Taking the holistic journey

We chat to Green Nation Life founders Alanna Hinds and Fiona Murton about the power of botanicals, what it means to go green and how to live a more sustainable life.

What was the inspiration behind Green Nation Life?

Green Nation Life was born out of the desire to create an Australian-made lifestyle range, offering truly transparent formulations and minimal, modern packaging that complements modern homes and decors. We love creating beautiful products that are practical and better for you (and the planet). And, of course, they have to smell amazing and actually work!

Our years of experience working in the industry left us wanting a range that we felt was missing in the market and that combined a premium aesthetic and naturally derived option at an affordable price point. We worked extensively with local Melbourne manufacturers to create a range of homecare and skincare products that have been designed to meet our strict 98 per cent naturally derived criteria and contain no artificial fragrances — instead they are scented with unique, luxurious and complex blends of essential oils.

Our aromatherapy range of candles and diffusers has also been developed with the environment in mind. Our candles are made from a pure soy wax blend and many of our candles feature crackling wooden wicks. The signature range includes a seed-infused topper which can be planted when the candle is finished.

What are your top tips for living a greener lifestyle?

• Reuse and repurpose wherever you can. Our bottles and candle jars are all 100 per cent recyclable, but we have provided the seed garden toppers in some of our candle ranges so you can also reuse our tinted glass jars to create your own little garden.
• Choose transparent formulations that are naturally derived and plant-based. These are gentle on both your skin and the environment — our formulations also feature biodegradable surfactants.
• Also choose concentrated products. A higher concentration, like our Dishwash, means you can use less and still get the same sparkling results.

What does being “green” mean to you?

Being green for us means doing the best we can and making the best decisions to not only produce a sustainable brand and range, but also ensure that the choices are consumer-friendly and fit for purpose.

Every decision we make, from packaging to product formulations and transport, is made with sustainability at the heart of the consideration. We explored every possible option for packaging from glass to pouches and came back to a local manufacturer of bottles that we used called RPET. These are sourced using 100 per cent post-consumer plastic and remoulded into our bottles. These in turn are totally recyclable. This option is not only kinder to the environment but also functional in bathrooms and kitchens, where glass is susceptible to breakage on hard floors and surfaces if dropped.

The Green Nation Life range covers everything from aromatherapy to home cleaning. Please tell us more about the current range. We currently have a range of cleaning products including dishwash, multipurpose spray and laundry products; air care products which include a range of room and linen sprays; and a skincare range of naturally antibacterial handwashes and hand creams.

Our aromatherapy range includes candles and diffusers lovingly hand-poured into glass jars or recyclable and reusable tins. We have an extensive range of scents made up of essential oil-infused fragrances and all feature 100 per cent soy wax.

Our diffuser range features twig-like reeds that create a natural look and the range matches our signature candle scents. They also feature a gentle eco-friendly base.

What are your hero botanical oils and ingredients and their benefits?

At Green Nation Life, we are all about skincare and homecare. Natural botanicals are at the centre of everything we make and do. We’ve done the research to bring you the best botanicals for your skin and your home. There isn’t a single ingredient we haven’t tried or tested ourselves.

Here are a few of our favourite botanicals that are a must for cleaning.

Lemongrass: A powerhouse botanical. It not only possesses strong antibacterial and antimicrobial properties, but also houses a rich and full-bodied citrus scent which makes it a favourite among many. It instantly deodorises and removes impurities, and can even be used as a natural anti-inflammatory.

Eucalyptus: It’s not just for koalas! Eucalyptus is known for its antiseptic, antifungal and antimicrobial properties, and promoting mental clarity and calmness.

Sweet orange: Powerful cleaning is one wipe away with sweet orange. Its degreasing abilities make it perfect for cleaning grease and grime.

Peppermint: It doesn’t just repel bugs; peppermint cuts through built-up gunk, killing bacteria in its tracks. It’s both antibacterial and antifungal, and don’t forget it smells pretty great too!

Kakadu plum: Being one of the highest sources of vitamin C, Kakadu plum forms an important ingredient as it acts against the free radicals formed on your skin and protects your skin from their harmful effect.

Camellia leaf extract: It is extremely soothing, protects against harmful environmental influences, eliminates excess sebum and improves skin hydration.

Camomile flower extract: Camomile extract has anti-inflammatory, antifungal, antibacterial and antiseptic properties, which promote healing for minor cuts, scrapes and burns. Camomile is also hypoallergenic and packed with antioxidants, which helps reduce acne breakouts and inflammation.

Vitamin E: A powerful antioxidant that may be effective at reducing UV damage in skin, vitamin E applied topically may help nourish and protect your skin from damage caused by free radicals.

Aloe vera leaf juice: Contains antioxidants, enzymes, vitamins A and C, and it is also highly anti-inflammatory.

What’s next for Green Nation Life?

We have so many plans to continue to grow this range! It’s exciting and we have just increased our team so we can keep up with all our ideas and new product development that we want to achieve.

Look out in the near future for more skincare products currently in development (they smell divine). We are also extending our essential oil blends in cleaning and dishwashing categories and we are embarking on an exciting new project for single-use bottles and refills for a new range … we can’t wait to share!

For more, visit greennationlife.com.au.