Category

Beauty

July 17, 2021
3

LEARN BODY LOVE FROM CALLISTHENICS

By | Fashion, Fitness | No Comments

Callisthenics may sound like a fancy and complicated word but in reality, most of us are already doing it as a part of our workout routines. In short, callisthenics is a workout type oriented at working with your own bodyweight.

The name has Greek origins, where “Kàlos” means beauty and “Sthénos” means strength. Many callisthenics lovers suggest that this sport is the pure art of movement or the most natural exercise.

Callisthenics incorporates the elements of gymnastics but is mainly performed outdoors. It focuses on what your body can do rather than how it looks and the result – fit shape, defined muscles and a couple of gymnastic exercises you would never think you can do on top of that.  

If you ever found yourself saying “I would never be able to perform a handstand”, callisthenics might prove you wrong. This exercise routine is mainly based on helping you achieve your wildest fantasies about what your body can do.

PHYSICAL BENEFITS

Let’s take a handstand as an example. This exercise engages arms, shoulders, the core and glutes aka. the most wanted muscle groups!

Callisthenics teaches you to use your body as an integrated unit, instead of just viewing it as groups of isolated muscles. Being able to balance the weight from hands to legs requires not only strength, but also coordination and balance.

A study looked at the benefits of callisthenics on male participants over an 8 week period. The posture, strength and body composition accessed and measured through the before/after comparison of the participants’ abilities. In the end, the men demonstrated a significant body weight loss and posture improvement. They were also better at doing push-ups and pull-ups which indicated the increase in general body strengths.

MENTAL BENEFITS

Many people judge the success of their workout routine by their appearance, but as we already mentioned, callisthenics is not about that. Instead of having to look at your abs after every workout, you test your abilities with each exercise. For example, can you make the push-up better today compared to how you performed yesterday.

This kind of tracking can bring lots of fulfillment and motivation to work harder. And as soon as you master that handstand for the first time, you will get that enormous feeling of joy and would not want to stop for a second.

To sum up, callisthenics is a captivating art of working with your own body, feeling it and taking care of it. This workout teaches you patience, resilience and love for who you are.

With Dan you get a 50% discount on your first callisthenics session! Try it out, and you will not want to stop.

July 10, 2021
3

CUPPING IS ALWAYS IN FASHION

By | Fashion, Fitness, Massage | 2 Comments

Cupping is a massage technique that has been used by numerous celebrities over the years. How do we know? The marks.

The trend first started about a decade ago, when athletes at the Olympics and TV-stars started showing up in the public with colorful circles on their backs. Among the cupping therapy lovers are Victoria Beckham, Lady Gaga, Kim Kardashian and many others.

So what is it about cupping that makes us put up with this colourful after effect. Cupping is an ancient massage therapy first used by the people of China and Egypt. Some suggest that it was used to suck out the venom of poisonous snakes, but it soon became clear that there are way more benefits behind it.

A traditional Chinese Medicine practitioner Ada Ooi in her interview to Vogue states that cupping “… brings in oxygen and nutrients, guides immune cells into the area to loosen tension, and enhances qi [life force] flow in order to aid recovery and healing”

This incredible therapy does not only bring so much good into the body, it also helps flush out toxins. Yes, our body does have its own mechanisms to eliminate the build up of waste. However, modern lifestyle makes it too much for our natural systems. That’s where cupping comes into action. According to Ooi, “It creates broken blood vessels just beneath the skin, breaking up adhesions that are blocking the flow of qi and nutrients to different parts of the body”.

So why has cupping become more popular than a regular deep tissue massage? Some suggest that it’s because of the immediate effects not just on the body but also on your psyche. The unblocked blood vessels and improved oxygen and nutrient flow works well to ensure your whole body feels well.

Glow Concierge has a few cupping gurus of its own. Eleftheria and Alexandra have many years experience in massage therapy and, on top of that, a calming, friendly personality.

Trying this incredible massage technique out has now become even easier. Open glowconcierge.ch in your browser, choose from Cupping or Facial Cupping from Eleftheria and wait for your provider to knock on your door.

July 3, 2021
3

WHY LOVE YOGA

By | Fitness, Food for thought, Health | One Comment

Most of us are well-informed about the benefits of yoga. We associate this activity with healthy lifestyle, flexibility and mental well-being. But sometimes it seems so hard to force ourselves to do it. If you are one of those people who think “Yoga is not for me”, here are some good news! YOGA IS FOR EVERYONE.

Let’s first reexamine some of the benefits in comparison to other physical exercises.

There’s a tremendous amount of research confirming that certain yoga types can improve health through down-regulation of hypothalamic– pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis and the sympathetic nervous system (SNS). These two systems are the main responders to stress in our bodies. Therefore, the more often there’s a need for them to work, the more disbalanced your body’s response to triggers gets. This dysfunction then leads to obesity, diabetes, autoimmune disorders, depression, substance abuse, and cardiovascular disease.

Yoga has immediate effects on stress hormones and increase of natural killer cells. Studies even suggest that it reverses the impact of stress on the immune system. Moreover, you can actually feel the change, as yoga has also been shown to decrease anxiety and increase feelings of emotional, social and spiritual well-being.

Many studies have compared the effects of yoga and other physical activities such as fitness, stretching, walking, running or dancing. And, while the results on blood sugar reduction were similarly positive, yoga has been shown to have much greater benefits on the psyche.

In most of these comparisons yoga has been shown to be as effective as or superior to exercise on nearly every outcome measured.

The research conducted on women in labor or experiencing menopause confirmed the ease of the symptoms as well. While the pregnant women practicing yoga experienced an increase in maternal comfort and shortened labor time, the occurrence of hot flashes for menopausal participants reduced significantly.

COMMON MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT YOGA

Time Consuming

A lot of people who have never practiced yoga believe that it is really hard to choose a studio, yoga type, instructor or the time to start. However, they forget that the main focus of any yoga type is to bring balance to one’s life. It doesn’t matter if you start with Asana Yoga or Ayurveda, your instructor is going to focus on your specific needs.

Thus, all you need to do is click on “Book an Appointment” at glowconcierge.ch and your instructor will come straight to your door and care for a smooth start in your yoga journey.

Women’s thing

Surveys show that men can feel uncomfortable in yoga classes, either because they are surrounded by women or because they do not feel comfortable doing some exercises. Other than that, it is a common belief that if an exercise does not include weight lifting or enormous calorie burn, it is not worth doing.

But as we have mentioned earlier, yoga has many benefits on your general well-being. A skinny, exhausted figure is not a guarantee that you won’t get burned out the next day.

The bottom line is that everybody, men or women, want to stay healthy and yoga is an easy solution for that.

Doesn’t burn enough calories

Maybe yoga will not burn as many calories as an hour of running on a treadmill. But it has been shown that people who practice yoga tend to make healthier nutrition choices. Combine this fact with the lowered stress and blood sugar levels, and here you’ve got all the calories you would have burned doing something else.

Yoga is boring

This one is a classical fear of people willing to start yoga. They view it as standing in one position for 10 minutes without anything to do. However, yoga offers a huge variety of exercises oriented at different muscle groups at once. After all, in 3000 years of existence of yoga there must have been developed some exciting exercises.

To sum up, yoga does not only improve physical and  psychological conditions, but is also a great relaxation technique. It engages many muscle groups while keeping your mind at peace at all times. If you are suffering from lower back pain, cardiovascular disease or experiencing stress, yoga is exactly what you need.

We always test the providers before they start to work with us. So you can be 100% sure that the person who comes to your home has the friendliest personality and is well qualified. If you still haven’t fallen in love with yoga, let them help you make the first step.

Your Glow Concierge

June 26, 2021
3

THE PLANK TO EASE LOWER BACK PAIN

By | Fitness, Health | One Comment

Everyone knows the plank, not many people love the plank! It strengthens the core muscles involved in ‘anti extension’ which is basically any movement that resists extending the lower back. This exercise uses all of your abdominals, as well as glutes, legs, arms, and shoulders, doesn’t it just sound magical?

In 2018 a study was conducted, where 30 people of both genders who had lower back pain (for more than two weeks) were asked to do 5 plank exercises every day for three weeks. The results have shown that a plank not only strengthens various muscle groups, but also reduces back pain and improves the quality of life.

The key to the perfect plank is keeping your hips in line with the rest of your body, don’t stick your bum in the air and equally don’t let it fall towards the floor making an arch in your back…easier said than done! It is crucial to focus on doing the plank correctly, otherwise you might hurt some muscles, or even worse – suffer for no result!

The best way to start is from kneeling, come onto your forearms with your palms flat on the floor, next you need to activate your thigh muscles to straighten your legs. If you really push your elbows into the floor, then your shoulder blades will open up. Next tuck your tailbone, squeeze your glues and draw your stomach in, try pulling your feet towards your elbows and vice versa. Now for the hard part…hold it!

If you’re not used to it, then try holding for 30 seconds and repeat 3 times. As you get used to holding the plank position, try and extend how long you’re holding it for. See if you can work up to 2.5 minutes and again, repeat 3 times.

As plank activates all your muscled it might be a good idea to do it in the very beginning of your workout as a mini warm up (it does not substitute a proper warm up). Next time you roll your yoga mat out to exercise start with a series of planks switching from the regular elbow plank to the side ones.

If you stick to the instructions and do it often enough, there’s a chance you will love this exercise at some point. Good luck! You can do it!

Your Glow Concierge

June 12, 2021
3

BENEFITS OF HAVING A WORK-OUT BUDDY

By | Fitness | 2 Comments

In general, we all know that working out is great. Great for our health, mood, eating patterns and overall well-being. Still, for many it is not enough to commit to exercising for a long time. But would having another person doing it with you change something?

Studies show that having an exercise buddy can have positive effects on the life attitude, relationship building and class attendance. But let’s take it one by one.

  1. Improved attendance

When you are on your own, it is quite easy to decide against a workout. But what if there is a coach and a close friend waiting for you just outside your house. You will not only stop creating excuses, but go out there looking forward to spending some time with them.

2.Workouts can get more productive

Generally if we see another individual doing what we are supposed to, it gives us motivation and makes the task seem more achievable. It is also be quite fun to discuss this tough workout with your friend afterwards.

3.Find a fit friend

A 2016 study has shown that people gravitate towards the exercise behaviors of those around them. So, overweight people tend to lose more weight if they spend time with their fit friends — the more time they spend together, the more weight they lose.

And these are just some of the benefits. The main advantage of sharing your workouts with a friend with Glow Concierge is that you get a personal coach for half the price!

Here’s some math, so you get our point:

  1. Workouts with Christina

For 2 – 60CHF per person (10xPackage – 50CHF)

For 3 –40CHF per person (10xPackage – 33CHF)

2.Tridosha Yoga with Melanie (also available online)

For 2 – 75CHF per person (10xPackage – 62 CHF)

For 3 –  50CHF per person (10xPackage – 41CHF)

For 4 –  37CHF per person (10xPackage – 31CHF)

Your Glow Concierge

June 5, 2021
4

FACE LIFTING – BETTER THAN ANY CREAM

By | Beauty, Fashion, Health | One Comment

Why do we believe expensive creams can help our face look younger, and yet exercise to do the same thing for our body? There are 43 muscles in the face, but we only use 30 percent of them. Can it be beneficial to work with them as well?

A throughout massage of the face and daily exercises can lift and smoothen your face better than any cream or serum. We are not telling you to throw away all the beauty products you own. But the next time you stand in front of the mirror, consider massaging your face for a couple of minutes, and you’ll see the results as soon as you do it!

Why exercise?

Let’s take the “abs” for example. In our everyday life there are not so many occasions when these muscles are really working. And yet every single person is willing to die in the gym for a six-pack.

The same happens with our facial muscles. Daily we are using just a little portion of them while chewing, smiling, talking etc. But if we were to spend at least 15 minutes a day on facial exercises, there would be no more complaints of saggy necks, jowls or puffy eyes.

Manual lifting

Manual lifting is another technique to make your face look younger and skin smoother. Done on your own or with the help of a professional, this massage prevents aging, aids lymphatic system and drains excess water from the face.

After just a couple of minutes of rubbing and stroking, you can already feel your face become slimmer and cheekbones more visible. Isn’t it a dream come true?!

Don’t make it worse

Both these procedures, however, need to be done with caution. It is very important not to do any harm or make it look even worse. We recommend consulting with a professional before starting these exercises or massages on your own.

Our providers are always there to help. For example, try out the facial toning with Nadia ONLINE. In just 30 minutes she’ll teach you all the basics of facial exercises which you can easily perform on your own, or even at the elevator, in the car or walking down the street.

(Nadia is also teaching yoga in Zug. To access her online yoga and facial toning lessons, dial 6300 Postcode on our website)

When it comes to manual lifting, both Caterina and Eleftheria are offering 1 hour long facial massages in Zurich Lake and Zug regions. These qualified masters will follow all the essential lines on the face and reactivate the muscles so that the skin becomes smoother and gains elasticity.

Caring for your health&beauty since 2018

Your Glow Concierge

May 29, 2021
2

HAIR TRENDS FOR SUMMER 2021

By | Beauty, Fashion | No Comments

The biggest trends for summer are from the 70s, think Farrah Fawcett, shaggy layers, sunshine blonde and dare we say it… The Mullet! Celebs love it, Instagram loves it, is it really time to try it out for yourself?! If a full on Miley Cyrus mullet scares you then try a slightly longer, shaggier version first. Cut to the collarbone with plenty of short layers to give you the maximum amount of attitude, best worn dishevelled…nothing could be easier for summer!

Golden, sunshine blondes are huge this summer, throw away your purple shampoo and embrace Golden and Honey blonde tones. Think Margot Robbie and Gigi Hadid. The darker undertones require fewer touch up appointments making this much easier to maintain than the ashy, platinum blonde trends of 2020.

When you think 70s hair, the first person that comes to mind is Farrah Fawcett, dig out those old rollers from the back of the bathroom cupboard and give it a go. This style begs for roller skating on a sunny day by the lake.

Another trend that’s been around for a while now and isn’t going anywhere anytime soon is strawberry blonde hair. No other hair colour quite says I’m ready for summer like dreamy, soft pink hair!

Be free and be bold this summer! And we will do our best to help you with that. Discuss any crazy hair idea with our providers and get a personalized quote via a Face Time call.

Your Glow Concierge

May 22, 2021
1

INCREDIBLE NAIL ART TRENDS 2021

By | Beauty, Fashion | No Comments

Whether you see it on someone else or wear it, nail art is always something exciting. It can be extremely minimalistic, with just a heart or a couple of lines on a single finger, or incredibly bold with various elements all over your nails.

For this season’s summary, we’ve reviewed some of the most influential nail artists around the world to find the best ideas for you to try.

  1. Straight lines, curvy lines, use lines! The most common feature in the works we’ve reviewed are lines of various types, shapes and colors. The main seems to be – the more abstract the better.
  2. Reverse French. This trend is probably the easiest of all and yet still very charming. Next time you do your regular French manicure just change the colors and voila – you’ve got yourself some fashionable nails!
  3. Cuticle area decoration. All these years we’ve spent so much time trying to hide the cuticle and move attention to the tips of the nails while all we had to do was put some crystals there! A bold green line or some shining Swarovski crystals can really change the way your nails look, and again, super easy to make!
  4. The more color – the better! If you’ve already had a chance to look at summer collections of some popular brands you’ve probably noticed that this season the focus is on bright eye-catching details. Adding toxic nails to a total black or total white look would take your style to another level.

Do you still think nail art is not for you? It doesn’t always have to be bold, but you have to admit, there is something incredibly interesting about just a little detail on one of the nails. Like this cute and modest nail art by Megumi. Give it a shot and maybe you’ll fall in love with this type of manicure.

Your Glow Concierge

May 15, 2021
2

WEDDING BEAUTY TRENDS 2021

By | Beauty, Bridal, Fashion | No Comments

Whether you are having a wedding this year or attending one it is always interesting to know what the ones around you are going to be wearing. Almost every bride and groom wish to make their special day unique and stylish. It is no exception when we are talking about hair and make-up.

The past year has split the brides into two distinct categories: the ones who’ve accepted and got to love their natural looks and the ones craving a BIG party. Therefore, we’ve split our beauty trends into two main categories.

Team Natural

  1. The foundation of any natural look is glowing healthy skin. The last year has made many put their thicker foundations to the side and embrace their skin. And, let’s face it, as a bride you wouldn’t want your ten layers of concealer to stay on your man’s shirt! That’s why many brides and GROOMS as well try to make something extra for their skin before their special day. Good skin-care products will help keep skin hydrated, while a good peeling would be a must before the wedding day to smoothen the skin and make it even shinier.
  2. Match the outfits. With smaller wedding rocking the scene this year, knowing where to stop in the beauty area is crucial. For a small wedding somewhere in a garden a bold red lipstick and perfectly coiffed hair could be overkill.
  3. As much as we miss our lipsticks, the recommendation for a small-wedding natural look would be to stick to the basics.
  4. The more seamless – the better. For many this year has been the time to return their natural hair and get it back in shape. We got to love the at-home buns and unpolished hair looks. So why change it? Wedding beauty specialists say that this year most brides will be going for lived-in, textured hairstyles . Soft, natural curves or relaxed updos are a perfect match for the little wedding.

Team Bold

  1. Every bride strives to achieve the WOW effect once she enters the room. And while some are satisfied with the natural looks, others prefer to exaggerate. For this, make-up is crucial.  But hold the eyeliner! The trend for stylish front-cover looks this year are crystals. On the dress? No, on the eyes. According to our top fashion sources, this season will be all about eyes. Glitter, crystals and colorful eyeshadows are rocking the scene.
  2. For most of us, masks mean no lipstick, and this has been the case for a long time… Thus, for many, the reunion with an old friend might seem like the most desired option and most surprising indeed. The bold lip is definitely not something you would expect to see on a bride and that’s what makes it so exciting!

What about the grooms?

Many wedding planners suggest that the focus is shifting to the grooms. After all, not only women want to look good on wedding pictures.

Some facials and peelings could not only make the groom (and his friends) look more polished but also make the job of the photographer much easier.

Your Glow Concierge

We are providing beauty services!

Write us to info@glowconcierge.ch to get personalized wedding advice and a quote. Our specialists can come to any location around Switzerland and make your wedding morning seamless and fun ♡

May 7, 2021
1

PREPARING YOUR SKIN FOR WAXING

By | Beauty | No Comments

It is the end of April and the weather is finally letting us wear shorts and skirts, t-shirts and crop tops… And while many would put on these summer outfits on right from their closet and walk to the beach, for some, their hairy body parts might seem to be an issue.

Waxing is quite a popular method of hair removal. It leaves the desired areas hairless and smooth for as long as 4 weeks, does not require significant sacrifices and, after all, is quite easy to get used to. Yet many are still scared of this procedure: either because it seems too painful to even try or because it leaves them with ingrown hairs and irritation (which can happen).

Whether you are a newbie when it comes to waxing or you’ve been removing your hair this way for years, there are certain procedures to be kept in place before and after the treatment. With these rituals, you will decrease the chances of getting ingrown hairs or irritation to a minimum.

  1. Scrub scrub scrub. Scrubbing removes the dead skin layers around the hairs. This makes them stand out more and results in wax getting them more easily (reducing your suffering).
  2. Moisturize. In general, soft well-cared-for skin reacts to any kind of treatment better. It is also quite important to renew the natural protective layer after you’ve scrubbed it off after a shower. It is also crucial to calm down the skin after the treatment.
  3. Have a long hot shower before the treatment. A bath or a long shower would make your hair more susceptible to its removal. You’ll also feel more relaxed emotionally which reduces the level of perceived pain.
  4. Don’t wax irritated skin. This is a very important step to follow. Irritation is practically any state of the skin other than normal. It means that if you are sunburnt, have any cuts or damages you should tell your beautician. The protective layer covering the damaged skin has an important role in the healing process and any kind of intervention, especially ripping it off, would result in longer healing or even scarring.
  5. Clean your skin properly.  If you want to fasten the process, you should make sure that nothing is obstructing the wax from sticking to your hair. As our bodies naturally produce protective oil and sweat, waxing on an uncleaned surface would not only become a longer process but also expose you to external bacteria and infections.

After the waxing:

  1. No tight jeans! After the treatment, your skin would need some time to rest. Wear breathable clothes and let it do so.  
  2. Don’t irritate the skin even further. Sunbathing and scrubbing would be very unpleasant for your fragile skin in the 24 hours after waxing. It is best you withstand showing off your soft shining legs for at least a couple of hours after the treatment and let your skin calm down in the shadow.
  3. Moisturize. Again… Always a good idea!
  4. Scrubbing before as well as days after the treatment could prevent you from getting ingrown hairs and help maintain the results longer. Make sure your skin is fully rested before starting though.

With Glow Concierge at your disposal waxing could become much easier. As everything is taking place at your home you could take your time in the shower first and really make that skin baby-soft. Don’t scrub or put any oils or creams on before waxing. Enjoy the bath, get relaxed and do not overthink it. The right mood and comfortable atmosphere combined with the professionalism of our providers would create the most painless waxing experience you’ve ever had.