Vendor feature: Gypsy Juice

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Wanderlust traveller and eco skincare guru, Sommer Elston, shares life on the road, and the business side of her existence, operating Gypsy Juice.

What is a gypsy to you? Do you define yourself as a gypsy? A wanderer, a vagabond … Someone who lives and works around the globe exploring and living the unconventional. I don’t really define myself as any one particular thing. I am many things but most importantly I’m a mummy, organic creative and lover of life.

Where are you currently living, who lives with you and what do they do? I am currently in Mallorca staying aboard a beautiful sailing yacht with my love and our beautiful baby boy, Ocean. We are busy planning our trip to the US for a few weeks before making our way to Australia for two months. My loves are the creative behind an amazing project called luno 2017, and our beautiful Ocean who laughs, giggles, smiles and explores this magical new world he has come into.

What’s it like travelling with a family? It’s phenomenal, beautiful, challenging, breathtaking and demanding. I am grateful everyday to be filling our minds with the most extraordinary adventures and the happiest of memories.

Are there any challenges to living a nomadic lifestyle with a family in tow? Missing your loved ones from far away places would be one of my biggest challenges. Then there are the little things like language barriers, long haul flights with an active little one and the packing and unpacking and re-packing can be a little exhausting. But no matter where you are and what you are doing, there are always going to be challenges to overcome.

What was the most significant experience you have had while travelling, and where were you when this experience happened? Meeting a boy named Ash in Lagos, Portugal. I took one look at him and then four days later I jumped aboard a 40ft catamaran and sailed to New Zealand with him. The journey took us seven months and has now  given us 12 years of love, travel and most importantly, the most beautiful little soul in the world, our baby boy Ocean.

What advice would you give to others wanting to adopt this lifestyle? Be fearless and open minded to the unknowns that lay ahead. Be organised but flexible and embrace every journey with all its rewards and challenges.

So you make organic products… Yes, with love, passion, soul and creativity.

What makes a product organic? I define a truly organic product as one being created with only the use of 100 percent certified organic agriculture. (The Gypsy Juice collection contains only 100 percent certified organic-cold pressed oils, -organic essential oils and  -fair trade Shea butter)

When where and why did this all start? Gypsy Juice the brand officially began three years ago while I was living in New York and was created to share with others the truly amazing benefits of using a product made entirely from the gifts that Mother Nature has shared with us.

Did you teach yourself how to make these products? Yes, each and every blend was created by me using my own special blending techniques. Every ingredient I work with has a purpose and the complete Gypsy Juice collection provides your skin with all the minerals, nutrients, fatty-acids and antioxidants required for optimal skin health.

Can you remember your first product? What was it? He he he yes a very sticky and messy honey banana face mask.

How did you go about starting your own business? Gypsy juice was dreamed up with a desire to create something truly special and from the heart - a personalised product that is just as beautiful on the inside as it is out. From the very beginning, every decision regarding the company was decided with compassion and a commitment to being as human-, planet- and animal-friendly as possible.

How do you juggle running a business and travelling? I created a little schedule for myself, It allocates time blocks for each particular area in my life. It is extremely important for me to lead a well-balanced and fulfilled lifestyle, which means plenty of time for play and plenty of time to nurture my creative projects.

You have quite a mix of exotic ingredients. How did you find these? A great deal of time, research and experimentation has gone into perfecting each and every formulation.

What’s your favourite ingredient? Oh this is a tough question. I truly love every one I work with. But I am going to say my Rose Damascena essential oil. It comes from the ‘Valley of the Roses’ in Bulgaria. Each year more than 2,000 people are involved in its harvest and each and every rose blossom is picked by hand. It takes 4,000kg of rose petals to produce just 1 kg of this truly exquisite essential oil and it is often called ‘nature’s universal healer’.

Why is it important to you to use all-natural ingredients? Our skin is the largest organ and it makes me really sad to see people using skincare products containing all types of yucky petrochemicals, solvents, dyes, alcohol, preservatives, pesticides and synthetic chemicals. Surely this can’t be the making of a happy, vibrant, youthful and well-balanced complexion.

What’s next for you Sommer? I like to think my days will continue to be full of love, joy, peace and happiness for me and my growing little family.

Where do you picture yourself in five years? Continuing to live a fun, loving, wild and free, adventurous, compassionate, rewarding, fulfilling lifestyle with my growing little family. And in terms of my business … that I get to share my beautiful Gypsy Juice creations with more and more lovely people from all over the world.

Is there anything else you would like to add? Smiles and sunshine. Xx

See some of the Gypsy Juice range below, captured by Jessica Lindsay.

Carly Tia

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