BRAND PROFILE

Before printing this profile, think about the environment

Africology skin care products have been developed to revitalize the skin, to prevent damage doneto the skin by free-radicals, stress and a harsh climate. Africology makes use of the healing essences of some of South Africa’s indigenous plants, Rooibos, Aloe Ferox, Marula and African Potato. The active ingredients in our skin care products are valuable in the repair process and as-sist with the restoration of damaged skin tissue.

Our anti–aging skincare system, works with the body’s energy field. We see the relationship between the body, skin and mind as a whole. One cannot interact fully without the other. There-fore we teach therapists who use Africology the value of skin energetics. This is the process of incorporating “energy therapy” into treatment formulations. We capture the energetic essences of plants to work in harmony with the body’s energy field. Practicing energy as part of your treat-ment helps restore damage to every living cell working from the inside out, not neglecting the factthat aromatherapy oils have a powerful ability to enter the skin’s layers via the blood delivering vital nutrients. One may think of this process as a natural alternative to “Nano”-technology.

To maintain skin health & balance, we preserve the living essence of the plants naturally. We don’t use parabens, propylene glycol, mineral oil, petrolatum, chemicals & synthetically pro-duced perfumes, which can harm the living essence of the skin. We allow nature to fragrance our products naturally, lulling the senses and creating a relaxed state of mind. By formulating holisti-cally we are able to assist the body and skin on a continuing basis without any of the harmful or aging effects of chemicals.

We select actives that bring balance and harmony to the skin.

We acknowledge that all repair and preventative processes start with the self. Our skin is an expression of our hearts and minds. What we put on the outside can be seen as a process of as-sistance, while we take care of our inner world.

It is also recognized that a relaxed state of mind engenders a positive disposition, clearer thought and greater physical energy.

Bringing A

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Our passion for plant life, the restorative power of essential oils, and the wisdom from our tradi-tional healers is respected, and it is our intention to share this wisdom with all and work actively to preserve it. To develop people, their potential, and give them an opportunity to live their life to the best, to create a positive inner world, therefore an ageless being, with unlimited potential!

‘A safer world starts with the consciousness of one person’

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The Essence of Holistic Skin Care

Inner Beauty: the confidence that makes a person feel comfortable in one’s own skin.

Natural healing: uses many different modalities apart from aromatherapy, herbal extracts, massage & mind body techniques, to transform how you look and feel from the inside. Africology trained therapists use energy massage techniques in body treatments, and on a personal level you can start to use energy in daily rituals, yourself. Using plants that have high energy levels and are congruent in the energy levels of the skin, produce superior results.

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Responsible Form

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Our focus is on ‘capturing the intel-ligence of nature’ in the restorative process. We do believe in responsible formulating practices, and therefore we do use safe, non toxic preserva-tives and where possible organic ingredients. We simply can not use parabens to preserve our natural plant extracts; its pointless to damage a liv-ing essence with a chemical. We pre-fer to use natural plant oils for their restorative properties, and nutrients that feed and regulate the skins func-tion instead of petrolatum.

Where possible we only use organic ingredients, our products are free oftoxic chemicals”

Do you ever see this labelling on the products you buy or use?

The term means existing in or formed by nature without human intervention. This refers to ingredients such as naturally occurring min-erals and plant extracts, not preserved with Parabens or include Laureth Sulfate, Propylen Glycol and other chemical. Yet some companies get around labelling their products as “natural” by telling you that natural means anything that originated somewhere on earth – no matter what has been done to it in a laboratory.

Africology’s Definition of Natural

Fragrances in Cosmetics

One of the worst chemical offenders often hides in the ingredients list as “fragrance.” A class of chemicals called phthalates (pronounced THAY-lates), known to the industry as plasticizers, which adds spreadability, disperses fragrance, and provides the sensation (but not the actuality) of smooth-ness. Any product that lists “fragrance” should be assumed to contain phthalates; they are used in over 70 percent of all personal care products.

A stream of scientific studies has been demonstrating the effects of phthalates on rodents since 1992. These chemicals are endocrine disrupters, interfering with both estrogens and testosterone,

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causing birth defects, reproductive impairments, and immune system damage. The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey of 1999-2000 found that most Americans are walking around with measurable amounts of phthalates in their bodies. Last year a study made the jump from rodents to humans, showing correlations between mothers’ phthalate levels and boy babies with measurably smaller penises and greater likelihood of incomplete testicular descent.

Product packaging plays an important role in health care. Glass being the safest with aluminium containers being one of the most toxic. Some plastic, like parabens, mimic estrogens. This can greatly interfere with the hormone system.

Heavenly Fragrances from Nature

We don’t use any chemical fragrances in our product ranges. The scent you smell is from our blend of pure essential oils. Unlike most brands that would market the fact that they use essential oils, but only use less than 0.3 to 0.5 %, then fragrance the product with a chemical fragrance to mimic the essential oils, we use a 3% blend of essential oil.

The effect of aromas on the mind and the body is now more widely recognized than ever. It is known that when we smell an aroma a message is sent to the part of the brain that controls memories and emotions.

We acknowledge that aromas can have a strong influence on our moods, memories and even behav-iour. So we go to lengths to ensure that we use only pure natural essential oils to unlock the senses and calm the mind.

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When switching to authentically natural skin care products, it’s very important to be patient with the results and advise your clients like-wise. Some of the changes you can expect are.

By using soap or harsh cleansers: They upset oil bal-ance can take up to one week to balance out provid-

ing there are no other hormonal factors influenc-ing this.

By using skin care products with chemi-cal ingredients: It can take a while—up

to several weeks—for your skin to bal-ance again. When switching between products generally your skin can

often break out as it is not used to the new product. This is often seen when changing to natu-ral products as the skin goes through a small detox of its own when you stop putting on chemicals.

Dehydration: This is often rectified quite quickly and is boosted when a balanced nutritional diet is also being followed. Try our Antioxi-dant serum and Hydrating oil!

Radiance: Once the skin becomes balanced and good skin care routine is estab-lished you will start to see a natural glow to the skin, as its

youth can start shining through again.

Natural products have a shorter life span than chemically en-

hanced: All of our products are la-belled with a life span, and are gener-

ally much shorter because they do not contain harmful preservatives. Because of

this we have taken great care to package our products in sizes that will be consumed within

this time.Ensure your clients are aware of this when purchas-

ing. When ordering for salon use make sure this is kept in mind.

Naughty fingers: It is absolutely vital that you take care not to contam-inate the precious plant extracts and formulations. Therefore no fingers in pots! Spatulas must be used when applying. Your clients must be advised of this as well and spatulas handed out with retail tubs.

Consistency & colour changes: Because we do not bleach or refine our products in anyway there can be some slight colour changes from one cream to another. You as a therapist need to educate your client

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about the benefits of this! Plant extracts and essential oils are pure and of the highest quality so the benefit to the skin far exceeds the need to have a pure white cream! Because not every Marula fruit picked from a tree has exactly the same colour oil when extracted then it can not be expected for the end product to be so either. Use organic or genetically modifies fruit and veg as an example. If you grow your own organic carrots in the garden when you pick them they are of all sorts of sizes shapes and even colour differences. But if you buy off the super market shelf they all look perfectly large and similar shape, perfectly groomed carrots! But what would they prefer to eat, what would they choose for their health!

Know your ingredients and educate: Make sure you are aware of ingredients, Africology proudly labels their product ingredients and take time to show this to your clients. Start to show them how to read a label and what to look out for. Remember just because a label states “natural” it does not mean it is chemical free, the only way to really know is to read your labels.

At the back of this manual is a glossary of ingredients used in our products, take the time to learn them and really start becoming aware of what you are actually putting on your skin or purchasing over the counter. As a therapist it is your responsibility to recommend treatment and products that suit your client best. Be mindful to only recommending products that work with the body and do not harm!

The Super Actives

Africology has taken much time and research to find powerful natural ingredients that not only indulge the senses but also work actively on the skin to produce effective results. Africa has many wonderful indigenous medicinal plants and herbs that are of great benefit to the skin body and mind as a whole. It was important for Africology to harness these amazing properties of such plants, naturally and formulate the perfect combinations for effective skin and body care, since then it has been a passion to share their amazing benefits with the rest of the world.

- African Potato

Hypoxis also know commonly as African potato is full of sterols and ste-rolins which are helpful in the treatment of acne, eczema, psoriasis, skin cancer, arthritis, and prostate enlargement.

Boost immune systemAnti-inflammatoryGreat anti-oxidantProven to help fight cancer due to content of Sterols and sterolins

Super Actives of Africology

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Rooibos is full of essential minerals Calcium, copper, Iron, magnesium man-ganese, potassium, sodium & zinc and has a very soothing anti-inflammatory effect on the skin

Anti-inflammatoryAnti-bacterialMild sunscreenAHA’sPotent anti-oxidant and anti-agingSoothing relieves irritations

Is rich in nutritional and healing compounds and minerals, amino acids, lipids and monosaccaride’s (basic carbohydrate that transports energy to the michon-dria cells that transform it into energy for living cells), phytosterols, vitamins E , B C & Zinc

Healing & soothing, great for irritation or sunburnAnti-inflammatoryReduces scar tissuePsoriasis, Eczema, burnsFacial oedemaNatural oxygenator (drawing and holding oxygen in the skin) there great for cell renewalReplenishes lost moistureNatural astringent

Marula oil is rich in anti-oxidants and essential fatty acids, it creates a protective coating on the surface of the skin, and is very stable having a high resistance to oxidative rancidity

Hydrating, prevents trans-epidermal water lossHeals skin tissueReduces rednessAnti-oxidant

Rose Absolute balances hormones and assists with regulating periods, menopause and any hor-monal disruptions

Anti-inflammatoryReduces redness, great on the face for high colour

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Soothing and anti-septicHelps to retain moisture and regeneration

Rosehip oil is an excellent source of Vitamin A and works particularly well on dry mature skins

Improves lacklustre skinCell regeneration, slows down signs of agingRegulates oil secretionAnti-septic

DMAE (dimethylaminoethanol) is an anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory that is essential in the communication between neurotransmitters from nerve to muscle. Therefore stimulates nerve and muscle function to assists with muscle tone and helps to prevent sagging.

Anti-inflammatoryAnti-oxidantImproves muscle tone

Alpha Lipoic Acid is a potent anti-oxidant that eliminates free radicals and has the ability to recycle other anti-oxidants as well. It is also an important co-factor in the production of cellular energy, and when not sufficient in the body causes muscles to shrink and skins energy diminished.

Potent Anti-oxidantAnti-inflammatoryBoost energy production at a cellular level

Acetyl - L - Carnitine is central to the production of cellular energy it triggers the break down of fats info fatty acids inside our fat cells.

Creates activity in the cells to turn fat into energyBreaks down fat with out losing water in cells keeping them healthy

CoenzUbiquinone: (Coenzyme Q10 ) is an anti-oxidant which supports the natural defence mecha-nism against the damaging effect of free radicals, particularly the lipid per oxidation of the skin.

Anti-Oxidant

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Vitamin C is essential for the skin as it takes amino acid praline and incorporates it into collagen and elastin. Helps maintain capillaries, recycles burnt out vit E and converts it back into a usable form so it can fight more free radicals—can penetrate the skin. It neutralizes reactive oxygen (free radicals) caused by UV radiation therefore preventing photo-damage.

Anti-oxidantHelps build Collagen and ElastinAnti-Inflammatory Photo-protective and repairs sun damage

Tocopheryl acetate: (Vitamin E) is a very powerful anti-oxidant, which promotes a nicer and young-er-looking appearance of the skin. Protects the skin from internal metabolic processes and also detrimental external factors.

Anti-oxidantHelps reduce UV light damage

Vitamin A stimulates cell regeneration as well as increased cell metabolism, and smoothes the skin by strengthening the skins elasticity.

Anti-OxidantStimulates Cell regenerationStimulates Cell metabolism