Because complementary therapy comes from an integrated approach – mind and body – it is ideal as adjacent to a beauty schedule. Here are the top therapies which you could easily add to your regime:
AROMATHERAPY
Aromatherapy is thought to have originated in Egypt at the time of the great Pharaohs, who used it when embalming and bathing. The oils have both a physical and emotional impact on you. They can be used moisturize and rejuvenate the skin as well as easing physical conditions. Psychologically, they can reduce tension which in turn relaxes the body making us look younger and feel more attractive.
YOGA
Regular yoga practice will not only aid you in achieving true inner beauty but outer beauty as well. It helps in losing excess weight and unwanted fat, all while improving your flexibility to maintain proper body posture which makes you look more youthful. It will also improve blood circulation to improve your skin and hair. As yoga massages internal organs, it aids in the absorption of nutrients at the cellular level. Because of this, all body organs will function at their best, which in turn will lend a healthier glow not only to your face but to the whole body. In addition, practising yoga elevates mood. Doing yoga postures will help in getting rid of toxins that have accumulated in your body (especially Bikram yoga). It will also improve blood circulation to improve your skin and hair.
THERAPIES FOR HORMONE BALANCE
If PMT or menopause is an issue for you, then physiologically and emotionally, you may not feel at your best. This is turn affects our mood and how we feel about our bodies. Natural ways of managing hormones include herbs, nutrition and acupuncture.
INDIAN HEAD MASSAGE
Indian head massage (IHM) is a Sanskrit word meaning ‘science of life and longevity’ and is based on the Ayurveda system of healing which has been practised in India for over a thousand years. The aim of IHM is to release the stress that has accumulated in the tissues, muscles and joints of the head, face, neck and shoulders. Within a beauty regime, IHM could increase joint mobility and flexibility in the neck and shoulders and stimulate the scalp and improve hair condition. Within a beauty regime, IHM could:
- improve posture
- increase joint mobility and flexibility in the neck and shoulders
- stimulate the scalp and improve hair condition
- Improve mood
promote sleep
Increase energy levels
relieve eyestrain
AYURVEDA
Ayurveda, India’s ancient science of longevity may hold the secret to how you look and feel through a beauty approach integrating mind-body balance as the ultimate source of youthful radiance. This approach encourages sustainable results with lifestyle regimes and natural, food-based products that gently nourish, detox, and tone the skin from the inside out. The first step is to identify which dosha (or constitution), drives your ageing process and discover how to keep it in balance so you can learn how to age gracefully, and beautifully.
FACIAL MASSAGE
Facial massage helps the skin stay younger and slows down the ageing process. The pressure accelerates blood flow to the capillaries, bringing oxygen and nutrients to the tissues. Daily stress can result in tension buildup in the muscles through foreheads furrow and lines between the brows and along the lip line. Gentle facial massage can help relax these tight and drawn muscles, decreasing the lines that they form. Massage combined with a hydrating moisturizer can also help minimize lines and dryness. Facial massage can help relieve sinus congestion, stimulate the lymphatic vessels and facilitate toxin elimination from the facial area.
ALEXANDER TECHNIQUE
As children, we normally have excellent flexibility and posture. Even as young as six, we start to tense our muscles in reaction to life’s worries. Consequently, our posture deteriorates, leading to inflexible neck, hunched shoulders and slumped seating. The Alexander Technique trains you to use your body more efficiently; you will have more energy to do the things that you enjoy. You can look slimmer and younger and feel great. As children, we normally have excellent flexibility and posture. Even as young as six, we start to tense our muscles in reaction to life’s worries. Improved physical balance and co-ordination also bring about emotional centeredness and natural confidence which influences how we communicate with others and allows our natural beauty and potential to be expressed.
NUTRITION
Selecting the right foods can help brighten your complexion from the inside out and well as ease symptoms associated with various conditions.
TRANSCENDENTAL MEDITATION
Transcendental meditation is a cutting-edge beauty tool. Supermodel Raquel Zimmerman says ‘Models are valued for what they look like. I started to feel that every human being should be valued for what they have inside.’ Raquel believes that transcendental meditation can help women because most suffer from stress, with hectic lives and multiple responsibilities to raise families and work in a career. ‘I think TM could help them release that stress. It’s like you have your quiet time and all that stress and worries is dissolved and you move on to your day, and all the challenges and problems don’t become problems anymore.’ Research published in the International Journal of Neuroscience found that subjects with an average chronological age of 50 years who had been practising transcendental meditation for over 5 years, had a biological age 12 years younger than their chronological age.
