Natural Detox

Detoxing is a great way to remove the build up of toxins from your body.  We are exposed to toxins daily via chemicals in the air we breathe, the water we drink, the food and beverages we consume, the makeup, skin care and hair products we use.  Even the clothes we wear and the furniture we sit on.  While we may not be able to rid ourselves of all of the toxins we're exposed to choosing some natural alternatives is the best option.

Detoxing is seen by some as not such a good thing to do, suddenly depriving the body of all the things it's used to.  Taking these things away in one hit can stress some bodies out.  Others swear by detoxing, it's the be-all-and-end-all of cleansing the body and mind.

In general detoxing should be done for no longer than 7 days, however, the aim off this blog is to get you started off gradually and build up to a life style that promotes good health and aids in keeping the amount of toxins you're exposed to at a minimum.

So what are some natural ways to detox?

Natural bath salts are a great way to detox.  The salts draw out impurities from your body while you enjoy a relaxing soak in your bath.  It doesn't get much better than that.  Choosing natural salts that contain essential oils NOT fragrance is important as fragrance contain stabilizers that can contribute to the build up of toxins in your body.

[JOLI Bath Salts ~ Serenity]

Drinking herbal tea is a great way to flush toxins from the body.  Teas such as green tea, chamomile, jasmine and peppermint are all good as they contain no caffeine.  Avoid black tea and coffee.  If you're often tired in the morning peppermint tea and eating an apple are both great ways to wake you up in the morning.  Water is also good, however, drinking warm tea also helps aid digestion and is something you can continue to do as part of a healthy lifestyle.

Lemon water, a glass of water with a squeeze of lemon juice is good for kick starting the metabolism.  Have a glass first thing in the morning and after your last meal at night time.  If you're concerned about toxins in tap water think about getting a water purifier.

Eating healthy foods is a must.  Lots of fruits and vegetables.  Cut down on processed foods and foods that contain additives.  Again, this list of foods is something you can maintain as part of a healthy eating plan and doesn't need to be something you only do part time.

Avoid mainstream makeup, skin care and hair care products.  They contain all sorts of toxins/chemicals that are absorbed into your body as they are applied/used.  Move to more natural alternatives such as JOLI Natural Skin Care and a good brand of mineral makeup. 
Here are some brands we have researched and found that their ingredients list is quite good - though I am sure there are plenty more (if you know of more chemical free makeup brands feel free to share):

• CC Mineral Makeup
• Elusyion Mineral Makeup
• Adorn Mineral Makeup
• The All Natural Face

As you can see from the list of foods to eat [above], there is also a list of foods to avoid.  Of course sugar and alcohol are on the list.  If you smoke and wish to detox it would be necessary to quit smoking for at least 7 days during your detox (if you have no desire to quit altogether).  Cigarettes have all sorts of chemicals in them that pollute the body, causing skin to dry out and age more quickly, causing teeth to decay and discolour, and also cause your clothes, body, breath and house to smell (and your car if you smoke in there).  Giving up completely may not be something you're able to do - so try for 7 days to see how you feel.  You never know, after a 7 day detox you might not feel like taking up smoking again.

Change your cleaning agents to either home made or more natural alternatives.  This too limits the amount of toxins you're exposed to via your clothing, and wash your new clothes prior to wearing them to wash away as many chemicals as you can.  It may not have occurred to you however dyes are made with all sorts of chemicals that can cause skin reactions - this is especially important to know when considering children and babies.

What other ways can you think of to naturally detox?

  

August Gift Box Giveaway - 2012

It's that time of the month again where we are giving YOU a wonderful opportunity to win a gift box full of gorgeous goodies from some wonderful Australian companies.

In this Gift Box you get: 

Gorgeous purple vintage button stud earrings by Creative Mandie,
Two adorable finger puppets by Your Cheeky Monkey,
A pretty silver and rose handmade jewellery trinket box,
A delightful jasmine and frangipani scented tea candle by Inner Glow,
Yummy yummy box of snakes, minties and peanuts by Rainbow Designs,
Stunning handmade green and black beaded earrings by TTTreasures,
Bubble Bath Crumble Bar by JOLI Natural Skin Care.

So now you're wanting to know   
 "How do I enter?"

Entering this competition is easy.  You MUST like ALL of the pages of the businesses taking part in this Gift Box [click on the links below to be transported to each of these wonderful pages], and WRITE a message on EACH of page's wall letting them know you are liking their pages as part of the August Gift Box competition [feel free to browse and shop their gorgeous goodies while you're there!!].  If you're already a liker of any of these pages still leave a comment saying you are already a fan wanting to be part of the August Gift Box Comp.  The pages and comments will be monitored and names of those who comment will go into the draw.  If you don't like all the pages your entry will be null and void.
Winner will be announced Friday 31st August at around 6pm.

[Open to Australian residents only.]  GOOD LUCK!!!!

  

Australian Made vs Made in China

JOLI Natural Skin Care quality products at affordable prices

I don't know how others feel about this type of thing... still I have to ask.  What comes to mind when you see those super cheap K Mart, Rivers and other low low price ads offering $12 shoes, $5 T-Shirts, cheap toasters and microwaves?


Do you say "Yay, it's exactly what I need"?  Do you wonder why or how the prices are so low?  Maybe wonder about the quality?

When I see those ads  I think of sweat shops.  Asians working long hours to make products that can be sold here for cheap, getting paid .2c an hour to make items that are sold for more than the people who make them are worth.
It also makes me worry about Australian small business and Australian jobs.  At the same time I appreciate the aspect of sharing our wealth and offering jobs to people who would otherwise struggle to survive (though how much of the profits go to them we don't know).

When it comes to Made in China it can be quite tricky trying to find stuff that isn't.  I have a friend who refuses to purchase anything that says Made in China (or Taiwan and the like).  I went shopping for a gift to give her sons and found nothing she'd find suitable.  It was so frustrating.  Every single toy and item I picked up said Made in China!

I like to support local Australian businesses - for a number of reasons.  I like Australian made.  I like giving money back to our economy.  I like supporting the people whose businesses keep our country running.  Being a small business myself I appreciate the time and effort that goes into manufacturing a product and trying to run a successful company, therefore I like to support small businesses as much as possible.

Here are some businesses I like to shop with:

Your Cheeky Monkey.  I have purchases a number of items from the lovely Monique such as cute little finger puppets, seriously good quality flannels as well as a birth of baby gift pack.  Your Cheeky Monkey offers unique, eco-friendly and fair trade products and excellent service.

Eco Toys.  As the name suggests their products are eco friendly, green and made with sustainable and natural resources.  I love the fact that I am doing something good for the environment when I shop with them.  And their service is impeccable.  I purchased and item that wasn't quite right, asked them a question about the product and was sent a replacement product free of charge and it's perfect.  Keeps my boys occupied for ages.

STUNTgirls.  One of the things I hate the most is going clothes shopping.  You know how it is.  Those awful mirrors and lights that leave you feeling like everything looks crap on you.  My solution to this is to shop for clothes on-line.  My fear was that I would get the sizing wrong however Stuntgirls have the measurements written out so you know exactly what you're getting.  Once I knew what size I was I can now order on-line knowing what I purchase will fit me, and they always throw in a little freebie.  We all love a freebie!

Rainbow Designs.  What can I say, chocolates and lollies delivered to your door!  It just doesn't get any better than that.  It's a great way to send a gift to those far away from you, those hard to buy for people whom you know LOVE chocolates and lollies - yum yum.  With the price of postage included in the price and goodies delivered to your door it is an excellent gift idea.  Or as a treat for yourself for cleaning the house.

Romantic Flair Original.  We are serious tea drinkers in my family so it stands to reason when Your Cheeky Monkey had a competition to win a personalised coffee cup I jumped at the chance.  I'm not one of those people who win things so I was pleasantly surprised to win and decided to make a personalised cup for hubby with a photo of our boys.  Of course I had to order a cup for myself as well.  And also ordered a cup for my mother in law who doesn't get to see her grandchildren often.  Their range is way more than just cups, personalised baubles, educational toys, plates the list is huge.  All created by the lovely and talented Marthese.

And of course there are some fabulous and amazing jewelery makers out there.  Too many to mention I'm sure.  I'm not a big wearer of jewelery myself.  Too lazy to be bothered changing it up all the time.  Yet jewelery is a wonderful gift for my family and friends who like the bling, pizazz, colour and fashion statement of one off beautiful pieces of work.  These lovely ladies (below) have stunning handmade jewelery that I can't help but fall in love with and I'm sure you will too.

TTTreasures.  Unique and funky, made with crystals, gemstones and beads from various parts of the globe, her designs are a real eye catcher to wear.  Simply stunning, creative, eye catching jewelery

Creative Mandie.  Does unique things with vintage buttons, recycled, natural and/or re-sued materials.  So again I'm making green choices when I purchase there.  I gave my mum some purple coffee cup place-mats creatively made out of vintage buttons, such a unique gift my mum couldn't help but appreciate.

Platypus Dreams artisan soaps.  Now it may seem a tad odd for me to plug a competitor, yet I can't help but not do it.  Platypus Dreams have some of the most amazing soaps I've seen, gorgeous, pretty, divinely scented.  With a choice of fragrance or essential oil soaps.  Why, they're the reason I gave up soap making... if/when I'm ever that good I'll take it up again.  Until then I'll be in awe and desire for their beautiful soaps.

Bubbalooba.  Now I confess I've never purchased from Bubbalooba only because I don't have any babies :(  However I love her hand made products and what her business stands for.  Environmentally friendly cloth nappies, wipes, wetbags and change mats, with funky designs and prints in a range of sizes.  We know cloth nappies are good for the environment and supporting a local home grown business is an added plus.

JOLI Natural Skin Care.  Now I can't go and talk about supporting Australian made if I don't mention JOLI and the beauty of skin care delivered to your door anywhere within Australia.  Environmentally friendly skin care that also makes a wonderful gift for family and friends.  I know it's easier to purchase your skin care while you're up the street doing your shopping.  I also know products that sit on store shelves aren't good for you.  The beauty of buying on-line from JOLI is that you don't even have to leave your house, plus the products ARE good for you.

All these businesses are home grown so you support our economy and Australian jobs when you purchase from them.  I know there are loads of great Aussie businesses out there we can support and these are but a few.  And I'm all for sharing our wealth among more poorer countries so I don't mind shopping at the big stores as well, after all it's jobs for our people, yet I think it's equally important to support small businesses who are the backbone of our country.

Spruce up your tootsies ~ DIY recipes.

Feet are one of our most neglected body parts and foot-care products tend to be slow selling items because of this.  Out of site out of mind.

How about some DIY foot-care recipes you can enjoy at home.

Beach Sand Foot Scrub:
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 tablespoons beach sand
3-5 drops rosemary essential oil

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl with a fork.  Massage scrub onto feet, over a bath tab or in the shower, concentrating on problem areas.  Rinse off with warm water and pat dry.

Lemon Soak (for dry rough feet):
1 bowl warm water
juice of one lemon

Add lemon juice to warm water in a bowl.  Soak feet for 15 - 20 minutes.  Give feet a good going over with a pumice stone on problem areas.  Pat feet dry.

Pine Foot Bath (for stinky feet):
1 bowl warm water
a splash of witch hazel
5 drops of pine essential oil

Add witch hazel and pine eo to warm water and soak feet for 10mins.  Pat dry.

Sage Deodorizing Foot Powder:
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 drops sage essential oil

Mix baking powder and oil in a plastic bag and shake well.  Allow to dry.  Break up any clumps (sift if necessary).  Dust feet regularly with powder and add a teaspoon in shoes overnight.

Relaxing Foot Bath:
a handful of lavender flowers, thyme and rosemary (or have only one of these herbs)
2 cups boiling water
2 tablespoons sea salt

Made a herbal infusion by soaking the herbs in the boiling water.  Allow to cool then strain, keeping liquid and discarding herbs to the compost.
Fill a large bowl with moderately hot water.  Add the herbal liquid and the sea salt.  Soak your feet in the warm foot bath for 10-20mins.  Finish off with a gentle foot rub and massage with a relaxing oil - such as Luscious Body Butter.

Enjoy!

  

The Truth About 'Other' Moisturisers

You ask anyone who has been using natural skin care for a long period of time (6+ months) and they will tell you their skin has never looked so good.  Many who make the switch have used mainstream cosmetics and skin care products for years, so they're in a really good position when they tell you their skin looks amazing and they'll never switch back.

What does this say about mainstream moisturisers?  For the most part they have some similar moisturising ingredients and properties - though they may contain petroleum based ingredients which do little to moisturise our skin, as well as all the fancy chemicals they put in their products: claiming to have NEW and IMPROVED formulas - for example argireline (acetyl hexapeptide-3).  This builds up hype for an old product so it can be re-sold as something more impressive.  That's not to say that these fancy man made chemicals don't do as they say, get deep into the skin with their nanotechnology etc.  They most likely do.  Enough bunnies have suffered at the hands of man to prove that it works.  And each year more and more new improve synthetic and potentially toxic ingredients are created to sell more moisturisers.  It's just that these fancy chemicals are not really better for us (i.e. good for us) than products that don't contain them.  They sound better, they sound impressive, they sound like amazingly wonderful scientific discoveries.  And who knows, perhaps they are?  You might be lulled into believing mainstream moisturisers are better than a natural moisturiser because "the adds say so" - and fear not as you're not the only one tricked into believing the hype.

The truth is it's not a better product than a natural moisturiser because it contains these fancy chemicals.  For one thing nanotechnology also means more toxins get deeper into our skin which is NOT a good thing.  As mentioned, natural skin care has the same moisturising properties as mainstream* skin care, yet without all the icky stuff and the adverse effects this stuff has on our skin and bodies, i.e. build up of toxins in our skin cells, eczema, psoriasis etc.  

So it's no wonder those that are making the switch to natural skin care (truly genuine natural skin care - not pretend natural) are seeing the benefits and noticing the difference in the appearance of their skin.  They've made the switch to skin care that REALLY DOES moisturise, hydrate and reduce fine lines because the wholesome ingredients in them are designed by nature to do just this!

So don't be fooled by what you see on TV and what the superstars are PAID to tell you.  Switching to natural skin care is considerably better for you and your skin.  If you're not already using natural skin care what is stopping you?

*mainstream skin care refers to products that are not made fresh upon order and are able to sit on store shelves for long periods of time because they have ingredients in them (synthetic chemicals) that allow them to be stored indefinitely.  Did you purchase your skin care from a store?  Then most likely it is not natural / 100% natural even if it is claimed to be.

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visit www.jolinatural.com.au the HOME of truly natural skin care and subscribe today!!!

  

Pink Washing for Cancer Awareness/Cure

Where do JOLI stand when it comes to cancer foundations, fund raising events and pink this and that?  Well it might surprise you to know that pink washing (the art of making something pink and selling it to the population in order to boost product sales under the premise that money will be donated to some cancer fund or another) doesn't sit well with us.

Many of these pink products contain chemicals in them that are known carcinogens.  Which is like saying "We'll donate money to a charity that brings forth cancer awareness / cure from the sale of this product that causes cancer in the first place." or "We'll donate money to go towards the very companies that produces these chemicals to begin with."

Caner awareness?  Cure for cancer?  What is that?  And where is finding and eliminating or even reducing the CAUSE in all this?  Cancer is on the rise even with all these fund raising events (and rest assured humanity donates copious amounts of money every year!  Almost all of the funds raised to cure cancer comes from the public making donations even though the pharmaceutical companies who make billions of dollars a year fund only 2%).  Yet, cancer is still not abating.

We are more aware of cancer now than ever before because so many of us are have been touched by cancer in some form or another.  With so many chemicals in so many different things, and with us being born with these chemicals  (even obsolete ones) in our blood streams, how can we not be.

As for a CURE for cancer, most money raised goes towards research for better drugs to make the cancer go away once a person has it.  Don't get me wrong, medicines that treat a person efficiently and kill off the cancer is a wonderful development and we have come leaps and bounds in this field.  Money raised also aids those who cannot afford the medications and treatments.
Still  I'm fairly certain that many of us are aware that part of the root cause of cancer is ALL the chemicals we are exposed to on a daily basis... yet,

large cosmetic corporations use known carcinogens and anticancer drugs are tested on animals

No-one is shouting from the roof tops DITCH THE CHEMICALS so that cancer can abate.  No-one is shouting from the roof tops WE'LL STOP USING THESE CHEMICALS and see if cancer rates decline.  No-one is shouting from the roof tops WE'LL STOP USING THESE CHEMICALS "AND" donate money towards finding the root cause of cancer. 

The bottom line for me is unless and until these CANCER cure, awareness, companies ARE protesting against the use of CHEMICALS in our skin care products, cleaning products, foods, meats, clothing, furniture etc. there is little point in donating for a cure.  It's not good enough!

Many people who host a pink event are happy to have products that contain known carcinogens because many products are donated and they'll take what they can get to boost attendance / fundraising.  Some cancer beauty facilities will accept products from L'Oreal etc. even though these products contain known carcinogens.  Because they rely on donations for their business to survive.  Big companies can afford to DONATE vast quantities of products, which in turns boosts their reputation, which in turn boosts their sales, which in turn boosts the rate of cancer causing agents getting into people's systems.

When it comes to fund raising events, many of the people who attend or participate in these events use products laden with chemicals.  Maybe it's their haircare products or their aftershave, or their skin care, their makeup, their cleaning products.  Or maybe it's the chemicals in the meat they eat, or the chemicals sprayed on their fruit and vegetables.  Chemicals in the tin and plastic packaging.  What ever it is... they're using products that contain chemicals that cause the VERY THING they're hoping to find a cure for.  Seems a little bit out of sorts to me.  They would be better off ditching these types of products altogether so that the companies that produce the chemicals no longer have a monopoly, thus reducing the amount of chemicals manufactured.  Maybe then chemicals can be phased out and we can see what happens to cancer rates.

At JOLI we feel it is more important to educate people about hazardous chemicals in products and help people make informed choices.  Offering alternatives, offering ideas and DIY recipes.  This is our way of reducing cancer among people.  This is our way of contributing to the cancer (and chemical) crisis society currently faces.  We would love to say we support pink events, such as World's Greatest Shave and Australia's Biggest Morning Tea, because the intent behind such events and the people who host them is really quite inspiring.  However, unless we know our contribution goes directly towards reducing the amount of chemicals produced and used then, sadly, it's moot point.

These anti cancer foundations / events need to put their mouths where there money is and demand the use of chemicals be banned, they need to stop supporting companies like Monsanto who produce medicines to fix cancer once you've got it, yet also produce the vast amounts of chemicals we're exposed to daily.

You should also READ: Who Tests on Animals (also covers who uses hazardous ingredients in their products.

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When making enquiries about JOLI donating products and samples to special causes, charities and events please be aware that JOLI have a few select charities and events they regularly support and sponsor. All of whom are intimately familiar with JOLI products and services.  If you are not intimately familiar with our products (i.e. don't use them, recommend then etc.) it would be unwise to request a donation of products you are unfamiliar with.