Meliorist

I stumbled upon this brand Murshmallow while (obviously) geeking out on (researching/trying to find) rose waters because I had not found one which I loved, yet! But then I did and here I am writing about it so you get one too!

By far it is the best, quote me in capslock, "THE BEST" rose water I have used! The formulation is so mindful, it impressed me waaaaaay before I started using it. I wrote to the brand after reading the description of this product and they happily agreed, rather swiftly sent the product to me! 

I have to confess, from the day I received the product till today, I religiously use it in my AM and PM routine, sometimes even during the day just to refresh my senses! What can I say, you have to use it to believe the subtlety of its magic. 

The ingredients really wooed me! Consciously formulated with a coconut water base, topped with super-healers like lavender and damask rose. But Murshmallow didn't stop at that, they took it up a notch by adding the ultimate hydrator - hyaluronic acid. Their decision to add niacin amide(brightening and pore minimising), witch hazel(astringent) and willow bark (excellent alternative for salicylic acid) makes this nothing short of an award winning formulation for me! It is soothing, clarifying, brightening and above all refreshing! 

The second most impressive thing is, and imma copy this line from their website, read on..

Yes, all the ingredients are ethically and sustainably sourced. They are natural, organic and cruelty free. Imagine the thoughtfulness in producing something as simple as rose water. Simply the best!

I would politely request you to drop all the other rose waters and give this one a shot! You will go back for more and will tell more people about it!

I spray it all over my face after a mild cleanser and then layer my serum, moisturizer and sunscreen on that. 

P.S. - I am writing this review after diligently using the product for over a month. This is not a paid review.

*If you want to know more about harmful or toxic ingredients, please read the toxin list.

But their speed sadly couldn't outrun the detrimental claws of human habitat, hunting and other illegal activities and biggest yet, CLIMATE CHANGE! Cheetah already lives in hot regions. With climate change increasing the temperatures in these regions, it makes it unfavourable for life like plants and other animals and disrupts the ecosystem. 

Even with their speed they tend to miss their prey. As we all know faster machines heat-up sooner! With a legendary speed of 70-75 miles per hour, the cheetah tends to slow down every 100 meters. Their strategy of sprinting before the kill is not always fruitful! 

With climate change affecting their habitat and humans encroaching their lands and killing them to protect their cattle, survival is a challenge for this breed.

Most of the cheetahs are only found in African regions in todays time. They became extinct in India in 1952. South and East African regions host the only living generations of this big cat. 

These wandering creatures seldom form a coalition or live together. That although only comes naturally to the males. The females however live in solitude unless its the mating season. Climate change has deeply affected their reproduction as cheetahs are reported with low testosterone levels and low sperm counts ever since the rise in temperatures.

As India translocates 20 Namibian cheetahs, it will be worthwhile to watch how their foster their growth and if this move is indeed efficient. 

The ideal and sustainable move would be favourable for both the humans as well as the animal and the environment! I think as long as we plan based on these, it can assure more of a positive impact than a negative one. There needs to be clarity in planning procedures when it includes translocating animals internationally or moving villages full of humans locally, instead of just displacing them.  They need to do all required groundwork. have these procedures approved and monitored by the conservationists to be sure of its efficacy. This situations demands a call to arms for the conservation community. We don't have enough data that supports these strategies. Most of them being flawed, they are a bigger risk to species extinction. Spending crores of rupees on translocating animals without understanding the prospects of their survival or considering that of the civilisation around is poor planning and in no way sustainable or boosting anything but the economy.

Having lived and gathered most of life experiences with people at home, starting anew can seem like a daunting thought at first. Specifically when your mind and bodies are just recovering from the prolonged lockdowns, the unknown may not seem appealing. But nevertheless, a new start, a fresh one at it, a new chapter to write, a new set of people to pick the favourites from, these thoughts can be pacifying much! Being fully aware of the culture and the weather conditions of that city are amongst other things you ideally should know before moving. As humans we check all things to know if a place will be favourable for our growth. Even when we are born adaptable!

Picture this, you are unaware of where you are going, how you will like it there, who will you be with, will it be favourable for your growth, the weather conditions, the food, will you make money enough to survive, and support your family? Can you imagine? You cant right? What if someone gave you 15 lakhs and told you to leave the life you have behind and move to another city or village? Would you? Do you think thats enough capital to move, let alone with your dependants? 

Not sure what exactly are the authorities trying to achieve under the 'development' banner! They uproot ecosystems like weeds in a farm and reorganise everything as if its child's play. Boosting eco-tourism at the cost of thousands of villagers who will now have to think about restarting life. Raising new employment opportunities while the same villagers are unsure about how the new land they have been allocated will be favourable or ready for farming immediately. Spending crores on the set-up for the cheetahs while not keeping the houses or any establishment ready for the villagers to move to. This is nothing new that the villagers in Kuno have seen. 25 years ago, in a similar but worse pattern, 1500 families were relocated for another feline! those villagers, till date, are struggling to form a stable livelihood where once their farms flourished. The fact of the matter being, the Gir lions never reached Kuno but thousands of lives were shackled for the same. The fact that marginalised communities and forest tribes do not have much of a say or support in these decisions is unfair. They are the true inhabitants and heirs of the forest lands, as they have successfully figured how to co-exist with their animals. Their lifestyles and values are the biggest examples of those and should be valued. 

It is okay to reintroduce a project to focus on sustainability and climate action but mindless application of processes where you are neither sure of human welfare or the animal's adaptability is mere torture for both. Call it the capitalist move!

Not debating the biodiversity enhancement ideas however even the doctors at the park did not support this move, of having tigers, lions and cheetahs in the same environment. So, the question being, what is the actual achievement here? We need to be able to co-exist and thrive, isn't that what sustainability is all about? 

Bringing in Namibian cheetahs to Kuno and disassembling an entire village could be one of the most insensible moves made by far in the name of conservation.

Do you know, we barely use 21% (approx.) of the entire 100% of our wardrobe?

It is estimated that more than 1 million tonnes of textiles are thrown away every year, with most of this coming from household sources. 

Even though nearly 100 per cent of clothing is recyclable, about 75 to 85 per cent of textile waste ends up in landfills or is incinerated instead of being reused, thereby polluting the environment, according to the ITJ. - indiantextilejournal.com

The future of India, can lie in one of world's biggest landfill if we continue to consume at the current rate. The rich Indian culture of using a garment from 'riches to rags' (literally) is somehow diminishing. I am sure you all will have memories of waiting for a sibling to hand-down their fave t-shirt to you once they have outgrown it, of your fave dress being used as a wash cloth, or simply giving away old clothes in exchange of steel utensils. We did it all, recycled, reused and repurposed. 

WHAT HAS CHANGED?

- Fast fashion brands entering the Indian textile market, making garments cheaper than buying dinner. 

- Convenience of shopping online and easy returns.

- Faster developing trends 

- The need to follow those trends emerging from developed countries.

'A conscious closet journey begins with a clean-out. There is just no way around it. Our closets are meant to hold all the beautiful things that we are excited to wear. But they have been hijacked! And turned into dark recesses for impulse buys and fashion regrets, and clothes that we don’t like and don’t work and don’t fit.  supposed to hold all pretty things you need

My overstuffed wardrobe contained hundreds of items and yet I wore only a sliver of what owned. Each morning I opened the door and reached far enough to grab the same tops and bottoms again and again. I am not alone!' -

Could not relate more to this excerpt from 'The Conscious Closet'.

If you feel the same, read on…

I never empty my wardrobe at once. That can feel overwhelming, specifically if you are not the type who shops every month. I decided to do it in a certain way - I have one bag of a certain size and I would only give away the volumes that fit in that bag. That way, it did not feel like I was emptying my cupboard all at once.

Important tip : Keep the clothes you love! (be realistic)

You may have some clothes with sentimental values, like your teenage t-shirt, or something that is ancestral. There is no way, someone else is going to understand and value that item as much as you will. So keep it! 

Closet cleansing should be about mindfully handing down or re-using the clothes your already own, instead of buying new. Limiting your purchases to a few sustainable outfits and maximising the use ability of each outfit.

So, take sometime out…play your fave record…and start the task with a calm mind.

Segregating is a mammoth of a task. If you need help on segregating  or think all your items “spark joy” and it is hard for you to part ways with your garments, I suggest you buy The Conscious Closet. It is a “the Michael Pollan of fashion,” as defined by Newsweek . 

It is not just a fashion guide but a revolutionary book to better understand the art of dressing well without harming the environment. 

Once you are done segregating, celebrate with the glass of wine ;P . You did well! 

I believe donating “sparks more joy” than sending it for recycling. If your clothes are not worn enough or are in good condition, consider donating. 

ASK FRIENDS - The first thing I do is ask my friends if they would like to own some of the clothes I do not need and we seldom swap.

That is a great way of revamping your closet without having to buy. You can swap clothes with your sisters, brothers, besties, etc. for a brand new look.

REPURPOSE OLD CLOTHES : Go to your tailor and discuss the possible ways to either revive or repair or renew an old outfit.

DONATE to house-help or people you know, in need - We have a culture of donating old clothes to our house-help, here in India. Similarly, if you know anyone who may need the clothes, please do the honours

DONATE TO CHRISTIAN CHARITIES - It is an easy task to find any church or foundation accepting donations of clothes for the needy as they do a lot of social work and are networked well.

I  also suggest you look at these institutes which make donating easier, where you don't have to go and find people or foundations. They do the work for you. 

SHARE AT DOOR STEP  - 

Not only do they make sure your donations reach the right place, they even reward you! The actual reward is however, the fact tat they keep your clothes out of landfills and in the hands of someone who really requires them. The best part, you don’t move a muscle! You schedule a pick up according to the volumes of clothes. You pay a basic transportation fee and donate items of your choice. 

Another such is Clothes Box Foundation. They both follow pretty much the same working model. 

Another thing I used to do personally, is exchange a bag of clothes for 15% discount at H&M, but again, they are a fast fashion brand. I am not fully supportive of their conscious strategies yet.

You can find your own places to donate. I am posting this because there are people who do not know where to donate clothes or how to reach out to the needy. If you personally know people or places who ethically do this then donate there. 

Remember you can also repurpose your old clothes with some DIY. But I do not prefer that because if it does not turn out good, it is a wasted garment. 

Anyway…if you know more organisations or textile collectors, please do comment!

Hope this helps and sending more love to you for making the right decision of creating a conscious closet. May all your donated  clothes find a happy new home! 

XO

Kimaya