What a great body!

Perhaps it is not your body but your attitude that is not perfect. Realise that human beings are never satisfied — unconsciously, you keep wanting more and aiming higher. It is not completely unhealthy as long as you do not let it overpower you.

Despite the grave advice presented above, it is acceptable to correct real problems — like dry skin or the extra 30 pounds that don’t belong on your body.

But there is a healthy way of doing it without letting it adversely affect your daily life. On the contrary, it should make you look and feel better enabling you to feel more confident and positive.

Weight loss is an issue that most women consider, whether it is to lose five pounds or 40. But not all are successful and most give up after sometime. Start with developing the right attitude and taking baby steps to implement it as we explained in last week’s edition.

Remember to keep it simple and work on that attitude.

If you break away from your routine, start over and move on instead of completely letting go of your diet and bingeing. The best way to make sure you do not fail is to not completely stay away from your favourite food items.

You will crave these foods and the craving will make the situation worse when you feel restricted by your diet. Instead indulge your cravings in smaller portions and in moderation.

Weight loss apart, there is still the skin you have to take care of, the cellulite and stretch marks you dream of eradicating, which we go into more detail later,  not just your face and hands but your whole body.  It is logical to assume that the only moisturising your whole body receives is when you bathe. And it is important to nourish, smooth and soften your skin.

Make sure you use a soap, which is mild, and one that will not damage your skin, or a shower gel with toning or contouring properties such as the Clarins Contour, Relax or Tonic Bath & Shower Concentrate. While skipping bath a day sounds like a terrible sin, bathing too many times is also not recommended. It will only make your skin dry and irritable. Cleanliness is important but learn to enjoy your bath as a means for de-stressing. Pamper yourself with bath oils and moisturisers that come in the Clarins Aroma-Phyto Beauty Care Range; remember to nourish your body with nutritious food, exercise, positive thoughts and some pampering!Treat yourself to a massage, a pedicure or a facial…it will instantly make you feel relaxed and revitalized, by removing toxins from your body.

Cellulite

The term cellulite was first used in the 1920s, and is also known as cottage cheese skin and the orange peel syndrome. Cellulite refers to the dimpled appearance of the skin that forms over thighs, abdomen and buttocks, and tends to be more pronounced in older women.

While being totally harmless, it can be the biggest area of concern for women. Cellulite is not related to being overweight, underweight and average people can also get cellulite.

Cellulite comes naturally with ageing and similar to wrinkles that form on the face comes about from lower levels of collagen and elastin in the skin. The presence of cellulite is not always prominent, unless one tries to pinch the upper skin of one’s thigh; if it feels lumpy then you most certainly have it.

Cellulite forms beneath the skin, and as the collection of fats push against the connective tissue, it tends to cause the surface of the skin to dimple or pucker and visually look lumpy.

Don’t feel bad about having cellulite, since most women have the same condition.

There are several factors that contribute to cellulite build-up: genetics probably, gender, the amount of excess fats in your body, age is a major factor and the thickness of your skin are all instrumental to the presence of cellulite over your thighs and how visible it is, even at a distance.

However, there is yet to be a conclusive finding that can exactly determine the cause of cellulite build up. The most effective solution for removing cellulite comes from combining diet, exercise and treatment products. Clarins Total Body Lift “Stubborn Cellulite Control” is perfect for those areas of your body where you are concerned about sponginess and stubborn fat. Total Body Lift is going to give three effective actions visible and rapid results. It will minimise your excess fatty deposits, protects and reinforces collagen fibres and firm the support tissue leaving your skin feeling beautiful and hydrated. It’s no wonder that it has been voted one of the world’s best cellulite cream by studies.

Stretch marks

Stretch marks are a normal part of puberty for most girls and boys and are generally associated with pregnancy, obesity, and can develop during rapid muscle growth from body building. It is a common condition that does not cause any significant medical problems but can be of cosmetic concern for some people.

Stretch marks are the result of the rapid stretching of the skin associated with rapid growth, e.g. puberty or weight gains, e.g. pregnancy — 50-90 percent of pregnant women develop stretch marks, beginning with the appearance of red marks which then turn white. Both men and women can get stretch marks anywhere on the body but most commonly the abdominal area, thighs, hips, buttocks, breasts, upper arms or lower back, stretching of the skin may cause a tingling or itchy sensation.

There are many products on the market which claim to remove stretch marks completely, however, this can never happen — an existing stretch mark will never completely disappear but it is possible to reduce the appearance of those which are beginning to form.

There is a Clarins product for stretch marks called Stretch Mark Control whichhelps to reduce the appearance of stretch marks by promoting skin elasticity and comfort of the skin reducing feelings of tightness and reduces the discoloration of their appearance, along with the Tonic Body Treatment Oil, which will improve firmness, elasticity and tone your skin.

The Clarins Range of Body Products works in unison with your exercise and eating plans to enhance your body’s ability to remove toxins and eliminate fat!

Remember to regularly keep exfoliating your body in order to your products to penetrate your skin most efficiently, try Clarins Smoothing Body Scrub for a New Skin.

Whether you need to enhance your mood or shape up your skin, there are products to cater for your every desire.

lFor all your enquiries and purchases please contact any of our Clarins outlets. For comments or questions and/or if you would like to be added onto our database, contact: missk@zol.co.zw