Les Nouvelles Esthetiques Spa Magazine #96

The Nutrition for Healing Initiative Trends 2

How to Be Happy 4

CSpa Aroma Wellness 6

Wellbeing as One System: Mind, Body and Place 8

DEFIANCE ™ - Collagen Evolved 10

Intuitive Skincare 12

Veganize Your Skincare Routine 14

How Gym Culture Went From Punishing to Meditative 16

KSurgery Laboratories - Hyaluronic Body 18

The Wellness Questionnaire with Fitness and Nutrition Entrepreneur Tatiana Boncompagni 20

Introducing Nature Strong™ by OPI

- Vegan, Natural Origin Nail Lacquer 22

The Ultimate Guide to Natural Preservatives 24 Unpacking The Clinical Weight Management, That Is Sprezzatura 26

4 New Rules of Eating for Aging Well 28

Psychobiotics 30

Why Mixing Different Skincare Brands may be Toxic for your Skin 32

Reimagining Wellness in ‘American Detox’ - Kerri Kelly 34

Kamalaya Koh Samui 36

Organic Spa Magazine International Wellness

Travel Awards 38

Leading With People First 42

Neuroscents 44

Editors Welcome

Natural, Organic and Vegan approaches continue to gain momentum and short of taken, as the expected standard, due to their numerous benefits for both the environment and personal health. Here are some reasons why organic cosmetics are worth considering:

1. Environmental-friendly: Organic helps to protect biodiversity, conserve natural resources, and reduce pollution. 2. Safe for the skin.

3. High-quality ingredients: formulated with ingredients that are rich in vitamins, antioxidants, and essential nutrients.

4. Ethical and cruelty-free. 5. Reduced environmental impact.

By making the switch to organic, natural and vegan products, individuals can take a step towards a greener lifestyle while still enjoying the benefits of effective and nourishing skincare.

Dates to Diarise: Les Nouvelles Esthetiques Spa Conference 2023, 30 & 31st July 2023. Bookings online: www.lesnouvelles.co.za

Enjoy the read !

The Nutrition for Healing Initiative Trends

By Global Wllness Institute

spa trends

TREND 1: Self-Care

People will make conscious choices to direct their own selfcare to support their physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health, and there will be greater emphasis on natural solutions versus conventional medicine. Gut health, immunity and prevention will take a front-row seat. Self-care studies historically focused on those with an illness or chronic disease; we will start to see more research on self-care as a means of prevention.

TREND 2: Personal Nutrition

Nutrition will become increasingly targeted, enabling individuals to eat according to their specific body type and needs versus following one-size-fits-all diets. Topics ranging from nutrition advice, products and services to customized vitamins and supplements will be addressed.

TREND 3: Holistic Diets

Diets that advocate a holistic approach to eating and promote eating for holistic health, especially those that recommend increased fresh vegetable consumption and a decrease in farmed protein, will gain followers. The Pegan Diet (Mark Hyman) is an example of a hybrid solution that combines the best of two different approaches—paleo and vegan.

TREND 4: Cooking at Home

The pandemic got more people in the kitchen cooking meals and eating with family. As people noticed the benefits of eating home-cooked food, including quality time spent together, businesses will cater to this market and make things easier with apps, blogs and better equipment.

TREND 5: Food for Mood

Food has a direct impact on mood, and it can supply natural antidotes for mental health challenges, such as anxiety, depression and stress. Omega-3 fatty acids, dark chocolate, fermented foods, bananas and berries are known moodenhancers, and we’ll see a rise in psilocybin mushrooms, marijuana, herbs and more as people look to empower themselves naturally.

TREND 6: Organically Grown/Raised Food

There’s increasing awareness and concern over commercial agricultural trends and processed foods that impact illness, disease and food intolerances. People who want cleaner food will grow their own food, create new farm trends, and develop new pathways for obtaining organic food.

TREND 7: Nutritious Drink Treats

There is a risein better–tasting health foods and safer,cleaner alternatives to certain “vices.”Nutritiousoptionsoffer theflavor of favorite“cheat day”splurgeswithout theguilt.Mocktails, also known as virgin drinks,are alcohol-free drinks that blend delicious and healthy ingredients without the booze.Kombucha is a fermented tea that offers a wide variety of benefits. These are attracting the health-conscious crowd as a growing number of people are tuning in to their physical and mental healthandcuttingback on caloriesandpotential headaches thefollowing day.

How to Be Happy

Happiness doesn’t come with an instruction manual, but these expert tips can certainly help.

If you are reading this, you are most likely longing for a life full of meaning, connection andbliss. In other words, you want to be happy. But instead, you may be in a personal crisis.

Happiness is a hot topic. There are thousands of studies on happiness; hundreds of articles and books written about it; colleges and universities now teach happiness courses; and on Instagram, #happiness and #happy have a combined 655 million mentions.

The prescriptions for happiness are just as abundant: tips, hints and secrets, ready-to-manifest formulas that promise to help us attain a happier life. But does this all actually make us happy? And can looking for happiness actually lead to unhappiness?

“If you focus too much on your own happiness, just focusing too much on yourself in general, that can lead to unhappiness,” says happiness coach Tia Graham, founder of Arrive atHappy, in Los Angeles. “There are a lot of myths and misconceptions around happiness.”

One example is that kindness and gratitude can make you happier. Sonja Lyubomirsky, a psychologist, leading researcher on happiness and author of The How of Happiness: A Scientific Approach to Getting the Life You Want, says that some happiness strategies can backfire: “Like expressing gratitude, which studies show might make some people feel awkward or it might make people feel guilty for not having repeated that kindness that you are grateful for, or for not having to thank the person; it might make you feel indebted.”

Generosity and giving to others are also supposed to make you happier, but Lyubomirsky says her research shows that not all acts of kindness are appreciated or welcome, because “they can come off as patronizing or make a person feel vulnerable, or not self-sufficient.”

“People who are too generous often neglect their own self-care and focus too much onother people,” she explains. “[They] can be harmed by that, or feel that it’s a burden.”

Are we doomed? Is attaining happiness an impossible task? Is there actually a recipe for a happy life? Dan Buettner, National Geographic Fellow and best-selling author ofBlue Zones ofHappiness, studied happiness and longevity in the happiest places in the world for the past 15

years. He says that the happiest people don’t pursue happiness.

“About 40 percent of your happiness or lack thereof is dictated by genes, 15 percent dictated by chance and 40 to 50 percent is dictated by what you do with your life,” explainsBuettner. “And I argue that the most important thing you can do if you want to maximize that50 percent within your control is to shape your social surroundings, your work surroundings, your home, the place where you choose to live so you are more likely to be happy.” In other words, there are things you can do to stack your deck in favor of happiness.

Define Your Own Happiness

Happiness is an ephemeral thing and we often have a hard time recognizing it when we have it. Do you know what happiness means to you? What do you want your life to look like? Graham defines happiness as acceptance of the journey and commitment to joy, and then poses a question: “What would you do if no one was watching, taking photos or even aware of you?” Now, knowing this, what would you do differently?

Curate Your Social Circle

Friends are important to your happiness. It’s no wonder the expression, “Show me who your friends are and I’ll tell you who you are,” is so widely used. But it’s not just about having friends you’ve accumulated through life, cautions Buettner. It’s about curating a group of friends. “They have to be people with whom you would trust to have a meaningful conversation, talk about your relationships, be vulnerable, talk about your struggles, not just happy face and fluffy talk. They have to be people you can call on a bad day and they’ll care.

Practice Happiness Daily

“Just like exercising your body leads to endorphins and builds muscle, exercising your brain creates new cells,” says Graham. Recent studies on neuroplasticity suggest that we can rewire the neural pathways that regulate our emotions, thoughts and reactions. But we have to practice it daily. So instead of feeling angry when you are in traffic, for example, you can consciously switch your attention to something joyful in your life or remind yourself of a moment that brought you joy. “Theory doesn’t make you happy, practice does,” teaches Graham and recommends creating rituals to help you on your own path to happiness.

Respect Your Emotions

Who hasn’t felt guilty about feeling something you believe you shouldn’t be feeling? You can swap the habit of feeling guilty by simply observing your emotions or writing them down. “All emotions are acceptable and are part of being human,” reassures Graham. The challenge is that we judge difficult emotions by calling them “negative” instead of acknowledging them and watching them pass. Graham recommends asking yourself a question: “I would be even happier in my life if I was more fully honest with myself about...”

Move To A Happy Place

“If happiness were a recipe and the ingredients would include you need enough money, you need food and shelter, and you need some mobility and enough money to treat yourself once in a while; you want to have meaningful work and you want to have something to give back. These are all important ingredients, but the most important ingredient is where you live. We know if you live in an unhappy place, you are most likely to be unhappy,” says Buettner.

Live Your Life As If You Are A Child

Think back to when you were a kid, and remember the small things that got you excited and feeling happy. “I believe in the idea of awe and wonder, a perspective like ‘Wow, I’m alive and I wake up every single day, savoring the small things in life.’ And when you take that time and look at everything that’s around you, it sounds so simple. I believe that’s also a path to happiness” says Graham.

Evaluate Your Choices

Lyubomirsky’s quest to find out why some people are happier than others led her to realize that the old cliché that happiness lies within us is actually supported by her research. “Changes in our lives probably won’t make a difference in happiness, it’s really what’s inside, how we behave, how we think in our daily lives that’s going to matter,” she says.

Live An Aligned Life

Do you know your top values? Do you know if the activities you do daily are aligned with your top values? “Your behavior needs to be aligned with your values,” says Graham. “If it doesn’t, you will be unhappy. So often we mistaken the idea of something for the thing itself. Ask yourself if you really like the thing you think you like, or you simply like the idea of it.”

CSpa Aroma Wellness

What's behind the name “CSpa”? The “C” in CSpa stands for “Curatio” which is Latin for healing treatment.

CSpa Aroma Wellness is the new generation aroma wellness inspired by the beauty of nature, especially in Africa. It's a blend of aroma purist principles partnered with modern aromatherapy applications to allow for a near magical skin care experience.

About the brand, CSpa Aroma Wellness:

As a local brand, CSpa Aroma Wellness aims to uplift Southern Africa and the rest of the continent with products which are traded responsibly and aid in penetrating the social upliftment of communities. This will be done through smart distribution channels, job creation and a dedication to local ingredients. With Wellness and Nature being one of the top International trends, the aim is to grow CSpa into a world renown brand that offers results and financial sustainability. The product is manufactured in South Africa thus being socially and economically responsible. The target market for the CSpa Aroma Wellness brand is segmented into the end-consumer for retail and professional spas and salons. According to the Global Wellness Institute, in 2013 Sub-Saharan Africa experienced 4.2 million wellness trips with a spend of over $3.2 billion. Entering into the African spa landscape, travel wellness will be a core focus.

Travellers within the African continent often seek relaxation and local experiences which stand out from the established norm. In addition to this, CSpa Aroma Wellness incorporates hints of Africa at various levels. For example, monkey apples which are handpicked by locals in the villages of Mozambique are dried to form the massage tool used within each body journey.

Commitment to the environment and clean formulas:

CSpa Aroma Wellness is committed to protecting the environment and leaving a lasting and sustainable beauty legacy for future generations. With eco-friendly and recyclable packaging, CSpa Aroma Wellness ensures that the impact on the environment is minimized.

The “clean formulation” based products are free of toxins, with naturally sourced ingredients; allow CSpa to truly uphold the strong premise of beauty without

cruelty, whilst not compromising on the sensorial experience felt through the brand. We continuously improve our best practices to maximize environmental sustainability.

Designed in Africa, for Africa

Indigenous to Sub-Saharan Africa, Aloe Vera is enjoying a revival as the 'millennial ingredient.' The profound benefits of this cornerstone extract have remained at the core of many of CSpa's hydrating journeys based on its rich historical healing properties. The use of Aloe Vera can be traced back as far as Cleopatra who referred to it as 'the plant of immortality' due to its extensive hydrating properties. Modern science continuously discovers new uses for this extract whilst the most important known benefits in aiding the skins health include its hydrating and anti-ageing properties.

More than 300 years ago, the local inhabitants of the Cape Cederberg mountains discovered the needlelike Rooibos plant. Renowned for its relaxing and stress-reducing properties, CSpa incorporates the riches of Rooibos into the Luxury Bath Care Range. CSpa makes use of monkey apples handpicked by locals in the villages of Mozambique and then dried to form the massage tool used to relieve surface tension. This has been combined with blended essential oils in each CSpa Aroma Wellness body treatment for a wellness journey which touches the five senses.

CSpa also sets itself apart through the use of natural Aventurine Stones in the facial treatments. Placing them on the clients' décolleté - where the heart isallows for emotional growth, cleanses negative emotions and attracts tranquility and peace.

The Core of CSpa Aroma Wellness: CSpa incorporates aromatherapy into treatments. What exactly is aromatherapy? Aromatherapy is the use of aromatic riches of plants to facilitate healing. Ancient aromatherapy believed that the oils of plants carried the essence, or unique identity of the plants they came from. Just as our ancestors stated, these oils are the “soul” of the plant, and so aromatherapy is the soul of CSpa Aroma Wellness.

The core of CSpa Aroma Wellness formulas is essential oils. The serums are blended essential oils that can be easily absorbed by the skin. Blended essential oils

form the heart of the brand to awaken total skin and body wellness. These serums act as elixirs which can be layered with any CSpa product to ensure a multisensory treatment that delivers the results you want to see and feel.

The Products:

Face

CSpa Aroma Wellness consists of four face ranges: Uplifting (cleansing), rebalancing, hydrating and antiageing. Each range has products suited for your specific skin type.

The Cleansing Range uses a refreshing embodiment of toning grapefruit, rebalancing neroli and antioxidant pomegranate seed essential oils to help rid your skin of impurities.

Discover the age-reversal powers of frankincense, myrrh and jojoba essential oil for healthy, regenerated and youthful looking skin with our Anti-Age Range

Is your skin prone to be oily? Or perhaps you have a combination skin. Look no further than the Rebalancing range to truly harmonise your skin. These products are infused with deeply detoxing lemon essential oil, restoring geranium, basil and reviving ginger.

“A drink for thirsty skin” also known as the Hydrating range . Let the skin embrace proper healing with hydrating African aloe-vera, sandalwood and neroli.

Body

The CSpa Aroma Wellness body products are easily categorized as Invigorating and Relaxing. If you're looking to cleanse, uplift and energise, you can try the Invigorating body products. If relaxing and unwinding is what you have in mind, the Relaxing body products are tailored to you. Effective skin care made simple.

For more information or to purchase CSpa Aroma Wellness products, visit the website on www.cspaaromawellness.co.za to experience a sensorial skin care journey at home. Contact sales@marinespadistributors.co.za if you would like to stock our products in your salon or spa.

Let CSpa Aroma Wellness take you on a journey of natural discovery and wellness.

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Wellbeing as One System: Mind, Body and Place

By Andres Roberts

When you think about your wellbeing, where does it begin? Is it in your head, with thoughts or feelings? Is it in the body, like a way of being? Or does it start somewhere outside of yourself, like on a favourite armchair, or in a garden, or the great outdoors?

In our fast-paced world, it is all too easy to think about health as an afterthought. Powering through life, pushing limits, we wait for our health to be affected before turning to reactive solutions. But what if we thought about wellbeing less as a mechanical component, and more as a living system across mind, body and even the world around us?

My own work is about helping people to reconnect with nature, drawing lessons from natural systems to support healthier human systems (this could be anything from a business to community or ourselves). The more I do this work, the more I see that a healthy mind is not just a 'black box' inside our heads, but something related to how we move our bodies and how we spend time in our environments.

Reconnecting Mind, Body and Nature

A key aspect of my work is about guiding journeys we call 'Nature Quests'. Through a Nature Quest, we help people leave the busyness of modern life behind to be entirely alone in nature for anywhere from a day to four whole days and nights. I am constantly amazed by how this helps people find a special kind of stillness, balance and direction. To help people prepare for Nature Quests, we do a lot to help people get back into their bodies. We go on walks, we swim, we eat and sleep outside, and we guide movement practices such as T'ai Chi and Qi Gong. Throughout the process, and especially with these latter exercises, we place added emphasis on letting go, making space and finding flow.

Once, a very brilliant woman joined one of our retreats. She was feeling great pressure in her life and work, the tension building so much that she had become physically unable to raise one of her arms. Over the days, we went through our usual Nature

Quest process: the walks, the movement practices, a beautiful 'solo' out alone in the wild, woven together with heathy meals and stories around the fire. By the end of the programme, the same woman was glowing, full of fresh and clear insights, and, amazingly, free to move her arm again.

The Science of Natural Wellbeing

It's through these experiences that I have come to see how our minds and bodies are connected in intricate ways. It's also how I've come to believe that wellbeing is supported by healthy conditions in all of the systems around us. If you were to ask me, I couldn't explain the mechanics of what stopped this woman's arm movement, but I know that taking time relax and return to the body and nature helped her system to re-balance.

We are seeing more and more evidence about the benefits of returning to nature. The Japanese practice of Shinrin-Yoku, or Forest Bathing, involving walks and reflection in nature, has been shown to reduce cortisol levels (our main stress hormone), lower blood pressure and improve parasympathetic nerve activity (associated with relaxation.) In other research, there is evidence that the practice of Earthing, connecting our bodies to open ground, has positive impacts on sleep, blood circulation, stress, inflammation and a general positive sense of wellbeing.

Wellbeing as a Wider System

It might sound overly simple, but our minds and bodies want to feel natural. If we give them space and time to do so, they will try to find a healthy balance with the world around us. Even the gentle practice of gardening is good for us, shown to relieve symptoms of anxiety, stress and bereavement. At a microscopic level, contact with soil has a positive impact on our own microbiome (billions of living organisms that we rely on for the health).

When we think about it, the root sources of our wellbeing span from the tiniest of microbes in our

body to the vast expanse of the world around us. From this perspective, taking care is very much about tending to all of these wider systems to help us be well as a whole.

Making Care a Way Of Life

A big challenge with all of this is of course, how to make it part of everyday life. Here are a few things I think are helpful to creating a wider system, even a culture, of wellbeing.

•Take the time to walk mindfully. Give yourself just a few moments each day to notice what you are feeling and where you are holding those emotions. See if you can hold them with care, as if you could give them an energetic hug. Some would say this is the essence of mindfulness.

•Make relaxation a real life practice. Practice letting go and flowing. Don't try to go anywhere. Instead see how light and lose you can be in the moment.

• Explore embodiment practices: T'ai Chi, Gi Gong, dancing, many forms of yoga. Anything that helps you connect your body.

•Make time in nature a regular routine. Find a favourite spot to go back to. Get into the rhythm of visiting for a moment of stillness. Let yourself free. •Put wellbeing at the centre of your life - the thing that all things contribute to, rather than the thing you try to do after a busy day, week or year.

Our bodies and nature are wise wells of wellbeing. Let's treasure them, and let's take care of them, because they take care of us.

About Andres Roberts is a guide dedicated to a new kind of progress, fit for a positive future for all. His work combines renewed ideas about learning and change, re-connection to nature, and the wisdom of ancient cultures to help more positive, and more systemic, change and growth. Andres is co-founder of Way of Nature UK and founding partner of The Bio-Leadership Project.

DEFIANCE ™ -

By Blue Sky Distribution International

The Science of Collagen has Evolved

Let’s Talk The Science of Collagen.

Higher Dosage:

Defiance is a unique collagen formulation that contains 11,000 mg of collagen per dose, making it the most potent medical-grade collagen offering on the market. In addition, Defiance also includes 2,340 mg of branch-chain amino acids (BCAAs), collectively providing a powerful dose of 13,340mg of amino acids (protein) in each serving. Regular collagen’s amino acid profile is insufficient to make claims of recovery, endurance and prevention of muscle fatigue. As such, additional BCAAs (L-Isoleucine, L-Valine, and L-Leucine) have been carefully formulated in the optimal ratio to further boost the benefits of collagen.

Enhanced Utilization:

Contrary to popular understanding, collagen does not remain in its complex original form and is broken down into its amino acid building blocks by digestion. To restore the collagen triple-helix form again, additional ingredients are required. A ground-breaking blend of Vitamin C, Zinc, Sulphur (from MSM) & Manganese was engineered to rebuild the collagen structure. Without this the collagen protein being ingested cannot fulfil its promise. This ensures the effectiveness of the supplement and stimulates the body's natural collagen production.

Experts

in

Weight Management:

Clinical studies have shown that Fructose and other sweeteners to be responsible for weight gain. Sprezzatura, being weight management experts, have been mindful of this fact and utilizes Stevia and Erythritol in its formulation. When compared to Stevia & Erythritol, other sweeteners like Fructose can have more than 25 X the glycaemic index.

Proven Performance:

Defiance - Collagen Evolved ™ is a highly advanced, formulation that contains additional ingredients to support cellular regeneration and protection. The claims of Strength, Youthfulness, Flexibility, Vitality and Healing can now be substantiated with proven benefits to the body, hair, nails and skin. Defiance was designed to be taken on-the-go, which is why it is packaged in individual sachets. Defiance™Collagen Evolved provides over 293 500 mg of active, medical-grade “Beauty from Within” per month – The Most effective Collagen Offering globally.

SOURCE: Edwin Govender (B.Pharm. MBA) - Lead Formulation Pharmacist at Sprezzatura (a division of Torus Health Care Pty Ltd)

For more information visit: www.defiancecollagen.com

If your Collagen is not medical grade, ask why!

To ensure the utmost quality and safety, it's crucial to opt for medical grade collagen products that are manufactured by pharma professionals. These products are meticulously crafted to meet the rigorous safety standards and demands of the pharmaceutical industry.

This is significant because the ingredients themselves undergo thorough testing and stringent quality control measures to ensure their safety and efficacy. Moreover, these products are carefully formulated and manufactured with precision to guarantee accurate dosing and reliable effects.

Medical grade products are created in sterile conditions that are subjected to regulations and guidelines to comply with pharmaceutical industry standards and best practices.

Ultimately, opting for medical grade fortified collagen products is important for healthcare professionals and discerning consumers who want the assurance that what they are ingesting is safe, tested, approved by SAHPRA, producing real results and not marketing speak that misleads consumers with false claims for commercial gain.

spa therapies

Intuitive Skincare

Ever heard of intuitive eating? It’s a dietary style that does away with obsessive rule-following and restrictions, and instead advocates for tapping into your body’s actual hunger cues. Or more accurately call it a user-led nourishment experience.

Intuitive skincare is the same concept. Forget robotic adherence to a daily routine and instead nourish your skin with what it needs in that particular moment. Unlike bodily hunger cues, which can take some practice to tune into, your skin is an open book just waiting to tell you how to help it out.

Intuitive skincare is not some woo-woo, unscientific exercise. It’s about conducting an empirical investigation of your own face in terms of moisture levels, oil balance and texture, then linking what you observe to a probable cause and choosing products accordingly.

Why Practice Intuitive Skincare?

•Because it’s unlikely that your skin is the same every single day. Your skin is the barrier between you and the rest of the world. It faces a constant onslaught of environmental (and dietary) factors and it fluctuates accordingly.

We also tend to think of skincare in terms of am and pm routines, but your skin is set on a monthly cycle – not a 24-hour one. For better or worse, we’re at the mercy of our hormones, which means you could cycle through dryness, sensitivity, a radiant glow, acne and oiliness, all in the space of a month.

In short, your skin is constantly changing to meet challenges, so your skincare should be equally agile.

•Because it’s a golden opportunity for genuine self-car. If you’ve joined the Slow Beauty movement, then intuitive skincare is perfect. That’s because rather than racing through a routine, intuitive skincare forces you to slow down, notice, assess and respond lovingly.

It also helps you to practise answering the question ‘What do I need right now?’ (Hot tip: take this questioning practice into the rest of your life – to work, to the kitchen, to your relationships. It’s not selfish. You’re not prioritising your needs over others’. You’re just reminding yourself that selfcare is an investment and equally important)

• Because it’s good for the planet. The more mindfully we buy and use products, the less waste we create. Happy skin, happy planet. Win-win.

•Because it works. Too often, the skincare industry is focused on skin beauty rather than skin health. That’s putting the cart before the horse, because the glow-up we’re all looking for is actually just a byproduct of helping your skin barrier to function optimally. Opt for skin health, rather than piling on products to target surface-level imperfections, and say hello to the glow.

This is also the philosophy behind well ageing. By nourishing your skin, rather than trying to ‘combat the signs of ageing’, your skin will look happy and healthy no matter what stage of life you’re transitioning into.

How To Practise Intuitive Skincare

1. Take a good look at your face. Are you excessively oily come 3pm? Maybe your

By Skin Creamery

cleanser is too harsh.

Do you have a lot of very fine lines (not wrinkles)? Time to up the hydration.

Are any areas rough or bumpy to the touch? Perhaps reach for the exfoliator. Do you have sensitivity, possibly caused by an impaired lipid barrier? Skip the actives and increase the moisture.

2. In short, try to really notice what’s going on with your skin then feed it accordingly.

3. Curate a collection of interchangeable products

You do need a small selection of hard-working heroes that you can cherry-pick from based on your skin’s current needs. Make sure you’ve covered the basics: cleansing, toning, exfoliating, moisturising and protecting (SPF).

4. Try a skin fast. It’s the good advice that you won’t hear often. When things are getting a little out of hand, resist the temptation to try anything, which will probably wreak more havoc. Instead, try a skin fast. Strip back to gentle cleansing, moisturising and protecting to allow your skin to reset and rebalance itself as naturally as possible.

When you’re practising intuitive skincare, you want to know that you’re giving your skin the best.

About Skin Creamery: Recipient of The Beauty Shortlist Awards 2022, which celebrates the best products and brands in the natural beauty and wellness arena. Skin Creamery recently took home not one but two Editor’s Choice awards, for our Shower Oil and The Balm. Reason enough to give them a try!

You might be wondering--What is vegan skincare? What do I look for? How do I get started on a new skincare routine? Which companies offer vegan skincare products?

What Is Vegan Skincare?

To start, we'll keep it simple. To our minds, vegan skincare means that:

1.The product is made without any ingredients that come from an animal.

2.The skincare is also cruelty-free, meaning that it was produced without the use of animal testing.

Although there are other issues to consider such as natural vs. synthetic, organic vs. non-organic, or even the environmental impact of certain ingredients, these two principles are the most important.

What Is the Difference Between Regular and Vegan Skincare?

When we think about skincare, animal products don't immediately come to mind. At least, not like they do with food or drink. It's really easy to overlook the fact that many basic ingredients found in the most popular beauty products are not vegan. 'Regular skincare' might refer to readily available, over-the-counter, and mainstream products, which may or may not include vegan-friendly ingredients.

On the other hand, 'vegan skincare' can easily be misconstrued as something elite, expensive, and hard to find.

The only thing that differs between 'regular' and vegan skincare are the ingredients. Our goal is to find an option, that keep our skin gorgeous and glowing, without anything to do with the animals we love.

Which Skincare Ingredients are NOT Vegan?

While this is not a complete list of all of the skincare ingredients that are not vegan, these are the most commonly known and used in commercial skincare products.

•Lanolin - Used to soften and moisturize, this emollient is made from sheep's wool, and can easily be swapped with a plant-based oil (olive, jojoba, etc.) or butter (like coconut or shea)

• Beeswax - A natural wax produced by honey bees, it helps to keep liquids and solids together in a mixture, and can be substituted with a plantbased wax such as soy, candelilia, or carnauba.

• Glycerin - Traditionally made using animal fat, this moisturizing ingredient can be replaced by a vegetable glycerin instead.

• Squalene - This additive is often used for antiaging products and is primarily made from shark liver oil. You can also find plant-derived forms from olives or wheat germ.

• Stearic Acid - An emulsifier and emollient that is usually derived from an animal's stomach. It can simply be replaced by a plant-based stearic acid, which would also be less irritating to the skin.

• Oleic Acid (aka Tallow) - Though this skincare softener can be made using plant-derived fats (like coconut, almond, or olive), it's most commonly made from animal fat.

• Casein (or Sodium Caseinate) - A conditioning treatment that is made with cow's milk. An alternative can be created by using a plant-based milk instead.

Are Collagen and Elastin Vegan?

Until recently, collagen and elastin have been entirely animal-based. Both collagen and elastin are proteins extracted from the various parts of an animal, usually a cow. Collagen is made with fibrous proteins of the animal tissue, bone, skin, or ligaments, while elastin is created from the muscles, ligaments, and aortas of animals.

But, thankfully, science is truly coming along in the skincare world. There are now plant-based collagen options manufactured using yeast and bacteria. Pacifica has a range of vegan collagen skincare utilizing this new technology. In addition, the company, Geltor, has taken advantage of the fermentation process to invent a PETA-approved elastin ingredient for use in skincare.

Is Vegan Skincare Better?

Often, but not necessarily. You would think that any vegan skincare product would be the better choice (and when it comes to the animals, it always is!), but it really depends on how these non-animal ingredients interact with your own skin or skin type. Also, keep in mind, that every person is unique and reacts differently to certain ingredients.

Sometimes, using a petroleum-based product can wreak havoc on the skin due to the man-made chemicals. On the other hand, if you have sensitivities to nuts or seeds, you might want to be extra careful of natural oils that come from almonds, coconut, or sesame. What may work for one person may not work for another.

For the best chance at high-quality vegan skincare, here's what to strive for:

• Easy-to-understand ingredients (like natural oils, aloe vera, and plant-based waxes)

•Very few, if any, chemical additives or preservatives (which tend to be irritating to the skin)

• Organic or locally made (ideal, but not necessary for clear, healthy skin)

Are More Expensive Products Always A Better Choice?

It might be surprising to learn that many of the low-end skincare companies have a number of

vegan products, while many of high end, more expensive brands have less.

Sadly, there isn't an easy “yes” or “no” answer to this question. Some affordable vegan skincare products may have better options than more expensive brands, or vice versa. It truly depends on the company and product itself. This is a great opportunity to do a bit of extra investigating on your own.

How Do I Start a Vegan Skincare Routine?

When you're embarking on a new beauty routine, it's best to stick with the basics. First, choose a vegan makeup remover (if you wear makeup), a cleanser, and a vegan moisturizer. Then, follow these simple steps every evening before bed (very important) and in the morning.

1. Remove Makeup - Make sure to use a cloth or product especially made for removing make up. In a pinch, a simple base oil (such as almond, coconut, or jojoba) will do the trick.

2. Cleanse - Wet skin using lukewarm water, use your fingers to apply cleanser, and gently massage into the skin for a minute or two. Rinse with lukewarm or cool water.

3. Moisturize - Before your face is completely dry, you can apply the vegan moisturizer (amount should be shown on the product) all over the skin using gentle upward and outward motions.

The alluring touchs when your skin needs it the most.

Toner - You can use this daily to remove any traces of dirt or impurities left in the pores of your skin after you wash your face. It also helps to restore your skin's pH level, smooths rough patches, and aids in improving skin tone.

Exfoliation - This process removes dead skin cells from the surface of your skin using either a physical tool, cleansing grains, or chemicals. Be careful to choose the best option for your skin-type.

Serum - A serum is designed to deliver high concentrations of vitamin-rich ingredients. A few drops pressed into the skin before applying crueltyfree moisturizer is all that you need.

Eye Cream - To keep this area hydrated, try adding a tiny, pea-sized amount of cream around the eyes. Apply with your ring finger (will give the least amount of pressure) in slow, circular motions.

Lip Balm - This is probably the least necessary before bed, but also the most luxurious. Adding a super smooth swipe to your lips will make them even softer and more supple in the morning.

This Vegan Skincare Guide was written by Gina House and edited by Michelle Cehn and Amanda Meth.

How Gym Culture Went From Punishing to Meditative

By Maggie Lange-The Cut

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I used to complain, very charmingly, that my competitive spin class wasn’t competitive enough, because it divided its ranking of its fastest participants by gender. My argument was less “gender is a construct” and more “put me in, coach, I’m faster than all of them.” Coincidentally, I was also dependent on physical therapy and, not infrequently, I couldn’t walk without seizing pain in my glute. One appointment, my physical therapist questioned my activity earlier that day: Had I really biked across boroughs to a spin class, then to work, then to our meeting to address muscular fatigue? Of course, I answered: Biking was the most efficient way to get anywhere; spin class was the most efficient way to exercise.

At the age of 28, I was overexerting myself. And I might never have learned my lesson if left to my own devices, but in early 2020, exercise studios shut down and I stopped hurtling my bike across the city, because I had no plans anymore. Six months later, the competitive spin chain I used to attend filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy and permanently closed its studios.

More than two years of pandemic — which shuttered gyms and boutique fitness studios globally — have quaked the fitness world and created an entirely new landscape in workout culture. This new mind-set increasingly prioritizes restorative, mindful movement over punitive and aggressive challenges.

Fitness companies market themselves as tools for mental health. Top-tier exercise platforms — like Apple Fitness+, Peloton, Alo Moves, and Obé — foreground meditation classes, and Mirror, for example, reported that completion of its meditation classes grew by 80 percent in 2021. Market forecasters indicate that “holistic fitness” — an approach that emphasizes recovery and mindbody practices like Pilates or yoga — is set to become a dominant force in the exercise field.

And there are signs that the most challenging workouts are losing their stronghold; the American College of Sports Medicine’s Health and Fitness Journal showed that HIIT, high-intensity interval training, dropped in popularity from its No. 2 spot in the worldwide survey of fitness trends (sent to thousands of professionals in that field) to No. 5 last year — being just surpassed by the wholesomesounding “outdoor activities.”

In the past year, lower-intensity programs like dancing became one ofthe top-ten most popular fitness activities for the first time (in terms of attendees), according to Mindbody,the fitnessmanagement and booking software. Walking, both silly and serious versions, was one of the buzziest physical activities in the past two years. Some of these qualms about HIIT workouts might be based on new information: A prominent NIH study published in May 2021 reported that excessive exercise training impairs health functions in otherwise healthy volunteers.

Just a few years ago, “the primary motivation was to look good,” says Sunil Rajasekar, Mindbody’s chief technology officer, “and now it’s pandemic stress management.” Mindbody’s 2021 trend report confirms this point: The new, leading motivation for exercise among its consumers is mental health. Rajasekar — who, when I met him a few months ago, told me he’d used an Instant Pot filled with water as a makeshift kettlebell in the early pandemic — says this is a dramatic shift in clients’ outlook. With the priority of reducing stress in mind, says Rajasekar, “People are expanding their fitness routines.”

One of the sharpest examples of this transition in fitness culture — from looking good to feeling good — is the Pilates platform Studio Qila. Until recently, the program was known as Body by Bridget, named by founder Bridget O’Carroll in 2016. “Back then, the goal was making it as hard as possible,” says O’Carroll. But more recently, the Body by Bridget name smacked of diet culture, and O’Carroll couldn’t stand it anymore. She needed to shed a destructive, high-intensity mindset. “I want this to be something I could sustain over a long period of time,” she says. She started to talk not about physical transformations, but mental ones. She turned to a dictionary for her Alaskan native language of Aleutian and found qila, a word for spirit, and relaunched her program this past November. “I loved the shift of the focus from body to spirit.”

The new prioritization of physical sustainability is promising, according to Pilates instructor Lia Bartha, who has developed a particularly restorative form of the practice called B the Method. “People are trying to find ways to connect deeper, inside of their bodies, instead of distracting themselves with movement — like you would with something highintensity,” she says. “With the pandemic, people are focused on long-term health to protect their body for the future.”

CityRow founder Helaine Knapp agreed that for many of us, our new relationship to fitness might reflect that we’ve gained a general sense of mortality: “We are realizing that we’re going to be moving every day for the rest of our lives, so we better be careful with our one body and not pound the pavement with high-intensity workouts seven times per week.”

A sense that life is short and fleeting has also reduced any patience, says Amanda Butler, a personal trainer with Onyx. She tells me, with emphatic, energetic pride: “Diet culture is finally starting to be shamed. There’s been a lot more progress in the two years than in the past ten years.” People are starting to insist that exercise express the pleasures of how they can move instead of being an obligatory regimen to punish the way they look. Butler, a former cardio obsessive, now loves walking — “I really love anything low-impact” —and has been trying to pass this appreciation along to her clients. “It has been ingrained into us that the harder you work, the more you sweat, the better the workout.”

Over the past couple years, it’s also been cheaper and easier for people to test new programs. Digital classes were often free to try, and no commute to work freed up a hunk of time for some of us.

Mindbody’s survey noted that on days people work from home, they are twice as likely to try out a new fitness studio. Upended schedules prompt exploration and more introspection of what feels good, says Dr. Chloe Carmichael, a psychologist and author of the book Nervous Energy. A former yoga teacher as well, Dr. Carmichael has a bird’seye perspective on people’s relationship to fitness. Rather than a maximization approach, she sees a joyful sampling taking hold of attitudes about exercising. “It’s like the Montessori school of fitness — where a child gets to run around and do what they want to do.”

Pre-pandemic, I was constantly asking my body to do things for me — to pump my legs faster, to do this harder, do it for the glory and to ignore the warnings from my perpetually disappointed physical therapist. My body listened to my requests, because I am very convincing, but it also kept having meltdowns. Now, I think that my constant question to my body has adapted from something like, What do I want you to do today?to something more like, What do you want from me today? It’s possible I’ve become more humble. My relationship to exercise started to become less gladiatorial. Now, I prefer lower intensity. I do dancerly aerobic routines that I would have never wasted my time with, or even considered exercise.

I keep thinking about something O’Carroll often repeats in her Studio Qila classes: “Form over ego.” In the old-school hierarchy that I learned, ego (the mind) is meant to rule over id (the body). But this never quite worked out for me. And, though I never expected it, getting ego out of the way has been gloriously painless.

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KSurgery Laboratories - Hyaluronic Body

The Italian brand, KSurgery Laboratories, is well known for their professional and retail aesthetics products focussed on the face, but they also have a wide range of body products perfectly suited for spas and clinics. Their latest addition, the innovative Hyaluronic Body range, combines the proven benefits of Hyaluronic Acid along with various natural ingredients to provide effective professional body treatments for the advanced spa or clinic.

The Hyaluronic Body range was specifically developed for the body, based on the enormous success of the Hyaluronic Face range.

Hyaluronic Body contains a broad base of professional products which can be used for in-spa treatments along with supporting retail products which can be sold from the spa or clinic.

Hyaluronic Body is designed to target three main areas of concern:

• Cellulite

• Fat deposits or adipocytes

• Body toning

The amazing science behind Hyaluronic Body is a combination of Thermogenic technology and Phytotherapy. Thermogenic technology is the process where active ingredients in the product generate heat in the area where the product is applied. The generated heat boosts circulation and increases blood flow to the area, thereby improving the transport of nutrients and active ingredients.

Phytotherapy is the science of using plant-based derivatives or extracts to treat or prevent health or pharmaceutical problems. In the case of the product Lipotech, for example, the plant-based active ingredients are encapsulated in liposomes in order to promote the procurement and channelling of natural ingredients specifically for targeting Cellulite.

The cornerstone ingredient in all the products is Hyaluronic Acid (HA). The benefits of this all important molecule are well known and it is now routinely incorporated in many skin care products, but the primary benefits bear repeating:

• Its capacity to hydrate the skin at deeper levels, thereby enabling reactivation of the cells' biological functions, including promoting synthesis of collagen and elastin.

• Since HA molecules penetrate deeply, they allow the skin to receive the full benefit of anti-cellulite or fatty deposit treatments contained within the products.

• Aid the elimination of waste products and thereby works in a detoxifying capacity.

The professional products in the body range consist of:

• Lipotech, Novacell and ToneUp Active Vials which are designed for a concentrated targeted action on fatty deposits, cellulite and general body toning.

• Conductive carrier gels for use during electroporation or other similar treatments. The range consists of Technical Care, Drain, Lipoburn, Fibrostrong and Firming.

• Essential Revitalising Body peel, a mix of acids designed to stimulate cell renewal and give new vitality to the skin. It is well suited for more mature as well as dehydrated skin.

• Lipotech hot body wraps, which helps to dispose of adipose tissue.

• Novacell Slimboost hot and cold body wraps for targeting cellulite.

• ToneUp body wrap; the ideal professional treatment which is formulated to act on sagging skin. The results are immediate and visible with a more toned and compact looking skin.

•A range of all-purpose body creams ideal for massaging.

To support your in-spa treatments, KSurgery also have a range of Retail products which can be sold to clients for after-care or home use.

If you want to take your spa to the next level, then Hyaluronic Body is the answer.

To find out more, please contact Amo (062 848 1749) or Grant (082 809 8954) or visit the Regensys website: www.regensys.co.za or email info@regensys.co.za

The Wellness Questionnaire with Fitness and Nutrition Entrepreneur Tatiana Boncompagni

Discover how this personal trainer and holistic health coach keeps the endorphins flowing.

Tatiana Boncompagni is founder and CEO of Eat Sunny , a fresh, ready-made meal delivery service. Passionate about eating healthy and making healthy meals more accessible, she launched Eat Sunny to help change the way healthy food is marketed to women, eliminating the body shaming and negative self-talk that is often perpetuated. Boncompagni, a certified personal trainer and a holistic health coach, believes eating well should be both easy and pleasurable. The organic, nutrientpacked Mediterranean-focused cuisine is designed to nourish and fuel the body.

A veteran beauty and health writer for publications such as the New York Times, Elle, Marie Claire, Harper’s Bazaar, and Vogue, she also developed recipes for Well + Good and previously served as lifestyle director for Self. Here, this mother of three shares her favorite healthy food and her secret for staying fit.

What is your go-to for de-stressing?

I do two things: I go for a walk in Central Park, and I listen to my music. I just zone out and look at how the light bounces off the buildings and on the water on the reservoir, and I think about all the things in my life I am grateful for and how far I’ve come in my life, all the things I’ve overcome to get to where I am. Then I come home, and I take an Epsom salt bath with my crystals. Sometimes, I’ll put in some flower essences. This routine grounds me and reminds me that whatever it is that might be going wrong or stressing me out, I’ll be able to deal with it.

Is there a specific fitness activity that you love?

My favorite fitness activity is running. I was a runner when I was young. I ran cross country and track and used to run around the lake near my house in Minnesota growing up. So, I think for me, when I run, it connects me to my youth and makes me feel

free and happy. I really get an amazing endorphin rush. I run six miles twice a week for my mental wellbeing.The other days I do yoga, lift weights, and spin, but my favorite form of exercise is running. What is your favorite healthy food, and do you have a favorite way of preparing it?

I love red cabbage! If you open my fridge, I always have a head of red cabbage. It lasts forever and is so versatile. I mostly eat it sliced into my salads—it gives great crunch—but you can also roast it or cook it on the stovetop with olive oil and a bit of salt and pepper. From a health perspective, red cabbage is full of antioxidants, such as vitamins A and C and anthocyanins, and it is a cruciferous vegetable, so is believed to have anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory benefits. It is also a good source of prebiotic fiber, which is beneficial to the gut and immunity.

What is your favorite healthy beverage?

I make a pineapple-parsley-lime smoothie for myself and my kids about once a week. I love that they love it, because parsley and lime are full of vitamin C and pineapple contains an enzyme called bromelain that is great for digestion. I think it’s one of the secrets to my skin’s glow.

Who in wellness do you most admire and why?

I really admire Ashley Tyrner, the CEO and founder of Farmbox, which sends fresh vegetables to people’s homes. I met her when she was just starting the company and am so inspired by her success and mission. I am, like her, a single mom and have a similar mission of making healthy food more accessible to more people.

What do you think is the most overused word or words in wellness?

The word “clean.” It’s used with beauty and food and is my least favorite word in wellness, because it really has no real meaning, has been used by companies to market products to people, and I think

is used to manipulate consumers. I take issue with the word because it suggests that other food or beauty products are “dirty” and therefore, bad.

Setting aside beauty, I don’t think we should demonize any food. I think all foods can be enjoyed in moderation, and we shouldn’t be made to feel ashamed by the food we eat. That really achieves nothing good. I think the words we use and the words we say to ourselves about how we eat matters. The self-talk around food is as important as what we eat. I think we should watch that even more carefully than we do, say, our calories.

Do you have a secret health or wellness tip?

For women, lift weights. It makes a huge difference as we age. It’s good for our bone health, it’s good for our psyche (to feel strong and capable), it’s good to maintain our muscle mass, and it’s good to maintain our metabolism. I also have a theory that it keeps us younger looking because of the hormonal benefits—the hormones that get released when you engage in resistance exercise. Also thinking in terms of building muscle versus burning calories is psychologically healthy, too.

What brings you joy?

My children bring meaning to everything I do, watching them grow and evolve and experience the world. As a parent, for me, that’s the point of wellness, feeling good and aging well, so I can have energy and show up for my kids. I want to be around for them for a long time!

About Heather Mikesell. Co-founder of Well Defined and the former editor-in-chief of American Spa, is an award-winning journalist and content strategist. She is also a freelance writer and has contributed toElite Traveler, Luxury Travel Advisor, Organic Spa, Travel Agent,andwellandgood.com, in addition to various custom publications. She is frequently called upon to comment on various spa and wellness trends for various media outlets.

Introducing Nature Strong™ by OPIVegan, Natural Origin Nail Lacquer

As more people become environmentally conscious, veganism has become a popular lifestyle choice. From food to fashion, the demand for vegan products has grown exponentially. But, have you ever considered vegan nail lacquer?

Plant-based ingredients used in vegan nail lacquer include vegetable oils, natural resins, and minerals. These ingredients offer several benefits compared to traditional nail lacquer formulations. For instance, plant-based ingredients tend to be less toxic and less harmful to the environment.

In conclusion, vegan nail lacquer offers a more sustainable, ethical, and safer option for nail polish enthusiasts. With plant-based ingredients that are less toxic and harmful to the environment, vegan nail lacquer is a beauty trend that is here to stay. Plus, with so many brands offering a wide range of colors and finishes, there is no need to compromise on style. So why not try a vegan nail lacquer next time you need to update your manicure? Your nails and the environment will thank you! - LNE online.

Say hello to Nature Strong™ by OPI, our firstever vegan, natural origin nail lacquer. It's made up of ingredients you can trust and doesn't require your clients to choose between performance and natural, because, well, they shouldn't have to.

We poured every effort into making a long-lasting (up to 7 days wear and tear), highly pigmented (so many bold colours!) vegan, and cruelty-free nail polish that stays on so you and your clients can stay natural. No compromise is needed!

Good-for-you ingredients

Nature Strong's formaldehyde-free, non-GMO formula is made up of good-for-you, quality plant and mineral-based ingredients like sugar cane, wheat, corn, and clay. We proudly carry the Vegan Society seal, meaning our formula is free of animalderived ingredients, chemicals, and fillers you may not want in your cruelty-free nail polish. Our bottle and cap are made with 20% PCR (post-consumer recycled) plastic which means it's made with recycled materials. We didn't add any additional bleaching so you'll notice that every cap looks unique - there are imperfections like swirls of colour or melted grey plastic which creates a taupe-like colour that looks slightly different across each bottle.

What does “natural origin” mean?

Our formula is up to 75% natural origin. This means the classic lacquer ingredients that make up that portion of our formula are derived from nature instead of synthetic origins. This includes both plant and mineral-derived ingredients. We only include cosmetic ingredients with greater than 50% natural origin in our calculation which is done to the best of our knowledge in accordance with ISO standard 16128.

Is Nature Strong formulated without extra stuff?

Yes. This is a big one and something we really care about. Our natural nail lacquer is formulated without that extra stuff you may not want in your polish or on your nails. OPI Nature Strong is a formaldehydefree nail polish, as well as without formaldehyde resin, parabens, triphenyl phosphate and more.

Without the same ingredients of a regular nail

lacquer, does it perform the same?

We hear this question a lot and the answer is yes. There are a lot of lacquers on the market that are natural but don't hold up, which can be a major letdown, so it was important to us that Nature Strong delivers the same performance you love in our original Nail Lacquer. This formula still contains natural origin nitrocellulose for adhesion and offers up to 7 days of wear and shine without fading, goes on easily, and dries fast.

How many shades are there?

Our 20 brand-new shades offer a range of neutral earth tones, bright pops of colour, and bold, timeless hues in crème formulas and shimmers. Every shade was inspired by what we love about nature and will empower you to take on the world. And that's not all, we created an optional Top Coat designed to add extra shine and protection.

OPI IS DISTRIBUTED IN SOUTH AFRICA BY MODERN HAIR & BEAUTY

OPI is the number one salon brand worldwide, OPI is committed to providing high-quality products and services to both salons and their customers, along with a focus on industry safety and innovation. With exceptional formulas, fashionable colours, and iconic names, OPI's heavily pigmented lacquers are superrich, long lasting and chip-resistant - offering an affordable luxury to consumers. When used in a professional service, colour can last up to seven days. Currently, OPI is available in over 100 countries and retails a full line of professional items including nail treatments, finishing products, lotions, manicure/pedicure products, files, tools, gels and acrylics.

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The Ultimate Guide to Natural Preservatives

Whether you’re anupcoming indie brand or an existing cosmetic brand wanting to switch to natural preservatives in your products, or a consumer who wants to know more about the preservatives being used in the cosmetics you use, Novi Connectcreatedan ultimate guideto help you make an informed decision. Understanding the ingredients that impact your products, brand, customers, and the environment are essential.

What are Natural Preservatives for Cosmetics?

Natural preservatives for cosmetics are natural ingredients that prevent the product from prematurely spoiling. They are necessary to include because consumers typically want a product that can last for months without microbial or bacterial growth.

Sodium benzoate and sorbic acid are among the most popular natural preservatives. These ingredients are typically extracted from plants or fruits to create various skincare products. Other natural preservatives include potassium sorbate, phenylethyl alcohol, benzyl alcohol, and salicylic acid.

One particular natural preservative won’t work for every product. The different properties of these ingredients determine if they’re better suited to a cream, powder product, or a lip product.When companies understand the impact of natural preservatives in their formulas, they can create products that are kinder to the environment, last longer, and eliminate health hazards.

Why Use Natural Preservatives?

There’s a common misconception that natural preservatives and ingredients are superior to synthetic materials. This is not always the case—the truth is, natural preservatives simply haven’t undergone as much testing as synthetic ones. Some natural preservatives may trigger allergic reactions. In contrast, synthetic preservatives may be safer because the industry has been testing them for decades.

“Natural” does not mean “safer.” Natural preservatives simply provide formulators alternatives to synthetic preservatives. If a brand’s story focuses more on botanicals and plant-based ingredients, the formulators may decide to use natural preservatives, thinking it aligns better with the brand.

It’s crucial to understand from where ingredients originate. For instance, unsustainable palm oil farming is a leading cause of deforestation. Palm oil may be a “natural” ingredient but using it in a formulation is not necessarily better for the environment. Thus, brands should ultimately be aware of the source of their ingredients.Both synthetic and natural preservatives can be totally sustainable based on the sourcing.

Responsible brands spend more money improving their manufacturing procedures, safety equipment, and facilities.Natural preservatives are becoming increasingly popular among many cosmetic brands because they achieve the same cosmetic benefits as

artificial preservatives, helpingbuild a cleanerand more sustainable brand.

Do All Cosmetics Need Preservatives?

Contrary to popular belief, not all cosmetics need preservatives to be safe for consumer use.Most oilbased, acidic, high-alcohol, and aerosol products do not need preservatives to have a long useful life. Examples of these products include body butters, spray deodorants, and body balms.Even though these products don’t always require preservatives, they must contain an ingredient that helps maintain product quality.This will often be the case for products that come into frequent contact with water, like body scrubs or face washes. Water-based products such as moisturizers and shampoos need preservatives to preserve their shelf life and prevent mold or bacteria growth.There are two types of natural preservatives— antimicrobial and antioxidant preservatives.

Antimicrobial preservatives prevent bacteria, mold, and yeast from growing in a cosmetic product. This is perfect for water-based products because mold, bacteria, and yeast need a moist environment to thrive.

Antioxidants prevent oxidation but are not preservatives on their own. Oxidation is the chemical reaction when a substance comes in contact with oxygen.Formulators must combine antioxidants with antimicrobial preservatives. For example, oil-based products may become spoiled and rancid quickly if there is no antioxidant to prevent oxidation from happening.

Formulators should understand the preservatives they use and how these preservatives assist with extending a product’s shelf life. If formulators don’t use them correctly, they could create a product that’ll spoil quickly and be unsafe.

What is the Best Natural Preservative for Cosmetics?

So, now we approach the most crucial question: what is the best natural preservative for cosmetics? It’s entirely up to what the product formulators want to create and what the product should achieve. Here are a few recommendations on safe, natural preservatives to use in cosmetics.

•Citric Acid –Citric acid is an organic acid derived from any citrus fruits like lemons and limes. It’s a renowned natural preservative that has many cosmetic benefits. Not only does it preserve the quality of the product, but it also has excellent uses for the skin and hair. It prevents ingredients from separating andacts as an exfoliant.

• Geogard ECT –Geogard ECT is a natural, broadspectrum preservative. This means it includes a few preservatives and has a broad pH range, so it doesn’t need to be used with other preservatives. It includes benzyl alcohol, salicylic acid, glycerin, and sorbic acid. It’s prevalent in scrubs because salicylic acid acts as an exfoliant.

• Optiphen BS –Optiphen BS is a natural microbial

preservative that includes sodium benzoate and potassium sorbate. It works best in products with a low pH; 5.4 or below is ideal. When formulators use it in products with a low pH, it improves the efficacy of the product.

• Propylene Glycol –Propylene glycol is a popular natural preservative for water-based products. It prevents the growth of microorganisms because it is an antimicrobial preservative. Its other benefits include being a great moisturizer and making other ingredients more effective because it helps active ingredients penetrate the skin. However, it can be an irritant to people with sensitive skin.

Keep in mind that the ingredients listed above are only recommendations. It would be best if formulators did more research on other natural preservatives so that their product meets the brand’s standards.

Tips for Formulating with Natural Preservatives

There are many things to consider when formulating beauty products. Here’s an established list of a few essential tips to make the process easier.

• Decide whether a product will be water-soluble or oil-soluble. This will determine whether you need only antimicrobial preservatives or if you need to include antioxidant preservatives, too.

• Decide what the pH range of the product will be. The pH level is essential to determine because the natural preservatives you add will have to work with the pH in your product to have a long shelf-life.

• Ensure the preservative is compatible with the rest of the ingredients in the product. If this is not possible, formulators will have a product that will likely spoil or harm consumers.

• Ensure the cosmetic formulas are stable. It can spoil or disintegrate when unstable.

• Include preservative boosters in formulas. Boosters improve a product’s efficacy, destabilizing the microorganisms infecting the product so that preservatives can easily penetrate them.

Finally, brands should ensure that they’re sourcing natural preservatives from a transparent manufacturer, such as those recommended and vetted by Novi Connect, a company that suggests brands should strive towards being sustainable. Natural preservatives can be as effective as synthetic preservatives, so there’s no need to hesitate to use natural preservatives in cosmetic products.When choosing suitable preservatives, formulators and brands should consciously choose to be more environmentally and consumer friendly.

About Julie Keller Callaghan : co-founder of Well Defined and a longtime influencer and advocate in the wellness world. She is the former editor-in-chief and publisher ofAmericanSpa and was named a 2019 Folio Top Woman in Media in the Industry Trailblazers category and a 2018 winner of ISPA’s Innovate Award. She is also a seasoned journalist, specializing in spa, wellness, sustainability, and beauty. She has been published in Forbes Traveler.com, E! Online, Insider’s Guide to Spas,Luxury Travel Advisor, Spa Asia, and Travel Agent.

Unpacking The Clinical Weight Management That Is Sprezzatura

Over the last few years, there has been a dramatic rise in the prevalence of weight loss consultations at our practice. Looking at the statistics, in South Africa, 68 per cent of women and 31 per cent of men are overweight or obese (Heart Foundation: Online). Despite all the interest and attempts to lose weight, the obesity numbers are still alarmingly high. Patients may lose weight successfully through reduced calorie eating plans, macro nutrient control, intermittent fasting, medications, and supplements to name a few... but sadly the weight is rarely kept off with as many as 80 - 95% regaining the hard-lost weight (Wing & Phelan:2005).

Medical Tests

When a patient has a history of medical conditions or many failed weight loss attempts, a good starting point is to order a few blood tests. Suggested panel is:

• Thyroid Hormone Assessments to determine the master gland of metabolism's function.

• Vitamin D Status - higher vitamin D levels are associated with weight loss success and greater loss of abdominal fat, according to research released at the Endocrine Society's 91st Annual Meeting in Washington D.C (June 2009).

• Cortisol - high“stress” hormone levels may increase abdominal fat deposition.

• Insulin Resistance Assessment - an excess of insulin encourages the body to store unused glucose as fat.

• Testosterone Status - testosterone is crucial to build muscle and lose fat in both men and women.

• Female Sex Hormone Status - an imbalance can impact the ability to lose weight.

• Liver Function Assessment - the liver is the primary organ responsible for detoxification, fat burning & excretion and ridding the body of hormonal waste.

All diets work, and all diets fail.

There are multiple biological, psychological, and social reasons why using diets to lose weight will end with weight regain. Psychology Today explains that physiologically, one has to continue eating lower calories to keep the weight off. You will set yourself up to fail if you kick off your weight loss journey with unsustainable restriction. Psychologically, “banning

By Dr Herman van Rooyen

backfires”. Seeing certain foods as 'forbidden' mayinevitably lead to overeating (Hagan: Online). Feelings of guilt or avoiding social situations over food arealso not conducive to a healthy lifestyle or sustaining weight loss.

Keeping the weight off

According to the Heart Foundation, successful longterm weight loss is more likely when using a comprehensive approach that includes changing eating habits, increasing activity levels, and making changes to behavioural habits that can be continued long term (Heart Foundation: Online). This may sound like a complicated and difficult undertaking; but it doesn't have to be.

Sprezzatura

From the laboratories of Torus Health Care comes a tech-med aligned multi-disciplined and differentiated weight loss program- Sprezzatura.

“Sprezzatura” is an Italian nounpronounced sprez·za·tu·ra or\ spr_t-tsä-_tü-rä\. The MerriamWebster online dictionary defines it as studied nonchalance,graceful conduct or performance without apparent effort.

The program aims to ease the weight loss process and ensure long term results. The multi-disciplined approach is built on 3 pillars:

• Physical - an oral supplement with herbal, adaptogens, thermogenics, nootropics, vitamins and minerals to facilitate weight loss.

• Behaviour - Behavioral changesare encouraged to improve and maintain confidence and healthy habits while addressing emotional eating and food addiction.

• Digital - an integrated platform to:

- Drive personalization by choosing a lifestyle plan that suits you

- Guide and educate

- View informative videos from expert guests

- Access support groups

- Track health and progress

The Sprezzatura Formula

The oral supplement formulation is designed to target 9 avenues of weight loss:

1. Appetite suppression and cravings

2. Breakdown of fat cells and fat storage

3. Carbohydrate blocking

4. Mood stabilization and emotional eating

5. Ketosis with a boost in metabolism

6. Fast, sustained all-day ATP energy production

7. Reduction of metabolic inflammation

8. Restoration of gut health

9. Metabolic syndrome improvement

This is achieved through a synergistic combination of natural and herbal extracts, including Alpha Lipoic Acid, Ashwagandha, Coenzyme Q10, Garcinia Cambogia,Green Coffee Bean Extract,Green Tea Extract,and Guarana Seed Extractto name a few.

Cellulite

Sprezzatura also has CelluCutobtained from a unique variety of Cantaloupe melon, exclusively grown in the South of France. The original composition of 100% natural melon juice concentrate with a high source of natural and protected Superoxide Dismutase (SOD), make for how this trademarked ingredient proves to be effective in the visible reduction of hip and waist circumference and the dimpled effect of skin on the thighs and buttocks.

Dr Herman van Rooyen, MBChB (UOFS) has been a medical practitioner for over 35 years. He is the owner of Skinlogic Smart Skin Centre in George, Western Cape. He has extensive experience with aesthetic medicine,sports injuries, neurorehabilitation and pain management. He is registered with the American Sports Medicine Association and General Medical Council and has worked for almost a decade as a Senior Maritime Physician for Carnival UK managing medical, cosmetic dermatology and emergency care centres world-wide. Dr van Rooyen is an internationally acclaimed aesthetic practitioner and is often asked to speak at aesthetic conventions as well as conduct training for leading aesthetic brands.

4 New Rules of Eating for Aging Well

By Dr. Frank Lipman

Do you want to know how to defy your years with the help of my best anti-aging, pro-health and wellness techniques? Check out my book, The New Rules of Aging Well: A Simple Program for Immune Resilience, Strength, and Vitality!

Aging – if you’re alive, you’re doing it. Considering the alternative, aging is a gift to be grateful for –and it’s up to you to age as well as you possibly can, even if you haven’t always treated your body like a temple. The good news is that many studies show that it’s never too late to launch new habits and start enjoying the health benefits.So, paying close attention to basic-but-essentials likehow much you move, relax, sleep, and what you eat, it all can have a profound impact on your lifespan and healthspan (aka, how much healthy life you pack into your years).

Though there’s no shortage of hacks you can use to age in a healthier way, if I had to call out justone anti-aging secret, I’d have to start with your diet– not onlywhat you eat, but how and when. The way you nurture your body and mind with food has an enormous impact on how long you live and how vibrantly you live out those years. But pushing beyond the all-purpose “eat-yourgreens” whole foods approach, there are specific dietary adjustments you can make that will begin to return visible and “feel-able” positive effects virtually overnight.

To get started on tweaking your natural anti-aging processes, consider any one of these four dietary approaches – and tap into the fountain of youth.

1. Eat Less, Live Longer

One of the simplest techniques to helpslow the hands of time: moderate your total daily food intake. Also known as caloric restriction, this approach is great for those type A folks who like to keep a close watch on the numbers, and for anyone who’s struggled with weight issues and needs to exercise more control over what goes down the hatch. It’s also worth noting that studies in rats show that a 30% reduction in daily calories translates to a longer life. OK, we’re talking rats here, but another study on rhesus monkeys demonstrated the same principle – less food, more years.

Although ‘restriction’ may sound unpleasant (and really, just about any conventional diet is a form of caloric restriction), it doesn’t have to be. When done intelligently and with appropriate amounts of protein, fiber and good fats on the menu, caloric restriction is an excellent way to improve mitochondrial function (which decreases with age) and increase longevity. We’re talking nutrientdense; organic or local produce, nuts, seeds, legumes and limited amounts of wild fish, organic poultry and pasture-raised meats. You can try to game the system with a couple of Lean Cuisines and fistfuls of popcorn every day to keep the numbers low but the health and longevity benefits will go up in smoke.

If closely monitoring your food intake is not totally your thing, you can get roughly the same benefits by following the Japanese precept of hara hachi bunme, the practice of eating only until you’re 80% full. That habit, along with a fish and veggierich diet, is thought to play a significant role in Japanese longevity.

2. Curb Carbs, and Don’t Fear Healthy Fat

Doubtless, you’re familiar with idea of a ketogenic diet which, in simplest terms, is a fat-friendly, moderate protein, extremely low-carb plan – as in, virtually no sugar or refined carbs – which, over time, shifts your metabolism from a carbohydrate or glucose-burning machine to a fat-burning one.

While most people who gravitate to this style of eating love the rapid weight loss and high satiety benefits, very low-carb diets also have another less well-known upside, which is, that they also help slow the aging process by suppressing the mTOR (mechanistic Target of Rapamycin) gene. Activation of this mTOR gene can contribute to many of the diseases of aging and decrease longevity. Though low-carb and ketogenic diets aren’t immediately thought of as youth-boosters, when done right with extra leafy greens, nonstarchy veggies and minimal ‘dirty keto’ shortcuts (whose recipes tend to involve a lot of processed, low-sugar, low-carb Frankenfoods), going low carb can help turn back the clock on any number of aging markers, without letting hunger pangs get the best of you.

3. Eat Late in the AM, Early in the PM

For thousands of years, fasting – the practice of abstaining from food and drink for a prescribed period – has been used for religious reasons, as a form of political protest or simply to minimize the effects of overdoing it at the buffet table. No matter the reason why, however, the physical upsides of fasting include eating less overall, balancing blood sugar, supporting weight loss, boosting cognitive performance, promoting mitochondrial function, stimulating autophagy (cellular repair) , protecting against most diseases of modern civilization and probably the best antiaging hack there is.

While the practice of fasting has remained mostly unchanged through the ages, fasting’s modern incarnation is the easier-to-manage protocol referred to as time restricted eating, the simplest form being intermittent fasting or ‘IF’ – and it’s more about meal timing, and less about skipping meals.

So, what is it? It’s about doing breakfast late and dinner early. Why do it? Because the fasting period between your last meal of one day and the first day of the next lightly stresses your metabolism, in a good way, allowing you to metabolize food more efficiently and yes, turn down the mTOR, which is what you want to do as you get older.! And, it is a hassle-free way to

improve basic health measures like blood sugar, blood pressure, weight and cut disease risk. For some people, it’s positive effects can be enough to even eliminate the need for pharma drugs –and that’s a big plus in my book.

4. Decrease Animal Proteins

And finally, if you want to age well, then I highly recommend, you step back a little from the meat counter, and cut back somewhat on animal protein, especially red meat. It contains high amounts of branched chain amino acids like leucine, which stimulate mTOR. Plant protein doesn’t have nearly as much, keeping your mTOR in check and keeping autophagy – the ingenious cellular renewal process which salvages worn-out cells and recycles them for energy and new cells –in fighting trim. All good reasons to dialup the plant protein and turn down the meat and dairy. Trade them in for excellent sources of plant protein, like lentils; chickpeas; almonds; walnuts; sunflower seeds; organic tempeh; nut butter; pea protein powder; hemp powder, etc.

I am not suggesting you ditch animal protein altogether, but rather, consider reframing your approach to animal protein. Enjoy it occasionally or 2 -3 times a week instead of daily, and when you do tuck in, make your animal protein serving more of an accompaniment, as in a side-dish-sized accent rather than the main event on your plate. Also don’t worry that by cutting back you won’t be getting enough protein; be it plant or animal style. Most folks until age 65, get enough without having to try that hard, so for a middle-aged, 150pound person, roughly 55 grams a day should be fine. However by about the age of 65, protein needs shift and getting enough becomes extremely important to help slow sarcopenia— loss of muscle mass—a natural (but frustrating) part of the aging process. At this point, I recommend upping protein intake by about 25 percent, plus exercise and strength training to help preserve muscle.

Psychobiotics

Psychobiotics, probiotics that can yield specific benefits to the nervous system, are gaining attention in mental health circles. As consumers look to better their holistic health physically and emotionally, brands are leaning into the benefits gut health can have on a person’s mental wellbeing.

Seed Health, maker of an award-winning probiotic and prebiotic supplement, launched a Gut-Brain Development program with Axial Therapeutics in July. Using research from the California Institute of Technology, the brand will create innovative solutions to neuropsychiatric health using probiotics, linking microbiome gut health to its potential benefits towards anxiety, stress and depression. As the first lab to uncover the relationship between intestinal microbes and neuropsychiatric conditions, Caltech’s research will be used to better understand and formulate potential microbiome treatments for mental and emotional health benefits.

In a July feature, Dr. Avanish Aggarwal told Forbes: “We know that the gut impacts the brain.” “For

example, we know that people with inflammatory bowel disease often also have psychological issues.”

Now, consumers seem to be latching onto gut-mind benefits in their quest for emotional wellness. According to The Sydney Morning Herald, the “global probiotics market grew from US$39 billion in 2016 to US$58 billion in 2021. Increasingly, supplements are marketed as boosting cognitive function, mood and mental energy.” Medical probiotic brands are taking this growth in stride, introducing these potential mental health benefits globally.

Thailand and Canada approved a registration in August for a new psychobiotic on the market. Bened Biomedical’s probiotic, called PS128, claims to have “potential neurological and mental health benefits, such as improving sleep and reducing symptoms like those seen in anxiety, depression, autism, and Parkinson's disease,” according to a press release. PS128 has clinically shown an ability to adjust dopamine and serotonin levels, therefore helping

to regulate neurological conditions caused by these neurotransmitters.

The US-Based Biomedical Company Bened Life, Inc launched its first probiotic for brain health in August. Neuralli, formulated using the same probiotic strain mentioned above, indicated from its 11 clinical studies the ability to “help balance serotonin, dopamine, cortisol, and other molecules that affect mood, mind, and movement, while also helping regulate gastrointestinal tract health,” according to a press release.

Consumers are thinking about their mental health as it relates to their physical wellbeing. Now, probiotics are bridging physical and mental health.

What was historically a supplement to aid physical gut health, probiotics are evolving into psychobiotics as they show greater mental and cognitive benefits.

Why Mixing Different Skincare Brands may be Toxic for your Skin

Let's get real about something that so many of us love and adore: skincare! We all want to achieve that glowing, dewy, and radiant complexion, but are we really doing it right?

This may shock you: mixing different skincare brands may be toxic for your skin!

Now, I know what you're thinking. "But mixing different brands of skincare is so much fun and I love following new trends! It's like a skincare buffet, and I get to pick and choose what I want!" I totally get it. Mixing and matching different brands of skincare can be like a fun little experiment, and you might even get some good results. However, it can also be incredibly harmful to your skin. Here's the deal: different skincare brands use different ingredients in their products. While some ingredients may work well together, others can actually cancel each other out or even cause a negative reaction. For example, mixing a benzoyl peroxide acne treatment with a retinol cream can cause irritation, dryness, and even peeling. Yikes! Other ingredients mixed together could cause a sudden explosion of acne or rosacea, something never experienced before. While others could totally exacerbate dark spots into full blown pigmentation.

But wait, there's more! Mixing different brands of skincare can also lead to over-exfoliation. This is because many brands use different types of exfoliants in their products, such as alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs), beta-hydroxy acids (BHAs), and physical exfoliants like scrubs. If you're using multiple products

with different types of exfoliants, you can end up stripping your skin of its natural oils and causing some major irritation.

Think of it like this. You're out with your friends having a few drinks and you start off with a few peppy tequila shot to get the energy flowing. Then your bestie recommends the cocktail of the day, which you all order immediately. Time for a different cocktail that someone else recommends. Things are getting fun! More tequila shots to follow as the energy lifts. “Red or white wine with your meal” asks the waiter? …You get the drift. All those different drinks swirling and whirling around in your gut, will eventually result in you having a nasty hangover for days.

The same applies to our skin. It's the largest organ of the body and no matter where you apply the luxurious cream, lotion, serum, scrub, mist, soap, deodorant, shampoo, foundation, makeup etc it too can react in the form of a skin condition. Too much of a mix can definitely be toxic.

So, what's a skincare lover to do? Well, the best thing you can do for your skin is to stick to one brand of skincare. That way, you know that all the products are designed to work together and won't cause any negative reactions. Plus, many brands offer full skincare routines, so you can get everything you need in one place.

Now, I know what you're thinking. "But what about all the fun and excitement of trying new skincare products?" Fear not, my fellow skincare enthusiast! You can still try new products, but just be mindful of

By Nicole Sherwin, Founder - Eco Diva Natural

what you're mixing together. If you want to try a new product, try using it alone for a week or two to see how your skin reacts before incorporating it into your regular routine.

In conclusion, while mixing different skincare brands may seem fun and exciting, it can actually be harmful to your skin. Try to stick to one brand of skincare that resonates with you, to ensure that all the products work together and won't cause any negative reactions. Your skin will thank you for it!

Or try a new skincare trend. One of slow skincare that is clean, kind and ethical and has been formulated with ingredients that align together when applied. The fun of having clear, healthy, glowing skin may far out-way any skincare trend or fad of mixing and matching.

About Eco Diva

Our products are: Eco Friendly | Organic | Nontoxic | Chemical-free | Paraben-free | Sulphate-free

| Cruelty-free | Vegan | Beauty Without Cruelty Certified | Proudly made in South Africa. We are passionate about holistic skincare through plant-based, natural superfood nutrients, antioxidants, vitamins and omegas to assist not only in the healing of skin conditions but to also offer a vibrantly healthy glow that we all yearn for.

For more info:

Website: www.ecodiva.co.za

Reimagining Wellness in ‘American Detox’ from Kerri Kelly

“This book is an invitation for people to ask themselves hard questions about what it means to be well, and to learn from those who have been leading this movement and those who have been marginalized,” says Kerri Kelly about her new book, American Detox.

September 11th changed life for all of us, but for Kerri Kelly the impact was especially personal. In the aftermath of that event Kerri upended her life and went on a search for wellness. In her new book, American Detox: The Myth of Wellness and How We Can Truly Heal, and in this conversation, Kerri explores the ways in which our culture of wellness perpetuates systems that are deeply unwell. She leads us in a conversation that helps us find our way towards the deep, connected wellness that nourishes us all and away from individualistic focus that keeps us stuck in unhealthy comparison and competition.

Our distorted ideas of wellness hurt us all, and those ideas are so deeply embedded it can be hard to even see them. Kerri pulls back the curtain and gives us a path out, a path towards true healing.

About Kerri Kelly:

Kerri Kelly, is the founder of CTZNWell, a movement that is democratizing wellbeing for all. A descendent of generations of firemen and first responders Kerri has dedicated her life to kicking down doors and fighting for justice. She has been teaching yoga for over 20 years. She is a community organizer, wellness activist, and author of American detox, the myth of wellness and how we can truly heal. Kerri is also recognized across communities for her inspired work to bridge transformational practice with social justice. Kerri is a powerful facilitator, TED speaker, and is the host of the prominent podcast citizen, that is spelled CTZN.

Three Actions:

1. Interrogate yourself. Be relentlessly curious about what you've been taught, how you've been shaped and indoctrinated by dominant stories and dominant narratives and cultures, and how that's holding you back from your

own wholeness. So be curious about that. And how that's a part of a larger system, and how you're a part of a larger system.

2. Locate yourself inside that system. What is your place, and proximity? We're all impacted and implicated in different ways. So it's really important for us to both take responsibility for our part in this mess. And also see ourselves as part of the solution? So it's like, locate yourself so that you can step into your right role and responsibility.

3. Engage in collective action, get political, work with other people, line up in solidarity with organizations who are on the frontlines of the many issues that we are navigating right now. Because personal solutions are not going to solve the many problems, the many systemic and collective problems that we're facing. And so it's really important for folks to see their practice beyond the cushion, and to see wellness as a radical political act, as we work to create the conditions where everybody can be well.

Q: How did the concept of the book start?

A: I'll be honest, a lot of what I grappled with in writing this book was how to be critical of the dominant culture of wellness, or the industry of wellness, if you will, rightfully so, because it's toxic, and it's riddled with issues. And also how to appreciate the fact that I was changed by a lot of the practices. That brought me to wellness. I was transformed, I was healed in many ways. And so I just want to name that because that was a contradiction that I had to navigate as I was writing this book.

And I think that first sentence, this is not a rejection, but a reclaiming sort of speaks to the yearning that called me to this question, which was, wellness isn't making us well in its current iteration. And yet, we all deserve to be well, and so what does it look like. Like what is the way in which we can reclaim wellness? Or reimagine wellness is actually the word I got to at the end of the book, that creates the conditions for everyone to thrive. And what that calls us to do if we're really asking and honoring that question, is to confront everything that's in the way of our collective

wellness, not just our personal wellness, the wellness in our bubble, or on our mat or on our cushion. But a wellness that understands that our well being is bound, that our liberation is bound, that our future, our collective survival, is bound up with one another.

And so as I got on this path, and I tell a lot of stories throughout the book that demonstrates what I would call my unraveling, it's sort of like I discover wellness, and then I start to fall apart and unravel and try to pick up the pieces along the way. But much of sort of my unbecoming, my unlearning, my unraveling in the pursuit of true wellness, of the actual truth was to come up against the ways in which cultivate wellness.

Q: It's interesting that you say that, because I think that when people hear the word wellness, they have such a narrow definition of it. And that is largely because we are told that it's about our personal wellness, when you go to the doctor, and the doctor says, how are you? And they're asking about you. They're not asking about your family, they're not asking about your community, they're not asking about the context, often of your work. So it's always this very specific, very narrow perspective, rather than looking at the whole person and the whole community and the whole entity. So I think that that's a very important context.

A: I love that you said that. In the structures that exist, in the systems that we're forced to move in we don't know what's possible. And isn't that part of the beauty? And so if we can lean into the question, instead of assuming that we know, sourcing from the limitations of our mind the limitations of what has been familiar and what is default, then actually, that opens up an entire world. And one of my mentors, Taj James, who I write about a lot in this book, says that in this very precarious moment where we're literally facing down collective extinction, he says, it's not as important to have the right answer, but to ask if we're asking the right questions. And I just really appreciate that. And I tried to do that. There's lots of questions in this book. In fact, I want to say that I completed this book, and I was left with more questions when I started. I hope that's a good thing.

Kamalaya Koh Samui

Legendary Wellness Sanctuary & Holistic Spa

Kamalaya Koh Samui is a multi-award-winning Wellness Sanctuary and Holistic Spa ideally located amid a tropical landscape on the southern coastline of Koh Samui, Thailand. Kamalaya offers a synergistic wellness experience to help people reconnect to life’s potential and achieve optimal wellbeing.

The cuisine, the service style, the environment and even the architecture are designed to support and enhance the wellness therapies and services. The land itself is a powerful part of the journey, giving guests a direct experience of the healing power of nature. At the heart of the Kamalaya lies a centuriesold cave, once used by Buddhist monks as a place

of meditative retreat. Guests are welcome to enter this sacred space for quiet reflection and meditation.

Kamalaya translates as Lotus (Kamal) Realm (alaya) in the ancient language of Sanskrit, symbolizing the unfolding of the human spirit.

The Kamalaya Experience

True healing comes from acceptance, not resistance. That’s why at Kamalaya, we take a refreshingly liberating humanistic approach to wellness. With the absence of the strict controls and rigid rules, the guests can naturally let go and open up. Support,

advice, and inspiration are always on offer, but it’s the guests’ innate wisdom that guides their experience.

While many guests come with a purpose or a goal in mind, Kamalaya remains flexible to their needs. It’s not necessary to book a program; visitors can simply come for a relaxing, healthy holiday and enjoy the restorative environment and complimentary offerings like wellness consultations and daily holistic classes. Or choose from an extensive a la carte wellness treatments menu and personalized sessions. As the days go by, the guests experience clarity of mind, upliftment of the mood, improvements of their physical conditions and increase of vitality.

spa therapies

The Kamalaya Lifestyle

For many the sprint-paced ‘ASAP’ world in which we live has disconnected us from each other, our own true and divine sense of self and the perfect simplicity of being present in our lives. At Kamalaya, being reconnected can be a sublimely life changing experience.

The Kamalaya lifestyle is relaxed, informal and heartwarmingly comfortable. The services and facilities are bound together by a welcoming community spirit and supported by the invigorating energies of nature, art, and healthy cuisine.

Nature is an ever-present part of Kamalaya experience, a sensory symphony that nourishes and nurtures. Beyond the improvements in health and wellbeing, the synergistic Kamalaya experience seems to take people effortlessly and spontaneously to unexpected levels of self-discovery and awareness.

The Wellness Sanctuary and Holistic Spa

Integrating the beauty of the surrounding environment into its design, the Wellness Sanctuary features open air treatment spaces as well as deluxe air-conditioned suites. There are over 50 certified wellness professionals here, including naturopaths, doctors of traditional Chinese medicine, western medical doctors, registered nurses, nutritionists, life transformation experts, Ayurvedic and Thai therapists, fitness specialists and yoga, meditation, and pranayama teachers.

Kamalaya combines holistic medicine traditions from East and West to offer a menu of 70 plus therapies and treatments. Optional daily classes are open to all guests that range from Pilates, yoga, Qi Gong and meditation to Tai Chi and core fitness classes.

Healthy Inspired Cuisine

At Kamalaya, the cuisine is a fundamental component of the holistic health concept. The menus reflect Kamalaya’s philosophy of healthy living and the celebration of different cultures, featuring fresh and healthy dishes with enough sumptuous twist to satisfy the most discerning palates.

Co-created by Karina Stewart, Kamalaya’s founder and a doctor of Traditional Chinese Medicine, and the Kamalaya Chef, our healthy cuisine is influenced by Karina’s wealth of knowledge in functional medicine and cellular detoxification. It is based on principles of Asian healing traditions, as well as the latest nutritional research.

The healthy, inspired cuisine is a fusion of Eastern and Western culinary traditions and menus include extensive vegetarian options as well as fresh seafood and poultry dishes. There are separate menus for those on Detox or Ideal Weight programs. Fresh juices, signature tonics, herbal teas and wines are also served.

A Place to Feel at Home

Flowing down the tropical hillside and overlooking the Gulf of Thailand and outlaying islands, Kamalaya’s accommodation options range from cozy Hillside Rooms to open Suites, spacious Villas, and private Pool Villas.

Kamalaya incorporates the surrounding landscape into the simple elegance of its architecture and design. Buildings are nestled amidst ancient, granite boulders, streams, and tropical vegetation, with existing rocks and trees as defining elements for many of the structures.

Asian textiles and carefully selected art pieces, combined with modern amenities, create comfortable, serene, and elegant interiors.

spa awards

Every year, we honor leading spas that elevate the practices of wellness, environmental stewardship and sustainability, all the while maintaining high standards of luxury, hospitality and design.

Now, more than ever, it is important to celebrate these spas for their efforts on behalf of nature conservation; energy efficiency; innovative use of local, natural and organic ingredients on their spa and culinary menus; recycling, upcycling, reuse and other initiatives geared toward lessening the footprint that leads to climate change.

We also evaluate spas for integrative and holistic health and wellness programs that foster leadership in the industry and set a new and higher standard. Innovators in wellness, hospitality and design can—and do—create a ripple effect across many other industries! —The Editors

Banyan Tree Phuket

Thailand

Though the healthy living-committedBanyan Tree brand launched its WellBeing Sanctuaries globally this year, the flagship Banyan Tree Phuket originated the concept of commodious, spa-oriented suites with its initial set of 12 rooms, years ago. Home to Banyan Tree’s Spa Academy, where all its worldwide therapists receive training, the resort offers curative options to guests throughout the resort. The WellBeing Sanctuaries, under the direction ofpersonal Wellness Guides, offer amenities including daily massage, customized meals, yoga and fitness classes, bath and body rituals, and sessions on better sleep and stress reduction.

Rancho La Puerta

Mexico

Rancho La Puerta, founded more than 80 years ago, was always ahead of the curve—and still is. With a full calendar of fitness classes, wellness initiatives and workshops from live music to cooking, the Ranch is a place where friendships are forged, connections with nature are made, and the balance of health and wellness is finely calibrated and restored. A hike to the organic farm for breakfast, spa treatments with local medicinal herbs, guided meditations, inspiring retreats and the new Private Residences, spread over 4,000acres, continue to inspire guests to become the very best versions of themselves.

Palazzo

Fiuggi Italy

The hilltop town of Fiuggi, an hour outside Rome, has long been famous for its healing mountains and springs. That history—and the therapeutic properties of natural elements like water, earth, air and fire—inspired the Palazzo Fiuggi destination spa, which takes a 360-degree approach to health. Meticulously restored and expanded using sustainable materials, the retreat is staffed by a team of scientists and doctors who consult with each guest to create personal itineraries of medical services, wellness and holistic therapies and mineral water treatments. A Michelin three-star chef oversees the culinary program, which focuses on healthy, natural and locally sourced ingredients.

Waldorf Astoria Los Cabos Pedegral Mexico

A private tunnel from the bustling town of Cabo San Lucas brings you to this Pacific Ocean-front resort, the first Waldorf Astoria in Mexico. Spread over 24 idyllic acres on the southern most tip of the Baja peninsula, the 115-room haven is beloved both for its luxurious touches—posh accommodations, cliffside champagne bars and personal concierges—and its award-winning 10-room spa, where the organic treatments are inspired by the sea, lunar cycles and Mexican folk healing. Along with a la carte services featuring mineral-rich muds, sound healing, crystal massages and hand-harvested herbal remedies, the spa offers transformative wellness weekends and fitness activities.

Four Seasons Resort Maldives Maldives

Some might find it healing enough to wriggle their toes on this private, far-flung island’s crescent of bone-white sand, while gazing at the myriad blues of its everlasting waters. But this UNESCO Biosphere marine landscape and luxury retreat spa, AyurMa, an Ayurvedic stronghold, takes vitality yet deeper with its 14- to 21-day panchakarma detox and deep tissue cleansing programs and its

spa awards

three- to five-day, one-on-one yoga therapy opportunities. With a team of Ayurvedic doctors, naturopaths and yoga therapists, the thatched-roofed spa spreads across gardens and water.

Grand Velas Luxury Riviera Maya Resort Mexico

Cenotes (natural swimming holes) pepper the Yucatan Peninsula. The Maya believed them to be sacred. Taking that cue, sustainable Grand Velas, an upscale all-inclusive, wedged between the ocean and the jungle, patterns itself after the terrain and preserves and incorporates stones, plants and streams to mirror the region. Likewise, the SE Spa by Grand Velas, poised below ground level, has a 40,000-square-foot Water Lounge, which elicits the sensation of swimming in a cenote. Distinguished by local culture, treatments utilize Yucatan traditional products, such as cacao, corn cobs, Mayan jade and aloe vera.

Cal-a-Vie Health Spa United States

The Francophile owners of Cal-a-Vie have created an authentic slice of Provence in the hills outside San Diego, complete with a 15th-century French meditation chapel facing the Cal-a-Vie vineyards, where the spa grows and produces its own wine. When guests arrive, they are set up for a custom consultation, and a full schedule magically appears later that day. Mornings are spent at a state-of-the art fitness facility with an expert team of instructors and trainers. Afternoons revolve around restoration and relaxation at the standout spa and two gorgeous pools. The new Renew and Refresh Mind &Body program is designed to relieve stress, help with sleep issues, support weight loss and nurture positivity.

The Spa at Phulay Bay Thailand

The Adaman Sea’s craggy karsts establish the mystical mood at Phulay Bay, the first Ritz-Carlton Reserve property of the collection. With temple-like Thai architecture and a deep commitment to conjuring local culture, the resort’s renewing spa oasis furnishes tranquility to offset active days spent hiking mangrove forests, snorkeling transparent waters and cruising on long-tail boats. Nestled into classic Thai pavilions, replete with stepping stones, water features and decked walkways, the spa offers teas made from the haven’s own garden and treatments inspired by the locale—such as an acupressurestyle massage, performed with herb-filled packets.

Chablé Maroma Mexico

In Mexico’s Riviera Maya, between a pristine beach and a lush tropical jungle, this member of Leading Hotels of theWorld has it all: luxurious villas that showcase regional materials—tropical wood, stone, marble—by Mexican artisans.A 17,000-square-foot spa offers a range of treatments that honor Mayan wisdom and traditions, and three restaurants helmed by Jorge Vallejo, the power behind the renowned Quintonil restaurant inMexico City. Partner property to the magical Chablé Yucatan, Chablé Maroma is committed to supporting local businesses and producers—food is grown or caught nearby, textiles are sewn by hand inMexico. Guests can practice meditation and yoga, paddleboard and kayak, take cenote tours and jungle excursions or simply relax on the beach.

ORIGINS Luxury Lodge Costa Rica

Set high above a valley in Costa Rica’s northern rainforest, this French-owned resort’s six lodges and one three-bedroom villa were designed to blend into the surroundings, with vegetation-topped “living” roofs and the use of raw natural materials worked by local artisans. Under the direction of Michelinstarred chef Jean-Luc L’Hourre, the Asian- and Peruvian-inspired menus—veganand vegetarian friendly—use ingredients from area farms and the on-site organic garden. Standout activities include medicinal plant tours, waterfall hikes, horseback rides, nighttime wildlife tours and chocolate-making sessions at a cacao farm, plus healing spa therapies performed with organic products.

Leading With People First

By Geri Williams-Fitts Chief People Officer, Highgate

As people and businesses across the globe emerge from the most unpredictable three years in recent memory, the hospitality and wellness industry faces its own unique, ongoing set of challenges.

One of the biggest challenges, of course: hiringand retaining-talent that will grow with your company and contribute to its success. As it stands, the picture isn't exactly pretty: At 89.4 percent, the leisure and hospitality industries have the highest turnover rate in the private sector.

But perhaps some good will come out of this untenable situation, as companies realize their hiring and retention practices are outdated. In today's landscape, success just isn't possible without associates who are engaged in and passionate about your company's mission.

With some of the lowest turnover rates in the industry (15%-30% percent in certain divisions) and a record high average employment tenure of eight-plus years, Highgate has been walking the walk for 35+ years under the leadership of an executive team that consists of some of the most experienced hotel management leaders in the world. The industryleading hotel management, investment, technology and development firm operates a diverse portfolio across North America, the Caribbean, Latin America, and Europe.

Highgate has a proven record and Our "People First" philosophy touches every aspect of our company and uses intel from third-party experts to keep us honest and accountable.

Though our work is ongoing and we're always looking to improve by listening to our associates and implementing change based on their feedback, three core tenets have served us well and helped us create and maintain a strong, healthy, truly engaged workforce.

1. Start at The Beginning

The hiring practice is a vital building block in the pursuit of an inspired, empowered, efficient team. It's easy to rush through hiring when you're shortstaffed, but intentionality will pay off in the long run. If you haven't defined your core company values, it's time to do some reflecting. Once you've agreed on the values most important to your organization, it becomes relatively easy to identify the qualities you're looking for in employees.

At Highgate, we seek candidates who are confident, independent, sure of their decisions and driven by moving things forward. Our high hiring bar is a critical factor in our success and these are the characteristics we feel best support our team ethos: "It's not our company, it's your company."

One of the tools in our hiring toolbox is The Predictive Index, a third-party platform that uses behavioral assessments. Once we've identified candidates who fit our values, we use unconventional interview questions based upon Emotional Intelligence (or EI). These identify leaders' abilities to recognize, understand and manage one's own emotions as well as recognize and understand the influence their emotions and actions have on others, which is important in ensuring their values are aligned

with ours. Some sample questions are: 1) What types of things in the past have created the most frustration for you? And the least? 2) Tell us about an experience when you had a new team to work with. How did you assimilate yourself to the group?

3) Recall an experience when you felt you were inspirational to someone else at work. We desire to discover critical skills in our today's world of work to unlock true workforce potential.

2. Pay Like You Mean it

Once you're ready to make a job offer, make sure it's competitive (or better). It is essential to have comprehensive, up-to-date information, that can ensure salaries are fair and equitable. As a thought benefits packages should have a high employer contribution and is more generous than the industry standard, with a focus on whole-person wellbeing (including physical, financial and mental health, as well as competitive paid time off benefits).

One of the most impactful parts of our compensation philosophy is an aggressive incentive structure that helps our team earn above the industry standard by contributing to the company in meaningful ways. Believing at core that the success of the company is not possible without the shared value in our employees and bonuses are tied to critical measures that drive the success of our entire business. This helps our people understand the importance of their role to the entire company, keeps them motivated to meet specific goals and bolsters our belief that associates are motivated to do their best work when they feel valued.

Of course, you can't simply buy loyalty: If an employee is unhappy in their job, no amount of money will stop them from taking a new one. Which leads us to our next tenet…

3. Grow What You Planted

Continue investing in your people as if they're the most important part of your brand. We spend a significant amount of time identifying and learning about each team member's goals, strengths and interests so we can fully support their personal and career growth. We identify career aspirations early, which allows us to help guide them in the right direction(s) every step of the way.

Build an ecosystem of programs that support your people at every stage of their journey and across all levels and roles. Employees are also encouraged to monitor their own performance and growth trajectory through inclusive 360 reviews that provide professional feedback from all directions, checkins, and mentor/mentee connections in a modernized, simple module.

We view employment as a long-term relationship, which means we can't stagnate and neither can our people (and, for the most part, they don't want to). We're always proud and eager to promote from within-something we did more than 100 times in 2022. Our people know they have our full support, whether that means switching to a different brand within our portfolio, relocating domestically or internationally, pivoting to a new department or adding new skills to their resume. At Highgate, we don't just retain talent, we grow it.

The hospitality industry have long excelled at putting guests' needs first, but that will no longer be possible if we don't have sufficient or motivated staff delivering on our promises. In today's AI-driven, fully connected, radically transparent workplace, putting people first is the best (and, in my opinion, only) way to move our business forward.

It's easy to say you have a strong company culture, but delivering and maintaining that culture in an authentic way takes hard work, new ways of thinking and, yes, budget allocations. But we simply can't afford to keep the status quo of rampant turnover, understaffed companies and low levels of employee engagement. Everyone loses under the old model: your business, your people and even your guests.

As simple as it may sound, putting our people first is how we will collectively advance our industry and future proof the success of hospitality as a whole.

Over the past decade, while expanding our portfolio to 500+ hotels today, Highgate has embraced the unique experiences and perspectives of its colleagues and guests and celebrated the diversity of the communities in which it operates. Our purpose is to care for people so they can be their best, and that means providing a truly inclusive experience and making a difference in the lives of everyone we touch.

Through our efforts today, we recognize that we have an opportunity and obligation to support actions that contribute to a more diverse, equitable and inclusive society where our colleagues and guests feel welcome, always. We know there is more to be done and we remain focused on actions that support our vision of a world of understanding and care.

At Highgate, what's important to us shapes our behaviors and the value of putting people first extends beyond our business. We choose the road less traveled. Novel ideas that push the limits of what can be done inspire us. No stone goes unturned in our quest to create the ultimate experience that is flexible and adaptive to the needs of today's workforce. Exceeding needs is our baseline, not our destination.

About: Geri Williams-Fitts is Highgate's Chief People Officer. Ms. Williams-Fitts joined Highgate in 2008 and provides leadership and direction to corporate and field-based human resources professionals throughout North America and internationally in all labor-related activities, life-cycle processes, talent acquisition, workforce planning, and compensation strategies. Prior to joining Highgate Hotels, she held a range of senior human resources leadership positions with several hospitalitybased businesses, including Wyndham Worldwide and Hilton Hotels. In addition, she spent over seven years with distinguished retail service organizations including May Company and the Federated Organization. Ms. Williams-Fitts holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Management and Administration from Gordon University

Neuroscents

The beauty and health categories continue to merge with the latest fragrance releases, which enlist neuroscience for emotional impact.

Boutique candle brand Boy Smells partnered with adaptogenic drink company Kin Euphorics in March 2023 for their new line of Emotional Illuminations Prayer Candles. Each of the line’s three candles were designed to elicit a specific emotional benefit, such as bliss and surrender, energy and invigoration, or soothing calm. The candles pair with the drinks to bring the user to “a desired emotional, psychological, spiritual and physical place,” Boy Smells cofounder Matthew Herman told WWD.

“The scents were scientifically designed to activate neural pathways for targeted emotional responses. The brain-triggered technology uses data fielded from both conscious and unconscious responses to different scent notes and their effect on the brain,” Herman told Nylon. “The result is, we can qualify

that these scents will help put your head in the right place for different desired states throughout your day.”

Estee Lauder’s incubation and early-stage investment arm, New Incubation Ventures, took a minority stake in Vyrao in March 2023. Vyrao, which launched in May 2021, describes itself as “the world’s first wellbeing brand to fuse energetic healing with master perfumery.” In other words: “We make good feelings.”

“We are in a new era of scent and how we can use it to feel better,” said Vyrao founder Yasmin Sewell. Vyrao goes “beyond traditional wellness and fragrance,” Sewell said, to “support our spiritual and mental well-being.”

The candle brand Nette is launching a line of perfumes at Sephora, announced in March 2023. The perfumes, created in partnership with fragrance

manufacturer IFF, are meant to evoke the feeling of an evening wedding in Mexico City or an Ivy League campus in September.

“The [neuroscent] opportunity is huge; it’s a merging of beauty and wellness that just makes sense,” Carol Han Pyle, Nette founder, told WWD.

“Consumers are expecting more from their products these days, so why not capitalize on a force that can help bring people a sense of confidence, mindfulness or relaxation to their days?”

These releases push functional fragrance to new depths, spurred by consumers’ growing desire to link their physical and emotional health As Lyn Harris, the acclaimed perfumer behind Vyrao’s scents, told Wallpaper: “It feels like the right time to create a fragrance that is more than a beautiful smell, one that helps you connect with life and yourself.”