It's Prep Time!!!

Yikes! It's December already. Is your Christmas shopping done? Your calendar booked with special events with family and friends?  Does work seem madder than ever and are the days passing with rapid momentum?

You may have already purchased a new dress and sandals for the office Christmas party and something special to wear on Christmas day, after all, you'll be catching up with people you may not have seen all year and want to look your best....however, your roots need touching up, those legs are a little pale and please don't get me started on the toes! Yikes!  Does this sound familiar?

If so, then it is definitely time to start getting into shape!

Before you start repeat this mantra:

• This year I will not have to battle the crowds on the last shopping day to buy gifts.
• This year I will not have to beg my hairdresser to squeeze me in because I left my booking so late and he/she is fully booked.
• This year I will not try to get an appointment at the spa for emergency hair removal, bronzing and buffing at the 11th hour only to be disappointed and have to do all of the above myself with mediocre results.
• I will not go to my Christmas Party reeking of self tanning cream that I slapped on the night before, or with my nail polish bearing the imprints of my bed sheets because I painted them at midnight.

This year I will be organised and breeze through Christmas looking glam and polished and bearing the greatest gifts ever given.

Better get started!

• First thing is first....venture out this weekend and begin your gift shopping if you haven't already.  Order the food you need for your Christmas feast (if like me in a moment of insanity you invited the entire family over on Christmas day).
• If it's difficult to get out and about, then consider gift shopping online. Remember however that some online shops take a few weeks to deliver and you don't want to miss out on great deals because you left it too late.
• Book your beauty appointments now!  I can't stress this enough, most spas are booked a month in advance at this time if not further and you don't want to miss out!!!  And while you are there, purchase some gift vouchers, they make wonderful gifts for anyone.  A facial, a massage or a sublime relaxation retreat never goes unappreciated. Often you can order your vouchers online and have them delivered or alternatively call the spa to organise delivery over the phone.  Visit our Search a Spa section to find your nearest spa. 
• If you are entertaining you should begin cleaning the house now.  Each weekend do two rooms so it doesn't become overwhelming. Clear the clutter and vacuum the webs and before you know it your entire house is ready to receive guests and you won't ruin the day by wearing yourself out on the morning they are due.
• Spend an hour or so pampering yourself at least once a week, more if you have the time. Exfoliate, hydrate, file and polish and treat your skin to a deep cleansing skin treatment.  
• If you are travelling over Christmas we recommend purchasing a convenient travel pack with the essentials you need to look great every day.  We love  Spa Travel Essentials Kit 

Home Prep Essentials

Gentle Exfoliating Cleanser - use it once or twice a week to give your skin a gorgeous glow

Balancing Fundamental Mask - with pore cleansing clay and hydrating goodies

Silky Skin Body Scrub - eliminates dry dead cells that dull body skin and ruin a self tanning treatment.

Micro Emulsion Massage Cream - Massage it all over before hopping into the bath for your own home spa aromatherapy treatment

Dry Oil Body Moisturiser - Spray on wet skin for a deeply hydrating boost

Professional Treatments you simply "MUST HAVE"...

Spa Pedicure and Manicure - if you have short nails it only takes a month of TLC to grow them!  Regular manicures are ideal but at the very least have your hands and feet pampered and painted so they look fab in new sandals and with all that new jewellery you get at Christmas.

Body Scrub and Massage - your skin will be silky soft and deeply nourished as you get rid of all that "end of year" tension.

Balancing Facial - incredibly relaxing and your makeup will look so much better on refined and glowing skin.  Remember to include a brow tidy and lash tint!

Spray Tan - a light golden glow will make you radiate health and give you an immediate boost.

Start preparing now and you'll look your absolute best through the festive season.  You deserve it, you've worked hard and we all know that Christmas is a time of love and giving.  There is no better way to enhance that giving spirit than by giving first to yourself.

Eat your way to healthy skin!

Have you ever wondered how you can improve your skin from the inside out! By eating the right foods not only will you  improve your general health but you'll also have beautiful, healthy and younger-looking skin!

So what foods are the best for improving your skin health?

AVOCADO: Avocados are a wonder food for the skin! Avocados provide nourishment and are packed full of B-Vitamins and essential oils that are dispersed to your skin when you eat them. Avocados also contains Niacin, which works as an anti-inflammatory, helping to calm sensitive skin.

BOOST WITH: Pevonia Soothing Propolis Concentrate for sensitive skin

COTTAGE CHEESE: Cottage Cheese is another wonder food because it's full of calcium (also good for your bones). It's also loaded with Selenium, the number one most promising nutrient in skin cancer research. Selenium is vital for your skin’s appearance and health. Selenium regulates normal cell growth, especially important for mature skin and it is a vital antioxidant in which help obliterate free radicals.

BOOST WITH: Pevonia Hydrating Sunscreen to protect your skin from the sun's harmful UV rays.

MUSHROOMS: Mushrooms are essential for younger skin because they contain Riboflavin. Riboflavin is a Vitamin B supplement that repairs and sustains the skin tissue.  So mushrooms are wonderful to help heal, rejuvenate and strengthen the skin.

BOOST WITH: Pevonia Reactive Skin Care Cream to aid faster skin repair.

BLUEBERRIES: Blueberries are incredibly beneficial for younger-looking and healthier skin. Blueberries improve your skin’s appearance because they are abundant with antioxidants that help to counteract premature free radical ageing. Berries in general have some of the highest antioxidant contents in the entire food chain. Eat blueberries to fight off harmful free-radicals (found in pollution, cigarette smoke, and sun exposure), and you skin will glow with radiant health.

BOOST WITH: Pevonia Vitaminic Concentrate to dose the skin with potent anti-oxidants and nourish the skin.

WALNUTS: Walnuts are amazing for all skin types. The fatty acids in walnuts slow down the skin ageing process. These fatty acids help to re-build healthy cell membranes, which provides more protection against harmful toxins or free-radicals entering the skin cells. By helping to support strong skin cell membranes, these fatty acids also create better through-ways for essential nutrients that your skins needs to maintain its vibrancy. A stronger membrane will also hold more water, allowing your skin to retain more moisture for longer periods of time.

BOOST WITH: Pevonia Age-Defying Marine Collagen Cream to help boost moisture levels in dry or dehydrated skin

And last but not least, in order to maintain healthy skin and a younger-looking appearance, do not forget to drink water!

For more information on Pevonia Botanica products and treatments visit our website on http://www.pevonia.com.au/

Skin Care through the ages - 30's, 40's, 50's & 60's...

With so many "anti-aging" products on the market it can become very confusing when searching for the best products for your skin. Ceramides, Liposomes, Anti-Oxidants...does your skin need all of these things? 

In this article we attempt to de-mystify the abundance of information by addressing what is MOST IMPORTANT for your skin depending on your age.

thirties

It's sad but true, skin ageing really begins at 30.  Particularly when you've exposed yourself to the sun. Fine lines develop as Collagen and Elastin start to break down, and our delicate skin under the eyes begins to thin. Skin generally becomes drier, quicker. Broken veins may start to show up as tiny red dots, and towards the end of this decade, age spots and brown pigmentation marks, or 'sun spots', may appear. Under-eye puffiness may become a problem, taking longer to subside after you wake.  Arrghhh! you may say, but don't panic, there is a lot you can do to halt the ageing process...

What you need: Moisturisers with sun protection.

• Hydrating moisturizer such as Pevonia Collagen Cream
• SPF 15+ day protection such as Pevonia Hydrating Sunscreen
• Eye cream or cream/gel such as Pevonia Evolutive Eye Gel

forties

Deeper lines begin to etch around the mouth and eyes, furrows appear on the forehead and circles under the eyes may grow into pouches. Most women's skin becomes noticeably drier. In the run-up to the menopause, and during this phase, skin may also become more sensitive. What's more, skin loses its resilience due to a breakdown of Elastin and Collagen.

What you need: Your daily regime should embrace products that offer specific benefits to counteract skin problems such as: sensitivity, hyper-pigmentation, anti-aging

• Lip and eye care products such as Pevonia Youthful Lip Cream and Evolutive Eye Cream
• Hydrating moisturizer with Elastin such as Pevonia Marine Elastin Cream
• Soothing serum to protect capillaries such as Pevonia Soothing Propolis Concentrate

fifties

By now, skin starts to acquire true 'character' in the form of fine wrinkles, and the lines you develop in your fifties and sixties may deepen into folds. This is because, post-menopausally, there's much less oestrogen being produced and without oestrogen, skin becomes thinner and more fragile. It is also less able to retain moisture and the production of collagen and elastin slows down significantly. In the fifties, skin tone is also likely to become more uneven, with an increasing number of 'sun spots'

What you need: Products that minimize the appearance of lines, contain phyto-estrogens and protect the skin from the sun or even fade sunspots.

• De-aging products such as Pevonia Caviar Line or Lumafirm Line
• Products with phyto-estrogens such as Pevonia RS2 Line
• Products rich in collagen and elastin such as Pevonia Power Repair Line
• Sun protection and pigment fading products such as Pevonia Hydrating Sunscreen and Pevonia Lightening Gel

sixties

Dryness. Your skin has a hard time retaining moisture and natural oil production slows down. Dullness. Cell turnover continues to slow - a process that started in your forties. Dark spots. Between the lack of oil, the loss of collagen and elastin, and the dryness, dark spots can really start to stand out. Actinic keratoses. Areas of scaly roughness often seen on fair-skinned women that can be a precursor to skin cancer.

What you need: Products that minimize the appearance of lines with a stronger emphasis on exfoliation.

• De-aging products such as Pevonia Caviar Line or Lumafirm Line
• Exfoliating products with aha’s such as Pevonia Glycocides Cream
• Products rich in collagen and elastin such as Pevonia Power Repair Line
• Sun protection and pigment fading products such as Pevonia Hydrating Sunscreen and Pevonia Lightening Gel

To find out more about Pevonia Products and Professional Treatments visit http://www.pevonia.com.au/