Starting the day with thanksgiving is how Andie Fernandez-Reloza depicts her practice of “living mindfully.” Together with her husband and children, and before reaching out for their cellphones, the founder of Green Mama begins each morning with a prayer of gratitude.
Andie shares her personal philosophy: Living mindfully is about being in the moment and experiencing life to its fullest. It’s about waking up every day and giving thanks for all your blessings — physical or mental health, family members, and friends who love you unconditionally. After their morning prayers, the family set their intentions because “intentional choices are made with purpose.”
Green Mama is a homecare, skincare, and wellness brand founded by Andie, a wife and mother of two, who is an advocate of mindful living. The line creates all-natural products, which are chemical-free, non-toxic, and come at affordable prices.
So far, Green Mama has 64 different products under its brand, quite an extensive number. Handmade and created in small batches, Green Mama maximizes the use of local virgin coconut oil, as well as botanical ingredients and premium essential oils. “Coconut oil is my favorite. It has been used for centuries as a healing medium. It provides so many benefits, whether you take it orally or use it for topical application — a magic oil that heals. I also love using lavender in my products because it aids in itchiness and calms the skin.”
Andie started this business when she wanted to help address the ailments in her family the natural way.
“I became a mom to a beautiful daughter at 27 years old. At an early age, my daughter developed atopic dermatitis. We would give her oral medication to stop the itch and topical solutions to relieve her skin from scratching. At that time, I wasn’t aware of the natural solutions we could give until I got a health scare. I got EBV (Epstein-Barr Virus) and was so weak. It was a wake-up call to be healthy and mindful,” shares Andie. “After recovery, I told myself that I would be changing my lifestyle. I researched for natural ingredients that would replace the commercial products we have on the market. I wanted a healthier lifestyle for the family. I tried to stop the medication we were giving my daughter, and that’s when I even ventured into essential oils.”
The name Green Mama was chosen to convey nourishment, love, care, honesty, protection, and trust. “This is exactly how a mother would be towards her children,” say Andie.
There is a wide range of products to choose from such, as wellness, homecare, skincare, beauty, and personal care. Popular skin and beauty products include the VCO facial cleanser, vitamin C & E facial serum, turmeric glow, Black Mountain face scrub, and the lip and cheek stain.
For Bath and Body, the bestsellers are: olive hair and body wash, almond and shea butter hair and body wash, Himalayan salt and shea butter soap, eczema soap, Argan and olive body oil, and the well-formulated gugo shampoo.
I’ve tried their eye serum, which has coffee extract to reduce puffiness. As a side benefit, the scent of coffee appeals to me (reminds me of mornings). The same goes for the skin defense cream, which is a day cream with sun protection. Its ingredients include virgin coconut oil and cocoa butter. It’s like applying a delicious piña colada (without the pineapple) on your face, while it softens and hydrates.
Andie was asked by some clients if she has makeup. So she created a natural makeup line with tinted moisturizer, concealer, and a lip and cheek tint.
“I also wanted to offer a limited line for those who don’t really use makeup all the time, women who just embrace their natural beauty, but would like some light touch up. Nothing heavy,” adds Andie.
What piqued my interest was Wellbeing in a Bottle, and the Wellbeing Balm, which serves as a curative aromatherapy treatment for nausea, insect bites, and the like. It is a sort of “cure-all.”
“I always call the well-being in a bottle the all-around magic oil. It is specially formulated to help ease headaches, vertigo, muscle spasms, itchy skin and somewhat relieves a stuffy nose. It’s a beautiful combination of premium essential oils like peppermint, lemongrass, eucalyptus, and extracts of ginger, to name a few,” Andie explains.
For those who are looking for a natural disinfectant and cleaner, there is the Bio-enzyme Spray. Andie claims that it is a household must-have. What exactly is it? It is an extraction of citrus fruits with a blend of essential oils that even smells great. The bio-enzyme solution is a natural and effective way to clean and disinfect surfaces.
“The way I see it, clean living starts with a straightforward decision. In a world full of toxins and chemicals that are questionable at best for our health or environmental wellbeing, clean living, in a nutshell for me, is all about deciding to live a life that is free from toxicity. Toxicity is everywhere, but if I can create that atmosphere and space here in our home, that is one giant step. And as for our products, our products are here to give that same service. Green Mama aims to provide your family with that same clean living service,” Andie enthuses.
Is all this focus on natural products in everyday life just a trend?
Andie says it is definitely not a trend. “It’s a deliberate, conscious decision to make every day. It is a lifestyle choice with an intention of living a healthier life, and sharing that with our family and community.”
Andie hopes to influence as many families she can, to live in a mindful and natural life. She continues to be grateful each day, and would be more so when her dream of Green Mama being a household name comes to fruition.
* * *
Green Mama products are available online at www.greenmamaph.com; Instagram @greenmama_ph, Facebook Green Mama Organic & Natural Products, and through Shopee & Lazada.
For inquiries, email to greenmaamthinksafe@gmail.com.