Q&A with ebo founder Kirstie Garrett
What helped keep you in a healthy state of mind during lockdown?
Fresh air, rain or shine!
Even a 15minute walk noticing nature however tiny...be it birdsong, changing seasonal greenery or a powerful downpour or storm help me to accept the transience of life.
Also self-care in general...looking after my body and soul.
We have all shifted into some form of Survival Mode..whatever our circumstances, and it's been helpful for me to take time out to acknowledge the mental, physical and emotional toll on any given day. And to congratulate and reward myself!
Lockdown has seen many people suffering more from anxiety than ever before.
Which of the Ebo aromatherapy oils would you recommend to begin with to lessen some of the existing stress?
We all heard about the importance of keeping a routine of some kind during lockdown for mental health.
Using the Trio of Mood Oils, every day, helps to divide the day into work/focus, relaxation/down time, and selfcare. Similar to how we use lighting, music and candles.
Apply the rollerball across the wrist, rub together to heat and release aroma then deeply inhale.
Clarity is great for switching on in the morning. Getting your head in gear and sharpening your focus to the tasks that need to be ticked off your list that day.
Serenity is a blend of soothing and relaxing oils proven to help the body and mind unwind. Not just for night-time. Take a moment throughout the day whenever you feel tension and stress rising - inhale serenity.
Immunity gives us an extra layer of anti-bacterial protection. Applying Immunity before leaving the house is a great way to keep your overall wellbeing in mind and stay aware of the ongoing health challenges we are facing.
How does the immunity oil work?
Prevention is better than cure and pure plant oils have proven in trials that they have the ability to intervene in viral transmission.
A virus is a self-assembled nanoparticle in which the weakest link is the lipid (fatty) bilayer. Essential Oils used in ebo's Immunity Rollerball have demonstrated in clinical trials their ability to work to attack this fat membrane helping to break it down so that the virus falls apart and dies rather than joins and reproduces. Think of it as an extra tool in your kit to help you stay well.
A handbag, pocket or desk drawer essential - get into the habit of applying before you leave the house and every time you wash your hands. Apply a slick across the wrists and rub together to heat and release the aroma, then inhale.
Would any of the products assist with sleeplessness?
Yes. Our Serenity Rollerball contains high grade plant extracts proven in clinical trials to help the body shift the body's nervous system into sleep mode.
A gorgeous blend of Chamomile, Lavender and Bergamot - the key is to keep the rollerball by your bed and use it nightly as part of your sleep routine. Inhale Serenity and exhale the stresses of the day.
How do the seasonal facial oils work?
You don't wear a Winter Coat in Summer...
ebo focusses on Seasonal Skin Health and we produce products that are formulated to deliver the specific vitamins, nutrients and fatty acids that skin requires through the changing seasons. We produce facial oils with different Ingredients for Spring Summer Autumn and Winter, to help your skin adapt to the changing external elements that we all experience, but that we also have no power over... The weather!
You may notice annual skin patterns recurring in your own skin health -
Heat, redness and blocked pores (from using spf) in the Summer.... Problems with irritation, maybe spending more time indoors , with central heating on, in Winter... And in Autumn, maybe the hardest transitional period, real problems with hydration, dry itchy patches and skin from drying out like all the leaves turning brown on the trees!
Our body systems respond very quickly when we strip everything back to be in synch with nature.
The most widely relatable example of this is diet. We all naturally crave different foods through the year. It is not a conscious decision.. It is a built in survival mechanism. The body is very clever and the body does not lie. Our bodies tell us what we need, when we need it - more heating spices and warm foods in winter versus salads in Summer for example.
ebo offers seasonal skincare solutions taking intelligent plant ingredients that naturally work with our own body systems to keep skin in balance through the seasons whilst battling changing external (weather) changes.
Did you spend more time in nature during lockdown? Have you noticed customers increasingly drawn to the products due to their all natural ingredients?
I am very lucky to live in nature on a cliff above the ocean and I noticed how nature bloomed during lockdown as the humans were contained!
I think that going forward, customers have a renewed respect for the power of nature. They will want to understand where their products are coming from - be clear about the ingredients they are putting into their body and also, hopefully, want to support more independent producers and retailers - ebo works to leave a positive footprint at every stage of production...so we pay attention to the wage and lifestyle benefits we can offer everyone working in our supply chain - no large scale factories or fulfillment centres where we can not be sure of wages and working conditions for example.
