Vovi Blog

Want to live a long, good life? What you eat plays a big role but it’s not everything. Making sure you have an all-around great wellness plan is key. We here at Vovi want to share some of our tips for becoming a healthier you:

• Make sure you get 7-8 hours of sleep each night
• Try Not to Stress (or at least decrease it)
• Execise, Exercise, Exercise (30 minutes a day, 5 days a week)
• Work Towards A Purpose
• Join A Club (Avoid being lonely)

Doing all of these at the same time could be pretty hard so choose two or three and focus on them.  Keeping a journal to write down your daily activity can help you keep track of your progress. We want you to be healthy, happy and live a long, prosperous life!

-Your Friends At Vovi

Homemade Mouthwash: Natural and Antibacterial

Are you tired of using your harsh store-bought mouthwash every day? We here at Vovi wanted to come up with a natural, gentle mouthwash for you to try at home. It’s easy to make and costs a lot less than what you will pay at your local store. Here is an easy, affordable and effective mouthwash that’s antibacterial and antifungal to keep your breath super fresh:

Ingredients:

-A container

-2 tsp baking soda

-1/2 cup filtered or distilled water

-2 drops tea tree essential oil

-2 drops peppermint essential oil

Instructions:

– Swish about 2-3 teaspoons of this homemade mix for a minute or two in your mouth

Make sure you shake your homemade mouthwash before each use. Try to avoid swallowing this while gargling. Here’s to making your own mouthwash and having fresh breath! We hope you will give it a try!

-Your Friends at Vovi

#essentialoils #mouthwash #diy #freshbreathfridays

Over the past few years, apple cider vinegar has become very popular. It’s affordable and easy to find at your local grocery store.  It can be used for your hair, skin and even for your house. We here at Vovi came up with a list of our top ten reasons why you should use apple cider vinegar:

1. Aids in weight loss
2. Balances your entire inner body system
3. Helps you detox
4. It can remove stains from your teeth
5. Detoxifies your home
6. It can make your hair shine
7. It can be used as a natural aftershave
8. It can be used as a natural massage treatment
9. It helps reduce heartburn
10. It’s an all-natural room freshener

When you decide to use apple cider vinegar, make sure you buy the raw, organic, unfiltered, unpasteurized one. Try adding it into your daily routine to see the difference!

-Your friends at Vovi

#cleanse #applecidervinegar #skincare #superfoods #natural

💞Love is in the air💞

Start your week off right with trying this Rose Petal Face Mask:

The natural oils found in roses help lock moisture into the skin, keeping it silky smooth. They are especially good for sensitive skin because the sugars in rose petals soothe the complexion.

Give it a try, your skin will thank you!

#roses #soothing #complexion # DIY #facemask #february #naturalskincare #africanbeauty

-Your friends at Vovi

We love feeling moisturized during some of the coldest months of the year. Don’t you? It’s important to have a great moisturizer year round. If you haven’t tried our moisturizer what are you waiting for? Give us a try and see why the Vovi way is the only way! Click here to listen to their story!

-Your friends at Vovi

Right now it’s the coldest months of the winter season and we all have experienced chapped lips, right? It’s important to take good care of your lips to avoid them becoming dry, cracked and painful. We here at Vovi want to share the best natural ways to take care of your lips.

What Causes Chapped Lips?

• Excessive Licking of Lips
• Sun Damage
• Smoking and Drinking
• Skin Irritants In Toothpaste
• Allergies
• Certain Medications

Top Natural Ways To Get Rid of Chapped Lips:

• Coconut Oil
• Honey and Vaseline
• Rose Petals
• Cucumber
• Aloe Vera
• Green Tea Bags
• Cocoa Butter
• Lemon Juice
• Sugar Method
• Vanilla Extract

Using chapstick or a lip balm works as well but you should try one of the natural ways listed above and see which one works best for you. After all, nobody likes #drylips! We here at Vovi always want to give you tips and tricks to becoming the best version of you! Take care of you.

#lipcare #chappedlips #naturalremedies #selflove #wintertips

📸: stylecraze

Listen to her story and why she uses Vovi’s Deep Pore Cleanser everyday! Click Here

For over 5,000 years, aromatherapy has been a trusted practice among cultures around the world.

Natural healers turn to aromatherapy for the many effects of aromatic essential oils. 

We here at Vovi want to share our top five body and mind benefits we believe will help you:

1. Stress Relief

The most popular use of aromatherapy is for stress relief. The compounds from many different essential oils are known as relaxants and can help ease your mind and help get rid of anxiety. This is why most people use it at home. The mixtures are very simple and the research on aromatherapy is very well-known and widely studied. Some of the best essential oils for stress relief are lemon oil, lavender, bergamot and peppermint oil. Some studies have also shown that lemon oil can improve mood and reduce outbursts of anger.

2. Acts as Antidepressant

Aromatherapy is very commonly used to eliminate feelings of depression, and due to the complicated side effects of pharmaceutical antidepressants, this is a very important function of aromatherapy. While this is useful, seek psychological help or counseling if depression continues or worsens. In terms of the best essential oils to use for reducing depression, we here at Vovi suggest peppermint, chamomile, lavender, and jasmine.

3. Boosts Memory

One of the most frightening diseases affecting older people is memory loss and the inability to form short-term memories. While Alzheimer’s is still considered an incurable disease, there are certain ways to reduce or slow down the progression of the condition. Aromatherapy has been used as an alternative for dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Studies have also shown the benefits of aromatherapy in younger patients, in terms of boosting their memory capacity for a certain amount of time after the treatment. This refreshing boost for the brain can be useful in all walks of life, no matter what age you are! Sage oil is the most recommended oil for this sort of memory-enhancing effect.

4. Increases Energy Levels

All of us could use a little more energy right? Stimulants like coffee, cigarettes, energy pills, or even illegal substances can be very damaging on your body. While diet and exercise help, many people use aromatherapy to feel better. Many essential oils are known to increase circulation, raise energy levels, and generally stimulate the body and mind, without the dangerous side effects of other stimulating substances. The best essential oils for giving yourself an energy boost include black pepper, cardamom, cinnamon, clove, jasmine, tea tree,  rosemary, and sage.

5. Speeds up Healing

Many essential oils can help increase healing throughout your body. This can be due to increased oxygen and blood flow to wounds as well as internal healing processes like those following surgeries or illness. Certain essential oil properties keep the body protected during these delicate healing stages of the body. Some of the most popular essential oils for speeding up the healing process of the body include lavender, calendula, rosehip and buckthorn essential oils. A number of these oils do more than just healing wounds; they can reduce the severity and discomfort of skin conditions like psoriasis and eczema.

These are just a few of the benefits and we here at Vovi hope you will consider trying aromatherapy out to be the best you in 2019!

#liveyourbestlife #bethebestyou #2019goals #naturalremedies

If you deal with eczema then you know how hard it is to figure out treatments that work best for your flare-ups. With help from a dermatologist, we have come up with some tips to help you control your eczema-the natural way:

1. Moisten your skin with Emollient Oils

Botanical oils are natural emollients. Try a thin layer of botanical oils applied frequently throughout the day. These oils can also be added to bathwater.

Some of our favorite oils include sunflower oil, evening primrose oil, and virgin coconut oil.

Sunflower oil also has an anti-inflammatory effect. Reducing inflammation and enhancing the skin barrier function are two important goals of managing eczema.

Evening primrose oil is important in keeping the skin moist, smooth, and supple. Research has shown that virgin coconut oil reduces staph infections, which are common infections secondary to eczema.

All these oils are generally mild and won’t irritate your skin, making it a good starting point for taking care of eczema at home. You can also try Vovi’s Bodilicious Herbal Shower Cream and Shampoo for a soothing remedy. That said, before applying anything to your skin, be sure to spot-test each oil individually on a small area of healthy skin.

2. Use herbal teas as a compress or wash

For eczema that is oozing, weeping, or damp, it’s best to apply a tea compress or wash topically, rather than using a thick ointment. Steep 5 to 7 bags of chamomile tea in 2 cups of boiling water for 5 minutes to make a strong tea. Apply with a washcloth one to two times per day. Make sure to spot-test the teas before applying to broad areas. After the compress or wash, follow up by applying a bland cream.

3. Consider taking herbal medicine or dietary supplements 

For moderate to severe cases of eczema, it’s best to seek out professional help. Holistic practitioners will prescribe herbal medicine or dietary supplements and give nutritional guidance rather than prescribing topical steroids or other pharmaceutical medications. Make sure to find a doctor who specializes in dermatology and has a lot of experience in the treatment of eczema.

4. Avoid long term use of topical steroids/creams

Topical steroids bring down inflammation. Sometimes that’s enough to put an end to a short-term flare-up. But when eczema is chronic, recurring, or long term, topical creams won’t help healing or restoring healthy skin. Even over-the-counter hydrocortisone should be used with caution, not exceeding the labeled dosage and on a short-term basis only. One danger of hydrocortisone, is that people think it’s totally safe to use on their children whenever they’re itchy. Keep in mind, treatment guidelines warn that daily use should be for no more than two to four weeks. Be informed about the risks involved. 

5. Stay away from mineral oil or petroleum products

Products with mineral oil or petroleum can damage the skin’s cells. For skin to heal and its cells to be healthy, it needs to be able to breathe and absorb oxygen. Many people with very dry skin feel that they need these products in order to moisturize the skin. We recommend natural creams and ointments instead.

6. Adopt a healthy eating routine

When it comes to diet, we recommend keeping it simple with a clear, bland diet. Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables.

Avoid foods like shrimp and other shellfish, peanuts, strawberries, eggs, and milk. Stay away from foods like sugar and sweets, wheat, dairy, and anything that molds.

Many eczema flares are not caused by foods, so it can be difficult to determine the specific foods you’re sensitive to. 

7. Stay Positive!

One of the most frustrating aspects of eczema is that it constantly changes day to day and week to week. It can be difficult to figure out what causes flares, and of course these triggers will vary from person to person. But we hope some of these methods can offer relief and managing eczema, sending it into remission for the long term.

We hope that this article will help you figure out ways to control your eczema.

Cheers,

Your friends at Vovi