Meet 'lelive'

Fantastic Fungi

Free Your Mind... The Rest Will Follow

Heralded for health benefits beyond their nutritional compositions and favoured for centuries in Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine, functional mushrooms are non-toxic, non-psychoactive fungi and are known for their abilities to combat stress and aid in the body’s natural ability to heal itself.

Functional Mushrooms contain adaptogens (nature’s miracle workers) – compounds that help bodies adapt to and fight off chemical, biological, and physical stress. They operate on a cellular level, ‘adapting’ their functions to our needs at any given time. In moments of stress, they train the brain to use oxygen more efficiently, energising the body and soothing the mind. They can also balance hormones, boost the immune system, improve cognitive function and reduce anxiety.

In the same way that exercise trains the body to improve stamina, adaptogens train the mind to better handle the effects of stress. They work their magic on a cellular level, helping to stabilise the hypothalamic, pituitary and adrenal glands – all of which are involved in the body’s stress responses. Although functional mushrooms certainly have many magical benefits, they are not to be confused with psychedelic or magic mushrooms. They are legal and safe to use, with no toxins or risk of getting 'high'.

Super mushrooms

The three most powerful functional mushrooms are Lion's Mane, Reishi and Cordyceps. Each of these mushroom species has its own benefits…

Lion's Mane (Hericium erinaceus) is a powerful, mood-boosting, nootropic that helps protect and regenerate brain tissue, alleviating the feeling of brain fog and promoting overall cognitive health and sustained focus, it also promotes better sleep and slows the ageing process.

Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum) is an effective antioxidant-rich super mushroom that helps support the immune system and improve the body's natural response to managing stress. Celebrated for its ability to stabilise and calm the body, it also promotes better sleep and slows the ageing process.

Cordyceps (Cordyceps sinensis) is an anti-inflammatory fungus that is praised for its natural support in athletic performance. Due to its ability to increase blood-flow and lower bloodsugar, they help the body reduce fatigue, optimise energy, and speed up muscle recovery.

Functional mushrooms and cognitive health

Stress has become a daily part of life for many. COVID and its resulting global concerns have compounded the stress of balancing work, life and everything else with fatigue becoming more and more of a problem for the average person still struggling to adjust to the ‘new normal’. Poor concentration and focus, low energy, and a general sense of mental fog have all become par for the course.

So what is cognitive health, exactly?

A healthy brain is able to learn new things, concentrate on tasks, stay alert and focussed, retain information, and have the energy to get us through each day. Cognitive health does not only affect your brain right now in the present. It does not only impact your ability to have a calmer, clearer mind. It also affects your mental function as you age.

Poor cognitive health can also make it harder to get through life on a day-today basis. As anyone who has ever had to juggle multiple deadlines with other responsibilities knows, there is no room for brain fog. Poor concentration and focus can increase stress. This has a knock-on effect, increasing the risk of physical fatigue and burnout.

Polysaccharides found in Lion's Mane mushroom extract have shown to induce neuronal differentiation and promote neuronal survival. The mushroom had no adverse reactions and showed effectiveness in treating mild cognitive impairment.

In addition to decreasing the risk of cognitive impairment, Lion's Mane mushroom has many other benefits that could help improve overall mental wellbeing. This mushroom can also regenerate brain cells and improve hippocampus functioning, making it easier to process memories and emotional responses.

Taken daily as a health supplement, functional mushrooms can offer many benefits to the brain, including mental acuity. In the longer term, they could serve as a preventative measure to maintain a healthy brain.

LELIVE

IT'S TIME TO 'LELIVE' OUR BEST LIVES - ONE SELF-CARE ROUTINE AT A TIME.

Being a magazine that prides itself on local, recyclable, current, trendy and curated content for a

contemporary SA citizen, we thought it high time we sat down with the creators behind the skincare brand that is taking over our Instagram feeds one self-care routine at a time... And you best believe we are here for that! Meet lelive.

Q: Talk us through the beginnings…

lelive (pronounced ‘leh-lee-veh') was created in 2020 by Amanda du-Pont. The range was developed by expert formulators alongside our dedicated community on social media to create skincare that's truly made by Africa. It's our mission to make skincare that is clean, simple, effective and affordable while celebrating what makes Africa unique.

Q: ‘lelive’, what’s the meaning behind the name?

The name was inspired by Amanda's unofficial Swazi name, and means 'of the nation or world'. This was a perfect fit for us because we're first and foremost about building a strong community that we support, listen to and are guided by.

Q: What has influenced your use of ingredients? Are they all natural?

Our range has been formulated to be kind to you and the environment. Our products are produced in SA, and we make use of 95% natural ingredients, focussing on those that are native to us, like aloe, shea, marula and rooibos, to name a few. We have combined our beloved local ingredients with powerful plant-identical actives garnering international acclaim like niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, and vitamin C, to produce a unique range that's the best of both worlds.

Q: How does your brand appeal to the ‘conscious consumer’ who is mindful of the products they use?

We appeal to the conscious consumer by using 95% natural ingredients that are sustainably sourced with the rest being plant-identical actives. We package our products in mostly aluminium due to its recyclability and only use plastic for our caps. The rest of our packaging is all recycled paper. We’re also vegan, cruelty free, sulfate free, paraben free and reef safe.

Q: Let’s take a look at lelive’s diverse range of products. What is recommended for oily skin and what is recommended for dry skin?

Our 3-piece oily set is ideal for mild to moderate acne-prone skin that scars easily and it moderates oil production without stripping the skin or leaving it greasy. If your skin's condition leans more on the oily side try lelive's 'jelly splash' cleanser, the 'all glow'd up' vitamin C brightening serum and the 'créme de la cream african mahogany' everyday moisturiser.

If your skin calls for more moisture then we recommend our dry set- packed with sustainably-sourced african oils and shea butter, along with plant-identical scientific actives like niacinamide and hyaluronic acid. The set includes, lelive's 'cleaner colada' (a coconut and pineapple african oil cleanser), the 'all glow'd up' vitamin C, turmeric and hyaluronic acid brightening serum and the 'du-pont' shea butter lush moisturiser.

Q: What’s your favourite indulgence product in your range, and why?

For Amanda, it’s definitely The du-Pont. It’s really important to layer your skin with nutrition, especially if you really want to awaken the glow. The shea butter makes it extremely nourishing (even in the dry Joburg climate that she spends most of her time in) and she loved it so much she had to put her name on it.

Q: Let’s talk branding and packaging… Inspirations leading to conceptualising the chic, minimalist and recyclable, sustainable packaging?

As an African brand we knew that colour was important. We were inspired by various colours in nature, to further emphasise our love for our planet and its diversity. The recyclability of the packaging was actually decided by our community (who made all our key decisions in terms of what our range focussed on). We gained their insights using various polls and questionnaires on social media.

Q: Amanda, what does your self-care routine look like, and Nash, how does this differ from yours?

Amanda: Pray, rest, eat healthy, and use The du-Pont from lelive. It's the perfect overnight hydration mask.

Nash: Put a thick layer of Seatox on, jump in the bath, and try to block everything out for 20 minutes. Always fixes my mood, and skin!

Q: What are some products you’re experimenting with at the moment, and what can we expect to see next from the lelive brand?

We have many exciting plans up our sleeves, including an anti-ageing capsule, a lip balm and skincare for your body.

Q: Where can our readers get their hands on your range?

Wellness Warehouse, ARC stores, Takealot, Superbalist and more!

"It's our mission to make skincare that is clean, simple, effective and affordable while celebrating what makes

Africa unique."

lelive

Amanda du-Pont, CEO and Founder

Nash Mariah, Chief Marketing Officer and Co-founder

www.leliveafrica.com

@lelive.africa