Natural Beauty, Victhoria la Carioca
“I was raised as a wild soul, always barefoot feeling the soil and the sand. ”
By Ingrid Azeredo
To be born and raised in a city like Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, has many advantages - I can easily name a few ones:
For example, Rio de Janeiro’s climate is tropical Atlantic, the city has important parks and ecological reserves, such as the Tijuca National Park, considered "Environmental Heritage and Biosphere Reserve" by UNESCO, plus Rio has paradisaic and most famous beaches in the world - this amazing se connects us cariocas (term used for those born and raised in Rio de Janeiro) to nature in every way. Victhoria is a great example of a Carioca girl, with her unique beauty, style, daily care routine, and definitely, her tan.
When I was thinking of how to describe a perfect beach girl, Victhoria was the first girl in my mind, therefore, I invited her to talk us through her details and secrets of her beauty care.
I: What is your relationship with nature?
V: My relationship with nature started when I was a kid. I was born in Rio de Janeiro, however, my childhood was in Bahia. I grew up in a beach house with a garden full of fruits, and the beach was right across the street. We used to go fishing, and we´d cook and eat what we had just fished right there, on the boat.-I was raised as a wild soul, always barefoot feeling the soil and the sand. When I moved to Rio de Janeiro this connection did not change. Still to this day, if the sun is out, I will sure be there, on my own.
There are a few things that I feel the most pleased to do. A perfect day for me would be going to the beach, swimming, feeling the sand sticking to my feet, drinking coconut water and eating a traditional carioca snack “ the hot cheese”- it cant get any more carioca than that. It feels so renewing when the sun is burning my skin. That feeds my soul, who I am, my story. My connection with soil, even though I don't have a regular yard, I do have a garden and I love watering my plants - it's very therapeutic, right? Right now in the current moment we are living in the world, this is what brings me daily energy: watering the plants, while listening to good music and sunbathing.I couldn't imagine myself without having all these in my life.
I: Do you feel a relation between your connection with nature and the use of natural/homemade products that you make?
V: Definitely, there is a connection between my skin care routine and nature. My mother’s family is from the interior of Bahia, Maragogipe. My grandma always lived with us and raised us (we are 4 siblings).Farming, freedom, manual work, my grandma´s homemade culinary natural recipes, have always been part of my life. I am sure that it influences me without even realizing - it makes me believe in the power of nature. If we analyzed that all the industrial products have within natural factors, why then not use the material in raw?Although, I do use industrial products too and believe in their results - I would be lying if I told you not. However, I do believe that results from raw materials are as satisfactory or more noticeable when I use them in my skin and hair.They make me feel good and energized!
I: Tell us a bit more about your beauty care routine?
V: I don't consider myself a strict person about my beauty care routine, but I do have daily essential care with my skin, that definitely makes a difference, and sunblock is one of them. Is either a regular one or a foundation that has SPF. Also every day, I moisturize my lips and skin with a message technique - it's so quick and simple that it became the best way to do it.Furthermore, I never sleep with makeup on, I make sure I wash my face properly with a facial soap, moisturize with coconut oil (my favorite product actually) before going to bed. Lastly Iapply some cream I am into right now - the “Copaíba” cream ( made out of a famous tree from Amazon with functions such as antibiotics, anti-inflammatory and healing.) It helps my skin to feel smooth and soft.About my hair…well, it has always been a love relationship. It's part of my personality since I was a kid, I was always very scared of having it cut and when I started to learn how to take care of it, our love intensified.It started when my grandma braided my hair everyday before I left to school, while growing up this made me appreciate it. Eventually it was a big part of me while growing up, I learnt and had preferences of beauty esthetics. I have never washed my hair more than 2x a week - And when I heard that it was good not to use shampoo every single day, I just kept this rule .
I started working at 17, and I looked for alternatives to take better care of myself without spending too much money - I found natural methods. I discovered cool recipes that to this day, I keep trying and testing many things, but not everything works for me.
I: Why do you prefer homemade products to industrial ones?
V: As I said before, the industrial products always have natural raw ingredients in them but add many other things, here its were it looses its simplicity. For example - I.e: the avocado hair mask with honey. Why not use the avocado and honey instead? Right? It's cheaper and more efficient, definitely it will not damage your hair.But industrial products? I do use too -I am not always willing to prepare those beauty blends and plus there is also the specific component I need to get at the pharmacy.Yet, if I had to choose, it would be natural. After all, what can be better than what mother nature offers us, right?
I: With what frequency do you use them? What were the results that you encountered, did you see any difference from what you used before?
V: I would say that I use facial moisturizer the most - varies from 4 - 5 times a week - but I am always switching the mascaras and exfoliator every two weeks. However, with my hair once every week.
I feel more energized, overall.- My hair and skin feel fresher and healthier. Besides, making recipes from scratch is very pleasant for me.
I: Which one is your favorite homemade product? Could you share the recipe?
V: The ingredient that I use the most to make homemade recipes is the Coconut oil. I can make up 20 recipes and always add coconut oil in all of them. It's incredible! It has so many uses, something so simple I carry everywhere. Also, it is a good Lip Balm - very moisturizing.
I: What can't you live without?
V: The beach, 100% ! I miss the beach so bad right now in this quarantine times.
