Too old or lazy for yoga? Our coach Rita shares with you 10 ways in which this activity can benefit your health and maybe even change your life.
Read More
10 step skin care routine
The beauty routine of many Koreans is based on ancient traditions. They use only natural, gentle ingredients to achieve clear and glowy skin, which make K- Beauty trends so popular today. Finding a Korean woman without perfectly flawless skin is practically impossible. Have you wondered why? It’s because Korean women invest in their skin, not just money but time too.
Unfortunately, these women do not achieve such results without effort. The appearance is the ultimate investment for them. Many Korean women have a 10 step skin care routine. It is performed on a daily basis and goes somewhat like this:
- Balm or oil cleanser
- Foaming cleanser
- Peeling
- Toner
- Essence
- Serum
- Sheet Mask
- Eye Cream
- Moisturiser
- Night Cream/ Mask
What is ‘slugging’?
A new version of Step 10 has recently emerged amongst beauty lovers; covering the face in Vaseline or thick petroleum jelly and sleeping in it in a bid to wake up with perfect, glowing skin. The Korean trend, known as ‘slugging’, coats the face in a thick layer which imitates the slick, slimy trails left behind by a garden slug. The next morning you just wash it off with your regular cleanser and end up with perfect, glowing skin!
The Results
For those of you with oily skin, you may be a little skeptical at first but bear with me! I thought I’d try this for 7 days and see what all the fuss was about. By day 3 I was a convert, my skin already looked brighter and more hydrated. I was genuinely stunned by the difference it made, after 7 days my skin felt softer and plumper to the touch, the results were brilliant and Vaseline is so cheap compared to other moisturizers. I’ll definitely keep ‘slugging’. I won’t do it every night because going to bed slimy isn’t the most pleasant feeling, but I’ll try to include it once or twice a week, maybe more in winter when my skin is insanely dry.
If it looks like it’s too good to be true, then it probably is! “Lose 10 kg in 5 weeks”, “Juice cleanse to detox your body”, “Eat these magical pills and reduce your clothing size within a week…” We get bombarded with weight loss tips, teas, pills, powders and “new year, new me”–gibberish, all year around, but it escalates during the Christmas and New Year time. Many people and businesses are willing to go very far to get hold of your money, and well marketed health-claiming products would also have ended up in my cupboard if I didn’t know better. However, instead of pouring out money on products with no function and of bad quality, let’s go back to basics.
- Be sceptical, be curious, ask questions – do not believe everything you hear, see and read
- Check the sources of the products or article. Are they reliable? Do they have scientific back up? Has this been proven or disproven?
- No juices, powders, tablets etc. can help you to detox the body. This is simply a marketing-concept! The liver, kidney and skin is responsible to “detoxify” your body, these organs do work even without the rainbow-pills
- If you lose 10 kg in 4-5 weeks, you have mostly just lost body water. If weight loss is the goal, then time is what you need. Generally, you should not lose more than 0,5-1 kg per week in order to be able to maintain the weight loss and avoid the yoyo-effect
- For a controlled weight loss, it is important that you plan your meals and find a suitable meal rhythm e.g. Breakfast, Lunch, Snack & Dinner.
- Make sure that you have a lot of vegetables/fruits on your plate for every meal
- Carbohydrates are not dangerous, but necessary. Nevertheless, make sure to choose the complex carbohydrates – the ones with a high fibre content, such as whole wheat pasta, wild or brown rice, buckwheat, barley, whole wheat bulgur.
- Have a good protein source at least twice per day, such as fish, meat, tofu, tempeh, dairy products, pulses and legumes.
- Fat is also necessary in your diet, choose foods high in omega-3 and -6 fatty acids e.g. salmon, mackerel, olive oil, nuts and seeds.
- Sugars are not dangerous for the body, but they should be kept to a minimum. WHO recommends not to eat more than 25 g/ 6 tsp. of sugar per day.
- Alcohol can be enjoyed once in a while, but know that it does not provide the body with useful energy, and it is recommended to drink less than 14 units per week. (1 unit =25 ml of spirits, ½ pint, 87 ml wine etc.)
- Make sure to try and always eat at the dining table, preferably spending 20 minutes for a meal, so it can be enjoyed!
- Exercise is not only helpful for a potential weight loss, but also important for maintaining bone health, muscle mass and our cardiovascular system.
- Rest and sleep! This is a must! It is very difficult to lose weight if you are already fatigued. Aim for a good quality sleep of 7-8 hours.
This article is written by Henriette Saevil, Clinical Nutritionist
(IG: @nutritionbyhenny).
If you have any questions or want to book a consultation please feel free to contact me via our website: https://nutrition-az.com/appointments or drop me an email: henriette.saevil@nutrition-az.com
So, what exactly is microneedling?
Microneedling is a minimally invasive skincare treatment that stimulates “wound healing,” or the body’s natural reaction to produce collagen. Microneedling has been around for centuries, most commonly as acupuncture. This modern version didn’t really take off until the early 2000s and has since been taking the beauty world by storm.
The benefits make microneedling worth the splurge. This treatment boosts collagen, promotes healthy circulation, and helps to tighten and lift skin. Microneedling is also the ideal way to treat dreaded scarring from acne, hyperpigmentation, fine lines, and even stretch marks. Count me in!
Before having my appointment, I made sure that my face was thoroughly clean without a trace of makeup, I hardly ever wear makeup so that was an easy one! Once I was comfortably lying down and wrapped up nice and warm under a blanket, Monique explained the whole treatment before getting started.
The tool that was used looks like a large pen, so you don’t actually see any needles. Monique started by applying a serum, she started on my forehead and then worked in sections on my face, the serum is packed with vitamins so that the skin absorbs the benefits throughout the process. I was expecting it to be quite painful so was pleasantly surprised to find that apart from the odd sensitive area like the upper lip and cheekbones, it wasn’t too bad at all. Honestly, no part of my face actually hurt until my upper lip, and even then, the pain was tolerable, she did that area really quickly so it was over almost before it began. This is generally a more sensitive area on your face anyways, so it makes sense!
After Monique had finished my entire face, she applied a cooling and calming mask for 10 minutes to help reduce inflammation and redness, this felt so good! The final step was to apply a calming cream and I was officially good to go.
She explained after the importance of wearing sunscreen and gave me a small sample of SPF50 in case I didn’t have any myself.
I have to say I was expecting to look quite alarming and have no chance of going outside for a good 24 hours but in fact I was quite shocked (in a good way!), when I looked in the mirror, I was a little red but it didn’t look too bad at all, I actually went out after and didn’t get any strange looks.
The first 2 hours after the appointment, my face was a little tender, it felt a bit like wind burn but after a couple of hours I didn’t notice it at all.
For me the biggest thing I noticed was my pores look smaller which is exactly what I wanted. I didn’t have any side effects although I’ve heard that some people do break out a few days after.
HOW FREQUENTLY SHOULD YOU BE MICRONEEDLING?
According to Monique, for best results you should have 3 treatments, a month or so apart, after that, once a year is enough.
Hi Rosamund, we have 5 questions for you. First off, what gave you the idea for Glow Concierge?
After I had my first child I was desperate for a manicure but didn’t want to take him with me to the salon and didn’t want to have to pay for a babysitter. I was complaining to a friend that I couldn’t find someone to come to me and she said why don’t you do it then! That was that, Glow was born!
Question 2 for you: what are your favourite treatments?
Where do I start! I guess there’s 2 sides to this. The one’s have most frequently and the ones that are a real treat. I have a manicure every 3 weeks or so with Aleksandra. She is brilliant, it’s always flawless, lasts an age and doesn’t take too long. For pedicures, I book Laura usually, she has this amazing treatment called Lovaspa which has to be seen to be believed, leaves your feet like babies bottoms!
When I’m treating myself I book the Wake Up Renewing Facial with Andrei, it’s sublime. Reflexology with Nadia is also a real treat, she doesn’t actually serve my area but when I’m at my parents in Schindellegi, I always make sure to book.
Questions 3: what’s your favourite part of working on Glow Concierge
One of my favourite things has to be getting to test all the new providers, lucky me! Although once I had to test 3 personal trainers in less than a week which was brutal! I also love the customer side of it, I’ve never really had to interact with customers in that way before, it was very new to me but I love it. To be honest, every day is different and it’s all new which is exciting so I pretty much love all of it!
Question 4: what are your plans for Glow Concierge in the near future?
At the moment the focus is on the German part of Switzerland, obviously we started in Zurich first and we’re slowly spreading out, I’m always on the look out for more providers to join, it’s a slow process but we’re getting there! We’ll be adding Basel Stadt Canton soon which is exciting!
Question 5: what’s the hardest part of running the business?
Trying to balance the number of providers with the number of clients, it’s a bit of a catch 22 situation, without the providers, we won’t get the clients, but without enough clients, the providers won’t get the bookings. Especially in new areas, this is something that takes time. In Zurich now we have a great balance but in the newer areas, its slower.
Viele Menschen fragen sich: was ist eigentlich der Unterschied zwischen Pilates und Yoga? Beginnen wir mit Yoga. Durch regelmässiges Yoga-Training wird der Körper beweglicher und auch die Beweglichkeit der Gelenke verbessert sich. Durch das Atmen, die Bewegungen und die Meditation, lassen sich Körper, Geist und Seele leicht miteinander vereinen.
Pilates hingegen stärkt die Tiefenmuskulatur und lockert verspannte Muskeln. Es verbessert die Körperhaltung und stärkt die Körpermitte, wodurch zum Beispiel Rückenschmerzen gelindert oder gar geheilt werden können. Pilates dient oft nach Verletzungen als geeignete Therapieform für den Wiederaufbau der Muskulatur. Praktiziere Yoga und / oder Pilates regelmässig und Du wirst schon nach kurzer Zeit körperliche und mentale Veränderungen wahrnehmen.
Pilates
Es ist bewiesen, dass Pilates bei folgenden Erkrankungen von Vorteil sein kann:
Arthritis & Gelenkverletzungen
Harninkontinenz
Atemwegserkrankungen
Rückenschmerzen
Yoga
Die Erfolge, welche durch das Praktizieren von Yoga hervorgehen, sind wissenschaftlich bewiesen. Abgesehen von den körperlichen und geistigen Veränderungen wird angenommen, dass Yoga auch einen positiven Einfluss auf die folgenden medizinischen Aspekte hat:
Chronische Schmerzen
Angstzustände & Depressionen
Multiple Sklerose
Arthritis
Atemwegserkrankungen
Hoher Blutdruck
Typ-2-Diabetes
Was für ein atemberaubendes Bild von Rita in den Schweizer Alpen in einer klassischen Yoga-Position.
The spookiest occasion of the year is just around the corner so, let’s talk Halloween. Have you got your costume ready, have you thought about your make up yet? How are you going to style your hair?
Did you know, this year Halloween is on a Saturday, it’s going to be a super rare Full Blue Moon AND it’s daylight saving so that means an extra hour of partying! The trifecta of Halloween awesomeness!
It’s never too soon to start planning! Here’s some inspiration for you!
The Day of the Dead is always a Winner!
Put those “Poor Unfortunate Souls” to shame by channeling your inner sea witch.
Who better to dress as than Wednesday Addams herself!
Maybe you know exactly what you’ll be wearing and how you want your hair and makeup or perhaps you need some help. We are always available to help you decide on the perfect look for you. Send us an email at info@glowconcierge.ch to discuss your Halloween needs.
A lot of people wonder what is the difference between pilates and yoga. One of the main differences is that Yoga can be used for improving the flexibility of the body and it will also gradually increase the flexibility of your joints. Whereas Pilates focuses on trying to relax muscles which are tense and provide strengthening of the numerous muscles of the body, it also may be better for recovery after injury, improving posture and for core strength.
One of the biggest difference is the focus in yoga on the spiritual side. Yoga is an integrated system using breath, movement and meditation to unite mind, body and spirit. Pilates was created by Joseph Pilates who was an anatomist and a mechanical genius. It is a physical system that uses very specific targeted exercises to improve strength, flexibility and posture with particular focus on the core. It is a disciplined practice that needs to be done on a regular basis to provide benefit.
So which one is right for you?
The benefits of yoga have been studied extensively. As well as physical and mental benefits, yoga is also believed to have a positive effect on the following medical issues:
Chronic pain
Anxiety & depression
Multiple sclerosis
Arthritis
Respiratory conditions
High blood pressure
Type 2 diabetes
Evidence suggests that Pilates may be beneficial for those with the following conditions:
Arthritis & joint injuries
Urinary incontinence
Respiratory conditions
Back pain
We have several brilliant Yoga instructors, Nadia, Dorit, Rita and Dani who cover Aargau, Luzern, Schwyz, Zug and Zurich. In Zurich we also have 2 Pilates instructors, Dan and Viviane.
While many of us may not be going on the holidays we expected, or to the parties we had planned, we can still follow the trends that we were thinking we’d see in far flung locations or lining the restaurants and bars at home this summer. While the 2010s were all about looking effortless, this new decade is finally making makeup fun again. 2020 is all about celebrating the individual, throw on that glitter, pile of that hair and read on.
Emphasis on the Eyes – neon liners, glitters, pastels; look beyond your usual safe smokey eye and learn to experiment.
Modern French Manicure – forget the classic French that you see with the white tips, think incredibly fine neon tips, bright accents and a manicure firmly rooted in 2020.
Glitter Everywhere – we missed our glitter braids at festivals this summer but instead we got glitter eye makeup! So many options, subtle fine shimmers, bold chunks of glitter, rhinestones – you can’t go wrong!
Fluffy Brows -thankfully the overfilled brows that have invaded Instagram are on the way out, fluffy, more natural brows are here to stay! Opt for a tinted brow gel or a fine brow pencil to get more definition or sweep your brows upwards with brow wax for a more dramatic look.
Is it really already nearly time for cosy evenings in front of the fire? After a long long summer it may be time to cosy up in your dressing gown and treat yourself to some pampering at home.
Is it crazy to be excited about the cosy evenings? I say there’s nothing crazy about a massage in front of the fire and not having to leave the house afterwards. What better way to finish your massage than in your dressing gown with no need to go anywhere other than the sofa with a good film and a glass of wine.
Have a look below at our top massage picks of the moment.
REFLEXOLOGY
This special massage technique is based on the assumption that the reflex zones on the foot are connected to the various organs of the body. When our therapist massages with specific pressure these stimuli reach the brain and the connected organs through the skin, muscles, nerves, blood and lymphatic systems. This selective stimulation is able to release blockages in the meridians – the energy channels of the body – and to improve blood circulation.
LYMPH DRAINAGE MASSAGE
Manual lymph drainage is a gentle technique aimed at stimulating the lymphatic system and relieving localised swelling by shifting accumulated lymph fluid from the area affected to the corresponding lymph nodes or drainage areas using superficial movement techniques on the skin and subcutaneous tissue.
AROMATHERAPY MASSAGE
Aromatherapy uses the restorative properties of essential oils to activate healing for the mind, body and soul. It’s excellent for relaxation, reducing stress, increasing calmness and reducing anxiety.