Luminous, bright, radiant – 3 words on all our wish lists this season! At this time of year lights seem to twinkle brightly everywhere as we anticipate slowing down to relax with family and friends, enjoying delicious food plus a glass (or more!) of something sparkling and taking a well-earned rest.
December is a significant month for celebration in many different faiths. This year Hanukkah – the Jewish Festival of Lights – begins on 25th December. Commemorating one of the greatest miracles in Jewish history and representing freedom and hope, the festival lasts for 8 days and nights. Combining prayer, traditional celebratory foods and the giving and receiving of gifts, the nightly lighting of candles on a special 9-branched Menorah candelabrum is what gives the festival its evocative name.
In fact there’s nothing quite like candlelight to give skin an ultra-flattering, ethereal glow, especially during the party season. Choose your skincare wisely and you can enjoy ageless, beautiful and luminous skin at any time of the day, week or year. Slow Ageing Essentials has all you need for an enviably translucent complexion as well as expert tips for lighting up your beauty regime throughout the festivities. Here’s how:
Keep it glowing:
For a long time now, a dewy and flawless complexion has been a beauty ‘must-have’. In fact, a crystal-clear complexion is the ideal base for picture perfect skin. Use Slow’s botanical skincare formulations to transform a complexion from dull and winter-worn to flawless and light reflecting in 3 easy steps:
1. Cleanse. Thorough, nourishing and deep cleansing is the first stage to achieving smooth, bright skin. A double cleanse is the therapist’s way of achieving it… and you can too. Start by applying Essential Gentle Cleanser to face, neck and decolletage. This light, luxurious and nourishing coconut-based cream deftly removes makeup, daily grime and pollution leaving skin fresher and softer. Follow with the energising wake-up call that is Essential Face Wash. Naturally hydrating thanks to skin-plumping coconut fatty acids and loaded with sebo-regulating, 100% pure ylang ylang essential oil plus microcirculation-stimulating rosemary, this deliciously foaming wash blitzes all impurities without stripping your skin of much-needed nourishment making it super kind to even sensitive skins. Instead, you are left with skin that feels rejuvenated yet cashmere soft. Your complexion immediately looks brighter, smoother and has an ageless glow.
2. Exfoliate. A silky smooth surface reflects light far better than an uneven one so exfoliation to improve texture is your important second step. Essential Perfect Skin Exfoliating Polish has been carefully formulated to be gentle enough for use on face as well as body. An invigorating, revitalising botanical blend of zingy ginger, pomegranate and orange, it effortlessly buffs away flaky, dead skin and increases circulation for a burst of radiance; nourishing natural coconut oil ensures skin looks plump and feels velvety too.
Top tip: Short of time? Mix 1/3
3. Essence. Hydration is key to flawless, glowing skin… and our best-selling Essential Facial Essence is simply bursting with it! Radiance-boosting and vitamin-loaded, this stimulating elixir of 100% pure, potent anti-oxidant essential oils is super luxe. Intensively nourishing thanks to elasticising natural botanical hazelnut seed oil and omega-9 essential fatty acid, this revitalising blend layers skin with nutrients for the perfect silken finish. Using our ‘hero’ Essence will also double the results of any products you apply afterwards so top it off by massaging in algae-rich, protective Essential Face Moisturiser by day and the trio of nurturing natural butters and waxes found in Essential Face Balm 2-3 times a week at night. Your skin will never have looked so luminous.
Wake up your inner glow:
We all know the perfect party accessory is skin that looks lit from within. Along with an effective, uncomplicated skincare routine, facial massage can dramatically improve the quality and appearance of every skin type, brightening your complexion and easing signs of seasonal fatigue. Incorporate our bespoke yet surprisingly simple ‘Skin-ergy self-massage' application technique into your morning and evening routine to reveal your skin’s inner light. This energising series of fingertip movements enhances your natural cellular renewal process whilst promoting elasticity and firmness. By flooding skin cells with nutrients and oxygen from increased microcirculation, Skin’ergy ensures the active ingredients are absorbed into your skin’s deepest layers maximising the absorption – and effectiveness - of Facial Essence.
Enlighten your senses:
As well as lighting candles to bring a warm, welcoming glow into your home (check out our heavenly Slow Candle in our festive collection), why not put an aromatherapy diffuser onto your gift list? In addition to delivering profoundly skin-balancing benefits, essential oils are also proven to work on your olfactory senses (sense of smell) to reduce stress, boost flagging energy levels and even improve sleep.
Did you know? Every Slow Ageing formulation is loaded with active, 100% pure essential oils so you feel the advantage of their mood lifting effects every time you use them.
For an extra wellbeing boost you could try a plug in or battery operated diffuser. These clever little machines offer a wonderful way to increase feelings of wellbeing as well as subtly fragrancing your home. Overdone the shopping or socialising and in need of re-energising? Choose an uplifting oil like sweet orange or festive cinnamon. Stressed out from trying to do too much and want to unwind? Lavender or rose are blissfully relaxing and calming. Simply add tap water along with a few drops of your chosen essential oil then plug in to slowly disperse the humidifying, divinely scented vapours. Ideal for helping to counterbalance the effects of moisture-sapping central heating, most new diffusers also light up to add a gorgeous ambient glow to your surroundings… as well as showing your complexion off in the best possible light!