Holistic Feathers

So said the news headline on page 3 of the London Lite yesterday evening (19th August 2009).  Intrigued by the headline, yet shivering at the idea of using Botox (a personal fear!), I couldn’t wait to read more …

“Women are ditching their favourite but expensive skincare products for longer-lasting cosmetics treatment.  Sales of products such as La Prairie, Lancome and Estee Lauder have declined in the past few months as consumers turn to Botox injections and laser hair removal to save money long-term.  Analysts Mintel said consumers were also turning to Botox not to waste time each day applying make-up … ‘We know that older women tend to be more cynical of claims made by beauty products.  With Botox, they know it’s going to work so they go for the guaranteed results’.” (c) LondonLite

So what exactly is Botox? Botulinum Toxin (hence the term “Botox”) is also known as Wrinkle Relaxing Injections, which is a toxic protein used in tiny doses to stop muscle spasm. Botox is injected into specific muscles to relax them temporarily, leading to an inability to wrinkle the skin overlying the treated muscle – which is why some people say that Botox leads them to develop a “frozen” look, as the toxic protein latches on to the muscle only. For more about Botox, please visit Wikipedia.

Just the very idea of having something unnatural being injected into my skin gives me the heebeejeebees, reminiscent of school vaccination jabs where you would leave the sick bay howling in pain (or was that only me?!).

I had a quick scout around and discovered that in London, the best value for Botox is around £250 for a treatment which tackles three specific muscles (areas).

So for £250 you could get your forehead ‘worry’ lines treated alongside your laughter lines (naso-labial area) and crows feet (peri-orbital area).  The Botox treatments are predicted to give results for a 3 – 4 month period, so you are looking at booking in for a minimum of 4 treatments per year at a cost of £1,000 – £1,250.

Does this offer good long-term value?

From my perspective, not really.  Much as I look in the mirror at times and despair, I know that my animated face is really ME – you can see when I am happy, when I am sad.  My facial lines show who I really am, they all have stories to tell … would people react to me differently, would they feel I was still a warm, friendly person if my eyebrows didn’t react with such abandon or if my smile didn’t reach my crow’s feet and turn them upwards too?

Despite my own personal concerns over the safely of using a toxic protein as a beauty treatment, I would always advocate natural over chemical because I believe that as we age (dis)gracefully – if we are lucky!- our faces reflect our inner beauty with true grace.

Facial rejuvenation (natural face lift massage) offers a natural alternative to Botox, without limiting you to being treated in specific muscle areas.  Your whole face will receive minute, precise movements which help to relax, stimulate and re-educate your muscles to give a definite “lift” and a beautiful, radiant glow to your skin.  Another plus point to this treatment is that you have an hour of bliss, time to yourself, time to relax and as we stimulate your energy points (meridien or marma points) you will feel deeply relaxed yet rejuvenated within your body too.  Delighted clients verify time and time again just how amazing this treatment is, the beauty of it being that it is au naturelle and injection/electrical/product-free!

So, thinking about these hard-up women who are desperately trying to find ways to reduce their expenditure on fussy, exorbitantly-priced skincare and procedures …

Each Facial Rejuvenation treatment with Holistic Feathers is £40 for an hour-long treatment.  The recommendation is for an initial set of 6 treatments over a 6-week period to re-train your muscles, and if you pay for the set of 6 treatments at the start, we gift you the 6th treatment for free (£200, instead of £240).

After the initial 6-week treatment plan, its advisable to return for monthly top-up treatments, which will help you to keep the uplifted look and inspire you to add in a few simple facial yoga exercises each day.  (Yes, we all forget so easily about these exercises … we just like to remind you every now and again just how great the exercises can be for your mind, body and soul – as well as your cute face!).

So for a total of £600 per year, you can receive a unique and incredible whole-body workout and look naturally radiant with your full range of expressions intact.

What would YOU choose?

I am definitely up for saving £400 per year AND receive a total relaxation experience, needle- and chemical-free …

If you would like to find out more about Facial Rejuvenation treatments, please take a look at Holistic Feathers or contact Callie for a chat.

read comments (1)

How do you collect enough feathers to make your wings strong enough to fly?

read comments (0)

Following your joy can often seem an uphill struggle or one of those those things we dream about yet never seem to find the time to make a start on it …

The word “Joy”, the very pronunciation of it, makes me smile.

The very definition of Joy also makes me smile:

* the emotion evoked by well-being, success, or good fortune or by the prospect of possessing what one desires (delight)

* a state of happiness or felicity (bliss)

* a source or cause of delight

(Merriam-Webster Dictionary)

Since returning from my retreat in mid-July, I have been mindful about “following my joy”;  knowing from personal experience just how important it is to your physical, emotional and spiritual wellbeing that you try to follow a life – as far as practically possible – which makes your heart sing.  If, like me, most of yours career choice have been based around the fear of “lack” (self-esteem and finances to name but two) and you feel as if joy is perhaps not as prevalent and immediate in your life as you would wish, maybe it is time to explore what joy means to you and how you can make room for it in your life.

Which of these suggestions resonate with you? I’d love to hear which ones you feel most strongly drawn to and how you may be able to incorporate fun ways to elevate joy into your life.

I was particularly drawn to these three ways: Grow joyful by living your principles; Grow joyful through renewed hope; Grow joyful by manifesting your loving nature. These dovetail beautifully with my own personal journey at this moment in time and each day I consciously take steps towards making my life more joyful ~ taking one small step each day is a real achievement.

By following our joy, we will also find that the Universe will be attracted to our joyful state and brings us gifts of untold rewards – the trick, as always, is to recognise each reward as it comes to you.

For me, following my joy means I need to step up and take the challenge; breathe life into each new opportunity that comes my way and I am sure, very sure, that some wonderful changes will be weaving their way towards all of us in the next few months as we live our lives filled with joy, with grace and at harmony with our self.

Remember … let me know what steps you take to follow your joy!

Joy is a net of love by which you can catch souls.

~ Mother Teresa

*

(30 Ways to Create Joy in Your Life – taken from Everyday You, by Eric Maisel – Conari Press, 2007)

read comments (0)

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE …

enough money within her control to move out
and rent a place of her own,
even if she never wants to or needs to …
something perfect to wear if the employer,
or date of her dreams wants to see her in an hour

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE …

a youth she’s content to leave behind …
a past juicy enough that she’s looking forward to
retelling it in her old age …
a set of screwdrivers, a cordless drill, and a black lace bra …
one friend who always makes her laugh … and one who lets her cry

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE …

a good piece of furniture not previously owned by anyone else in her family…
eight matching plates, wine glasses with stems,
and a recipe for a meal,
that will make her guests feel honored

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE …

a feeling of control over her destiny…
how to fall in love without losing herself

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW …

how to quit a job,
break up with a lover,
and confront a friend without
ruining the friendship

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW …

when to try harder…  and WHEN TO WALK AWAY

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW …

that she can’t change the length of her calves,
the width of her hips, or the nature of her parents …
that her childhood may not have been perfect … but it’s over

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW …

what she would and wouldn’t do for love or more …
how to live alone …  even if she doesn’t like it

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW …

whom she can trust,
whom she can’t,
and why she shouldn’t take it personally

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW …

where to go …
be it to her best friend’s kitchen table,
or a charming Inn in the woods,
when her soul needs soothing

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW…

What she can and can’t accomplish in a day…
a month … and a year…

read comments (0)

Inspiration comes to us slowly and quietly … prime it with a little solitude.

~ Brenda Ueland

read comments (0)

“If my mind can conceive it,

and my heart can believe it,

I know I can achieve it”

read comments (0)

Today I lovingly accept myself as I am; this way of thinking nourishes my soul; I easily release the need to compare myself to others

read comments (0)