healthy living

8 April 2020

Seekology beauty and wellbeing
UPDATE - SEEKOLOGY HAS CLOSED 

In an effort to stay busy during lockdown, I've had a few brands reach out to me and I've uncovered hidden gems which I didn't know about before. Today I'd like to introduce you to Seekology and here is an interview with the founder Rebecca, I hope you enjoy reading!

Tell me a little bit about yourself and what inspired you to start your store and website, Seekology?
I worked in retail for many years, including as the John Lewis Beauty Buyer. I was increasingly seeing amazing, innovative independent brands springing up with no outlet to reach customers, and at the same time real customer appetite to shop from small businesses. Hence the idea for Seekology was born, and I opened my first store in Richmond in November 2019. Over the four months this pop up was open we featured 70 independent, British brands, all with amazing stories to tell, from solid shampoo inspired by the desire to reduce plastic waste to sustainably created activewear made from recycled plastic bottles. Of course, we are only selling online these days, at www.seekology.co, but we hope to have more pop up shops in future! When I'm not working on Seekology I'm looking after my two young children and occasionally playing the violin.

Why is beauty & wellbeing important to you?
I've always been drawn to the wellbeing element of beauty, and how something as simple as a delicious smelling moisturiser or scented candle can lift someone's mood. There's always something new to discover in these areas and that keeps it exciting, especially with the innovation we're currently seeing around natural and sustainable products. And what's most important to me is creating a platform that supports entrepreneurs in this vibrant and innovative industry so that they are able to grow and thrive.

At Seekology I'm keen that beauty & wellbeing are inclusive and I recognise that these mean different things to different people. For some customers an indulgent vegan face mask is what they need, whereas we have others that are focusing on our sports offering with beautiful yoga mats from Willow Yoga. I aim to cater to conscious consumers that are interested in a more sustainable lifestyle, without compromising on style.

What five words best describe your brand?
Honest, collaborative, kind, innovative, inspirational

What is your top beauty "must have" product?
My latest "must have" is the Rosalena rose quartz facial tool. Rosalena was one of the first brands we launched Seekology with and this product is a real stand out - our customers seemed to think so too. It's small enough to fit in an overnight washbag and when used every day it not only improves drainage and circulation in the face, it also helps create a mini wellbeing ritual inspired by the brand's mantra of "Pause, Breathe, Be".

Seekology is a marketplace, what do you look for when choosing brands to work with?
I look for brands that have unique stories - whether from the founders themselves, the provenance of ingredients or a unique angle. A good example would be Heka Aromatherapy. The founder, Naomi, came into our store for a chat and we became one of her first stockists. Her products look and smell beautiful and she has fully immersed herself in a career change from PR to aromatherapy by becoming a real expert, training with Neal's Yard. As soon as I spoke to her I knew her brand would be a success.

If a brand is interested to work with you, how can they get involved?
Please get in touch via the form on www.seekology.co, although we have had such interest we are working through a backlog of requests and we are a very small team, so we'd appreciate your patience! Be clear on what you brand stands for and why it is different to the products we already sell, as well as being ready to sell - this includes testing, packaging and distribution.

How are you coping with the current situation and how can people support indie business at this time?
It's definitely been a testing few weeks and whilst running a wellbeing business I probably haven't been practising what I preach as well as I could have done! However I'm now settling into the new way of life and trying to make time for myself every day - even if it's just using a body scrub in the shower! I would love people to support indie businesses at this difficult time. Many of the brands we represent are very new to market and their founders are unable to benefit from the various government schemes available, so they need our support. Plus, their products are truly fantastic and I would urge everyone to think carefully about where they spend their money at this time.

end of interview

29 May 2018

Nuto Popped Lotus Seeds Vegan & Gluten Free
I BELIEVE THIS COMPANY HAS CEASED TRADING AS THEIR WEBSITE IS NOT LONGER WORKING, IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR AN ALTERNATIVE BRAND THEN CHECK OUT Karma Bites Popped Lotus Seeds

Good morning everyone, today I'm changing things up a little and switching topics to food and in particular snacks. I think we are all looking for healthier alternatives to crisps and when you have allergies I bet you don't leave the house without emergency snacks in your bag. Nuto peaked my interest when I first sampled them at NOPE 2016 and I recently invited owner and founder, Puja for an interview.

2 January 2014


Review Aqua Zinger Water Infusing Bottle
I think most of us strive to be more eco conscious and one way to do this is to ditch plastic bottled drinks. Yes, some plastics can be recycled but others cannot plus you have to consider the manufacturing processes as polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is a petroleum product. We are reliant on people recycling and I image many bottles still end up in landfills. There is also concern for Bisphenol A (BPA) which is used to make plastics. You often see manufacturers promoting BPA free products.

“The science is not yet completely clear on how BPA may affect humans. BPA may mimic hormones and interfere with the endocrine system of glands, which release hormones around the body. Some scientists think that if it interferes with sex hormones, this could affect puberty or the menopause or cause cancers that are related to hormones. Those calling for a ban suggest that it may be a factor in a rising numbers of human illnesses, such as breast cancer, heart disease and genital birth defects.” www.nhs.uk

One way to reduce environmental impact of plastic bottles and encourage you to drink more water is with the Aqua Zinger. The idea is you can create your own flavoured water using fruit and herbs. The leaflet inside the box and website gives you some recipe suggestions. I started off with raspberries simply because I had some in my freezer. 
Review Aqua Zinger Water Infusing Bottle
The Aqua Zinger is very simple to use. You need to unscrew the base, add a handful of fruit, screw back together, fill with water, shake and leave to stand for 15-30 minutes to allow infusion. It obviously depends on ingredient quality but I did find a delicate fruity flavour is achievable. The amount of fruit used is small so food wastage is minimal and you can empty onto the compost. 

I do not have a dishwasher but found the zinger easy to clean by hand. It’s worth rinsing out the grinder if you don’t intend washing straight away because I found dried on fruit was a little tricky to remove from the blades. The Aqua Zinger is portable so you could take this out and about, may be use at work or after a session at the gym.

The Aqua Zinger is available for around £24.99, there are different colour options and it can be purchased on several websites including JD Harris. I think the Aqua Zinger is an interesting product, what do you think?

Sarah x

Disclaimer - PR Sample, 100% my own opinions from testing products, links are NOT affiliated

Instagram

Sugarpuffish. Theme by STS.