VENDER PROFILE | Sherelle of Asherlee Naturals

Name: Mrs Sherelle Curtis
Owner of: Asherlee Naturals
From: Jamaica

Rêve: What is Asherlee Naturals?
Sherelle: Asherlee Naturals is all about educating, and promoting healthy hair with better products confronting the myths about your hair. We manufacture locally made products, giving you a choice, maximizing the use of gentle, nourishing and all-natural ingredients that cater to your unique needs.

Sherelle with short natural hair

Rêve: Why (and when) did you start Asherlee Naturals? 
Sherelle: The healthy hair bug bit me hard: so hard my big-chop experience was almost immediate.

My fight the power mindset fed my appetite: and after reading, nit-picking, I was soon only left with ingredients. For no one product was ideal, nor did what it said it would. I thought more and more, natural ingredients, they don't lie. I became a healthy hair campaigner and my own tester: my world soon became a stack and pile of potions.

With this knowledge I had a zeal to empower women out of all the hair myths and lies they've be told. Friends, and family encouraged my passion into a business and after some brainstorming I birth Asherlee Naturals with the help of my hubby in January 2013. 

Sherelle's Hot Oil Treatment's features all-natural Ingredients 

Rêve: Why did you decide to have an all-natural product line when they are notoriously more expensive to produce? 
Sherelle: These days people are looking for a healthy alternative to hair care. I believe your mind and your health are more important than money, and I also believe you do too.

What I needed to know and believe before I decided on Asherlee Naturals was that results after using my product would speak much more about your hair's health than one can pay for brand names that just don't work. Higher spending won't contribute to your healthy hair but your motivation to buy Asherlee's products will fall squarely on using our products the way we teach you to which will give you the results you have always wanted.

Rêve: What are the price ranges of your products? 
Sherelle: JMD $850 - $1250

Sherelle explains how to use her products at a recent expo

Rêve: Are your products only for people with natural hair? 
Sherelle: No! My products are for persons who are in pursuit of a healthier way to love your hair.

Rêve: So, you'll be at the 2013 Rêve Wellness Festival on August 10 at Devon House selling your products and we look forward to seeing you there. Before you go, what does Wellness mean to you?
Sherelle: Loving yourself down to the ingredient :) and I am not limiting this to haircare.

Monday Music | Queen Ifrica – Times Like These

We're counting down the days till we see Queen Ifrica LIVE at the next Rêve Wellness Festival on August 10, 2013 at Devon House. Let's keep enjoying her music until then together. Enjoy the video below.

Get more info about the festival by visiting out Facebook event page by CLICKING HERE.

Facebook Event Page

All About the Raw Food Lifestyle for Health & Wellness

Gourmet Raw Burger

I was at a recent expo, Ital Livity Expo to be exact, when I told a friend that I sometimes detox my system by eating 100% raw foods for a few days. "Raw food?!" She thought I was crazy. Hahaha. Well, this blog post is for her and everyone else who wants to know more about the raw food movement that has been sweeping the world clean of it's many food-based diseases.

Most raw food staples include fruits and vegetables such as:

• seaweed
• sprouted seads
• lettuce and other greens
• whole grains
• beans
• fresh and dried fruits 
• nuts

Need more of a visual? The following raw food pyramid was created by vegan-raw-diet.com

TASTE RAW FOOD 

Want to know what raw food tastes like? There are several raw food restaurants in Jamaica but Fire Lite Restaurant (Raw/Live) Cuisine will be "blazing" the natural live cuisine at the REVE Wellness Festival 2013. For more details on the festival, CLICK HERE. 

RAW FOODISM or RAWISM

This describes a food lifestyle based on eating a diet of uncook, unprocessed and (usually) preferably organic foods. Some raw foodists will also heat their food at no more than 104ºF.  Some raw foodists are vegans and do not eat animal based products such as milk or eggs. 

Many/most raw foodists believe that valuable enzymes are destroyed during the cooking process and so raw foods have a much higher nutrient value, that animal meat is hazardous to your health. They also believe that eating raw foods can improve the quality of the human's life while reducing the chances of developing certain diseases.

BENEFITS OF THE RAW FOOD DIET

Raw food diet eaters and supporters (raw foodists) have used research to claim that eating only raw food with the right combination of foods can:

• Reverse diabetes
• Increased energy
• No limits to serving sizes
• More regularity
• Weight loss or weight stabilization
• Reduce the risk of heart disease
• Reduce the risk of cancer
• Slow the growth of cancer
• Eradicate diet-impacted stomach problems like Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Ulcers

Gourmet Raw Vegan Roll

GOURMET RAW FOOD

Gourmet raw food refers to dishes that involve multiple steps for preparation such as the dish pictured above. So, raw food isn't all about eating raw carrots straight from the farm, though for some, that is fine too. 

Gourmet Raw food

RAW FOOD IN JAMAICA

The raw food movement is not extremely popular in Jamaica but it awareness is growing. This is why I encourage you to come to the Rêve Wellness Festival to learn more about this lifestyle.  You may also learn more about places that are available to you for dining out. Come to the Festival to learn more about wellness and enjoy a day out with friends or family.

DOCUMENTARY RECOMMENDATIONS
Want to Learn more about the benefits of eating raw foods or a plant-based diet? Try the following documentaries:

• Forks Over Knives
• Simply Raw: Reversin Diabetes in 30 Days
• Food Matters
• Breakthrough
• Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead
• Food Inc.

Monday Music | Queen Ifrica – Far Away

Queen Ifrica

Today's Monday Music comes from lioness and Jamaican music talent, Queen Ifrica.

We can't wait to hear her LIVE and FREE at the Rêve Wellness Festival on August 10, 2013 at the front lawns of Devon House. We hope to see you there. Until there, enjoy the video below.

100% Shea Butter : For Hair and Skin

I know I've touched briefly in a recent post on Shea Butter, but I thought it made sense to go more in depth with all its benefits and just some general information. Remember that at Reve we are not only about Jewellery and Accessories, we believe in a healthy Lifestyle.

Shea Butter

If you read the last post on Shea Butter you would have realized that it originated from Africa and is made from the Nut of the African Shea Tree. This tree only begins to bear fruit 15 years after it has been planted and can take up to 30 years to harvest quality crops . Shea Butter comes from West Africa , however there has been a softer version which has been found recently in East Africa.

Shea Butter varies in color and can be from almost white to yellow which is dependent on the Shea Nuts used .

What are the Benefits of Shea Butter?

The extremely moisturising shea butter can be used for skin and hair. It contains unsaturated fats with large amounts of essential fatty acids and vitamin E &D, provitamin A and allantoin. The butter:

• offers UV protection.
• helps heal minor cuts and burns.
• is deeply moisturising.
• regenerates the skin.
• helps prevent wrinkles and fine lines.
• helps reduce scarring.
• stimulates collagen production to keep skin young and supple
• is a very good sealant to keep moisture into hair.

Using Shea Butter
Shea butter can be used by itself but is commonly mixed with other products to make a whipped shea butter. My recommended ingredients include, shea butter, extra virgin coconut oil and extra virgin olive oil. You don't really need anything else. Watch the video below to see how this can be done.

For Hair

Shea butter restores moisture to dry and damaged hair. It absorbs quickly into the scalp to re-hydrate without clogging your scalp. It is especially beneficial for processed or heat treated hair. However, all Shea Butter is not that same! It loses it properties while it sits on the shelf. I would recommend buying the pure unrefined one, since it contains no artificial ingredients.

For Body

Shea Butter nourishes the skin with Vitamins A, E and F.  Vitamins A and E help maintain the skin and keep it clear and healthy.  They are particularly helpful for sun damaged skin. They help prevent premature wrinkles and facial lines.  Vitamin F acts as a skin protector and rejuvenator. It  also soothes rough, dry or chapped skin and helps soften dry or damaged hair. 

Visit us at Reve ( Shop # 13 Devon House)  to purchase your Shea Butter 

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Visit Our Website

Call us at : 876-908-2498

* Images may be Subject to Copyright*

The Uses and Benefits of 100% Raw African Black Soap

100% Raw African Black Soap

Not all natural products are worth the money much less a second glance. There is a soap, however that is gaining popularity for it's natural-ness and benefits. It is called Raw African Black Soap.

Not All Black Soaps are the Same
Many companies are selling Black Soap too, but it is the  Raw African Black Soap, that has been allauded with a myriad of benefits for your skin. If you see a soap that is fully black and does nto have brown and golden tones, it is not the traditional african black soap and has probably been altered to and died which changes the chemical makeup of the product, hence, altering its benefits as well. So what is Raw African Black Soap and how does it differ from black soap?

The black soaps that look like the one above are NOT the traditional Raw African Black Soap

What is Raw African Black Soap?
Raw African Black Soap, an all-natural product that originated out of Western Africa, traditionally contains a mixture of cocoa pod ashes, plantain skin ashes and palm oil. Some also contain extra virgin coconut oil and honey. The texture of the soap is soft so a special storage method is recommended.

Raw African Black soap is not black but ranges in dark tones as shown in this image

Uses of Raw African Black Soap
The soap can be used for your entire body including your hair/scalp and your body. It is most commonly used on the face as a face mask or daily face wash. Some people add water and heat it or allow it to sit overnight in order to melt it for use as a shampoo.

Raw African Black Soap can also be used as a shampoo

How to Store African Black Soap
Raw African black soap absorbs a lot of moisture form the air which makes it very malleable. It will last longest if kept in a sealed, dry container such as a soap dish which snaps shut.  Avoid using zip lock bags etc. as you will lose a lot of product on the bag.

These travel soap containers are perfect to keep out additional moisture

Benefits of Using African Black Soap
Black soap :

• relieves oily skin
• helps to clear dark spots with regualar use
• relieves eczema and rosacea
• mildly exfoliates the skin
• reduces acne
• is great for removing makeup as it is rich in oils
• economical (a little goes a long way)
• helps to reduce premature aging as it contains antioxidance and vitamins
• works well on sensitive skin

Disadvantages of Using African Black Soap

• Black soap can be very drying for people with ry skin or those in cold climates. This can be easily alleviated by using moisturizer after washing. I highly recommend Aloe Vera Gel.
• Black soap is lauded for it's benefits in relieving rosacea and eczema however it may need to be coupled with a moisturizer as the dryness can cause itching.

Where to Find African Black Soap in Jamaica
Raw African Black Soap can be purchased in Jamaica at Rêve Jewellery & Accessories store in  at Shop 13, Devon House Courtyard in Kingston & St. Andrew, Jamaica.

Black soap will also be on sale at the Rêve Wellness Festival on August 10, 2013 at Devon House. 

Monday Music | Black as Cole

Good morning Rêvellers. This morning's music comes to us from an amazingly talented band that will be performing at the Rêve Wellness Festival on August 10, 2013 at Devon House. Come and watch them 100% FREE if you like what you see and hear in the video below.

Rêve on YouTube!

Rêve Jewellery and Accessories has a brand new YouTube channel. We already have a number of videos up and can't wait to start sharing more with you.

Come and subscribe to us on YouTube HERE. You can also watch our intro video below.

Rêve Wellness Festival 2013 (with 2012 Highlights)

The Rêve Wellness Festival is back and is scheduled for August 10, 2013 on the lawns of Devon House, Jamaica. It's FREE to attend with lots of very exciting activities with a fashion show from top Jamaican designers and a guest appearance from the Queen Ifrica and Black as Cole. 

Join the Festival Facebook HERE.

Check out the video below showing highlights of last year's festival.