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.
The power of Gemstones
“NEVER STEAL CRYSTALS, EVER. IT IS BAD NEWS ”
By Ingrid Azeredo
Probably you have heard of gemstones, or had a friend who was very interested in their use, right? - Well, we interviewed someone who can explain to us a bit more about them, and for us to start using them ourselves.
In ancient Egypt and other antique cultures, people believed gemstones had a wide array of health benefits. These carried within them health bonuses depending on the gemstones or mineral. Some people use gemstones as part of their spiritual practices to restore energy fields, gain peace, protecting, and promoting love and safety. Crystals are arranged on or around your body to start healing, this is an energy process where the crystals can act as a channel that helps positive healing energies to flow into the body, rejecting and restoring all the negative energy stored in our physical bodies.
Brazil is known for producing world-class quality gemstones and some of the world’s most striking and rare stones. I am Brazilian, and while living in Brazil I had the pleasure of meeting a shining soul that taught me a lot about spirituality and the use of instruments mother nature offers us - Gemstones among them - His name is Blumau. I decided to interview him to share with more people all of these amazing secrets that are so easy to implement in our lives and especially now with such uncertain times.
Q: When did you start your spiritual path?
A: Well, I was born and raised in a small village surrounded by the Atlantic Forest in the south region of the state of Rio. I don't believe one can spend their childhood among nature without experiencing spirituality at firsthand. To be one with nature is to deal directly with what some people know as “God”. I can say that I was born in a masterclass of spirituality- walking barefoot on grass, feeling the wind playing with the trees, smelling the rain coming beyond the mountains, witnessing how something you plant grows as time goes by... it doesn’t get more spiritual than that. However, I must say that once you are born in this planet your spiritual path starts, whether you recognize it or not.
Q: How did the gemstones appear in your life? Which was your first experience with them?
A: I grew up in a pretty holistic family. My parents were always studying something new so I was fortunate enough to grow up with dozens of amazing books about psychology, behavior, religions, and spirituality. When I was around 13 yo I got really interested in Wicca, like many other "witchy teens" around the world. Even though crystals were not strange to me because my mom always had some of them around the house I think the studies about pagan religions brought me closer to them.
Q: How many stones do you have? How is your relationship with them?
A: Oh My...I don't know. More than I should and less that I want, for sure. As far as my relationship with them as a Crystal Healer they are my tools, my co-workers, my protectors...each one of them has a designation. I love them, take good care of them and make sure they are always recharged and ready to do the work.
Q: Do you have any favorite stone? Which one? Why?
A: It's a hard question to answer because as I said before they all have their job but I'm gonna say I have a special place in my heart for my biended clear quartz (for energetic recharge and transmutation) and my black tourmalines (for protection).
Q: How do I know if they are working on me? Should we expect to feel something?
A: I guess it works as any kind of therapeutic matter. If you are not seeing the results, it's not working. If you are trying to increase your ability to astral projection or to manage your anxiety, for example, you should feel the development of those skills. Plain and simple. It's not something that will work from one day to another but if in a few weeks of treatment you don't feel any change something is not working. When it comes to more punctual things like increasing your energetic field, healing a headache or transmuting into a peaceful state of mind you should feel it more instantly.
Q: Do you remember any specific happening, while using crystals?
A: It's really individual experience. Some people get emotional, some people feel a huge change in their energetic field immediately, some people don't experience anything physical but can feel an instant change in their mood. It can be a roulette of emotions and feelings.
Q: I know you carry stones in your bag, can you explain to us a little bit more of why you carry them around? Can we use them anywhere at any time?
A: Yes you can use them at any time once they are properly charged and clean. I carry three kinds of stones with me, always. The ones for protection, usually a black tourmaline; one for cleaning of energetic fields, the selenite is my favorite one; and one for personal recharge; the clear quartz being my choice for this job.
Q: How do I choose my stones? Or do they choose me?
A: Look, my mom would say you should let them choose you. You should go to a crystal store and let the stones choose you, meaning let them grab your attention. My mom comes from an old school way of dealing with crystals per se. For me, it doesn't matter if you went to a place to buy a stone or if it was a gift or you bought in the internet. If it is in your hands, it chose you. Once they are in your hands you should clean them, charge them, and work in your connection with them.
“Just NEVER steal crystals, EVER. It's bad news.” - Blumau
Q: Are there any care tips for stones we should know about? If so, why?
A: Oh, there's a lot of them. I'm gonna share 3 important ones.
First, be mindful of the sun. A lot of stones (pink quartz and amethyst for example) can lose their color or transparency if they stay for too long in sunlight. If that is your choice for recharging your stones you should choose moments near sunrise or sunset.
Second, it's really common to let your stones sit in a bowl with water and sea salt to clean their energy. Be careful with the amount of sea salt and make sure you rinse your stones well after this bath because sea salt can be a little abrasive and damaging to your gems.
Last but not least is something more personal, some Crystal healers may think some other way when it comes to this but I never let my dark stones (tourmaline, onyx, obsidian, smoky quartz, etc) with the others. Even when they are in the same bag they are in their own cases. I do that because the energetic density of them are a little different from the clear/colorful ones so I rather keep them apart.
Q: How should we take care of them? how often is it necessary?
A: It depends. As a Crystal Healer, I have to take care of my stones daily. They are used in different people, with different issues and/or energetic fields so I need to be really mindful of them. If you just have your crystals for personal purposes you should keep in mind that they should be clean and charged. There are so many ways to clean the energy of your stones and you should pick the one that works better for you. My favorite way for cleaning stones, especially the ones you just bought is with the Indigo Dye that is an organic compound with a strong blue color. It is commonly used in Brazil for spiritual baths and energetic cleaning of all sorts. I always clean my new crystals with Indigo dye and water to make their energy brand new and ready for me to create a connection with them.
When it comes to recharging them: Sunlight, incense, moonlight, rain, gathering with charging crystals (clear quartz are awesome for that), you name it. Whatever works for you. As far as "how often" if you create the right connection with them, you will know. However, let me give you some advice: Create a habit of cleaning and recharging. Maybe every full moon, maybe every 13th day of the month (or whatever date you like).
Q: What are your suggestions for people who are just about to start their own stones collection?
A: There's a lot of information around. Find yourself a nice book about the subject or a youtube channel, an Instagram page...Knowledge is always the best way to go. Some weeks ago I made a video on my IGTV talking about the danger of letting your crystal ball on the wrong spot. If the sun hits it the wrong way it becomes a magnifying glass and you don't want a freaking sun laser pointed to your curtains or your bed. Lol. You should have as much information as you can so that kind of thing doesn't happen to you.
Another important topic for you to keep in mind is our Chakras. Crystal healing goes head to head with the 7 most important vortexes of energy in our bodies and each one of them has a representative color. If you are starting your collection of stones you should start with the ones that go with our chakras. You can pick them by color:
Root Chakra - Red; Sacral Chakra - Orange; Solar Plexus Chakra - Yellow; Heart Chakra - Green; Throat Chakra - Blue; Third Eye Chakra - Indigo; Crown Chakra - Purple
As well as a nice protection stone like the black tourmaline and clear quartz for energetic self-care purposes.
Clean them as soon as you get them, charge them with your technique of choice and work on your connection with every single one of them.