Asian Health and Beauty Secrets
(Face Value)
More than
any other part of our body our face reflects most accurately what is going
on beneath our skins facade.
It is the clear est indication of the popular maxim: 'beauty youth learning
and preparing them for from the inside-out'.
While we know that we cannot halt our natural ageing process, we can help
our skins age with grace by taking
a few simple steps. Fresh air; adequate sleep, a high water intake, relaxation
and a diet highin fruit and vegetables
and low in processed foods, all help our facial skin stay plump and relatively
free from blemishes.
Tropical
Asian women have a head start on are giving them soft skin and a relaxed state
those in theWest.
These basic steps have been an integral part of their traditional life modern
beauty, and ironically,they may now styles
for centuries. And many of their facial preparations are mixed directly from
the vast botanical heritage that this
region laysclaim to. For example, many natural beauty preparations stem from
the palaces in Central Java where
princesses spent their youth learning and preparing them for their own use.In
the absence of night creams, neck creams
and new oxygen creams, Asian women have used raw plant extracts to slough
offdead skin cells, fight acne,
replenish moisture or achieve an SPF.
For
Scrub 8 oz (I cup) : clear honey (Thai honey is the most nutritious
for this),10 drops : fresh lime juice, 1 : medium-sized cucumber, thinly
sliced 
For
Scrub : 15gm (1 tbsp) dry corn kernel, 15gm(1 tbsp) ground rice powder,
15 ml ( I tbsp) cucumber juice (for oily skin) 15ml (I tbsp) carrot
juice (for normal/dry skin) 
Steps
: Mix the corn (dried, yellow kernels) together with the rice powder
(finel/ ground rice).Then add the cucumber or carrot juice to make
your scrub. After your cleansing and toning routine (Mandara Spas
use the seaweed-rich line Biokos, from Martha Tilaar), apply
the scrub, taking care not to rub too vigorously as over-zealous rubbing
can do more harm than good. Concentrate on the nose area. (While this
scrub settles, massage your feet and calves with your favourite oil.)
Gently wipe off the scrub, ideally with a natural sponge or muslin
cloth dipped in warm water.Tone and moisturize with Martha Tilaar's
Biokos toner and moisturizer with a seaweed base. Mix the collagen
powder (or the cosmetic clay powder, depending on which you use) together
with the cucumber or carrot juice to make the mask. Apply the mask
with your fingers or a brush and place the cucumber patches over your
eyes. (This is where you need a friend who will massage your hands
and arms while you drift off under the cooling and tightening mask.)
After 15 minutes, gently wipe off the mask with a natural sponge or
muslin cloth dipped in warm water. Tone and moisturize and, while
massaging the face, skip your fingers over your forehead and cheeks
to stimulate your nerve endings.
