Spring body round up part 1: Put the spring zing into your skin

So it’s spring and the sun’s been peeping its head out. That means it’s nearly time to peel off those layers and get up close and personal with your skin. Now while I’m a firm believer in that you’re going to get the best and far longer lasting results through exercise and a balanced diet, I’ve been testing out a few treatments and products to help speed up the skin firming process so that you’re beach confident for that first scorcher!

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Something I’ve just started doing is dry body brushing. This is a fantastic way to start the day and get your skin active!

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The benefits of Body Brushing from Spotless Living:

• Skin brushing provides gentle exfoliation that can be done every day, even twice a day. The skin forms a new layer of cells every 24 hours. Skin brushing efficiently removes dead skin cells and the detritus trapped among them.
• It stimulates the circulation. About a third of our blood supply is circulating within the layers of the skin. Skin brushing helps increases the blood flow throughout the skin, tightening the skin, flushing toxins, bringing oxygen and nutrients to the cells and promoting healing.
• It energises the nervous system by stimulating nerves all over the surface of the skin, awakening the skin’s sense of touch and giving a feeling of invigoration. This helps improve the overall functioning of the nervous system.
• Stimulating the nerve endings also causes the muscle fibres attached to the nerves to be activated all over the body and make tiny movements, toning the muscles.
• It stimulates the sebaceous glands, encouraging them to produce the healthy oils that keep skin soft and elastic. You will find your skin quickly becoming less dry.
• The skin is one of our main organs of elimination, capable of getting rid of two pounds of toxins daily. Skin brushing aids indetoxifying the body by unclogging pores, removing dead cells and detritus, and by moving lymph.
• The movement of lymph also significantly boosts the immune system, helping us fight off all types of infection and disease and to resist the threat and spread of cancer. The impact of stimulating the lymphatic system is such an important benefit of skin brushing, that I’ll devote another post to explaining how it works.
• Regular skin brushing dislodges and prevents ingrown hairs. It also, over time, breaks down cellulite deposits. According to several sources I’ve looked into, it takes several months of regular brushing for this effect to become apparent, but it does pay off. It makes sense – cellulite consists of lumpy fatty deposits and trapped toxins. Skin brushing helps these be broken down, the toxins eliminated and the fat redistributed by the lymph vessels.
• Skin brushing aids in recovery after surgery, particularly after a Cesarean section. It reduces inflammation and infection (via its effect on the lymph), speeds up recovery (by increasing blood circulation through the tissues), combats numbness and reduced sensation (by stimulating the nerve endings), and inhibits the formation of scar tissue (by sloughing off dead cells and promoting quick, healthy cell regeneration).
• Skin brushing also stimulates the hormone producing glands and even aids in food digestion…

You can read more about it here!

Body wraps can also be a relaxing way of helping firm up the skin and help minimize cellulite. Estrogen, Poor diet (high sugar, high trans fats, caffeine) and lack of circulation are all culprits in causing cellulite. I went to the gorgeous and newly revamped Urban Beauty Anti-Aging Spa to test out a QMS Medicosmetics “The Skinny Wrap: (60 min/R850)

Says Urban Beauty, “Our Urban signature body effect treatment visibly firms and strengthens skin. The skin profile is given a finer texture. Detoxification and purification processes are extensive and provide a noticeable difference in a short space of time. Problem areas; legs, bottom, hips, upper arms and stomach.”

Firstly the skin is cleansed, then an exfoliant fluid (I use it on my face and its gives amazing results) is applied to exfoliate the skin and help product to absorb more easily. Next target areas are massaged with QMS Medicosmetics Lift O Firm & Body Shape creams, which can also be bought to use at home.

Body Shape is a thermo-active Therapy with anti-cellulite power that increases the blood circulation, gives a warm feeling to the skin and improves the skin’s texture.It’s super stimulating and comes with a warning, don’t touch your skin and run your eyes!

• Stimulates cellular metabolism
• Protects connective tissue structure
• Provides a significant boost to circulation
• Purifies
• Restructures elastic fibers

From the QMS Website: Lift O Firm is an innovative contouring cream with a very effective lifting ingredient that sculpts your body. Firms problem areas such as legs, stomach, upper arms and breast area. Synephrine, derived primarily from the fruit of Citrus aurantium, also known as bitter orange stimulates fat burning. And combined with Coffein, L – Carnitin, Lecithin, Apricot oil and Orange oil, leaves skin firm, smooth and full of vitality.
Benefits

• Firms the skin contours for the entire body.
• Smoothes and firms the skin. Also increasing the elasticity of the skin.
• Provides radiance to the skin, a harmonious balance and a glowing appearance.
• Ideally suited as a support in combination during or after a health diet.
• Spectacularly light texture.
• Smooth, softens and firms the skin.

 

Once your skin has been massaged, you’re left wrapped in towels to relax and experience a glorious head massage. I love the warm tingle of the Body Shape and my skin felt soft and supple afterwards. A great way to kick start your skins metabolism for summer!

Another treatment I went for last Friday that I found super fascinating was the Placecol Ceya Body Treatment. This is a 20 minute treatment that focuses on one area at a time. I chose my thighs which your therapist will measure before you begin. Upon lying on the bed, a gel is applied to help the soft laser glide over your skin. A soft laser in the form of light therapy is rolled over your skin in an upwards direction. The therapist is pretty firm with it and you may have to ask her to be a little more gentle. I thought, no pain, no gain. The Soft Laser improves circulation and allows for deeper product penetration.

A firming cream is applied and then pads are strapped to your focus area which transmit radio waves to penetrate the body with cold energy. To Balance itself, the body naturally sends heat to this area increasing the blood flow and shrinking fat cells while removing toxins and waste.

I lost 1 cm on each leg and my skin felt so firm. Amazing!  Now this isn’t the answer to wait loss for ever. These treatments should be followed by plenty of water, a balanced diet and exercise to maintain your new shape and follow up treatments depending on how much you want to rid!

Firm and Lift Treatment:

Single Treatment R250

5 Treatment Package R1250

(3 free detoxification treatments valued at R750)

10 Treatment Package R2500

(5 free detoxification treatments valued at R1250)

PLACECOL CUSTOMER LINE:   or visit their website here. * Not recommended if you’re pregnant

Another treatment that’s hot on beauty lips is I-Lipo, a non invasive body treatment. As I’m going through fertility treatments, I-Lipo suggested I don’t try it out just to be safe, but Leigh of “Lip Gloss Is My Life” wrote a great review on it, see here! 

Watch out for Part 2 as I test out some products you can use at home! x