Heather Mills: VBites, World Records & what the future holds

Along the the journey I discovered a great deal about the industry from t-zones and skin chromosome structures to makeup formulation and more shockingly how cruel some of the practices were. This lead me onto developing the whole range, not just foundation... So what is so unique about us?

Our massive range catering for all skin types, backgrounds and styles! We understood over 6 years ago the world doesn’t fit into just 10 shades... So we developed 36 true to skin foundation shades covering the lightest to deepest tones and everything in between.

We have proudly held the Vegan Certification from the very start and work closely with organisations who align with our values keeping you at the forefront of the latest information. This helps us pioneer the way to advise and help educate our community being a trusted voice.

I believe knowledge is power… in this case the power to make kinder choices, and we try to add as much value as we can from entertaining our community and educating them from ingredients insights and inspiring topics that elevate us as humans. We have been able to welcome customers who become fans and ultimately part of the Root Minerals hub where we can all grow, learn and have fun!

I still remember clearly our launch at London Olympia Beauty show in 2016… Nobody had a clue about our certificate displayed in all it’s glory. I remember having to explain countless times what it was - ohh my have times changed!

Continuing to reinvest in ourselves and the company has helped us innovate super high quality products at great value.

Using the highest quality natural ingredients, unique formulation methods and genuinely loving our community keeping them at the heart of everything we do, has contributed massively to our success! We are 5* Rated across all socials and Google, and we will continue to add as much value as we can.

How do we sell our products?

A mixture of online and exhibitions. We primarily sell at trade and consumer shows as Root Minerals is an experience! Makeup is personal and people love to touch and feel stuff. The perks of having a qualified MUA on the day help you find your perfect match, advise on all things beauty while offering a more of a personal touch. Online helps too as we have foundation and eyeshadow samples where people can experience the brand from the comfort of their own home.

The Pandemic

What an interesting time.

All of our shows had been postponed so I sat back, and decided on how to navigate through it all and push forward. I remember thinking perhaps we would have a year off or however long it takes for things to get back to “normal” and suddenly online orders started coming in to my shock. I guess people wanted some glam for their Zoom calls, I couldn’t make sense of it… and so if Royal Mail was open so were we!

I quickly adjusted and focused massively on social media and revamped the website, even learnt a bit of code along the way. ‘Online’ still remains a strong point and is mainly for our existing customers to re-order and some newbies too of course. So it’s definitely something we are focusing on currently and for the foreseeable future.

Creative ideas

Most of my inspiration comes from nature walks and our travels around the world - Amy & I have a passion for travelling, adventure and exploring. Usually I disconnect from

I remember thinking perhaps we would have a year off or however long it takes for things to get back to “normal” and suddenly online orders started coming in to my shock. I guess people wanted some glam for their Zoom calls, I couldn’t make sense of it… and so if Royal Mail was open so were we!

the world once a week to reflect and usually the greatest ideas and innovations come to me when I’m lost deeply in the forest somewhere!

Speaking with industry professionals and talented creatives who align with our values mixed with my adventures and getting lost in beautiful places perhaps may be the magic behind Root Minerals...

Growth

I have always dreamed someday we will be in retail outlets like Selfridges, SpaceNK and more boutique style shops. We are not looking to be a a supermarket / drugstore brand.

As a small brand we know we have magic in our hands and can adapt quickly… We just need to get more people to experience Root Minerals as we know our customers are blown away with our quality and service. We’re excited to scale up, whether it be through independent salons, shops or a network of MUAs to full-on wholesale and retail operations… The future is exciting for sure!

My background and philosophy

A vegan lifestyle provides a framework for me to navigate my values in this ever so complex world. Keeping rooted to nature, having respect for all living things….

It’s a perfect vehicle for me to make an impact and share our values in creating a kinder world.

How often do we think about the impact of our choices? From the food on our plate… to the clothes and cosmetics we use!?

So in this modern world with all the technology we have, it’s shocking to know what goes on behind the scenes. Knowledge is power... the power to make kinder choices.

Being from a Sikh background we were always taught to stands up for what’s right and protect the weak. Our values teach Kindness, Empathy and Compassion to fellow humans and animals. These are just some of the simple ingredients I try to follow to guide me to through life I guess.

Our company gives us a chance to uphold these values in our mission to create a kinder world and an awesome opportunity to step up and make a difference.

Fave meal!?

Ohh yess I absolutely love a beyond burger!! Although most meals these days are 5 bean salad, vegetables, a bunch of tempeh tons of avacado. Which is 90% prepared by Amy.

Breakfast is usually porridge with peanut butter and a whole bunch of pumpkin, flax, and chia seeds! - 100% prepared by me!...

We hardly dine out to be fair… Mostly home cooked and thankfully our background allows for lovely Indian curries which sometimes our parents donate and Amy is amazing cheffing it up for our family!

You can find out more about Root Minerals on our website, Facebook & Instagram pages.

Healthcare Professionals launch the 21 Day

Plant-Based Challenge

Spearheaded by the Plant Based Health Professionals UK, the 21 Day Plant-Based Health Challenge aims to help participants transition to a plant-based diet. It’s completely free, and features recipes, nutrition advice & motivational tips from nutrition experts.

What is the 21 day Plant-based challenge?

Changing your diet can be daunting. There are many nutritional misconceptions, especially about a vegan diet which makes it almost impossible to know what one should eat, what to avoid, which supplements to take. This, of course, discourages people from eating more plants or going vegan.

The 21 Day Plant-Based Health Challenge was created in 2020 in the hope of offering a free resource to those who are interested in going vegan but are not sure where to start and to those vegans who want to have their nutritional questions answered and eat a healthier vegan diet. The 21 Day PB health challenge emphasises and explores the health benefits of a whole food plant-based diet and offers easy tips on how to gradually transition.

Why 21 days?

It’s commonly believed that it takes 21 days to form a new habit, but this is actually a myth which originated in 1960s.

A surgeon called Maxwell Maltz published a book in which he tells of his own and his patients’ experiences and that it takes a minimum of 21 days to adjust to a new situation. The book became a bestseller and people started to believe that it takes 21 days to build a new habit, forgetting that he had said a minimum of 21 days. With that being said, 21 days are short enough for people to commit to a new habit, but long enough to make someone become seriously interested. “ The 21 Day Plant Based Health Challenge was created in 2020 in the hope of offering a free resource to those who are interested in going vegan but are not sure where to start

How do people sign up?

There is a sign-up form on our website - click here.

What would they expect to receive?

After signing up, you receive an email about the benefits of a whole food plant-based diet and tips on how to get started. Then for 21 days you will get a daily email with teachings on specific topics, more tips and guidance, encouraging words, a suggested menu plan with recipes, links to useful resources. Participants are also welcome to hit reply and ask any nutritional questions they have.

Is it a free service?

Yes, it’s absolutely free.

And supported by Vegfund?

VegFund has kindly sponsored the project from the beginning. They also helped us to trial a live Q&A Zoom session for a year. However, the questions were repetitive and now I’m working on a frequently asked question section which will be published in due time. How does it differ from similar campaigns

The main difference is that this is UK based. The recipes we’ve included in our e-books and the ingredients are all easily found in UK supermarkets. That’s also a comment I’ve received from the participants.

How successful has the challenge been so far would you say?

We’re very pleased with the results so far. We’ve had more than 3500 signups since the launch in November 2020 and more than 70% have been non-vegans. We’ve received excellent testimonials. A last reported that they’ve finally been able to conceive their first baby, others have lost a significant amount of weight, reversed type 2 diabetes or reduced their cholesterol levels.

Is there any follow up research or surveys from participants?

Participants are asked to fill in a questionnaire after 3 months. More than 60% report that they’re eating more plant-based and almost 80% have reduced the consumption of animal products. Any step towards eating more plants and less animals is a positive step.

Is the advice given evidence based?

Yes, we at PBHP-Uk always offer evidence-based advice.

Where can people go to access more information?

They can get more information on our website and the sign-up form is also here.

What’s your advice for people who struggle to stick to a WPB diet?

Start small - one meal at a time or even one ingredient at a time. Think of what you can add to your meal to make it more whole plant foods rather than what you need to remove. By focusing on the foods you can have and enjoy, you’ll find it easier to eat a WFPB diet. And always carry a piece of fruit, a handful of nuts or another healthy snack with you - this will prevent you from buying unhealthy vegan foods when you’re out and about.

Be sure to follow Plant Based Health Professionals UK on social media for regular updates!

21 Day

plant-based health challenge

Sea Life, not Sea Food. The Top 10 Vegan Fish Alternatives

Why anyone feels that fish is a healthy food choice is beyond us. Accordingly to our good friends at Viva! a mind blowing 1 BILLION fish as well as 4.4 BILLION shellfish are killed in the UK each year. For vegans, these are facts that I know will certainly stick in your throat.

Paula Alcalde and Anderson Caicedo the GreenBay founders have brought an incredibly realistic salmon alternative to the UK, which is selling out worldwide. The team behind Revo Salmon have some incredible game changing fish alternatives up their sleeves. Paula and Anderson give us the low down on some fantastic vegan fish that we must know about.