Les Nouvelles Esthetiques Spa Magazine #87

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Natural & Organic

Spa

Lifestyle Relaxation & Health Therapies

s k i n v i t a l i t y b o d y b a l a n c e

A Professional take on SPA Business, Health Therapies, Products & Simple Relaxation 2022*ISSUE*87

C O N T E N T S *87

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Doc: Spaces

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The Nutrition for Healing Initiative Trends 2 Let’s Be the Change 4 The Awakened Life is the Best Life 6 CSpa Aroma Wellness 8 Celluvac: Restoring overall Balance 10 3 Reasons To Switch To Natural And Organic 12 Esse and the ‘Skinimalism’ Trend 14 Top 10 Beauty Trends from My Beauty Luv 16 Banyan Tree Ilha Caldeira - Ribbon of Sustainability 18 How to Capture your Youth with Collagen 22 Discover How Psychedelics Are Poised to Revolutionize the Mental Wellness Space 24 Pregnancy Massage & the Trimesters 26 Zulal Wellness Resort by Chiva-Som opens with Spa Rituals rooted in Qatari and wider Arabic Culture 28 The Healing Power of Music 30 Wellbeing as One System: Mind, Body and Place 32 Building Social Capital in a Hybrid World 36 Six Senses Laamu Leads the Maldives as Eco-Resort of the Year 38 Collective action amongst Spa and Wellness Operators is needed in Climate Battle against Water Scarcity 42 Spas Leading Biophilic Design 46 Functional Foods 48 6 Commonly-Believed Myths About Eating for the Environment 50 Smart Tips to Make 2022 Your Healthiest Year Yet 52 How to Make Your Metabolism Work for You, No Matter Your Age 54 Employees are Putting Wellness over Work 56 Walking Mindfulness Activities 58 The Sense of Awe 60 Leaders are Made – RELATIONSHIPS 62 6 Ways Taylor Swift Excels at Content Marketing 64 The Science of Optimism 66 Signature Scents 68

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Natural and organic, is a term we incorporate into our daily lifestyle, but an increasing number of consumers expect to find “sustainable”, “environmentally friendly” and “ethical” qualities attached to this label. Natural and organic represent authentic ways as the core values and commitment not only to human wellbeing, but also to the protection of the environment and biodiversity. Natural and Organic Living is a lifestyle, which is dedicated to making more informed choices when confronted with decisions that influence your health and the environment. It is a lifestyle that promotes sustainable development and encourages the application of natural methods in work, life and play wherever possible. Everyone in the wellness industry needs to understand the lessons from the Blue Zones, and Dan Buettner’s work is rapidly changing the ways the world thinks about health, wellness, happiness, prevention, aging and longevity. In the identified Blue Zones 9 Lifestyle Habits are essential: 1 Move Naturally, 2 Sense of Purpose, 3 Down Shift in Stress, 4 80% Rule “Hara hachi bu”, 5 Dietary Plant Slant, 6.Wine @ 5, 7 Belonging, 8 Loved Ones First, 9 Right Tribe. “This real-world science is far more relatable than dry statistics,” said Susie Ellis, GWS chairman and CEO Dates to Diarise: Les Nouvelles Esthetiques Spa Conference and Spa Awards 2022 are taking place on the 24 & 25th July 2022, at The Houghton Hotel. Register today on www.lesnouvelleblog.co.za Enjoy the read !

Dr. Nadine de Freitas

Les Nouvelles Esthetiques International Publisher I 7, avenue Stephane Mallarme 75017 PARIS Tel: 01 43 80 06 47 Fax: 01 43 80 83 63 www.nouvelles-esthetiques.com I Fondateur : H. Pierantoni I Directeur de la Publications: Jeannine Cannac-Pierantoni I Redactrice en chef: Michéle de Lattre-Pierantoni I International Editions • Argentina • Baltic • Benelux • Brazil • Bulgaria • Canada • China • France • Greece • Hong Kong • Hungary • Israel • Italy • Japan • Mexico • Poland • Portugal • Romania • Singapore • South Africa • Spain • Taiwan • Turkey • Ukraine • USA • Yugoslavia Les Nouvelles Esthétiques South African Edition I Max Cafe P. O. Box 81204, Parkhurst Johannesburg, South Africa 2120 I Tel: +27 83 267 2773 e-mail: info@lesnouvelles.co.za www.lesnouvelles.co.za I Publisher/Creative Director : Anthony de Freitas e-mail: tony@maxcafe.co.za I Managing Editor : Dr. Nadine de Freitas e-mail: nadine@maxcafe .co.za I Editor ial Assistant: Sarene Kloren editor ial @lesnouvelles.co.za I Adver tising Enquir ies: Dr Nadine de Freitas e-mail: info@lesnouvelles.co.za I Subscription Enquiries: Tel: +27 83 267 2773 e-mail: info@lesnouvelles.co.za or visit: www.lesnouvelles.co.za

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.

The Nutrition for Healing Initiative Trends 2

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TREND 7: Nutritious Drink Treats

By Global Wllness Institute

There is a rise in better–tasting health foods and safer, cleaner alternatives to certain “vices.” Nutritious options offer the flavor of favorite “cheat day” splurges without the guilt. 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 health and cutting back on calories and potential headaches the following day.

The Nutrition for Healing Initiative Trends 2

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TREND 7: Nutritious Drink Treats

By Global Wllness Institute

spa therapies

Let’s Be the Change. Change is inevitable, but grounded change is better.

1. Crisis.

3. Truth.

If Change is Inevitable, Embrace It!

Crisis often comes before change. It’s a time of difficulty, trouble or danger, and a critical turning point. Perhaps we suddenly find ourselves at a crossroad, where a decision needs to be made. During this time, we may feel sad or hopeless. The crisis could happen to us personally, or to a friend, family member, neighbor, coworker, nationally or even globally. Our personal perceptions dictate how we handle a situation of crisis, as we act out our coping skills, or lack thereof which have been cultivated throughout the years. During a state of crisis, we feel a mixture of emotions, from feeling alone and left behind, to frustrated or afraid.

Change happens from the inside out. That is where real work begins. It’s time to own up. This means taking responsibility for ourselves, our thoughts, behaviors, and actions. Looking ourselves in the mirror and becoming as transparent as humanly possible. Dissecting personal agendas and motivations that are usually cleverly covered by emotions like anger, fear and pride.

We have all heard the saying “Change is inevitable”. But have we truly accepted that ideology? Often we resist truly grounded change due to fear, pride and unbelief. We resist the unknown because we don’t know what is waiting for us on the other side. Sometimes our pride gets in the way and we can’t admit we were wrong. Perhaps an ideology that we held close to heart, no longer resonates. The problem is we have preached that ideology for so long, our pride stands in the way of admitting that particular ideology no longer works. To save face, we stand behind something we don’t believe in anymore. Or plain ol’ unbelief. We lack the type of belief needed to surrender everything we are struggling with. We lack the trust needed to know that a Higher Power has made a way, even if we can’t see it.

Four Steps to Deep, Grounded Change

We can be indecisive, reactive, apathetic. Why? Because at the root of those emotions and feelings lies our greatest struggle, and it is with ourselves and beliefs. We must find a way to trust that even though our eyes do not see a way out of the situation, there is a way. Crisis translates to surrender. We need to surrender our pride and make way for assistance. 2. Commitment.

But take heart. Together we can make a change in the world, by becoming that change. At any point in time we can decide to change. Here are four steps that can lead to a deep rooted and grounded change, beginning with ourselves. Whether it’s a developmental crisis, part of a growing and developing, situational, an accident or sudden disaster, or existential crises, struggling with direction in life, purpose, or spirituality. Let’s be the change.

By Gia Dalton

The next step is commitment. Pledging to ourselves that we will remain committed to believing that everything we have surrendered will be taken care of. We agree to wait, until we see the change, or until an answer comes. During this period, we do not act out of fear, pride or unbelief. We wait peacefully, and hopefully.

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Removing those layers, just like peeling back the skin of an onion, one layer at time, will reveal truths. Truths in the form of hurts and wounds that have never had an opportunity to heal…. until now. Next have an authentic and real conversation with yourself. This step is essential because in order to change anything, we must first change ourselves. Admitting and coming to terms with aspects of ourselves we may not necessarily like very much. Let the change begin in us so we can heal, and help change the world. We are each other’s teachers. 4. Transformation. Transformation begins when we realize we can no longer be who were before. After surrendering, remaining committed, and learning the truth, comes transformation. We are now transformed, reconfigured, refashioned, revamped through the process. We have witnessed a shift in our perceptions, and a conversion of sorts. The crisis was an envoy leading us to make a commitment to surrender and live by truth, so that we can be a new creation. Let’s be the change, the grounded change, we want to see in the world.

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The Awakened Life is the Best Life

By Deepak Chopra MD

Choosing your personal lifestyle became critically important starting only a few decades ago, after it was realized that your well-being, and especially your health, depends on your lifestyle. This was the most important turning point for the wellness movement. Previously, maintaining physical health was centered on preventing risks like smoking and high cholesterol diet, and medical training in wellness was practically nil. Most of the worst risks are still connected with bad choices. You have the freedom to choose a lifestyle that includes tobacco and alcohol, no exercise, and a diet heavy in processed foods, fats and sugar. But there’s enough information available to give pause. As a result, better choices are being made by most people, and an improved lifestyle is the result. You might go on to ask, “What is the absolute best lifestyle?” This can be a life-changing question. Let’s assume that you have already made good choices about diet and exercise. That’s a big assumption because age and education have a major impact in those areas. For example, about 50% of adults under thirty take regular vigorous exercise, a number that falls off with every passing decade, reaching a low point with adults over seventy. But let’s stick with the assumption that you enjoy a healthy lifestyle, to which we will add that you meditate regularly and attend yoga class. As beneficial as such a lifestyle is, the key to the best lifestyle hasn’t been found. What statistics fail to reveal is that modern secular society has some dominant trends that work against true, lasting wellbeing. These trends include the following (they don’t make for nice reading): •Ever-increasing stress •Faster pace of living •A deluge of distractions including the Internet •Increasing rates of aging and dementia •Rampant consumerism spreading to more countries •Dislocation and crumbling of traditional families •An epidemic of anxiety and depression •Global problems such as climate change, terrorism, and refugeeism

• Collapse of trust in public institutions and politics • Runaway disparity between rich and poor These challenges are persistent. You hear about them every day or actually experience them. They are inescapable, and the individual is powerless to solve them. Any single issue on this list is enough to overwhelm your life if you dwell on it. Dealing with malaria in Africa, opiate addiction in the Rust Belt, suicide among veterans, or the looming prospect of Alzheimer’s—take any one of these and you can devote every waking hour to it. For the average person, however, the real issue is that no one can block out or escape these trends. They provide a background of troubling chaos. You cannot put your head deep enough in the sand to be unaffected. The most enlightened diet, exercise, meditation, and Yoga program do not provide a solution. With that in mind, I wrote a book a few years ago titled Metahuman, which takes its title from the Greek word “meta,” which means “beyond.” I set out to find the best lifestyle that brings lifelong well-being in the present chaotic condition of the modern world. You might be surprised to discover that this isn’t a spiritual lifestyle—I deliberately avoided even using the word spiritual in the book. The best lifestyle needs to include the spiritual and yet go beyond the connotations of spirituality—in other words, we need a “meta” lifestyle. The best lifestyle can be described in a single phrase, waking up. When you lead such a lifestyle, you devote yourself to going beyond the everyday routines that people live by, the second-hand beliefs and opinions we have all adopted, the stories we continually cling to, and the agenda of the ego. Waking up is about evolution, higher consciousness, and the infinite potential that belongs to every human being. Every problem listed above is mind-made. We find ourselves trapped at a level of consciousness that not only fuels chaos and confusion but which adds to them. Unknown to ourselves, we inhabit a kind of virtual reality walled in by constricted

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consciousness. Literally the reality we take for granted is a dream, spell, or illusion—choose any word for it you like. The “real” reality lies deeper inside us, at the source of pure consciousness that is the field of infinite possibilities. Modern secular society can be seen as the most perfected virtual reality ever devised—you can spend a lifetime on your computer if you want. Taking that perspective, modern life is the ultimate trap, and nothing on the list will be solved. But there is an alternative. Modern life is so open to freedom of choice that it provides the best setting ever devised for escaping the illusion. In Metahuman I took the second perspective, because each of us can clearly see that evolving to higher consciousness—in other words, waking up— is the only true solution. If you seek a solution to any problem, you can either struggle at the level of the problem, which is frustrating, or you can live from the level of awareness where solutions unfold through the infinite power of consciousness. This level is real, and it is accessible to all. I am only offering the barest sketch of what waking up is all about, but I wanted to highlight that there is such a thing as the best lifestyle. Nothing that’s good in your present life has to be sacrificed—waking up expands every aspect of fulfillment. What’s really at stake is making the decision to wake up. That’s the first step in the direction of a future that works instead of a present that defeats us.

Author: DEEPAK CHOPRA™ MD, FACP, Founder of The Chopra Foundation , a non-profit entity for research on well-being and humanitarianism, and Chopra Global, a whole health company at the intersection of science and spirituality, is a worldrenowned pioneer in integrative medicine and personal transformation. Chopra is the author of over 90 books translated into over forty-three languages, including numerous New York Times bestsellers. His 90th book and national bestseller, Metahuman: Unleashing Your Infinite Potential].

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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.

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

The Products: 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 is allows for emotional growth, cleanses negative emotions and attracts tranquility and peace. The Core of CSpa Aroma Wellness:

Commitment to the environment and clean formulas:

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.

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.

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

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

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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 t he 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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Celluvac:

Restoring Overall Balance Celluvac first appeared on the scene 10 years ago with a mission of creating a lifestyle wellness brand for women to upgrade their overall wellbeing. Drawing from ancient Chinese medicine principles and modern biohacking techniques, Celluvac focuses on the enhancement of self-care and self-love practices. Chinese medicine covers a broad range of practices over 2000 years old. Celluvac offers products incorporating some of these principles to help restore overall balance; Lymphatic system (lymph), circulatory system (blood) and chi (energy flow). Biohacking is a do-it-yourself biology aimed at improving performance, healt h, and wellbeing t hrough s trategic inter ventions. Celluvac is a small 4 women team based in Cape Town. Authenticity and efficacy is incredibly important to the foundation of the brand and immense passion is taken into ensuring quality and love makes its way into each customer's experience. Celluvac is a lifestyle business, and forms an integral part of the co-founders life, so much so they have named their two pets after their top sellers and company ethos, Crystal and Karma.

About the Co-founders: Defying regular education Melanie formed a strong foundation in ecommerce at a young age. After taking a year off to delve deep into self-discovery, her entrepreneurial path took a major shift and Celluvac reemerged with a new focus on health and wellness. Carol brings a lifetime of passion and experience in the alternative health industry. "By incorporating the use of crystals in my therapies, there is a profound enhancement in all the treatments”. Ref lex. Shiatsu. Aromatherapy Dip. I.A.H.B., I.T.E.C. (Austria) REIKI MASTER (2018)

As they expand and grow, Celluvac continues to support their customers via social media with videos, tips and other useful hacks. Follow them on instagram/celluvac to keep in the loop. www.celluvac.co.za

Important facts about the Crystal range: • Externally authenticated by GEMLAB SA (100% genuine crystals). • Ethically mined. •Biodegradable packaging where possible. •The crystals are not artificially dyed or treated. •The crystals are authentic and natural. • After sales support - videos/direct access to the Celluvac team for any advice/help.

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3 Reasons To Switch To Natural And Organic Cosmetics Natural and organic cosmetics are greatly influencing and changing the cosmetics panorama. While “beauty” is still the main term that comes to mind when we think about cosmetic products, an increasing number of consumers expect to find “sustainable”, “environmentally friendly” and “ethical” qualities in the cosmetics they purchase. Natural and organic cosmetics represent these in an authentic way as they are part of their core values and commitment not only to human wellbeing, but also to the protection of the environment and biodiversity. Are you considering going for more natural and organic cosmetics to take care of your body? NATRUE gives you three good reasons to switch from conventional to natural. #1 Natural and Organic Care for Your Body Conventional cosmetics frequently contain a high percentage of petroleum-based ingredients, and can include substances such as phthalates, oxybenzone or parabens. Although regulated for safe use in cosmetics, the use of petroleum-based ingredients is inconsistent with the concept of truly natural and organic cosmetics, whose composition should predominately be made of minerals, natural and organic plant extracts, products from microorganisms, or substances derived from these sources. The properties of these complex mixtures, such as those from plant extracts and oils, naturally help protect, nourish and hydrate the skin. In addition, the fact that sustainable, organic and biodegradable ingredients can be found in natural and organic cosmetics also helps to reassure consumers about the authenticity, origin and quality of these products. Apart from providing natural protection and care to our skin, natural and organic cosmetics also help us keep our well-being in-check. Their representation of nature through natural fragrances and delicate textures makes us feel closer to it and awakens our senses. Indeed, many natural essential oils from plants such as lavender, rose or mint are used in aromatherapy as they help to activate, relax and soothe our bodies. Natural or organic cosmetics are not just beauty products, but a recreation of nature in perfect harmony with our bodies and our world.

How to identify “natural” or “organic” cosmetics While many cosmetics claim to be “natural” or “organic”, not all of them provide verifiable guarantees of these qualities. Checking the ingredients (INCI list) on-pack may help consumers assess the degree of accuracy of such claims.

popular cosmetics are deodorant creams, solid shampoos or toothpaste tablets. Refilling options that allow consumers to reuse the product packaging are also becoming frequent to meet the consumer demand for more sustainable products in line with circular economy principles.

How can then a consumer be sure that a natural or organic cosmetic fully meets their expectations? Consumer assurance based upon verifiable criteria is supported by private standards such as NATRUE’s Eco-Cert, and a number of others. These Labels offers consumers a point of reference to easily identify natural and organic cosmetics that meet strict and verifiable criteria linked to processes, formulation and ingredients. The qualities “natural” and “organic” are therefore verifiable and guaranteed.

#3 Much more than just a cosmetic: the ethical and social dimension

#2 A more sustainable and environmentally friendly approach Many petroleum-based ingredients frequently used in conventional cosmetics require extensive mining, as it is the case of petroleum, aluminium or lead, which endangers soils and poses a threat to wildlife habitats. Unlike petrochemical substances, natural and organic ones come from mostly from the cultivation of plants and flowers, whose extracts are used in cosmetic formulation. The use of a diverse range of natural and organic raw materials requires that the biodiversity of wildlife habitats is protected, and that a sustainable production of various plant and flower species is preserved. Methods such as organic farming and biodynamic agriculture, which are strongly supported by many certified member companies who obtain their ingredients directly from their own gardens, guarantee more sustainable sourcing and contributes to biodiversity preservation. A principal value for natural and organic cosmetics is that they must be in harmony with nature, including the impact of packaging and packaging materials used. Apart from limiting the use of plastics in packaging and using recycled materials, many natural and organic beauty brands are going a step further by developing innovative formats that are contributing to a drastic reduction of packaging in their products. Some examples of these increasingly

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Natural and organic beauty brands are often small and medium enterprises (SMEs) whose production is mostly carried out at local, regional or national level. A more local production can contribute to more sustainable and potentially shorter supply chains, as well as to a more personal, authentic image of the brand. Regarding ingredients sourcing, partnerships between natural and organic beauty brands and local farming communities in developing countries are very common. Through ethical sourcing collaborations, these brands support the social and economic development of such communities while ensuring that the sourcing upon the natural resources from certain plants and flowers is done in an ethical and sustainable manner. Trailblazing international natural and organic cosmetic brands such as Weleda, Comfort Zone and Sothys, have long-established partnerships with local farmers in countries all around the world to actively support the social development of local communities through cultivation projects. What does the NATRUE Label represent? The NATRUE Label sets high benchmarks to guarantee consumers maximum levels of natural and organic content in NATRUE certified cosmetics. Through its rigorous set of criteria, which includes requirements not only linked to the formulation of products but also to the protection of the environment, sustainability and packaging, the NATRUE Label actively contributes to combatting greenwashing and misleading claims in the cosmetics sector, and helps consumers to identify cosmetics that fully meet their expectations of “natural” and “organic”. Article written by Ana Ledesma, Communications Officer at NATRUE

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Esse and the ‘Skinimalism’ Trend The experience of lockdown provided many with a time of self-reflection, and one realisation that emerged during this time was that, when it comes to skincare routines, less is actually more. Breaking the habits of over-cleansing and excessive makeup wear has resulted in healthier skin overall – a ‘skinimalism’ trend that probiotic skincare brand Esse has been promoting.

skin’s microbiome. A disrupted microbiome will leave the skin exposed to harmful pathogens – exactly what we want to avoid. How do we achieve skinimalism? It’s easy to say ‘less is more’, but to cut down, you need to know which parts of your routine aren’t doing you any favours.

So, what is skinimalism? For too long now, the beauty industry has been putting profits first, and endorsing the daily use of as many products as possible. However, a heavy product load can result in a disrupted skin microbiome, which can actually exacerbate skin conditions, or even bring about new problems such as breakouts, dryness and skin sensitivity. Skinimalism encourages a minimalist approach to skincare routines. This means cutting down on the number of skincare and makeup products used, and giving your skin a chance to establish a healthy barrier, as nature intended. How does skinimalism work? The great thing about the skinimalism trend is that you can achieve more by doing less. Further than reducing the number of steps in your daily skincare regime, the principle includes taking a measured approach to the amount of each product you apply. Using less means being selective with the products you do use – determining whether they’re helping to establish a healthy balance, or disrupting your

1. Cut out the deep cleansing For years we’ve been adhered the idea that our skin needs to be deeply cleansed, removing the natural oils as a way to keep it healthy. In fact, the opposite is true. Our sebum (the oil produced by our skin) has a number of important functions, including: •Feeding beneficial skin microbes; •Regulating the passage of substances across the skin; •Protecting against pollutants and pathogens; and •Retaining the necessary moisture. Deep cleansing removes the natural oils, simply forcing the sebaceous glands to increase production. Unfortunately, the more we do this, the poorer the quality of our sebum, and the less able it is to perform its important functions. This can contribute to the development of skin conditions such as acne, eczema, rosacea, and dermatitis. 2. Reduce the morning cleanser While you sleep, your sebaceous glands work hard to produce a layer of sebum in preparation for the

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day ahead. Yet modern beauty regimes encourage us to wash away this protective layer. Rather than doing a deep cleanse in the morning, simply rinse your face with cool water. Sebum melts at 32 C, so the cooler the better. 3. Use a mild evening cleanser After a day of wearing makeup, foundation or sunscreen, you will need to wash away the product. Foaming cleansers tend to be quite harsh on the skin, stripping it of its natural oils. Rather opt for something milder, even cream-based, so that you remove the product without disrupting the microbiome. 4. Keep your post-cleanse routine simple If you have to cleanse to remove make-up or sunscreen, keep the number of products you apply afterwards to a minimum. A good moisturiser is often enough, but if your skin needs a little something extra, a touch of serum or oil can go a long way. 5. Use the right products One of the key aspects of skinimalism is selecting products that prioritise the skin’s natural balance. Bio-clinical skincare brand Esse seeds the skin with probiotics and feeds the microbiome with prebiotic nutrients, to promote a balanced ecology on the skin . Included in this range is a probiotic foundation boasting the Esse signature Level 3 BIOME+ technology. For all its products, Esse researches rewilding techniques to restore your skin’s microbiome, while providing real functionality. It’s the ultimate in skinimalism!

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Top 10 Beauty Trends from My Beauty Luv Despite the uncertain world, one thing that remains constant is the importance of selfcare, and what better place to start than to familiarise yourself with the top trends.

“Also, home galvanic machines, home laser and home light therapy devices have advanced significantly, so the trend to use homecare beauty devices will grow,” Carroll adds.

From ingestible beauty to medical grade solutions and the growing importance of cruelty-free products, Toni Carroll founder of award-winning premium beauty supplement brand, My Beauty Luv, outlines the next hottest trends taking the industry by storm:

4. Kindness is essential

1. Nutricosmetics are here to stay - with a focus on quality. Although nutricosmetics hit the marketplace in the 1980s, they are now on the brink of a major revolution. “The global market for nutricosmetics was worth US$5.1-billion last year and will reach US$8.3-billion by 2027. Ingestible beauty is the future, but not all ingestible beauty supplements are created equal. Check the ingredients to ensure you get the best,” Toni advises. 2. Expect more plant-derived (rather than laboratory-created) ingredients “New scientific methods for testing, extracting and processing plant-derived ingredients like chlorophyll are now available,” Carroll explains. “Still, be sceptical of ingredients that suddenly reach godlike status - make sure there's enough research backing your beauty choices.” 3. Homecare solutions will continue to grow At-home skincare was a necessity in 2020 and 2021, and Carroll says it's not going away. The game-changer will be medical aesthetic professional skincare brands (that you can only purchase through your clinic or salon) offering medical-grade solutions that consumers can use at home.

Vegan skincare and beauty were the fastest-growing category within beauty for 2021. Even consumers who are not eating a vegan diet, identify with the 'cleaner, kinder, gentler' philosophy. “In response, we're extending our product range, starting with vegan-friendly products in 2022, including highly advanced anti-ageing products with uniquely sourced ingredients to enhance your beauty inside and out.”

says “Beauty has become more holistic, which is a very good thing, as we start to understand the connection between stress and ageing. It will continue to grow and brands will start to evolve too, to accommodate this awakening.” 8. Skin protectors take centre stage - but don't be fooled by blue-light promises SPFs and other skin protectors have been firm favourites for a while now, and people are starting to pay attention to blue-light damage from screens too. “It is a while off, but the company that invents a topical, practical solution that stops blue-light penetrating the dermal layers will completely revolutionise the industry,” Carroll explains. 9. The 'skinification' of hair

5. Some beauty staples become mainstays of comfort Ingredients move in and out of fashion all the time, but Vitamin E, for instance, is used in base formulas for the vast majority of skincare brands. Says Carroll, “It's a comfort that these staple beauty ingredients are gaining attention again - they are tried and tested.” 6. More discerning beauty choices People are becoming far more discerning in their beauty choices, Carroll says. “With the sheer volume of skincare brands available and the unbelievable choices we have today as consumers, most people have more skincare products today than ever before, but they're focusing on quality.”

“Quite a few trailblazing products are making scalp care sexy,” Carroll says. These new treatments are also transforming popular favourites, like Brazilian blowouts and other typical 'hair beautifying' treatments, to be safer, cleaner and greener. 10. The year crafted bacteria really takes off Carroll believes firmly that the future of all beauty and health will be carefully crafted, unique bacteria strains. “Not the half-dead ones you purchase as probiotics on the shelves, but live, edible cultured bacteria done in the comfort of your own home. We will literally be eating our beauty products.”

7. Anti-stress is the new anti-ageing

“As the industry continues to evolve, we look forward to the future when it comes to new innovations that will take the beauty world to the next level,” Carroll concludes.

Some ranges are focusing on anti-stress rather than anti-ageing, but the two are very intertwined. Carroll

For more info: visit www.mybeautyluv.com Facebook and Instagram.

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Banyan Tree Ilha Caldeira offers Ultra-luxury Hospitality tied with Ribbon of Sustainability A new development on an island off the coast of Mozambique promises to open mind, body, and soul. The local economy is set to benefit in multiple ways from a piece of paradise on an island 11km from the coast of Mozambique. The resort — a partnership between the Banyan Tree group and project developer Jack Truter — will reportedly offer ultra-luxury hospitality, with the work of local suppliers, artisans, and staff tying it all together with a ribbon of sustainability. We spoke to Eduardo Johnston Da Silva, General Manager of Banyan Tree Ilha Caldeira. What was the thinking behind taking this concept to this part of the world for the first time? Banyan Tree is renowned for pioneering projects, both in geographical terms and in experiences offered to guests. The opportunity arose to open the first ultra-luxury property in Mozambique, with a full-villa host service, offering a soulsearching immersion into the Mozambican culture and way of life. What are the trends coming through on luxury and the African experience? There is a growing trend for guests to look for sense-of-place experiences that enhance their appreciation of the destination, where they learn about the culture, the traditions, the food, and the way of life of the people of the destination. There is also a strong focus on wellbeing, where guests look to take care of their bodies and minds. How will Banyan Ilha Caldeira offer a sense of place? Our food and beverage concept is “regionally sourced, locally curated” — 70% of the menu will be local recipes and local products. The local ingredients will be the stars of the show. We have two restaurants on the island, one of them specialising in fish and seafood. All of the fish served will be caught by members of the local fishing community. This means that the menu will change daily to accommodate the fish

and seafood caught on that particular day. Guests will be continuously surprised and delighted. The concept focuses on traditional Mozambican recipes. When the recipe is not from Mozambique, it needs to have a Mozambican twist, such as a spice, fruit or vegetable — a cashew fruit (not the nut) for example. There is a sustainability ethos that pervades the development. Sustainability is one of our pillars, so we take it very seriously indeed. We will be the first Banyan Tree resort to be 100% solar powered. All our water is desalinated to drinking-water quality; we bottle all the still and sparkling water offered at the resort. Even though this already exists at other Banyan Tree properties, all the energy used in the process of reverse osmosis is supplied by our solar panels. All our waste will be treated in a controlled manner. Among other initiatives: we will use digesters for organic waste and offer the odourless fertiliser produced to local community members for their crops; Certified companies will recycle aluminium and glass waste; We have a treatment plant that turns sewage water into irrigation water, so that we may irrigate the flora and the produce grown on the island. Sustainability also encompasses what we do for the community. The majority of the associates employed — 95%, in fact — will be Mozambican nationals. What were the design considerations? The resort has been designed to look like a typical rural village in Mozambique. This is ever so apparent when one flies over the resort. All the furniture is produced in a carpentry shop in Nampula, Mozambique, where all the artisans are Mozambican nationals and use traditional production means such as wood carving by hand. Mozambican artists took care of the artwork and decorative pieces.

Les Nouvelles Esthetiques no’87

spa therapies

Les Nouvelles Esthetiques no’87

spa therapies

How to Capture your Youth with Collagen medicine, aka functional, integrated medicine. Functional medicine aims at preventing disease with informed decisions. It is the hottest subject around the globe today and it is finally being offered as a university subject. A DNA profile test may help you. One drug or treatment does not fit all says Dr Jeffrey Bland. You are born an original so do not die a copy. You have a unique genetic structure. With a personalized DNA profile, a registered practitioner can help you design your own perfect diet and lifestyle. The way you synthesise collagen is your own. Your nutrition needs may be totally different from a sibling or a friend. With the help of a trained professional, you can discover a personal code for longevity and perfect health.

5. Face up to Collagen

Today’s 7 step message is about looking and feeling younger. Your daily dose of collagen may be the secret ingredient to promote allround wellbeing.

Here is good news. You are only 10% of your genes. The secret is to stop ‘bad’ genes expressing themselves. ‘Genetics loads the gun, and the environment pulls the trigger’ has become a meme because it is true. 90% of the disorders that can impact on your unmanaged life are caused by the environment. Because you can control your environment you can switch your genes on or off. You have choices. Collagen steps up to the plate for you as a valuable aid.

1. Square up with Collagen

4. Clean up your act with Collagen

Square up to reality. If you are like most people, squaring up to the ageing process is avoided. Wrong approach. Facing up to the ‘now’, revitalisation of your body, prevents a clean-up job later.

Never use age as an excuse.That is the mantra of 105-year-old Ida Keeling, American track athlete who was still doing push ups at the age of 100. Her message of perpetual health has earned her global media coverage. 85-year-old Gary Player does 1200 push ups a day. He freely shares his lifestyle choices. Gary publicly stresses the value of nutrition. He couples his dietary requirements and supplements to resistance training. The result is self-evident.

Deep inside your gut, you have what is known as the second brain, or what scientists call the ENS – the enteric nervous system. All day, it communicates back and forth with your main brain. Gut inflammation is common, but collagen protects the gut. Inflammation is a red flag for mental health decline and believed to be central to most diseases. Dr Dale Bredesen, famous author of The End of Alzheimers has shown that bad dietary habits and environmental factors not only cause poor gut health and inflammation – they link directly to everyday brain health. Collagen hydrolysed peptides however, taken in regular doses, prevents the breakdown of your gut and have anti-inflammatory properties.

Let a little Collagen in your Life. Creating a positive identity and image is more than vanity – it is a reality. Use collagen with confidence. All the tips you need are shared.Supplements are part of lifestyle medicine combined with the new science of healthy ageing. Collagen’ says Dr. Shereene Idriss a dermatologist, speaking to Forbes, supports the use of supplements. ‘Collagen…is the holy grail of healthy skin — no matter what age you are.’ Dr Shari Marchbein also backs the use of supplements in her column for the New York Times, but with one strong proviso. Be prepared for long term use. Select supplements such as collagen are a golden thread throughout your genetic and physical framework, lifestyle choices, brain, and gut health. This golden thread promises to add to quality of life, both mental and physical. ‘Today is the oldest you have ever been and the youngest you’ll ever be again.’ Those are the words of Eleanor Roosevelt. Today she would be our best advertisement for collagen.

2. Live Up with Collagen Look good with collagen. Stop right there if you think looking good is about beauty, because that ideal varies from culture to culture. It is however more about how we project a healthy look. Radiated health causes an unconscious response, making us a safe bet for those who want to engage with us for their own survival. But you cannot stop there. Western ideals about appearance and image may not be desirable but for a century it has held fast because there is an evolutionary bias to healthy looks. The cosmetic industry is worth trillions of dollars because of aesthetic appeal. A quick look at health and sport magazines will show you that the male self-care product industry is the fastest growing market with more men conscious of their body image, health, and body sculpting than ever before. A fact of Western life. Positive emotional triggers are youth, vitality, attractiveness, smooth skin, and athletic appearance. Negative emotional triggers are wrinkles, slow movement, and overall lack of fitness. The media you will notice, continues to promote positive images. 3. Code Up on Collagen Does your DNA profile give you important insights? If you could prevent early aging and the disorders that often accompany it, would you be interested? Most people say yes. Personalised, prevention

By Denise Bjorkman - Tawa Labs

If you want resilience, visible body tone, a youthful appearance and vitality clean up your act. You also need access to rich sources of Vitamin C for collagen health. Vitamin C is consumed in the collagen manufacturing process and that is why large quantities of Vitamin C are required in the diet daily. Strength training is critical as you age because aging begins with your muscles and once more collagen is essential for muscle toning and strength. ‘You are as young as your spine is flexible says Joseph Pilates, the founder of the Pilates movement.’ Famous pathologist, Prof William Boyd, argued on the other hand that you are old as your veins and arteries. Collagen is the most abundant protein in your body. It also thickens artery walls giving it the elasticity it needs. It is everywhere. Collagen has ancient heritage in your body and a structural component. Remember, collagen is responsible for connective tissue throughout your body: muscles, tendons, skin, bones, cartilage, and ligaments. Collagen is the biological glue that holds your entire physical structure together. Whichever way you turn, collagen shows up for your attention.

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Collagen makes up 80% of your skin! Harvard educated physician Dr Sara Gottfried is an expert about the physics of aging. Collagen production reduces with age. You once had a facial triangle of youth. As you age, however, you lose cheek and bone volume and the appealing, firm triangle flips. Dr Sara calls it ‘inflammaging’ or inflammation caused by premature aging. ‘90% of the signs of aging and disease are caused by lifestyle not genes…the female body is magnificent, but it does not come with a lifetime warrantee.’ 6. Heads up with Collagen

7. Close-up with Collagen Do you look good close-up? Just looking good is not enough,as your skin, hair, cardiovascular, bone, spine, gut, and brain health can all tell a story. Remember, the structure and architecture of your body depends on collagen. Collagen is the common denominator. Remember, it is responsible for connective tissue in the body: skin, muscles, ligaments, tendons, bones, veins and arteries and cartilage. The message is a simple one. You cannot build a house on poor foundations. Invest in preserving it. Look good close-up, not only from a distance! Make Collagen part of your well-being – a daily bouquet. Our powders are popular because of our Tawa Lab standards and of the ease of adding to smoothies, food, juices, beverages, and water. About Dr Denise Bjorkman is one of the regular expert contributors to our education platform, providing insight into personalised medicine, longevity, mental and physical health, integrative nutrition, body language and neuroscience. She is CEO of the Neuro Business Institute, the founder of the SA Council of Coaches and Mentors and one of the leading global authorities on human body language. As a seasoned personal coach, author, legal scholar, neuro-wellness advisor, DNA profiler, broadcaster, and socio-political scientist, her expert consultant services have been used globally.

spa therapies Once stigmatized in the war on drugs, these substances are now thought to hold the key to unlocking the mysteries of the mind.

Discover How Psychedelics Are Poised to Revolutionize the By Heather Mikesell - Well Defined Mental Wellness Space

There is no question that we’re experiencing an unprecedented mental health crisis. According to the 2021 State of Mental Health in America Report from Mental Health America (MHA), 19 percent (47.1 million) of people in the U.S. are living with a mental health condition. That’s a 1.5 million increase over last year’s report. Thanks to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, we’re experiencing the highest levels of anxiety and depression since the pandemic hit. With the mental health crisis continuing to worsen, many are looking to new tools, such as psychedelics, to address the internal wounds and trauma people are experiencing. Ayahuasca; used as a ceremonial spiritual medicine in South America; LSD, sometimes referred to as acid; MDMA, also known as Ecstasy and Molly; and psilocybin, the psychoactive ingredient found in magic mushrooms, are just some of the psychedelics gaining attention for their ability to treat mental-health issues. How Psychedelics Can Enhance Mental Wellbeing Although there has long been a stigma associated with the use of psychedelics, new research is proving promising when it comes to treating mental health challenges. “Researchers around the globe and at some of America’s most distinguished academic institutions such as at Johns Hopkins and NYU are looking closely at how psychedelic medicines could provide possible alternative treatments for such intractable medical issues as depression, anxiety, alcoholism, substance abuse, in palliative care, and for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD),” says MaryElizabeth Gifford, executive vice president for corporate social responsibility at Psyence Group, a life science biotechnology company pioneering the use of psilocybin to heal psychological trauma, and chair of the Global Wellness Institute’s Psychedelics and Healing Initiative. Psychedelic entrepreneur Payton Nyquvest is cofounder and CEO of Numinus, a wellness company transforming mental health care through evidencebased, psychedelic-assisted therapy and the development of proprietary therapeutics. Numinus recently partnered with the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) on a groundbreaking clinical trial on an MDMA-assisted therapy for PTSD.

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“Research on psychedelic therapy for mental wellbeing has gone through a renaissance over the last few years, with research groups increasingly gaining support from regulators and donors—this includes work done by our own research arm at Numinus Bioscience, in collaboration with MAPS, one of the foremost psychedelic research and advocacy groups,” says Nyquvest. “Results by these groups have been very promising to date, including recent data that shows MDMA-assisted therapy for PTSD has significant clinical impact and cost-saving benefits compared to other treatments, psilocybin may relieve major depression more effectively than traditional antidepressants, and ketamine may be effective both for depression and various substance use disorder. Data also shows that psychedelic medicine may increase neuroplasticity and promote

neural growth. Together with growing anecdotal evidence of the potential benefits of practices like microdosing, these results point to many ways in which psychedelics support mental wellbeing.” The research and anecdotal evidence is convincing, leading many to open their minds to the idea. Ben Greenzweig, co-founder and CEO of Momentum Events, had battled anxiety and depression for more than 30 years. After reading Michael Pollan’s How to Change Your Mind: What the New Science of Psychedelics Teachs Us About Consciousness, Dying, Addiction, Depression, and Transcendence, he began researching psychedelics in hopes of finding answers to his own mental health challenges. After a successful MDMA session, he was finally able to release hidden and buried trauma and move past the anxiety and depression that had served as a dark cloud over his life. “Psychedelics and psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy can provide a kind of ‘mental reset’ for those who suffer from a wide range of mental health ailments such as depression, anxiety, addiction, and PTSD, among others,” says Greenzweig. “The same reset that can be used to heal can also be used to enhance. There are plenty of modern and ancient examples of individuals who have found great peace, focus, creativity, presence, and appreciation after the use of psychedelics. For example, Ayahuasca, a plantbased brew, has been used by indigenous tribes of the upper Amazon for several thousand years in healing ceremonies and other traditions associated with spiritualism, artistic inspiration, and divination.” Why The Narrative Around Psychedelics Is Changing Changing the stigma associated with psychedelics isn’t an easy task. However, there is a growing acceptance of plant-based medicine. The legalization of marijuana in some states is just one example of the de-stigmatization that is taking place across the country. Much of it stemmed from the use of medical marijuana and its emerging benefits for those suffering from cancer and other medicalrelated conditions. Another reason is the approach being taken to promote psychedelics in the mental health space. “The swift shift in the culture owes much to the nonpartisan and politically agnostic approach pioneered by Rick Doblin, founder of MAPS,” says Gifford. “A tireless advocate for evidence-based scientific research, Doblin has de-stigmatized psychedelics by cross-pollinating breakthroughs that benefit military veterans and psychiatric patients alike.” As a result, this approach has garnered bipartisan support across the policy spectrum. “Doblin and others in the field don’t just preach to the converted,” says Gifford. “Instead, they have done the hard work to forge common ground in an increasingly polarized America.” According to her, Americans are ready for middle ground when it comes to finding a path toward healing. Gifford points to Melissa Lavasani, founder of the Plant Medicine Coalition, as a great example. A former policy professional and the mother of two young children, Lavasani was looking for a nature-based solution for post-partum depression when her search led her to psychedelics. She later launched a ballot measure to decriminalize plant medicine. “Her measure, Initiative 81, passed in Washington, D.C.,

with the support of 78 percent of the vote,” says Gifford. “I love that an even bigger affirmation than the majority vote came when Melissa published an essay about psychedelic healing in the magazine, Good Housekeeping. It’s said that necessity is the mother of invention, and that certainly rings true in this case. “The current mental healthcare system is simply not enough,” says Nyquvest. “Rates of mental illness, substance abuse, and trauma skyrocketed over the last decade in a way that existing resources cannot fully address, and they’ve only been exacerbated by COVID-19. People are tired of the care gaps and want new solutions—approaching mental wellness from a place of healing and curative treatment rather than lifelong symptom management. That’s where psychedelic medicine comes in and offers great potential for a way forward, as we’re seeing from growing research data.” Nyquvest also notes that we’re seeing a paradigm shift, as well, about drugs in general. People are realizing the harm caused by the War on Drugs, referring to an effort by the U.S. government to combat illegal drug use and distribution in the early ‘70s. Many of the targeted substances, such as marijuana and psychedelics, were declared illegal without any scientific assessment of their risks. According to Nyquvest, people are now questioning the decades of stigma that have surrounded psychedelics and rethinking them through the lens of medicine and therapy at a time when other treatments are failing. Fortunately, attitudes and policies are changing. “Once research that followed scientific principles was able to be done in a safe and controlled manner, data started to support what many have known, advocated, or practiced for years, if not decades prior—psychedelics have some amazing healing properties,” says Greenzweig. “There are ancient ceremonies using psychedelics going back thousands and thousands of years, and in the U.S., psychedelics, at one point, was one of the most prescribed medicines for what we would now call mental health ailments. They graced the covers of Time magazine and celebrities including Cary Grant would talk openly about his treatments and how much they helped. All of this is a long way of saying that human culture has known for a long time that psychedelics have healing powers, and the research that was reignited in the 1990s provided a modern context for their effect. Since the dawn of the digital age, we have become a society more focused on facts than faith, so seeing data and reading research provides many with the comfort of what our ancestors already knew and believed—that psychedelics can help us heal.” About Heather Mikesell: Heather, co-founder of Well Defined and the former editor-in-chief of American Spa, is an award-winning journalist and content strategist, skilled in writing, copyediting, and media relations. She is also a freelance writer and has contributed to Elite Traveler, Islands, Kiwi, Luxury Travel Advisor, Organic Spa, Travel Agent, abcnews.com, outside.com, and wellandgood.com, in addition to various custom publications. She is frequently called upon to comment on various spa and wellness trends for various media outlets.

spa therapies Once stigmatized in the war on drugs, these substances are now thought to hold the key to unlocking the mysteries of the mind.

Discover How Psychedelics Are Poised to Revolutionize the By Heather Mikesell - Well Defined Mental Wellness Space

Les Nouvelles Esthetiques no’87

spa therapies

Pregnancy Massage & By Melanie Frost - Mama Mio Cosmetics the Trimesters We want to make sure each Moms’ pregnancy journey is something to look forward to and comforting. We will walk you through each stages of trimesters and the benefits of pregnancy massaging in these stages.

will change as your centre of gravity shifts, resulting in back pain. Prenatal massages can ease those tense back muscles as well as enhance your posture and bodily alignment.

Pregnancy Massaging in the First Trimester

You may also have begun to get out of breath more quickly, even from those frequent short jogs to and from the bathroom. By increasing relaxation and increasing blood flow (and therefore oxygenation of tissues), a prenatal massage will help ensure that your body’s tissues remain healthy and loose. An experienced practitioner can even assist you in the correct breathing techniques that help you relax and feel like you are floating on a cloud!

There are many myths about getting a massage during your first trimester of pregnancy, and many women have been led to believe it isn’t safe to get a massage during this period. While we always suggest getting your doctor’s advice before booking your prenatal massage, a massage practitioner with prenatal massage experience and education will know how to ensure a safe, relaxing experience for you.

Pregnancy Massaging in the Third Trimester During the first trimester, your symptoms are likely less to do with body pain from carrying your growing baby and more a result of your body adjusting to the influx of powerful hormones. A prenatal massage can help by relieving some of the headaches, constipation, and even the morning sickness you’ve been experiencing during the early phase of your pregnancy. The first trimester can be a stressful time for some mothers, especially if they haven’t shared their big news with families and friends yet. Aside from the physical benefits of a massage, simply taking the time to relax deeply will do wonders for your overall wellbeing as you prepare to become a new mother! Pregnancy Massaging in the Second Trimester Those early pregnancy symptoms are subsiding, and your belly is growing. Many women find the second trimester of pregnancy to be easy going compared to the first and third trimesters. However, there are still many reasons to begin (or continue) a routine of prenatal massage during the second trimester. As your belly grows, your posture

It’s the final countdown. As your due date approaches, those swollen feet and heartburn are kicking in. Not to mention, that baby is getting a bit heavy! You may also find that the anticipation of delivery has increased your stress levels. This means it is the perfect time for you to book yourself an expertise pregnancy massage. You’ll find that regular prenatal massages during this trimester can enhance your sleep, reduce pain and swelling, and generally assist in lowering stress as the delivery day draws near. Third trimester massages can even help prepare your pelvic muscles for the birthing process. Your back will crave more attention in the third trimester! Some women find deep tissue massages especially helpful during the final stretch of pregnancy. How often should I get prenatal massages? Your massage practitioner will create a specialized treatment plan for you based on your unique needs. Generally during pregnancy, massage every 3-4 weeks will best help to accommodate the quick

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changes your body is going through.Many of our mamas choose to do a few bookings a few days apart during their last few weeks! Precautions: Please check with your doctor if you suffer from diabetes or high blood pressure or any complications before having a massage. While there may not be research proving that massage can worsen these issues, educated pregnancy massage practitioners will always suggest you consult your medical professional. Final words: Nobody deserves time-out and pampering more than a mom-under-construction!! Our advice is, do your research, stick with the specialists, you can, and should, ask questions! Spoil yourself, You Deserve It! Author: Melanie Frost: After qualifying with an International and South African diploma in Health & Skincare, she quickly developed a fiery passion for education and more specifically, specializing in the amazing pregnancy treatment world. This passion was fueled by a desire to ensure treatment excellence for moms-under-construction, and that our therapist community is being trained at the highest standards to ensure treatment excellence. One of my favourite quotes is “Knowledge is power….. but Knowledge shared is power multiplied” I believe in not only empowering our therapist community but also our mamas out there, so they can make educated choices when it comes to safe and effective pregnancy treatments throughout their incredible nine month and beyond journey. Contact details: www.blackfrostsa.co.za Facebook: BlackFrostSA Email: mel@blackfrostsa.co.za

spa therapies

Zulal Wellness Resort by Chiva-Som opens with Spa Rituals rooted in Qatari and wider Arabic Culture TREATMENTS AT ZULAL SERENITY Our treatments address all aspects of integrative well-being, from a specific physical issue to spiritual equilibrium. Draw on our specialism in Traditional Arabic & Islamic Medicine and expertise in holistic healing, other ancient systems of medicine, and the latest in wellbeing technology. Enjoy massages, With over 280,000 square metres dedicated to celebrating movement, fitness classes, beauty treatments, and energy-based our potential for physical, mental, and emotional health, Zulal therapies to support your transformative journey at Zulal Serenity. Wellness Resort is a pioneering wellness destination in the Middle East and the first to fully embrace the philosophy of ACTIVITIES AT ZULAL SERENITY Traditional Arabic & Islamic Medicine (TAIM). We encourage you to make time in your programme for our daily activities from, cooking lessons and exercise classes to ZULAL SERENITY outdoor adventures that bring you close to nature. You can The calm and private spaces throughout Zulal Serenity have even make your beauty products or enjoy a range of activities been dedicated for guests. The whole Serenity experience is add more fun and purpose to your transformative experience. designed for those seeking a path of reset and reflection. This is a place to escape to, where you can contemplate and FACILITIES AT ZULAL SERENITY embrace lasting lifestyle change. All the facilities at Zulal Serenity: the spa, pools, landscaping, restaurants, movement studios, shops, and quiet places of ZULAL SERENITY WELLNESS contemplation are designed to support your sensory experience We invite you to experience the six Zulal wellness pillars: of connecting to yourself and nature. Physiotherapy, Nutrition, Holistic Health, Fitness, Spa, and Aesthetics via our retreat programmes, treatments, and activities WELLNESS CUISINE AT ZULAL – all designed to give you a refined, sensory, and luxurious At Zulal Serenity, we passionately believe that eating healthy experience far removed from your every day. sustains a wholesome way of life, full of energy and longevity. This is why we have created gastronomical journeys where ZULAL SERENITY RETREATS flavour and fresh produce combine for nutritional excellence. At Zulal Serenity, we help you to shape a healthier lifestyle. Guests in Zulal Serenity enjoy their own exclusive all-day dining Choose between our transformative retreats from weight loss restaurant and tea house, as well as the resort’s various eating and fitness to beauty and calming relaxation. We will guide and drinking places. you through activities, treatments, and nutritional and mindset approaches that inspire your path to a balanced sense of self. For more information: www.zulal.com Welcome to the gentle shores of the Arabian Gulf, where we invite you to embrace lifestyle change and discover a meaningful connection with yourselves, friends, families, and the surrounding nature, which is core to the transformative experience we hope you will enjoy during your stay.

Les Nouvelles Esthetiques no’87

spa therapies

Les Nouvelles Esthetiques no’87

spa therapies

The Healing Power of Music Everyone from Rock Stars to Spa Directors is noting Music's healing powers. From spas to psychologists’ offices to operating rooms and cancer centers, music is demonstrating its power to soothe both the mind and the body. "I’ve never found anything more powerful than music to begin to heal and transform every aspect of people’s lives," says Mitchell Gaynor, M.D., Director of the Cornell Center for Complementary and Integrative Medicine in New York and author of Sounds of Healing (Shambhala Publications). "There is no system in the human body that has not been positively affected by music." It seems as if science is just catching on to what cultures around the world have known since ancient times. Throughout history, sound in the form of chanting, singing, and drumming has been used to ease pain. In ancient Greece, Rome, and Egypt, temple priests sang as they healed the afflicted. The Greek philosopher and mathematician Pythagoras is considered the spiritual godfather of sound medicine. According to the fourth-century philosopher Iamblichus, Pythagoras and his disciples composed music to cure "passions of the psyche" such as "despondency, mental anguish, anger, and aggression." Native Americans and many other peoples use drumming rituals to achieve altered states of consciousness in hopes of finding insight, enlightenment, and health. The Sufis call sound ghizaI-ruh or "food for the soul." They believe the universe vibrates with tones so intricate they cannot be perceived by ordinary human beings but that through chanting and singing we can experience a euphoric merging with the divine. Spas, long in the forefront of the mind-body movement, have made music a part of spa life from the lobby to the treatment rooms, and they continue to find new ways of implementing its benefits. The

Ojai Valley Inn & Spa in California and Willow Stream, The Spa at the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel in British Columbia, Canada, are among several spas that have recently installed underwater music systems in their swimming pools. These sonic baths are a great idea, according to experts, because water is an excellent conduit for sound. "Our bodies are 70 percent water," says Dr. Gaynor, "so we’re not just hearing with our ears. We’re literally feeling sound vibration with every cell in our bodies." One of the ways in which music works on the body is by producing relaxing alpha and theta brain waves. The primal sounds of drumming are very effective at producing the latter, which are associated with a trancelike state similar to the stage just prior to sleep. And many types of music produce alpha waves, which are also linked with deep relaxation. Some spas, such as New Age Health Resort in upstate New York; Miraval, Life in Balance, in Arizona; and Green Valley Resort and Spa in Utah, offer drumming classes. "There’s been a resurgence of interest in drumming, which hasn’t been part of our culture for a long time," says Martin Klabunde, who leads a weekly drumming workshop at Miraval. At Sanibel Harbour Resort & Spa in Florida, music is quite literally used to heal frazzled guests. The individual lies in a hammocklike contraption suspended inside a geodesic dome and is "massaged" by vibrations from BETAR- a Bio-Energetic Transduction Aided Resonance machine. Proponents say it "reads" the electromagnetic field that the body produces in response to music and adjusts the sound level to soothe away imbalances and stress. When Gaynor began his career as an oncologist, he focused solely on the physical. But when he observed a number of patients who seemed to make miraculous recoveries, he was intrigued. One who had breast cancer told him she had worked with an

Les Nouvelles Esthetiques no’87

energy healer. Another said she had been treated by a qi-gong master. Over time, Gaynor became more familiar with meditation, guided imagery, and deep-relaxation exercises. But it wasn’t until he treated Odsal, a Tibetan monk, for a rare heart condition that Gaynor began to incorporate music into his practice. Odsal presented Gaynor with a Tibetan healing bowl. The monk took out a small wooden baton and ran it around the rim of the bowl, producing a deep, rich sound, like that of a church bell. "All the sounds of the city receded into the background, and I could feel the vibration physically resonating through my body," Gaynor recalls. "It touched my core in such a way that I felt in harmony with the universe. Today, along with radiation and chemotherapy, Gaynor routinely prescribes visualization and chanting for his patients. "I believe that sound is the most underutilized and least appreciated mind-body tool, and it should become part of every healer’s medical bag," says Gaynor. Dr. Oliver Saks, author of many books on neurological disorders, including Awakenings, , says that music is "crucial" and as powerful as any medicine for patients with these disorders. Dr. Saks, has observed patients with Parkinson´s disease "who can´t talk but can sing, can´t walk but can dance. People with Alzheimer´s can sometimes start to remember themselves and be themselves with familiar tunes." Gaynor is hopeful that the medical community will continue to open its ears to the sounds of healing. "I envision the day in the not-too-distant future when music therapists regularly visit and work with patients in all our healing institutions," he says. Gaynor wants to hear "singing, toning, chanting, and other forms of music echoing through the corridors of every hospital unit."

spa therapies

Wellbeing as One System: Mind, Body and Place

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

By Andres Roberts

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.

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.

The Science of Natural Wellbeing

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.

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.

Making Care a Way Of Life

•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.

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

Les Nouvelles Esthetiques no’87

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.

spa therapies

In May of 2020, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella warned that we should “be on the lookout for what is lost” as people around the world began working from home. “What I miss is when you walk into a physical meeting, you are talking to the person that is next to you, you’re able to connect with them for the two minutes before and after,” he said. “Maybe we are burning some of the social capital we built up in this phase where we are all working remote.” So as we move forward into a hybrid world, we need to find ways to rebuild the social capital that we accrued more naturally in the in-person prepandemic world. Human beings are hard-wired to connect. If anything, our collective need to tap into the treasures we all have — our empathy and creativity, our capacity for intimacy and collaboration — by connecting with others and by connecting with ourselves has only grown stronger. A Work Trend Index report by Microsoft shows that, as workers went remote during the pandemic, interaction and connection within immediate teams or close networks was strengthened, but interactions outside of those teams and networks was weakened. “Remote work makes for more siloed teams,” the report states. “Leaders must look for ways to foster the social capital, cross-team collaboration and spontaneous idea-sharing that’s been driving workplace innovation for decades.” So how can companies continue to build social capital, nurture connection and collaboration and drive innovation among employees working remotely? By replacing the serendipitous connection with new, intentional rituals. As forward-thinking companies are showing, to create building blocks of social capital in a hybrid world, we need to be much more intentional about the ways we interact — from onboarding to the use of technology.

Building Social Capital in a Hybrid World

By Arianna Huffington - CEO Thrive Global

Les Nouvelles Esthetiques no’87

Thrive Reset is one of these hybrid tools — it’s based on neuroscience that shows that we can coursecorrect from stress in just 60 to 90 seconds. We have produced over 100 Thrive Resets to choose from on themes like gratitude, movement, mindfulness and reframing problems, and each Reset includes a guided breathing bubble that helps you inhale, exhale and interrupt stress before it can become cumulative, overwhelming and damaging to our health. You can also create your own personal 60-second Resets by selecting images, quotes and music that bring you calm and joy. Reset activates our parasympathetic nervous system, lowering our levels of the stress hormone cortisol. By lowering our stress levels, Reset allows us to move out of survival mode, access our empathy, and be more fully available to connect with others and collaborate on a deeper level. And the personalized Resets are even more powerful as

builders of social capital. At Thrive, we’ve brought Reset into our meetings, beginning each of our All Hands with a different member of our team sharing their Reset with the rest of the company. Instead of launching straight into updates and announcements, we get an intimate glimpse of our colleagues by being brought into their world — photographs of places they’ve traveled, cute pets, passions and talents we’d otherwise never know about. It’s amazing how much we can learn about each other in 60 seconds. Sharing Resets in meetings, within teams or across teams, is a way to break out of the silos of the hybrid world, create moments of serendipity and connection and build social capital. Creating your own personal Reset is now part of onboarding at Thrive. Onboarding has never been more important than it is now in our hybrid world. And a powerful onboarding ritual we’ve implemented at Thrive is the Entry Interview between the new hire and their manager. The first question is: “What’s important to you in your life outside of work and how can we support you?” Answers can involve responsibilities, like childcare or elderly parents, but also whatever gives you joy in your life that you want to make time for. The Entry Interview is all the more important when, as is often the case, the manager has never met the new employee. And to keep their connection strong, managers and employees revisit this initial Entry Interview conversation during their regular one-onones. Shishir Mehrotra, Coda’s CEO, has compiled a great list of rituals for our hybrid world. Obviously not all of these rituals will feel right for all companies. The key is to find the rituals that match your own culture. At Gusto, for example, offer calls are turned into mini-parties in which team members jump in to say positive things about the new hire. At the online book club platform Fable, CEO Padmasree Warrior has introduced a Swedish ritual called “fika.” Each week a new question is posted on Slack. For example, “What true crime story do you obsess about?” And “If you could live in any fictional world — which one and why?” Whoever posted the topic acts as host. As Warrior put it, “When you share a great story with a friend or coworker, you forge stronger connections as you discover new characters, places and ideas together — an idea that’s at the heart of Fable.” At the email client company Superhuman, there are Friday Tweet Readings where founder and CEO Rahul Vohra re-enacts positive tweets that customers have posted that week about Superhuman team members.

However you do it, the key to creating new rituals to build social capital is to be intentional. It might seem paradoxical to be deliberate about creating serendipity, but this is the only way to create the space and seed it with elements that can spark human connection. And the stakes are high. As the Microsoft report concludes, “The data shows that rebuilding social capital and culture isn’t just nice to have — it’s a business imperative.” The pandemic has given us a once-in-ageneration opportunity to transform how we work. By creating new rituals of connection, we can create a more human workplace, no matter where we are located.

spa therapies

Building Social Capital in a Hybrid World

By Arianna Huffington - CEO Thrive Global

Les Nouvelles Esthetiques no’87

spa therapies

Six Senses Laamu Leads the Maldives as Eco-Resort of the Year Tourists visit the Maldives to experience diverse coral reefs, outof-the-ordinary marine life and beautiful palm-fringed beaches. When a business relies on natural assets, like Six Senses Laamu does, environmentally-responsible operations that conserve them are a must. What the resort does on land is just as important as what it does on and under water, and that is why MATATO (Maldives Association of Travel Agents and Tour Operators) has named Six Senses Laamu the Leading Eco-Resort at the Maldives Travel Awards. Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas operate with the philosophies of wellness and sustainability at their core. These values permeate through all areas of resort operations and into its local community outreach programs as well. An extensive list of corporate sustainability guidelines keeps properties on target to optimize energy efficiency, reduce water consumption, limit chemical usage, increase garden and food production, source locally, recycle materials, treat people equitably, give back to local communities and protect ecosystems. A Booking.com survey on travel trends found that 86 percent of global travelers are interested in offsetting the environmental impact of their stay. Six Senses Laamu seeks to raise awareness among tourists to be environmentally-conscious, both on holiday and when they return home. Six Senses Laamu produces as much as possible onsite, to reduce emissions from long-distance transport and works towards zerowaste operations by recycling materials into new and useful products. The resort sustainability manager works with all departments on ways they can be more efficient, less wasteful and in the long run achieve greater cost savings. Here are some of the highlights: Water - Low-flow fixtures installed on taps and showers helped to reduce water consumption by 25 percent and grey water

Les Nouvelles Esthetiques no’87

was recycled for landscaping. Waste - Six Senses has announced that the company will be plastic-free by 2022. By bottling our own desalinated water in reusable glass bottles, we avoided 226,600 single-use plastic bottles this year. Plastic-Free - Fifty five reverse osmosis water filters were donated for all 21 schools and pre-schools in Laamu Atoll, as well as 30 households in L.Maamendhoo. 3,949 students and families now have access to safe, reliable drinking water. Composting - Organic waste from landscaping is processed in a wood chipper machine and combined with food waste to be composted into organic soil for the gardens. Leaf Garden – Six Senses Laamu produced 16,424 pounds (7,450 kilograms) of more than 30 different varieties of organic herbs, salad leaves, microgreens and sprouts for kitchens and bars, as well as more than 20 kinds of chillies and two varieties of mushrooms. Kukulhu Village - 51 hens and four roosters now call Kukulhu Village (chicken farm) home. The flock produced a total of 1,750 eggs in their first eight months on the island. Sustainability Fund – Point five of one percent of total resort revenues, 50 percent of water sales, and 100 percent of soft toy sales are allocated towards local projects that benefit the surrounding environment or communities. Six Senses Laamu spent USD 204, 556 in 2018 on research and conservation, education and outreach, and community development in Laamu Atoll. “Being named Maldives’ Leading Eco-Resort is an amazing achievement, but sustainability is always a work in progress,” Marteyne van Well, general manager, said of the award. “We are constantly learning from our peers and improving service in order to stay competitive and we readily share our knowledge with others so that they too can create a positive impact with their business.”

spa therapies

Les Nouvelles Esthetiques no’87

For more information:

Tel: 072 3332 464 Instagram: @shonelezanne Email: shonelezanne@gmail.com Website: www.mydoterra.com/lezanne Facebook: www.facebook.com/LezanneShone

For more information:

Tel: 072 3332 464 Instagram: @shonelezanne Email: shonelezanne@gmail.com Website: www.mydoterra.com/lezanne Facebook: www.facebook.com/LezanneShone

spa therapies

The relationship between spas and water is a tale as old as time. A spa experience without water is almost impossible. Whether for steaming, cleaning, soaking, cooling, hydrotherapy, hydration, or anything else in-between, water is critical to the spa and wellness ecosystem. When stripped back to the very basics, the word “spa” itself is derived from the Latin “sanus per aquam”, literally meaning “health through water.” With the link between spas and the natural world being greater than most other industries, it’s important, now more than ever, for spa operators to consider the importance of “health through water”, not just for it’s clients but the planet too. The establishment of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG 6) – ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all – highlights the importance of water and sanitation as fundamental to life on our planet, but this precious resource is increasingly in demand and under threat. Water scarcity and drought are problems that are often associated with a dystopian future that many of us will only ever experience through dramatised television or movies. However, the reality of scarcity and interruptions to supply are already here, and many parts of the world are already feeling the effects. It’s simply not feasible for spas to operate without water, so it’s crucial for operators to play their part in helping to save, preserve, and reuse the most precious of resources, setting the example for other industries, whether regulations or legislation mandates the industr y to do so or not. It would be hypocritical of us, as a collective, to utilise the best elements of the natural world while simultaneously doing damage to the very delicate ecosystem that benefits us every single day. We need water for our business, but we also have the luxury of being able to control our usage of it. Realising The Value Of Water

Collective action amongst Spa and Wellness Operators is needed in Climate Battle against Water Scarcity By Lucy Brialey - Sustainable Spa Association 42

Les Nouvelles Esthetiques no’87

For an issue so complex, reducing it down to its simple economic factors should be more than enough reason for the industry to re-evaluate. Simply put, the more water used, the higher the cost to the owner. It’s basic but, for a larger operator that may require thousands of gallons to run their business, increasingly common price rises combined with the hike in prices as water becomes more scarce, could mean their once profitable facility could become sunk by the costs associated from running it. If you consider the vast number of facilities that an operator could employ within their business – including pools, hot tubs, steam rooms, saunas, cold plunges, water bottles, showers, toilets, sinks, treatments, supply chain impact, food and

Changing Old Habits: The Easy Wins

• Only Use What You Need: Some operators that need water for treatments will allow staff to fill up from a central point and take only the amount they need for treatments to the treatment room. Reducing the need for a sink in every room and providing more regulation and conservatism to how much is wasted/used in daily operations.

As we’ve established, water is critical to everything a spa does. But water, or the lack thereof, shouldn’t stop businesses from innovating, testing, trialling and exploring avenues that can improve the space experience for consumers and members.

• Remove Bottled Water – a lot of operators provide complimentary bottles of water to patrons. Why not do away with the contributing plastic and the need for bottled water with your own branded reusable bottles to encourage tap water refills.

When we spoke to Julia Kleber of KPRN Aqua last year, she said: “Water hasn’t entered the consumer consciousness as much as electricity and some of the other renewables…We want to be able to visit a spa without worrying whether we’re using too much water. People sometimes have a longer shower or enjoy a bath on holiday because it’s not their water and they aren’t paying for it outright, but that has to come from somewhere.”

For the sake of brevity and ensuring we take collective action as an industry, these easy wins are achievable for all spas, no matter the size or resource, to begin to make a difference. It’s the actions of the entire industry regardless of how small that will combine to have a positive and lasting impact on our environment.

beverages, water filtrations systems, ice machines, cleaning and sanitation systems – there is a wealth of opportunities for water to be mismanaged or lost, which could ultimately cost businesses a small fortune.

It’s that sentiment that operators need to act as gatekeepers, demonstrating knowledge, compassion and interest in improving the current climate issues which is crucial to influencing consumers too. Small, easy-to-implement wins are the quickest, easiest and most cost-effective routes to start making a difference when it comes to spa practices and procedures. Examples can include: •Install Water Efficient Appliances: aerated, low-flow shower heads to reduce water consumption, recycling washing machines, motionactivated faucets, dual-flush toilets, not only save water, but improve the value of the space too. As high-volume usage areas, a few small interventions in these areas could save a large volume of water during the day-to-day running of the business. •Leaks, Leaks & Leaks: Small but silent leaks amongst the wealth of spa operations within a business can be an expensive way to rack up a water bill, and waste TONNES of water before you realise. Keeping on top of pipe and equipment maintenance is an easy and effective way to reduce the likelihood of leaks and save those precious litres. • Use Damp Towels for Treatments: opting for damp towels to remove a dissolvable scrub, rather than a post-treatment shower, also works well. These methods not only conserve water, but are great options for outdoor therapy sessions where water or plumbing may not be easily accessible, and in areas where saving water is of the utmost importance. • Introduce Concentrated Products: Introduce products that are concentrated with powders and crystals and use your own water to activate them. This not only provides freshly activated ingredients, but also reduces the water footprint in shipping from the manufacturer to the distributor to you.

Why not try and implement some of the easy wins this month in your business while you plan your longer-term sustainable water management strategy. If you want to go that one step further, you can integrate water conservation into your personal daily routine. Re-use the kitchen sink water for the garden, take a shorter shower, skip that bath, only use the dishwasher/washing machine on a full load and use a water can instead of a hose or sprinkler. There’s really endless amounts you can do, at home or at work, to ensure that your water consumption is reduced in the short-to-medium term and, with repetition, it can become habitual in your routine. What happens next? There is always more that can be done. From water butts and water looping to alternative water sources and water quality, there’s a wealth of solutions to the on-going water crisis. In the coming months, we will continue to share the best industry practice and ideas for how you can plan, implement and improve your sustainable water management practices. Over the coming months, we will continue to explore the topic of water stewardship across the Sustainable Spa Association platforms, highlighting the issue of water scarcity and promoting the importance and value of water conservation and recycling. Not only that, but we will revisit the concept of water looping with Julia Kleber from KPRN Aqua, water recycling and reuse, sustainable water management solutions and discuss the positive and negative impact of chemicals within spa usage on the environment.

spa therapies

Collective action amongst Spa and Wellness Operators is needed in Climate Battle against Water Scarcity By Lucy Brialey - Sustainable Spa Association 42

Les Nouvelles Esthetiques no’87

Changing Old Habits: The Easy Wins

spa therapies As we turn the attention of the sustainability sector to the implementation of numerous eco-conscious projects to continue in the fight against rapid climate change. Now that the dust has settled on COP26, one British sustainability expert is ramping up it’s 2022 plans to make an important and lasting impact. The Benholm Group, a family run business based in Falkirk, Scotland, provides and maintains plant displays and flowers for the interior design, hospitality and corporate office sectors throughout the UK. Known as the company “where creativity blossoms”, the Scottish specialists collaborate, educate, and support interior designers in utilising the health and environmental benefits of plants within their projects – supporting the concept known as biophilic design. One of the key features of the service it provides is the use of it’s own peat-free, soil-free Enviroculture planting system which contributes towards peatland conservation. As one of the leading voices on biophilic design, The Benholm Group’s, Adrian Byne explained to us just what the concept involves: “Biophilic design involves bringing elements of nature into the design of the built environment. As humans we have an in-built natural affinity to nature and when we bring elements into the spaces we occupy it helps to make us feel more comfortable and relaxed. “The benefits are endless, and research has already revealed significant positive results both physically and psychologically, and with such a huge rise in the awareness of mental health issues, biophilic design has an important part to play. Plants are a key element that provide direct contact with nature, and they also help to purify the air and contribute towards a healthier, cleaner and more pure indoor environment.” A shining example of biophilic design in use within the hospitality sector was the beautiful project at the Kimpton Blythswood Square Hotel in Glasgow called La Chambre Verte. The Benholm Group partnered with luxury CBD skincare brand La Rue Verte and award-winning DJ Brian D’Souza to transform a standard hotel room into an immersive, biophilic, plant-filled, multi-sensory spa experience. The unique concept was widely covered by both mainstream media and industry publications and received overwhelmingly positive responses from guests of the room, with one describing the experience as “feeling like we had found a recipe for a perfect night’s sleep.”

Spas Leading Biophilic Design By Lucy Brialey - Sustainable Spa Association

However, The Benholm Group influence doesn’t end there. Adrian continued: “Whilst many interior designers understand the concepts of biophilic design well, plants are really a science in their own right, and unless they have had specific experience or training, it can cause some designers to hold back from utilising them in the correct manner. “We provide the CPD training and support that interior designers need to ensure that planting will not only enhance the beauty of each space, but where they will thrive within the climatic environment to ensure the full benefits are realised. And So What About The Spa Industry? “The spa industry is unique in that it is not only a luxury leisure service, but it also provides a key health and wellbeing function which cannot be understated in the modern climate. Mental health issues are at a critical level in the post-lockdown era and the integration of biophilic design principles into facilities, we believe, can play an important part in healing and rejuvenation through the connection to nature. “The spa industry itself draws so much of its inspiration from the natural world and it is therefore, by default, more sustainable in its approach than the majority of industries. While there is always more that can be done, the utilisation of nature itself teaches us so much about sustainability. “The inclusion of more real, living plants and greenery could provide a significant additional benefit for spas with its health credentials and visual link to sustainability bringing a whole new level of experience and service for their customers.” With a wealth of success in 2021, The Benholm Group and it’s industryleading horticulture and biophilic design solutions are set to continue to grow this year, and the benefits could be a game-changer to the provision and services of spas and wellness centres across the globe.

Les Nouvelles Esthetiques no’87

For more information: The Benholm Group do, visit their website at: https://www.benholm.com/

spa therapies

Functional Foods Magazine articles and news reports tout the benefits of "functional foods," which they claim can do everything, from reducing cholesterol to preventing cancer. At the grocery store, you'll find plenty of foods and beverages with similar health benefits advertised on their packaging — but what is a functional food exactly? Most foods are functional. Food may provide protein for muscle repair, carbohydrates for energy or vitamins and minerals for cell function. But in the 1980s, the Japanese government created a class of "functional foods" that included additional health benefits beyond those covered by basic nutrition. In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration, regulates functional foods and label claims that appear on foods and beverages. Examples of claims include those promoting the role of dietary fibre for heart health or advertisements that a product is “lite” or reduced in sodium or fat. Although the FDA defines terms, such as “reduced sodium” and “low-fat,” there is currently no legal definition for functional food. This leaves American consumers to evaluate the claim on their own. Focusing on the Nutrition Facts label and ingredients list can help you determine if a food is a healthful choice. Functional foods cover a variety of foods. Minimally processed, whole foods along with fortified, enriched or enhanced foods, can all be functional foods. Generally, these foods have a potentially beneficial effect on health when consumed on a regular basis and at certain levels.

Another area that is often questioned is food fortification — when products include added vitamins and other nutrients. Fortified foods can have a place in a healthy eating plan. Some may help to provide nutrients that might be low or missing. For example, there are only a few foods that naturally contain vitamin D, so products that are fortified with it, such as milk, are a main source of vitamin D for many people. Other foods and beverages may be fortified with nutrients that are easier to obtain. Some fortified products may also contain high amounts of added sugars or sodium, so be sure to review the Nutrition Facts label. When possible, consider focusing on minimally processed, functional foods to provide a variety of nutrients to help meet your needs. Some examples might include: 1. Fish Fatty fish, like salmon, sardines, trout and herring, are among some of the best choices. They are lower in mercury and have higher amounts of omega-3 fatty acids, which may help lower risk of heart disease and improve infant health when consumed by women during pregnancy or breastfeeding. About two meals per week. 2. Unsalted Nuts They make a great snack, help you feel full and may help promote heart health. Bonus: most unsalted nuts, including cashews and almonds, are good sources of magnesium, which plays a role in managing blood pressure.

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3. Whole Grains Oatmeal receives plenty of recognition for its dietary fiber, an under consumed nutrient of public health concern in the United States. It may help lower cholesterol and assist with blood sugar control. Other whole grains, such as whole barley, farro and buckwheat, also offer a variety of health benefits. 4. Beans Beans provide dietary fiber, as well as protein, potassium and folate. While canned beans are fine, look for those with no salt added. If you do choose beans with salt added, rinse and drain them before use, which reduces sodium significantly. 5. Berries Whether you opt for strawberries, cranberries, blueberries, raspberries or blackberries, berries are wonderful functional foods. Not only are they low in calories, their anthocyanin pigments, which give them color, may offer health benefits. If you can't get fresh berries, frozen unsweetened berries are a healthful choice, too. A healthful eating style, which includes a variety of foods from each food group, prepared in a healthful way, can help you meet your nutrient needs and reduce your risk for various chronic diseases. Focus on fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean protein foods and low-fat or fat-free dairy products. For more information on functional foods or developing an eating plan that is right for you, find a registered dietitian nutritionist in your area.

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6 Commonly-Believed Myths About Eating for the Environment It’s no secret that our planet is undergoing a climate change crisis. And if you’re someone who cares about the environment and tries to live a more sustainable lifestyle, you’ve likely spent some time considering the impact of your food choices. But when it comes to environmentally-friendly food and sustainable eating habits, there is a lot of misinformation out there about what matters most. Many well-intentioned environmentalists, meaning those who aspire to have a slightly lighter footprint, are operating under outdated or incomplete guidelines about how to improve the quality of their food choices. The good news is that there are a number of simple (and inexpensive!) shifts that you can make to shift your daily decisions from detrimental to drivers of change. Before we dive in, it is important to address some context around the concept of making environmentallyfriendly food choices top of mind in the first place. "There is substantial privilege associated with being able to consciously consider eating for the environment," says food systems transformation agent, ethicist, and educator Nicole Civita, JD, LL.M., Vice President of Strategic Initiatives at Sterling College in Vermont. That doesn’t necessarily mean that making environmentally-friendly food choices has to come with a hefty price tag, but it does mean that you need the luxury of time and attention, consistent access to food supply, and financial resources in order to even begin to consider the environmental impact of your food choices. Whether you are just starting to explore environmentally-friendly food or you're a seasoned expert, the tips below will be helpful in making better choices for the health of our planet and for ourselves. But as Civita cautions, “I think it's important that we avoid heaping too much moralism on our plates!" Myth 1: Organic reigns King. Buying produce and meat that’s labelled 'Organic' is often what people’s minds jump to when they think of improving the sustainability of their eating habits. While buying food produced without the use of synthetic fertilizers or pesticides certainly has its benefits, it is not the be-all and end-all answer. "Organic agriculture has also become very industrialized and large scale,” says Civita. "Organic eggs are still grown in confinement. Organic dairy and beef cows are fed organic feed, but may be raised largely on concrete." In addition, many small farmers can’t afford to go through with the USDA organic certification process, but do farm in alignment with, or even beyond, the organic standards. Point being, there are a lot of additional factors to consider beyond just the organic label.

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A better way to approach purchasing decisions is by buying from local farmers and other suppliers where you can see or ask about their farming practices and principles. This way, you can make your own standards based on what’s most important to you, and spend your money on the things that rise to the top of your list.

look. "I've gotten more than a few amazing meals out of the dandelions (leaves and blossoms), purslane, knotweed, and nettles in my yard. I stay away from the fence line where there might be pesticides and get creative in the kitchen, displacing the need to buy as many veggies," adds Civita. Myth 5: One person’s trash is another’s Treasure.

Myth 2: Vegan or Bust. "Meat and dairy consumption—already at wildly unsustainable levels especially in wealthy nations— is on pace to increase by 70 percent by 2050," says Civita. “We simply cannot continue to eat anywhere near as much meat as we collectively are at present.” With that in mind, you don’t have to go completely vegan in order to improve your impact. In fact, it’s often the idea of shunning all animal products that keeps people from making any change in their diets at all. Civita’s advice? Favour plant-based foods, but don’t deny yourself modest amounts of responsibly-raised meat and dairy. "Eating less meat and fewer animal source foods may also create some room in one's food budget to pay a premium for animal products produced on pasture and in ways that help build soil health and sequester carbon," Civita adds. Myth 3: It’s what’s inside that Matters. "It’s a major misconception that we can just focus on the food and not the packaging," says Civita. "Plastic is great for preventing food waste and is not always avoidable, but single use plastics are a forever environmental problem and so much of what we think we recycle ends up on someone else's shores or worse, bobbing in the oceans." Buying from bulk bins (bringing along your own glass jars if possible!) and choosing more eco-friendly packaging can go a long way in mitigating the environmental impact of food choices. Myth 4: Environmentally-friendly food is all about Purchasing Power. While the choices we make with our dollars at the grocery or even the farmers market are important, buying food is not the only way we can feed ourselves and give the planet a break. “There are so many wild food sources that we can incorporate into our diets that are incredibly nutritious, freely available, and astonishingly delicious,” says Civita. “I love thinking about eating with a little less reliance on agriculture, meaning eating that which grows on uncultivated land, or even eating invasive species." While it’s likely not reasonable for most of us to make most of our diets out of wild or foraged foods, you’d be surprised at what you can find once you start to

"Mind boggling amounts of the food grown and produced in the world goes to waste," according to Civita. In the United States, approximately 30-40 percent of food is never eaten, which accounts for the majority of our trash. Most wasted food ends up in landfills. "Food waste represents excess production: We’re growing much more food than we need," explains Civita. “This means that the environmental footprint of agriculture is much larger than it needs to be, and agriculture is a leading cause of deforestation." If food waste were a country, it would be the world’s third-largest greenhouse gas emitter, after China and the United States. The solution? Simply waste less food. By buying, cooking, and plating only what you need, you have a ripple effect of less land and water use for agriculture, less soil erosion due to large-scale agriculture projects, and less air and water pollution. "By reducing waste and making the food system more efficient, we’re also better positioned to feed the growing world population," Civita adds. Myth 6: Grocery bills will go up. This brings us back to the beginning. While it is a privilege to be able to consider eating for the environment, that doesn’t mean that it has to be pricey or something that only a certain subset of the population can do. Many of the strategies listed above—including reducing food waste, favoring plants, and foraging—can be easy to implement, save time and/or money, and don’t put you in the position to be obsessively scanning labels or parsing ecocertifications. "These strategies won't guard against all environmental ills, but if widely followed, they can drastically reduce the carbon and water footprints of your food while also addressing other ethical problems in the food system," says Civita. And if it all still seems out of reach, it is important to remember that focusing on individual dietary decisions is not the only way to drive change in our food system and overall sustainability initiatives.

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By Samantha Frances - Voices Wellness

Smart Tips to Make 2022 Your Healthiest Year Yet

This year, we’re bidding farewell to fad diets and rigid workout regimes. Instead, we’re all about embracing a smart and healthy approach to living and eating well in a way that’s flexible enough to suit our busy lifestyles. This means sustainable meals that fuel us all day instead of crash diets, and planning workouts according to what our body needs, instead of burning out from overexercising. Eat the Rainbow What eating the rainbow really means is to incorporate fruits and vegetables of different colours into your diet daily. As plants contain different pigments or phytonutrients, colourful plants offer higher levels of specific nutrients. A 2021 Neurology study also revealed that those who regularly ate from a full colour spectrum had a 20 percent lower risk of cognitive decline, compared to those who ate less. The next time your meal looks a little dull, why not add in some avocados, blueberries, and peppers?

Exercise correctly, not exercise more

Soothe your Mind and Body

While it’s great news that more people are adopting regular workouts in the new year, this newfound enthusiasm can lead to overtraining. Exercising too much without adequate rest and recovery can lead to more stress and injuries. Instead of pushing yourself too hard, focus on exercising correctly by including a balanced mix of strength training, cardio workout, and flexibility exercises. Always start at a lower intensity before working your way up.

Relaxation can feel like a luxury when work and life get in the way but knowing when to rest does wonders for the mind and body. Hoping to make meditation a part of your life? Try apps like Calm, Headspace, and Unplug. Other mindful ways of relaxing include soaking in a warm bath, listening to music, and simply taking slow, long breathes wherever you are. To ease into your bedtime, try enjoying a warm beverage that doesn’t have alcohol or caffeine in it.

Roast your Vegetables Find your Tribe It’s no secret that roasting not only coaxes out delicious, caramelised flavours but is also one of the healthiest ways to cook and eat more vegetables. Using dry heat to soften vegetables doesn’t require added butter or oil, which both add large amounts of calories and fat. Roasting at high temperatures of 200-220 degrees gives them a crisp texture, without stripping the heart-healthy fibre and vitamins within.

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Your closest friendships and relationships can affect your mental health more than you think. In the new year, rethink which ones are worth investing your time in and distant yourself from those who leave you feeling worse about yourself. Find your tribe— people who support and love you for who you are. Looking to meet new people? Trying a new hobby is a great way to start.

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How to Make Your Metabolism Work for You, No Matter Your Age By Marygrace Taylor - Prevention Here’s what you’ve probably been told about your metabolism: In your 30s, your once speedy metabolism gradually hits the brakes. And then as the years pass, it’s common for the scale to creep up and our jeans to get tighter. The idea that our metabolism is an uphill battle that only gets harder with time has been ingrained in us from an early age.

“Once you shift towards more mindful eating habits, it can be a needle-mover for your weight.” That can be as simple as checking in with your body to see if you’re actually hungry. If you are hungry, great! Sit down and enjoy yourself. If not, go do something else (Take a walk! Call a friend!). When your stomach starts rumbling later, the food will still be there.

But none of that is exactly true. Our metabolisms actually hold steady from ages 20 to 60, found a 40-year study of some 6,500 males and females aged 8 to 95 years. And while calorie-burning does start to slow after age 60, the change is subtle, happening at a rate of just 7% per decade. (For instance, a body burning around 1,400 calories per day at age 60 would burn around 1,300 calories by age 70.)

2. Choose Foods that really Fill you Up

It might come as a welcome surprise—when it comes to sticking to a healthy weight, your body isn’t working against your efforts after all! Except…as anyone who looks back at pictures from their 20s knows, age-related weight gain does still happen. The average adult puts on 2kg per year through ages. But our ageing bodies aren’t really the culprit. It’s the way our habits tend to change with age, which makes it easier to add fat, says researcher Herman Pontzer, Ph.D. In other words? Your metabolism isn’t slowing down with each passing birthday. As we get older, we just tend to eat more and move less. Steering clear of that trap—and supporting your body’s inherent calorieburning ability—is simply a matter of reigning those less-than-healthy habits back. Explore these five sciencebacked metabolim strategies. 1. Eat more Mindfully While there is no magic food that will change our metabolism, the foods we eat play a role in how our bodies function. We all know it’s incredibly easy to get into the habit of grabbing tasty snack foods just because it’s fun. But most of us aren’t actually hungry when we’re eating on autopilot, and those extra bites can easily add up to overeating, Pontzer says. In fact, distracted eating causes people to take in around 10% more calories in the moment—and up to 25% more calories at later meals.

Picking foods that keep you fuller longer is important, Pontzer explains. When you finish a meal or snack feeling satisfied, you’re less likely to come back for more just a short while later. Foods rich in protein, fiber, and healthy fat should be your mainstay. To understand why, picture your metabolism and digestion as a fire that needs to be fed in a way to keep it burning efficiently, says nutrition expert Liz Wysonick,.“Meals that contain protein, fiber, and healthy fat can be thought of as fire-friendly fuel logs that will feed and sustain your fire’s burning capacity because they’re digested at a slow, steady rate.” Foods containing mostly refined carbohydrates or sugar, like white bread, white pasta, or baked goods aren’t as helpful, because they’re digested rapidly. They cause the body’s blood sugar to quickly spike and drop, which can leave you feeling hungry again. It’s fine to enjoy a cookie or muffin every once in a while, of course. But increasingly, evidence shows that consuming too many foods high in refined carbs may actually affect the body’s blood sugar levels in a way that tricks the brain into thinking the body is fasting. That, in turn, prompts the body to store calories as fat—while encouraging you to eat even more. The fix? Make your meals more filling by choosing fiber-rich whole grains like brown rice or whole wheat pasta and pairing them with a protein, a healthy fat (like olive oil or avocado), and a serving of veggies or fruit. For snacks, “think produce plus protein,” Wysonick recommends. Greek yogurt with berries, hummus and crudite, or apple slices with peanut butter. 3. Work your Muscles Regular resistance training is the best way to preserve and build lean muscle tissue, which allows your body

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more calories throughout the day compared to fat tissue. “Muscle mass is the number one predictor of metabolic rate,” says Lara Dugas, Ph.D., who studies exercise physiology and metabolism. “The longer you can preserve your muscle mass, the longer you can preserve your metabolic rate.” Case in point? A study that followed men and women with in-range BMIs who engage in one to two hours of resistance training per week were 30% less likely to become obese over nearly two decades. That amount roughly lines up with the CDC’s recommendation to engage in strengthening activities that work all of the major muscles at least twice a week. Even though the Science study shows that calorieburning doesn’t start to decline until we’re in our 60s, you’ll reap more benefits when you start pumping iron during early- or middle-adulthood. After 60, it’s tough for the body to build back muscle that’s already been lost. “It’s easier to maintain what you’ve got than to build it back up,” explains Dugas. 4. Get your cardio, but don’t overdo it Regular aerobic exercise increases your total calorie burn for the day, which can help you keep your weight in check when paying attention to your diet in tandem. Aim to get the recommended 30 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise at least five days a week, says Dugas. While it’s perfectly fine to get extra exercise if you enjoy being active, going above and beyond 150 minutes of physical activity per week doesn’t seem to contribute to weight maintenance or weight loss over the long term, concluded an American Diabetes Association review. Studies suggest that exercising more may simply drive you to compensate by eating more, basically leaving you right where you started. 5. Manage your Stress and get enough Sleep To really support your body’s ability to burn calories effectively, it’s wise to think about your life in a holistic way—that is, beyond eating and workout out. Too much stress and not enough sleep can wreak havoc on your ability to make healthy choices. Both stress and exhaustion can ramp up your appetite cravings for sugary foods and zap your motivation to be active, and over time, contribute to weight gain.

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Employees are Putting Wellness By Jared Lindzon over Work Though they might look like the same people, those who left the office at the start of the pandemic have dramatically different priorities, expectations, and needs than those who are returning today, according to Microsoft’s second annual Work Trend Index. The follow up to last year’s report — which earned Microsoft a spot on Fast Company’s top 10 most innovation companies in data science list — combines insights from more than 30,000 workers in 31 countries and trillions of anonymized data points from its workplace products. The findings paint a picture of a workforce that prioritizes its own health and well-being over work accomplishments, demands greater flexibility, and is more willing to switch employers to get what they want out of work. “We’ve changed in some fundamental ways in terms of how we think about life, how we think about what’s important to us, and in particular, how we think about work,” says Jared Spataro, corporate vice president of Microsoft 365 and Teams. Microsoft is already incorporating these findings into its workplace culture and hybrid policies. For example, the company allows most of its global workforce to work remotely up to 50% of the time without seeking permission from their manager. Each employee will also meet with their managers one-on-one to discuss these policy changes and align their expectations. Spataro refers to this transition as “great expectations,” as demonstrated by five major insights gathered in the report. Employees have a new “worth it” equation Workers have taken the temporary break from business as usual to revaluate their priorities. According to the study, 53% now put their health and wellbeing over work. Of the 18% of respondents who quit their jobs last year, the top three motivators were wellbeing,

work life balance, and flexibility, with compensation ranking seventh.

54% of business leaders are redesigning their office spaces to be more hybrid-friendly.

“I like to think of it almost like a ‘new deal’ that employees are coming to the office with,” says Spataro. “It’s really important for business leaders to understand that.”

Flexible work doesn’t mean always-on

Managers feel wedged between leadership and employee expectation Most employers are struggling to meet these new expectations, according to the report, putting greater pressures on managers. For example, 73% of workers want the flexibility of remote work to continue; yet 50% of business leaders plan to bring employees back into the office full time. As a result, 54% of managers feel their leadership is out of touch with employee expectations.

The length of the average workday has been rising exponentially over the last two years, according to the report. Spataro emphasizes that employers need to establish boundaries when implementing flexible work. “The good news is we are seeing — from productivity patterns in Outlook — that people are becoming more intentional with their time,” he says. For example, meetings are starting later on Mondays, ending earlier on Fridays, and unscheduled “informal” chats of 15 minutes or less now make up 60% of Microsoft Teams meetings. Rebuilding Social Capital in a Hybrid World

“We essentially have a showdown as managers try to figure out how to navigate between leadership and employees,” says Spataro. Leaders Need to Make Offices Worth the Commute Two years of remote work have challenged the prior perception that offices are the only place employees are productive. According to the study, 38% of hybrid workers say their greatest obstacle is knowing when and why they go to the office, and 51% want to be fully remote in the next year. Respondents also complained that many returned to the office only to spend their days in virtual meetings. “It’s really important for business leaders to be much more explicit about when you come into the office, why you come into the office, and how you arrange to come into the office so you’re [doing in-person activities] that matter,” says Spataro, adding that

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During the pandemic ties with immediate work groups strengthened, while more casual relationships suffered, based on the frequency and duration of virtual interactions. According to the report, 58% of hybrid workers have thriving relationships with immediate team members, compared with 50% of remote workers. “Folks that see their colleagues in person are maintaining workplace bonds that are strong with both their immediate and their broader team, but remote workers are starting to suffer,” says Spataro. About Jared Lindzon: A freelance journalist and public speaker born, raised and based in Toronto, Canada. Lindzon's writing focuses on the future of work and talent as it relates to technological innovation, as well as entrepreneurship, technology, politics, sports and music.

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Walking Mindfulness Activities By Jacqueline Seymour

Whether you decide to set aside time to go for a walk, or you are going to be walking to run errands – you can bring mindfulness into it. Mindfulness improves stress levels, brain health, heart health, pain, sleep, GI issues and more. Here is a walking mindfulness activity that you can do if you have a 5 minute or a 45 minute walk ahead: 1. Begin to walk. 2. Pay attention to how your feet lift and fall. Notice how your arms sway with each step. Notice areas of your body that are thrown into natural movement as you walk. When thoughts come into your mind or as things in your surroundings catch your attention, calmly return your focus to the rhythm of your walk. 3. Notice your breath and how it changes or remains the same with each movement. 4. Continue to walk, noticing the sounds around you.

Don’t judge the sounds as negative or positive, just bring them to your attention. Feel free to spend time here – when you feel ready, or as time permits, move onto the next step. 5. Now, as you continue to step one foot after the other, bring your awareness to the smells around you. Once again, feel free to spend time here – when you feel ready, or as time permits move onto the next step. 6. Continuing on, notice what you see around you. If you notice your mind wandering, simply redirect your attention to the present – the shapes, colors, and textures you see around you. Tune into that awareness. 7. Redirect your attention to either the smells or sounds or simply your breath, your choice, as you continue to walk – for a few more seconds or minutes. 8. Once again, as the mindfulness activity comes to

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a close, bring your awareness back to your rhythmic walk, noticing your feet, your legs, your shoulders, your arms, and whatever other body part is part of this rhythm. 9. Now just stand and breathe, set an intention for whatever is going to happen next in your day. Oftentimes people say, “I don’t have time to meditate,” but just a few minutes of a mindfulness exercise can be impactful. If you are able to redirect your focus to the present moment in order to reap the benefits – you don’t have to choose between walking or practicing mindfulness, or between practicing mindfulness or running an errand. They don’t have to be mutually exclusive, as long as you choose to make the commitment. Next time you head out for a walk, keep this exercise in mind.

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The Sense of Awe Intentionally seeking the feeling of awe can improve memory, boost creativity and relieve anxious rumination. Whenever Ethan Kross finds himself in a mental rut of worrying and negative self-talk, he walks five blocks to his local arboretum and contemplates one of the magnificent trees in front of him, and the astonishing power of nature. If he can’t get to the arboretum, he spends a few moments thinking about the astonishing possibilities of aeroplanes and spacecraft. “I think about how we went from struggling to start fires, just a few thousand years ago, to being able to land safely on another planet,” he says. The aim, in each case, is to evoke awe – which he defines as “the wonder that we feel when we encounter something that we can’t easily explain”. Kross’s habits are founded in scientific evidence. As a professor of psychology at the University of Michigan, he knows feelings of awe can have a truly profound influence on the mind – enhancing our memory and creativity as well as inspiring us to act more altruistically to the people around us. It can also have a profound impact on our mental health, by allowing us to put our anxieties into perspective. Because most of us only experience awe sporadically, we remain unaware of its benefits. When we’re feeling down, we may be more likely to look for light relief in a comedy, for instance – seeking feelings of amusement that are not nearly so powerful. Yet generating awe can trigger a great mental shift, making it a potentially essential tool to improve our health and wellbeing. And there are many ways for us to cultivate the emotion in our daily lives.

an awe-inspiring science film that took viewers on a journey from the outer cosmos to sub-atomic particles; a heart-warming film about a figure skater winning an Olympic gold medal; or a neutral film about the building of a cinder-block wall. Participants then listened to a five-minute story describing a couple going out for a romantic dinner and answered questions about what they had heard. Some of these questions concerned the things you would typically expect at any meal – “Did the waiter pour the wine?” – while others concerned atypical information, such as whether the waiter wore glasses. As Shiota had hypothesised, the participants who had seen the science film were more accurate at remembering the details of what they had heard than those who had seen the heart-warming or neutral films. Why would this be? Shiota points out the brain is constantly forming predictions of what will happen next; it uses its experiences to form mental stimulations that guide our perception, attention and behaviour. Awe-inspiring experiences – with their sense of grandeur, wonder and amazement – may confound those expectations, creating a “little earthquake” in the mind that causes the brain to reassess its assumptions and to pay more attention to what is actually in front of it. “The mind dials back its ‘predictive coding’ to just look around and gather information,” she says. Besides boosting our memories for details, this can improve critical thinking, she points out – as people pay more attention to the specific nuances of an argument, rather than relying on their intuitions about whether it feels persuasive or not. The Attenborough Effect

Little Earthquakes Michelle Shiota, a professor of social psychology at Arizona State University, was one of the early pioneers to discover the benefits of awe. She has a particular interest in the ways it can remove our “mental filters” to encourage more flexible thinking. Consider memory. If someone tells us a story, we typically remember what we think we should have heard, rather than the specific details of the event. This can mean that we miss unexpected or unusual elements that add much-needed clarity and specificity to what happened. We may even form false memories for events that did not happen, but which we assume are likely to have occurred in that kind of situation. When we feel wonder at something truly incredible and grand, “we perceive ourselves as smaller and less significant in relation to the rest of the world" A few years ago, Shiota decided to test whether eliciting a feeling of awe could prevent this from occurring. She first asked the participants to view one of three videos:

Awe’s most transformative effects may concern the way we view ourselves. One consequence of this is greater altruism. “When I am less focused on myself, on my own goals and needs and the thoughts in my head, I have more bandwidth to notice you and what you may be experiencing.” To measure these effects, a team led by Paul Piff at the University of California, Irvine asked a third of their participants to watch a five-minute clip of the BBC’s Planet Earth series, composed of grand, sweeping shots of scenic vistas, mountains, plains, forests and canyon. (The rest watched a five-minute clip of funny animal videos, or a neutral video about DIY.) The participants then rated the extent to which they agreed with four statements, such as “I feel the presence of something greater than myself” and “I feel small and insignificant”. Finally, they took part in an experiment known as the “dictator game”, in which they were given a resource – in this case, 10 raffle tickets for a $100 gift voucher – that they could choose to share with a partner, if they so wished.

Les Nouvelles Esthetiques no’87

By David Robson

The feelings of awe produced a significant change in their generosity, increasing the number of tickets that the participants shared with their partners. Through subsequent statistical analyses, the researchers were able to show that this came through the changes to the sense of self. The smaller the participants felt, the more generous they were. Gaining Perspective Last, but not least, are the enormous benefits for our mental health. Like the boosts to our generosity, this comes from the shrunken sense of self, which seems to reduce ruminative thinking. This is potentially very important, since rumination is a known risk factor for depression, anxiety and posttraumatic stress disorder. “You're often zoomed in so narrowly on the situation that you're not thinking about anything else,” says Kross, whose book Chatter explores the effects of this negative self-talk. Awe forces us to broaden our perspective, he says, so that we break free of the ruminative cycle of thinking. The experiences of awe have a far greater impact long-term wellbeing, compared to contentment, amusement, gratitude, joy and pride. Awesome or Awful? Before we become too awestruck by this research, Shiota warns scientists still need to explore whether this potent emotion has any negative sides. She suspects that awe may explain the appeal of many conspiracy theories, for example – with their intricate and mysterious explanations of the world’s workings. In general, however, the benefits of awe are worth considering whenever we feel that our thinking has become stuck in an unproductive or unhealthy groove. “The capacity to step outside of ourselves is a really valuable skill,” says Kross. While he finds walking in his local arboretum, and thoughts about space travel, to bring the necessary feelings of wonder and reverential respect, he suggests that we will all have our personal preferences. “Try to identify what your own triggers are,” he suggests. For Shiota, the possibilities are as infinite as the universe. “Stars in the night sky remind us of the universe beyond our experience; the sound of the ocean reminds us of its enormous depths; vivid sunsets remind us how vast and thick the atmosphere surrounding our planet is,” she says. That’s not to mention the sublime experiences offered by music, film or art. “It's all about choosing to experience and attend to the extraordinary in our world, rather than that which is, for us, routine.” About David Robson is a science writer and author based in London, UK. His latest book, The Expectation Effect: How Your Mindset Can Transform Your Life, was published on 6 Januar y 2022 in the UK.

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Leaders are Made - RELATIONSHIPS By Brendan P. Keegan - Fearless Leadership Leaders are MADE they are not born. There are 8 attributes that help one to become a truly fearless leader. One of the most important is RELATIONSHIPS. Fearless Leaders develop RELATIONSHIPS and take the required time to invest in those relationships. Leadership is about organizing a group of people – people require your time, energy, focus, and investment. Fearless Leaders also are willing to put themselves out there and network, meet new people and connect more often. Sometimes this can be scary because fear, uncertainty, and doubt creep in. But as you develop the attributes and a leadership style that pushes past challenges and cultivates a network, and tribe of people that want to follow your fearless style is built. And why do they want to follow you? Because you take their fear away, you lead them to a bigger vision, and they value your leadership and bravery in the face of their own doubts.

Slowing down to take the time to build trust and relationships is very challenging. Early in my career, I thought I was pretty good at building relationships. As I grew and wanted to become a better leader, I realized I was good at creating relationships but didn’t invest the time to nurture ongoing relationships. We’ve all gotten the out-of-the-blue call, text, or email from a person from our past, asking how we are doing, followed by a favor request. One day, I realized I was in a relationship like this, and I was the one reaching out. So, I made a conscious decision to get much better at nurturing relationships. With how busy the world is today and with our own perception of how busy we are, I find myself still challenged to do this, but it is a conscious battle I work on every week. Why? Because as a Fearless Leader, I am committed to building trust with my connections so someday I can help each of these

Les Nouvelles Esthetiques no’87

people by removing some fear, self-doubt, or uncertainty in their lives. I am committed to taking the time and making the investment, no matter how challenging. Fearless Leaders find a way, and I know you will as well. I challenge you to look at your current relationships, personal and business. Are you taking the time to nurture them or are you creating them and leaving them to sit? Evaluate each one and determine one thing you can do to help that relationship grow. You might find that a relationship you put on the back burner or forgot about could make a difference in some aspect of your life. BE FEARLESS & build RELATIONSHIPS

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6 Ways Taylor Swift Excels at Content Marketing By John Boitnott - Everything Entrepreneurship Like Madonna before her, Taylor Swift is viewed by many as a creator of fluffy pop sensibilities. But if that’s the only way you see her, you’re not getting the full picture. That perceived bubblegum image with mass appeal actually masks a sharply savvy businesswoman who understands the power of content in developing and growing a brand. No matter what your business model, you can use the Swiftian model to raise your own content marketing profile, attract new audiences, inspire true fan devotion, and grow your brand. So take a look at how you can borrow her approach for your own content marketing work.

competitors as something odd or inappropriate. In fact, it’s a smart content creation strategy. How to make it work for you: You don’t have to unload every irrelevant story from your life on your audience. Just be willing to share the unvarnished truth about your experience with your audience. Stories transform good content into great content, and the very best stories for content marketing are the ones that elevate, connect, and evoke an emotional response from the audience. Share your brand stories and personalize the members of your team by sharing past events that involved them. Nothing helps you establish a winning brand through content like your or your brand’s past.

1. Taylor Swift took control over her brand

because that’s where a lot of her young fans were congregating online. And what does she share on TikTok? A solid mix of funny videos of cats, music video clips and her own take on “The Assignment,” each with its own authentic imprint. Her audience can relate to her commentary positively because it comes across as genuine. How to make it work for you: By all means, put your best foot forward on your brand’s social media accounts, but keep it real and authentic. Don’t try come off as something you’re not, either for yourself or your brand. Similarly, meet your audience and prospects where they already are. If they’re not really that into Twitter, why spend your precious time. Go where they are, andmeets your fans.

3. She knows her brand and her audience Late in 2020, Taylor addressed the sale of her master recordings by Scooter Braun and her prior record label, to a private equity holding company by publishing a written explanation on her social media accounts. Taylor announced she had already started to re-record her back catalog, starting with her first six albums, in an attempt to regain control of her brand and creative mission. Her fresh take on 2008’s ‘Fearless’ arrived on April 9, 2021, and ‘Red’ (Taylor’s Version) was released on Nov. 12, 2021. The fuller context of Taylor’s re-recording of her back catalog was complex. However, the content marketing lesson here is fairly simple: Keep control over your content and don’t let it get redirected to someone else’s hands. In Swift’s case, the sales were legitimized by a contract she’d signed when she was 15. Once she gained a few years of experience and business acumen, she realized her content wasn’t in safe hands. That feeling was validated when her fan base bought the album releases in droves. How to make it work for you: For content marketers, the strategy isn’t much different. Take control of your content. If something isn’t working or producing expected results, diagnose the content marketing problem and fix it. That doesn’t mean you can’t outsource its creation, formatting, or promotion. It just means you must stay aware of the content processes carried out on your brand’s behalf. Moreover, you can’t shy away from stepping in if those processes go off-track. In addition, consider keeping most of your content on your own blog, rather than placing it on large social networks every time you publish. This way you own your own content going for ward. 2. She mines her life for her content Even folks who aren’t huge Taylor Swift fans probably are aware of one key fact: She writes songs about her exes. This is sometimes bandied about by critics and

5. She understands her platforms While Swift may, on occasion, push the envelope with a creative risk or two, she generally delivers the content her audience has come to love and expect. Without enforcing an insistently uniform sound or style, she creates music and other content that delivers the emotional, aesthetic, and kinesthetic experiences her audience members embrace. She makes sure her creative output keeps pace with evolving tastes and trends without merely imitating them. The result is pure Taylor Swift while still seeking an authentic connection with her fans. How to make it work for you: You can exercise that same brand power and audience awareness by integrating modern tools and strategies that help you collect, collate, and understand relevant data and metrics about your audience and how they interact with your brand along every point in the buyer’s journey. From awareness at the top of the funnel (TOFU) to the purchasing decision at the bottom of the funnel (BOFU), each stage in that customer’s journey presents unique needs, points and desires. Use data collection and analytical tools to get to know your audience, then use that deeper understanding to adjust your content accordingly. Social listening is another tool that will help you get to know your audience and how they perceive your brand. Pay attention to the conversations surrounding your brand specifically on LinkedIn or Twitter. Those mentions will help you understand your audience and how they see your company more deeply, which in turn empowers you to create content that better aligns with that audience. 4. She talks to her audience where they are and how they like. Sure, she could simply tweet out a new album announcements, or occasional selfie, but Taylor goes far beyond such basic social media fundamentals. Taylor was quick to embrace TikTok, for example,

Look at Taylor’s TikTok page and compare it to her Instagram or her Twitter accounts. Notice anything interesting? There might be some similarities there, but it’s not all the same. Instead, she shares content that’s well suited to each platform in a format that aligns with its needs and limitations. How to make it work for you: Make sure you’re sharing content in formats that suit the platform and its technical limitations. If you’re composing a tweet, try to keep it succinct. Think about your user’s expectations and context when they encounter your content, and tr y to craf t the best possible experience. 6. She encourages fan loyalty There are Taylor Swift fans, and then there are superfans. And while the former are devoted to her music, Taylor knows how important the latter are to her brand. That’s why she creates unique experiences that reward their loyalty. From pre-release listening parties in her own home to special merchandise, Swifties get treats and bonuses just for being consistently loyal. In turn, of course, these rewards simply make the super-fans even more devoted. How to make it work for you: Don’t ignore existing customers in your lust for acquiring new ones. Don’t let it get to the point where longtime customers never, ever want to get back together with you. Improve your CLV (customer lifetime value) by rewarding customer loyalty with earned and free but unique perks. Taylor Swift’s key takeaway: Always keep your audience top of mind John Boitnott is a journalist and digital consultant who has worked at media companies for 25 years. He writes about star tups, marketing and leadership at Entrepreneur, Readwrite.com, JotForm.com, and his blog.

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Doom and gloom are at an all-time high. Yet, many of us still have to go to work, lead our families, and sleep at night. It begs the question- how can we be optimistic- especially in the face of deep, turmoil? Learned optimism is an idea rooted in positive psychology. It involves developing the ability to view the world from a positive point of view. Don’t confuse learned optimism with being “unrealistic.” Optimism is not ignoring the (sometimes very real) potential downside; it’s making a conscious choice to not park your mind there. According to the New York Times, research suggests that optimists earn more money, have better relationships, and even live longer. So, how can train our brains to get there? 1. Enlist the help of other optimists Famous speaker Jim Rohn once said, “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” Personally, I have to believe human beings are a bit more complex than that. However, we know our environment (and the people in it) makes a lasting impact on the way we think. The people you surround yourself with are having an impact on your optimism (or lack thereof). Try forging relationships with people whose mindset you admire; call a friend who just took a great new job or spend time with a 5year-old talking about Santa. Emotions are contagious and their optimism will start to rub off on you. 2. Set aside time to worry Unfortunately, continually telling yourself “don’t worry” does not actually do much do curb negative thoughts (speaking from experience). Scheduling worry time is a cognitive-behavioral therapy technique where people are encouraged to set aside time specifically to work through the things that they are worried about. So instead of telling your brain “don’t worry about it,” tell your brain to worry later. Like “I’ll think about that at lunchtime,” for example. This practice keeps worry from taking over your whole day. Plus, I’ve found that when you set something aside until it’s “time to worry,” by the time you actually let yourself worry about it, you come to the scenario with a more level head. 3. Ask yourself - What if it turns out great? I wrote about this mental hack last year, in reference to overcoming fear. Fear and pessimism are cousins in the family of emotions; being worried about something can give rise to fear or hopelessness.

The Science of Optimism: How to Train Your Brain to Look on the Bright Side

Our brains are hardwired to alert us to perceived risks and less instinctively inclined to examine the potential upside. But making a conscious effort to focus on (or at least acknowledge) the potential positive outcomes trains your brain to think differently over time.

By Lisa Earle McLeod - Work on Purpose 66

Les Nouvelles Esthetiques no’87

If you find yourself starting to think “what if it goes terribly?” interrupt that thought cycle, and challenge your brain to think “what if it goes great?” Pointing your brain towards the payoff (instead of the risk) helps you be more confident, courageous, and optimistic.

4. When in doubt, just blame your parents According to Dr. Martin Seligman, director of the Positive Psychology Center at the University of Pennsylvania, “Pessimism is one of the personality traits that’s highly heritable.” Further, research from the University of British Columbia has determined that your genetic makeup can influence your perception of life by amplifying negative experiences and emotional events. All hope is not lost, however. Dr. Seligman also notes that while this trait is highly heritable, it is also modifiable. But not without work. Acknowledging the linkage between our genes and our mindset is not an invitation to throw your hands up and succumb to your primal resting state. I bring it up to help you cut yourself some slack. Maybe you were born with inherited rose-colored glasses, or maybe, like the rest of us, you’re working on un-learning centuries of fatalistic thinking. The world is up against a lot. Pandemic, war, rampant greed… I don’t know how to solve those problems. But I do know they won’t be solved if our collective spirit is broken. Optimism is a choice. Even small actions, like temporarily parking a worry spiral or resetting yourself with a hopeful conversation contribute to a more optimistic world.

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The Science of Optimism: How to Train Your Brain to Look on the Bright Side

By Lisa Earle McLeod - Work on Purpose 66

Les Nouvelles Esthetiques no’87

spa lifestyle

Signature Scents Six years ago, Atelier Cologne founder, Sylvie Ganter was presented with a challenge by her business partner Christophe Cervasel: to create a signature scent for Majestic, a five-star hotel located in the heart of Barcelona, in celebration of its 100-year anniversary. She had six years of developing, conceiving, and perfecting fragrances for her consumers. But for a building? “I had no clue where to even start,” she recalls. “I had never done anything like this.” The first step was immersing herself in the hotel. With her family, she stayed at Majestic over a long weekend, soaking up every detail, like the history (Hemingway and other legendary figures were, famously, longtime residents), the decor (intricate moldings, bold fixtures, Art Deco accents), and the overall aesthetic (luxurious but not ostentatious, traditional yet timeless). It crystallized what felt like an impossibly abstract task, allowing her a glimmer of how she could capture the spirit of the hotel and distill it into a fragrance. Once she established the mood she wanted to evokemuted, masculine, chic, elegant, timeless, relevant she turned her attention to the ingredients. In order to use elements from the hotel's surroundings to anchor the fragrance to the region, she landed on Mediterranean-grown clary sage, a form of musk, and fig leaf for a salty seaside note, before loading it up with Atelier Cologne's signature citruses like lemon and bergamot. “I designed it like I would have for the skin because that's what I know,” says Ganter. “And then we adapted it so it could be diffused through air

conditioning by making it brighter and less concentrated.” She adds that the concentration of traditional fragrances is 18 percent oil, but for the hotel, it was diluted to less than 10 percent. “You want something that smells good in the space, not overwhelming, like you're swallowing it when you enter the hotel.” Musc Imperial launched at the Majestic in 2015, and soon after, guests demanded it in perfume form. And then a candle. The hotel requested that it be made into an amenities line, ending Bulgari's reign as its sole vendor. In 2019, the scent was awarded Niche Fragrance of the year-the only hotel-inspired fragrance to ever win an award-by the Cosmetic Executive Women, a trade organization for the cosmetics, fragrance, and personal care industry. But for the most part, Ganter believes the majority of Majestic guests probably don't even notice the scent. “It's subliminal,” she says. “Now that there are amenities and a candle in all the rooms, it makes it more official as the scent of the hotel. And if you bring home the shower gel, it transports you back to the place where you had a really good time.” Which is precisely the whole point of signature scents for hotels or any business, more imporrtantly Spas: creating an olfactory memory that, when presented again, can trigger nostalgia. Rachel Herz, psychology professor at Brown University and Boston College and author of The Scent of Desire, says the use of a fragrance to achieve this effect can be traced to the late '90s with the launch of AromaSys, the first company to provide environmental scenting through the heating, ventilation,

Les Nouvelles Esthetiques no’87

By Andrea Cheng

and air conditioning systems at large resorts chains in major U.S. cities. As technology evolved and more companies began to tap into indoor-scenting machinery, the demand for a specific smell increased. Because unlike random fragrances or candles sold at boutiques, a scent that's specially designed for a business is intended to forge an emotional association and, ultimately, drive repeat business. “Guests may not pay that much attention to the scent, but they're aware it's there when they walk into the busines,” says Herz, who has studied the psychological association with scent for almost 30 years. She says we adapt to smell within 15 to 20 minutes, which is why it's of the utmost importance to streamline the l scent with its toiletries. “It creates a memory trinket; the scent is a marker and a reminder for them to return to the business or spa for their next visit.” The alignment between a business or spa's personality and the signature scent is an important one. When there's a disconnect, it could potentially lead to disastrous results, like repelling guests and, ultimately, hurting its brand identity. Offensive notes, too, don't help, such as artificial materials like peach or calone, or anything overtly feminine or masculine. It's much easier to harness one or two special characteristics and extract them into a scent. No one will know for certain how a custom fragrance will be received, but when done right, it enhances the overall experience. For Ganter, it paid off when she dreamed up “Musc Imperial.” And when she stays at other hotels, she can't help but notice the scent or abscence of scent.

Les Nouvelles Esthetiques Spa Magazine #87

Articles inside

LNE #87 - Employees are Putting Wellness over Work

LNE #87 - The Sense of Awe

How to Make your Metabolism Work for You No Matter your Age - LNE Spa #87

LNE Spa Issue #87 - Walking MindfulnessActivities

LNE Spa Magazine Issue #87 - The Nutrition for Healing Initiative Trends

Six Senses Laamu in the Maldives

Zulal Wellness Resort by Chiva-Som in Qatar

Banyan Tre Ilha Caldeira

LNE Issue #87 Collective Action amongst Spa against Water Scarcity

LNE Issue #87 - Building Social Capital in a Hybrid World

LNE Spa #87 - Spas Leading Biophilic Design

LNE Spa #87 - The Healing Power of Music

6 Commonly-Believed Myths about Eathing for the Environment

LNE Spa # 87 - Functional Foods

LNE Issue #87 - Signature Scents

Signature Scents

The Science of Optimism

6 Ways Taylor Swift Excels at Content Marketing

The Sense of Awe

Leaders are Made – RELATIONSHIPS

Walking Mindfulness Activities

Employees are Putting Wellness over Work

Smart Tips to Make 2022 Your Healthiest Year Yet

How to Make Your Metabolism Work for You, No Matter Your Age

6 Commonly-Believed Myths About Eating for the Environment

Six Senses Laamu Leads the Maldives as Eco-Resort of the Year

Functional Foods

Collective action amongst Spa and Wellness Operators is needed in Climate Battle against Water Scarcity

Wellbeing as One System: Mind, Body and Place

The Healing Power of Music

Qatari and wider Arabic Culture

Wellness Space

Pregnancy Massage & the Trimesters Zulal Wellness Resort by Chiva-Som opens with Spa Rituals rooted in

Banyan Tree Ilha Caldeira - Ribbon of Sustainability

Let’s Be the Change

3 Reasons To Switch To Natural And Organic

Esse and the ‘Skinimalism’ Trend

Celluvac: Restoring overall Balance

The Awakened Life is the Best Life

CSpa Aroma Wellness

Top 10 Beauty Trends from My Beauty Luv

The Nutrition for Healing Initiative Trends