressive laws when it comes to animal rights, labeling of products and being just overall more environmentally friendly. We hope the US can start to head in that direction. As far as our business, we are just growing more and more every single day. We started with 13,000 products and in 4 months have grown to about 20,000.

The Greenly Guide: Anything else to add?

Dina: One thing we would like to add is that The Green Life is a family-owned and operated business so when you shop with us, you are shopping small. The Green Life is also a veteran-owned, woman-owned and minority-owned business.

Bring a little green into YOUR home!

[[Giveaway is CLOSED]] Congratulations to the winner @shelivesgreen!

We have teamed up with The Green Life to offer you an exciting opportunity to explore this amazing natural online marketplace!  We will be giving away one $50 store credit to shop online at The Green Life website!

Head on over to our Instagram page HERE or see below to find out how to enter! Good luck!!

Giveaway is open to US residents only. Must be 18 years or older to enter. Giveaway will run from Tuesday, November 29, 2016 to Friday, December 2, 2016 at 11:00 PM EST. Winner will be chosen randomly and announced at the bottom of this post as well as over on our Instagram feed on Saturday, December 3, 2016. $50 store credit must be used in one order. No giveaway accounts please. This giveaway is in no way sponsored by Instagram.

HOW TO ENTER:

–Make sure you are following The Greenly Guide AND The Green Life over on Instagram

–Comment on the Instagram giveaway photo tagging three friends

–Leave a comment below telling us what you are most interested in buying if you are chosen as the winner! (make sure to include your Instagram username in your comment here so we know it’s you!)

***OPTIONAL–Receive 5 extra entries by reposting our giveaway photo on Instagram (make sure to tag us in your repost!)

Connect with The Green Life

-The Green Life website

–Facebook

–Instagram

–Twitter

The post Shop Spotlight: The Green Life – Bringing a little more green into every home appeared first on The Greenly Guide.