There’s nothing more enjoyable than having someone give you a good massage. But when there’s no one around to do it, apply the power within your own hands to yourself. Massage is a wonderful way to get to know your body. It’s also a great way to release stress and relax – something that’s harder to do in an ever-changing and fast paced world.

Practise daily when you’re applying our soothing body lotions and moisturisers. You’ll discover you can soothe away tension at the end of the day or energise yourself in the morning – depending on which movements you use. If you’re stuck for time, limit your massage to your feet or hands. But give your whole body the attention it deserves whenever you can.

Feet While watching TV, rest one foot on the other knee and apply a small amount of Essenture Hand & Body Lotion.

With slight pressure, stroke from toe to ankle – with one hand on top and the other on the sole of the foot. Repeat 2-3 times. Squeeze each toe in turn and pull gently. Make a fist with one hand. Use your knuckles to create a corkscrew movement up and down the sole. Press in around the heel and round the ankle. Finish with stroking movements as before.

Legs

Massage can relieve aching legs as well as helping them after exercise. It can also help with the appearance of the thighs. Do one leg first, then the other. Apply Essenture Hand & Body Lotion to your hands and stroke up the thighs. Knead the outside of the thigh, like you’re making bread, lifting and squeezing flesh in each hand. Take care if you have broken veins. With lightly clenched fists pummel the front and outside of the thighs. Move to the knees and with small circular movements, massage around the knee. Stroke up from the ankle to the knee in brisk, sweeping movements. To finish, stroke behind the back and front in soothing movements.

Buttocks and Hips

We hold lots of tension in our buttocks. These movements bring blood to the area and improve tone and texture. After applying Essenture Hand & Body Lotion, make sweeping and circular movements over the hips and buttocks. With lightly clenched fists and flexible wrists, pummel one side with both hands – then the other. Keep it light!

Abdomen

Starting on you right side stroke your abdomen in a clockwise direction with one hand following the other in a circle. Move straight across from right to left with your right hand. Stroke with your left hand in an alternating pattern.

Arms and Hands

We often neglect our poor arms. But massage is great for releasing tension especially if you work with computers. Apply Essenture Hand & Body Lotion to the whole arm from wrist to shoulder. Move right up to and over the shoulder and glide down. The movement is firmly up and lightly down. Squeeze and release flesh with thumb and fingers, paying particular attention to the upper arm.Then make circular movements around the elbow. With your thumb, press and release in the groove of the forearm from your elbow to wrist, then make circular movements around the wrist. Stroke over the top of the hand towards the wrist Squeeze and pull each finger gently. With your thumb, stroke firmly between each bone on the back of your hand then turn your hand over and work all over the palm towards the wrist. Finish by stroking all the way back up to the shoulder – front and back.

Shoulders

Most people suffer from sore, aching muscles and occasional headaches. These movements will help you to relax and relieve tension in this area. Place some Essenture Hand & Body Lotion in your left hand. Starting at the base of the skull on the right side, stroke down the neck and over the top of the arm. Come back up and repeat a few times (2-3). Repeat with your right hand over your left shoulder, alternating hands to shoulders. With the fingers of both hands, make small circular movements around the base of the spine, working up under the skull. This area can be particularly sensitive to pressure so move gently. Again, make small circular movements on either side of the spine in the neck with your fingers. Lastly, make loose fists and with alternating hands to shoulders gently bounce them up and down over the shoulders. Finish with a stroking, patting movement.

Face and Neck

Massage can help lift headaches, release tension and improve the tone of your facial skin. Starting at the chest, stroke up to the jaw line with alternating palms. Repeat 2-3 times. Turn your hands over and gently slap under the chin. Make sure you tuck your tongue back for this movement. Next, make smooth movements from your chin to the ears with your palms. Place ring fingers on the bridge of your nose, and press and release gently out to the ears. This is great for sinuses. Pinch and release up and over the eyebrows, starting at the inner corner, and work out. Feel the tension releasing under your fingers. Again, with your ring finger, alternate firm strokes upwards between the eyebrows. Then with two fingers make circular, sweeping movements up and out over the whole forehead. After this last movement, press in gently at the temples and gently pull the hair for final tension release. Come back to the face and with palms facing in and hands together, cup and hold over your face. Once over your nose, once out to the side with hands apart, and then once over the ears.

Feeling Good?

By now you should feel relaxed and refreshed! To energise yourself, make fists and starting at the ankles lightly pummel your legs, round your back, over the abdomen, chest, arms, shoulders and head. This movement can be done over clothes at any time of the day for a quick pick-me-up.

To understand the benefits of using natural skin care we need to understand how the skin functions and the factors that have an impact on it such as the environment, diet, stress etc, the skin has the following primary functions:

• Provides a protective layer for organs and tissues from pathogens (where skin is not broken) as well as heat and light.

• Regulates body temperature.

• It is an excretory and absorption organ.

• Stores water, fat and Vitamin D.

• Has touch receptors (nerve endings) that sense pain or pleasure. So the skin is often described as the organ of communication.

• The skin has a natural moisturising factor (NMF).

Some interesting facts:

• Time taken for the deepest layer to come to the top is 45-75 days.

• Thickness of layers varies – the thickest is on your hands and feet for (gripping) The thinnest layer is on your eyelids, as it needs to be light and flexible.

Skin cycles as we age

• Teen skin is prone to oiliness as hormones are regulating.

• 20-30 skin cell turnover provides optimum condition.

• 30-40 cell turnover starts to decrease, fine lines start to appear.

• 40-50 NMF is becoming less effective and skin becomes drier.

• 50+ – cell turnover drops by 50% resulting in flaky patches and deeper lines.

Skin structure The skin is the largest organ of the body and is made up of 3 main layers: • Epidermis top layer

• Dermis middle layer

• Subcutaneous or hypodermis bottom layer

Epidermis The epidermis is made up of 5 layers and each of these layers has their own layers. From the top layer downwards:

• Stratum Corneum – horny layer

• Stratum lucidum – clear layer

• Stratum granulosum – granular layer – flatter cells accumulate granules

• Stratum spinosum – spiny layer – prickle cell, melanin production (gives skin pigment/colour)

• Stratum Germinativum – basal Layer- where the cells divide and grow upwards

Dermis The dermis is the middle layer made up of:

• Blood vessels – supply nutrients to the skin

• Lymph vessels – defence mechanism for the immune system

• Hair follicles – protection and sebum production

• Sweat glands – regulators of heat

• Pain and touch receptors – carry impulses to the brain

• Subcutis These are fat cells that conserve body heat while protecting other organs from injury. They provide a cushioning effect and are a source of energy in lean times. Layers are held together by the protein, collagen and elastin fibres. Collagen is the strongest protein found in nature. It is famous for its durability and strength.

Contact Us for clay purchases, we can pack in small or medium quantities

Argiletz Clay’s are therapeutically mined from the Argile region of France and comply with Industry standards. We do not recommend clay gathered from your garden or from your local pottery supplier

Clay is a most powerful agent of physical regeneration. Ancient Greeks used clay in the treatment of fractures; Clay can be green, red, pink/rose, yellow or white. Each one has its own properties. The colour of the clay is determined from the depth of the earth from which it is taken. Clay contains silica, iron, calcium, magnesium, sodium and potassium and many more trace elements that we do not find in our lands today, clay can also be taken internally and should you wish to please consult your naturopath to see how it may help.

• Green clay The most drawing of all clays. In skincare, Green Clay can be used as a facial mask as it cleanses, exfoliates, smoothes and softens the skin. We have found it to be very useful for Mastitis

• Red Clay Helpful for broken capillaries and bags under the eyes, revitalising and cleansing

• Pink Clay Tissue firming and ideal for sensitive skin

• Yellow Clay Great for sun damage may also be helpful for Psoriasis and eczema

• White Clay Great for Sensitive skin and for hands, can also be used as a hair pack prior to Shampoo to alleviate itchy scalp conditions. Also can be used as a natural Talcum Powder for baby skin. We have also found it can help relieve the pain of Shingles and chicken pox

Directions for use in Skincare Mask preparation: mix 1 teaspoon of clay with 1 teaspoon of tepid water in a glass/porcelain bowl, mix to a smooth paste. (For a thicker paste add more clay.) Apply to neck area just under the chin and the face avoiding the eyes and lips. Leave to dry for 10-20 minutes to allow clay mixture to draw out impurities from your skin. Rinse off thoroughly with tepid water. Can also be applied all over the body.

Recommended reading: The earth on which we live-Marijke Vogel Vogel And Vogel

The healing power of clay- Raymond Dextreit

The Clay cure- Ran Knishinsky Healing Arts Press

Essenture recommends a simple and gentle skincare routine to keep your skin clean, exfoliated, hydrated and moisturised.

Cleansing

Clean your skin every evening – the natural way. After a day of exposure to air pollutions, wind, sun, air conditioning, dirt and grime from our fingers – your pores get blocked. (Pores are the opening of hair follicles and sweat glands that cause blackheads and pimples. A good, natural cleanser like Essenture Purifying Cleanser

removes impurities without stripping the skin of nutrients. Cleansers containing soap will strip your skin of moisture and nutrients. If you cleanse nightly, there is no reason for you to cleanse your skin in the morning. We recommend that you simply rinse your face with warm water and whilst skin is still damp apply Essenture  Balancing Moisturiser or If your skin is very dry or mature Essenture Night Serum.

Exfoliating

Simply put, this process gets rid of dead skin cells. We recommend you exfoliate at least twice a week. Care should be taken if you have broken capillaries/surface veins. It is important to help the skin renewal process by removing dead skin cells. Moisture can be applied to fresh cells helping to reduce the appearance of fine lines.

Clay Masks

Using clay helps to deep cleanse and draw out impurities. If you have acneic or oily skin, you should use green clay. For more mature, sensitive skin use white clay to soften and condition the skin. It is also great to use as a mask on rough, dry hands. When you commence a mask routine you can apply the mask up to 5 times for the first week; then 4 times during the second week; 3 times during the third week; 2 times in the fourth week and then once per week for maintenance.

Moisturising

Moisturising morning and night is important for hydrating, moisturising and protecting. Moisturing helps support the fibres of your skin as well as helping to protect your skin from daily pollutants.

Body Care

Just like the skin on your face needs nurturing, so your body requires special attention. Dry body brushing before a shower, with a natural bristle brush, can be extremely helpful. Body brushing helps exfoliate, tone and stimulate the skin as well as helping the natural drainage of our lymph glands. Always brush upwards to the heart in quick, rhythmic strokes and brush down to the heart when you reach the shoulder/neck area. After your shower, keep your skin damp. Water is great natural hydration for the skin and will allow you to apply your body lotion easier and you won’t need to use as much.

Ultra-Dry Hands and Body

Treating dry, cracked and bleeding areas of your hands and body is very important to the overall wellbeing of your skin. Cracked and bleeding hands can be most painful and can allow infection into the body.

Skin Tips While its important to nourish your skin with Essenture natural skin care products, what you do on

the inside counts too. Make sure your body is getting the goodness and care it deserves by: • Getting regular sleep – give your body the chance to work on repairing cells. • Excercising and regular massage – to stimulate circulation and blood flow. • Drinking eight glasses of water a day – to keep skin plump, hydrated, healthy.

• Stay protected from the sun – to prevent the skin from becoming dehydrated and the damaging effects of UV rays on your skin. • SMILING WHENEVER YOU CAN – the benefits of a healthy soul are limitless.

Don’t over cleanse your skin because if skin becomes dehydrated on the surface, oil production speeds up to compensate. The glands then become blocked with sebum and turn into breeding grounds for bacteria. This is what causes spots and acne.

Do not squeeze spots as this only leads to infections below the surface.

Being an astringent it has excellent cleansing effects on oily skin

Although it is non toxic do not apply directly to the skin before going out into sunlight as it may cause irritation

A definite oil for your home and office! Enjoy

Skin care has always been a popular topic of discussion in beauty magazines, but it is now coming into the public eye in many different media types as global warming and ozone damage become more and more evident. That being the case, it is only natural that organic skin care products would also become popular as the entire world seems to “go green” when it comes to putting things both into and on our bodies.

Organic skin care products claim to fame is that there are no chemicals used in the growing or processing of the final product. But how healthy and good for you these products are is the topic of much debate.

When you are purchasing organic skin care products, you better educate yourself on label reading. While these products stay away from chemicals during growth and processing, chemicals are often added to the product in its final stages. All you have to do is look on the back of the label and you will notice ingredients that are the same that you will see on products that do not carry the organic label.

The question then remains as to how healthy these products are for you if they still contain some “non organic” ingredients. The general consensus is that these products will make your skin feel fresher and healthier after prolonged usage. The difference seems to be that the organic skin products stay away from a lot of the more harmful components that you will find in non-organic skin care products and use more natural products as the bulk of their makeup.

The bottom line when you are using organic products is that you are going to have to look closely at the labels. It is strongly suggested that you do a little research on any and all of the products that you are considering buying and check them out online before you buy them in the store. It is much easier to see what items are in these products and then also do your research quickly so that you can see exactly what is good for you and what is not good for you. More often than not, you will find that organic skin care products are much better for you than the traditional products, but you have to do your due diligence to be sure.

Cleansing

This is probably the one area of skin care that is completely blown out of proportion when simplicity is the best way to go. You can read all you want, but the bottom line is that you are going to have to find something that works well for you and that your skin responds to. Just because some super model or actress on television uses it, does not mean that it is going to work just as well for you.

When you are cleaning your face, you should never use water that is too hot. This is actually extremely bad for your skin and will often strip your face of natural moisturising factors (known as NMF’s). You will also not want to clean your face too much as this can often lead to problems. If you have oily skin, you will clean it a couple of times a day, but that is the only time that you will clean your skin more than usual.

Exfoliation

This step is probably the step that is rarely done in most cases when it is actually one of the key steps in obtaining that glowing look on your face. If you are not experienced at this or do not take the time to learn how to do it properly, this is also the step that can lead to skin damage.

The process works by removing the layer of dead skin that dulls the appearance. Using a gentle abrasive scrub a couple of times a week is perfect. One thing that you want to make sure of is that when you are using a scrub, that you do use one that works gently as using a harsh one may lead to the damage that we were referring to above.

Moisturising

This is sometimes a subject of some debate, but the consensus is that most skin types will benefit from moisturising. Even if you have oily skin, you will benefit, but using a moisturiser is beneficial as it locks in the moisture to your skin to prevent it from drying out. Don’t over moisturise and make sure that you find a product that works well for you, not one that is popular because of who uses it.

Dry skin body brushing needn’t take long 5-10 minutes a day is all that is required for fresh, healthy skin.

This is the self-help option of getting the maximum benefit of visiting a spa.

Using a NATURAL bristle long handle brush

Dry skin body brushing before showering or bathing (lukewarm not hot please) is one of the BEST things we can do for our bodies, not only does it eliminate TOXINS, it exfoliates gently (stops ingrown hairs), stimulates Lymphatic flow (reducing cellulite) and stimulates the circulation.

Dry skin Body brushing is a powerful technique yet extremely gentle, skin responds easily, producing smooth, HEALTHY looking skin. This is because our lymphatic system is our waste disposal system and is easily overworked; it is our first line of defense against bacteria but the last to receive nutrients.

The lymph glands and pathways do not have a mechanical pumping action, as do our veins and therefore legs and arms can get puffy, you may find blemishes on the top of your arms and cellulite on your legs as a result

The pressure should be a light yet firm brush upwards towards the heart (downwards from the shoulders to the heart)

Starting at the feet (brush the soles of the feet to stimulate all the reflex points of the body) sweep the brush upward followed by a sweep with your other hand (be gentle at first until your skin gets used to it) work the abdomen in circular clockwise movements to follow the large intestine and then do the arms, shoulders and back (do not use on the face)

You may notice the odd blemish occurring due to the elimination process at the beginning.

To see for yourself how powerful this technique can be, try this simple experiment

Every day before your shower or bath, brush your skin all over, then taking a damp flannel rub it all over your body, hang the flannel without rinsing and repeat over the next two days

The smell will not be very nice (due to the waste products) and then think of what your skin will be like with regular brushing!!! Remember to wash your brush once a month to remove the dead skin cells and impurities. After your shower do not completely towel dry but allow the moisture to be retained on the skin and seal it with Essenture Hand & Body lotion, packed full of nutrients that treat your soul and pamper your senses.

Your skin will feel tighter, more resilient and healthier!

1. Massage some oil into your skin before stepping into the shower

2. Keep showers and baths short and not too hot

3. Apply Essenture Hand and Body lotion to damp skin to seal in moisture

4.Drink plenty of water every day. Your skin relies on the body’s overall fluid levels to maintain healthy hydration – a vital defense against the environment’s drying assault. Remember that coffee, tea, alcoholic drinks, and caffeinated colas are dehydrating. They can make skin dull and dry, and suppress circulation

5. Use bowls of water near heaters to help humidify your environment

6.Carry Aromatic Spritz to hydrate your skin in the office and sooth your senses