Favorite Organic Hair Products

In the jungle of all hair products out there, we occasionally find some favorites. I started using only organic hair products without harmful chemicals, such as sulfates, mineral oils and silicons about 3 years ago and I constantly try new ones. I have truly benefited from using natural hair care and my days of flaky scalp and thin, flat hair are gone! But, it very much depends very on what I use, here are some new favorites – Enjoy! 

Ogario London, Revive and Shine Scampoo and Conditioner Purely Perfect - Cleansing Creme (requires a few washes) VM Shampoo (Blueberry -  fantastic result) John Masters Organics - Leave in conditioning mist (Savior, no need for conditioner) Neils Yard - Hair treatment Moroccan Natural - Argan Hair Treatment

Ogario London, Revive and Shine Scampoo and Conditioner
Purely Perfect – Cleansing Creme (requires a few washes)
VM Shampoo (Blueberry – fantastic result)
John Masters Organics – Leave in conditioning mist (Savior, no need for conditioner)
Neils Yard – Hair treatment
Moroccan Natural – Argan Hair Treatment

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Skin supplies for the spring season

Even though there are some (but not many) advantages of cold weather; for your skin it is torture.  Harsh winter winds and dry, hot indoor climate often leaves your skin dehydrated, fed-up, pale and stressed out.

Now when spring has finally arrived to Stockholm and the humid springtime air calls for a change in your beauty regimen! It is time to boost, freshen up and prepare your skin for the summer season. What do we then need to think about? At winter time we normally use heavier moisturizers to compensate for the lack of humidity in the air but as spring arrives many of us can switch to a lighter cream, preferably one with sunscreen already included. The SPF protection should be high if you use a thin layer of your cream (as many of us do) since the thinner you put on the lower the SPF. Start to rejuvenate your flaky skin with a gentle exfoliator to get rid of the dead skin and give your dull face new life. A good eye cream that cools down and reduces puffiness around eyes is also a good investment in allergy-seasons like spring.

I would recommend you to book a facial to get help to remove the toxins that are embedded in the pores and allow fresh oxygen to circulate in the skin. If you seldom treat yourself with facial treatments, this is the perfect time of year to book one. An eyebrow and eyelash tint is also o great investment this season to cut down some makeup and enhance your natural beauty.

Make sure to get rid of old products that have past the expiration date, looks/ smells odd or products that appear dry and crusty. Clean all makeup tools thoroughly.

I thought I would share my highlights on products tested last month that have helped me this spring:
Skin

1. Patyka – Repair Face Cream
This light, fresh and fast absorbing face cream repairs skin and gives a fresh and soft result lasting the whole day. Love it.
2. Dr Burgener – Green Caviar Crème
This is just a fabulous, fabulous, perfect cream to use both day and night. Feels light once applying but is rich in its formula and gives me that perfect surface. Works all by itself and that is rare for a serum/boost/oil lover like me…
3. Subtle Energies – Facial blend
Charming scent, exclusive texture and glowing result is what you get from this tiny oil bottle!
4. Organic Pharmacy – Self Tan
I have mentioned this one before, but it is just the best self tan exsisting. And it is pure and organic.
5. Jurlique – Herbal Recovery Gel
This product is my true skin savior in all times. It is a pure moist gel that repairs, moisturizes and restores my skin, whatever products or climate that might have made damaged to the skin. Perfect for spring and for skin like mine who sometimes gets sensitive.

Happy spring!

/Josefin

My five favorites in March

The winter is still holding a strong grip of Stockholm…not only are we getting tired of the cold temperatures, but also the slippery and icy streets in the city. The skin is also longing for some warmer weather, with some sunshine to warm up our tired and dehydrated skin…

I had a quick look in my bath room and picked out following products, they were all placed in the front line of the shelf, and yes – these products have saved my skin this month;

March

  1. Jurlique Daily Exfoliant – a great exfoliator/peeling that can be used daily. So gentle, but still effective. It takes away any dullness in the skin and gives immediate freshness and purity. You need to use a specific technique (press and lift), but it’s not difficult at all. Life saver for a dry winter skin that needs to gain some luminosity and glow!
  2. Jurlique Eye Gel – very light gel (there is a cream version for dry skin), this gel is cooling and so refreshing. Wakes me up every morning!
  3. Patyka – Iris body Oil – it took me a while to get used to the scent, but now I’m addicted. Not too strong, kind of a sweet scent, just the perfect scent for the winter. And it makes the skin so soft, and even though it is a nourishing oil it is quickly absorbed.
  4. Subtle Energies Henna and Carrot seed Mist – Ayurvedic herbs and plants refreshes the skin. I use it several times a day, both after cleansing the skin, but also during the day, if I need to refresh or give moist to the skin. One bottle is in my bath room and one is beside my laptop in the office!
  5. 6630 Extreme cycle – well, actually this is not mine…it is my husband’s favorite products. 6630 is a Men’s skin care line. The extreme cycle is perfect for colder climate, and dehydrated skin, but it still doesn’t make your skin shiny. Also very nice packaging according to my hubby.

//Maria (longing for the spring)

The secrets of a face

“Until 50 you create your own face, after 50 you get the face you deserve”. I read this sentence in an article written by Ann-Charlott Snickars, a well-known therapist who is very experienced in Chinese face diagnostics.

This sentence made me rush to book an appointment with her….according to this sentence I still have some time to do something about my skin and face…but I better do something NOW….

Ann-Charlott Snickars, is a therapist based in Stockholm, Sweden. She holds a diploma in ALT face lifting technique, Tibetan face massage, face acupressure and aromatherapy. Ann- Charlott has studied Chinese face diagnostics for several years, and she has studied for a famous professor in Traditional Chinese Medicine; Lillian Bridges.

Ann-Charlott works with Chinese face diagnostics, and this was the main reason I went to see her. Chinese face diagnostics is done by studying the features of the face. The lines and wrinkles can tell a lot about a person’s life and health. The face is considered to be the mirror of our body and soul. It is believed that the face shows how you are feeling right now, the face is like a window to your past and to the future…

The aim with the diagnostic technique is to receive increased knowledge about one self; the therapist can help you to gain a better understanding about their your overall health, body and personality.

Ancha

I sat down with Ann-Charlott to learn more about face diagnostics:

MN: Why should I go for a face diagnostic session?

AS: Except that it’s interesting and fun, a face diagnostic is also good to do when you feel a bit “down” or overall have a low energy. Through the face diagnostic you can get information about what’s going in on in your body and you can get help to improve your lifestyle.

MN: What are the most common “issues” you tend to find in a face? How can you tell a person is stressed just by studying the features of the face?

AS: In Chinese face diagnostics you don’t just analyze “one spot” in the face, you study the whole face including ears and eyes, to get a complete picture. Stress can be found in several areas of the face. Overall I tend to notice that urban people, living in big cities tend to have more dark circles under the eyes compared to others. I can also see that many stressed, urban people have 2 wrinkles between the eyes which is related to anger and irritation. Many women also tend to develop vertical wrinkles above the lips or lines from the corner of the mouth. These lines usually appear when you are not satisfied with life or you give too much energy to others.

MN: What do you mainly look for when you diagnose a face?

AS: I study the whole face; including the features of the face, the color of the face, areas where wrinkles appear, I check the shape of the hairline, eyes, ears… I look at the complete picture which is just as important as studying different parts of the face. Another important aspect is a person’s charisma and how it reflects in the face.

MN: What is your best advice to keep the skin young and healthy? How can we prevent premature ageing?

My best advice to keep the skin vital and avoid premature ageing is to always try to be honest to yourself and to others. Don’t hold back your feelings, dare to show what you enjoy and love. Remember that every time you hold back a feeling it will leave a trace somewhere in your body, very often in the face. And if you continue to do it over and over again, the thin line will eventually be deeper and deeper and develop into a permanent wrinkle.

Another advice that is to actually like what you see! Look in the mirror and accept and like the wrinkles and lines you have, or dare to reflect why they have appeared. Those who work with Chinese face diagnostics have a different way of looking at wrinkles, for example wrinkles from laughing (mimic lines) is something you should treasure, because they show that there is a meaning in life.

Remember that the face changes and your thoughts too, sometimes you like what you see, sometimes you don’t. The keywords are Acceptance and Gratitude!

I would also like to highlight to use pure, organic oils in the face. All these advices combined with a good, organic and well-balanced diet will keep your skin vital and glowing.

//Maria

For more information; visit: http://www.omansiktet.se

Our favorites products!

Another year has passed by, faster than ever…even during this year we have continued to search for the perfect skin care brand… we have tested new brands, brands that are not yet launched on the market, we have tested brands that have reformulated their products and we have tested “good old friends”… Among all the products we have of course found some products with “that little extra”. Here are our absolute favorite products from 2012:

JosefinJosefin, Executive coordinator / Course manager

Undaria Algae Oil – Osea

“Just by having a peek at it in my bathroom tempts me to use this lovely body oil described like “the healing power of the sea”. I use it as much as I can: in the morning, after shower, in the shower, for cupping & massage and sometimes before bed just to have a moment for myself. As you can hear, I love it! Makes my skin baby soft and repaired, radiant glowing and also improves skin and cellulites. What more can you wish for? The scent of sea minerals, acai and passionfruit…”

Enzyme Peel mask + Self tan – Organic Pharmacy

“This combination has truly saved my skin throughout the year. The enzyme peeling transforms the skin immediately to a soft, pearly surface but it makes my Nordic, already fair skin even brighter – then the natural self tan comes in and creates a perfect mild, sun kissed and radiant result. Fantastic combo”!

Anna, owner of Raison d’Etre

“Medik8 – this is overall one of the few more medical skin care brands that actually produces a result. The Beta Mask Clay is a favorite and the Pretox Eyelift actually feels as it is lifting and reduces line.Photo Mark Earthy   COPYRIGHT © Photographer Mark Earthy.WWW.PHOTOGRAPHER.SE

OSEA – I have been in love with OSEA since the first time I tried it 2004. Jenifer Palmer, the founder, operates the company with such high ethics and the products are, and has always been very result oriented. Their red seaweed wrap is the best wrap I have ever tried”.

Isabella, Training Director

“First of all I have really enjoyed testing Jurlique, I just love to apply them, the products feel nourishing, fresh and has a subtle scent, so it will be great to work more closely with the brand during this coming year!

Subtle Energies

Old time favorite, Indian magic from Australia. Subtle energies has the very best massage oils that I tried and I am just hoping that they will eventually launch a massage butter…”Photo Mark Earthy   COPYRIGHT © Photographer Mark Earthy.WWW.PHOTOGRAPHER.SE

Massage butters – VS Massage oils

Lately there is a lot of massage butters available on the market and I just simply prefer them to the extent that I don’t even like to give professional massage with oils anymore, maybe a gentle longstroking aroma as an exception.

The butters, if they are coconut based are far more effective as the therapists strokes get closer to the body that they are working on, the friction and overall contact increases, some oils, specially sesame oil based, the therapist is just skyskating on tp of the skin, never being able to create friction or even feeling what is going on beyond the connective tissue.

MariaMaria, Project Manager

Luxsit – Enrich Magic Moisturizing Facial Mask

“I have during the year had the privilege to work closely with the Swedish skin care brand; Luxsit. I have developed facials for the brand and it has been an enjoyable work. Some of my top favorite products are yet only available in the actual treatments, as professional products, among them they have a magical enzyme peeling and a cooling and deeply hydrating mask!

But my number one favorite product is the nourishing “Cinderella face mask” – the Enrich Magic Moisturizing Facial, a nourishing, creamy mask that makes your skin glow. It is perfect for the cold and dry Nordic climate and has saved my skin this winter!”

Make a woman feel beautiful and she is happy (?) – Part 2

Here is the second part of my recap of latest beauty research, if you didn’t read last weeks post take a look at that one first!

Celebrities

What about all the celebrity endorsement we see everywhere? According to McCann, celebrities increase sales as consumers like the aspiration of a dream and fantasy.

Their research shows that the majority of women around the world still feel either positive or inspired when they look at pictures of beautiful celebrities, and this is particularly pronounced in China (76%) and Mexico (75%). Very few women stipulated that celebrities make them feel depressed or angry.

However, 90% of women globally want the celebrities used in beauty adverts to be famous for something in addition to their looks. 86% of women say that in beauty advertising they like to see a naturally beautiful woman with a few lines on her face.

Retail

Research also shows that women want to touch and test products so having them easily accessible and displayed beautifully will encourage sales more than having them behind a class cabinet. Note this you spas with retail displayes behind glassed in areas!

If brands are to achieve an emotional connection with women, they must understand and reflect the role that beauty plays in women’s lives. This new research provides a great insight into ideas that perhaps can help spas become even more successful.

Thanks McCann Group for this great research and also Euromonitor!

//Anna