It’s hard to believe that Lavera Faces has been around for over 12 years, it just goes to show that when brands launch products that work they’ll run and run.

Lavera put a huge amount of research into every single product they launch and are constantly striving to refine and improve their formulations.  For the Lavera faces range that means that 2012 is the year the entire range gets a complete makeover and the results are stunning.

Fresh and up to the minute packaging that clearly communicates what the product is supposed to do, and the ingredients that make it so effective, as well as the products organic credentials which are very high.  The entire Lavera faces range is certified organic by Natrue and is also suitable for Vegans too.

A simplified range that’s a vast improvement:

In an effort to de-clutter and simplify the range, cleansing, toning and scrubs have been divided into two groups:

Gentle, for dry, sensitive and mature skins, and the Purifying-invigorating line for Oily and Combination types.

Normal skin types (lucky devils!) can pick and choose whichever they like.

The cleansers remove make up brilliantly, but Lavera does also make an eye make up remover should you need it for extra stubborn mascara. The toners are refreshing without stripping and the Lavera faces scrub offers gentle effective exfoliation without a hint of scratchiness.

Choose what’s right for your skin type:

The next stage of skincare more closely matches the Lavera faces range skin types we have grown to love so well, but the formulations have been enhanced and brought right up to date for skincare that really feels like a treat for the skin.

Dry skin is nurtured by the Wild Rose range, it suits mature skins too, but these are now brilliantly catered for by the Lavera My Age line.

Normal to combination skin should choose the calendula range, which now boasts a new addition in the form of a special mask for combination skin, as well as an enhanced formula for the much loved Lavera Faces balancing cream.

The products for Oily skin are a vast improvement with a much more sophisticated formula for the moisturiser which helps to mattify the complexion but also features hyaluronic acid to give hydration without greasiness. The jewel in the crown however, has to be the Lavera Faces 2 in 1 Anti Blemish treatment. Previously just a lipstick style medication concealer stick that was hard to blend and felt heavy, it now incorporates two brilliant treatments in a handbag handy product. An organic serum packed with ingredients specially chosen to purify the skin and aid healing in a clever little roller ball that applies the product just where it’s needed. At the other end is a soft and creamy concealer in a neutral shade that’s easy to dot into position with a wand to be blended to perfection with a (clean!) finger.

I’m really delighted to see such a fabulous revamp of a much loved range and hope you’ll love it as much as I do.

If you feel like giving it a try why wait? UK delivery is Free so why not order some Lavera Faces Skincare and see for yourself?

Green People have been making their Gentle Tone for years, but spring 2012 sees it get a whole new lease of life, with a more appropriate new name, gorgeous revamped packaging and new certified organic formulation. 

It was always a bit of a funny product. You expect your toner to be a liquid in a bottle or a spray so a gel based toner seemed a bit weird.

In fact Gentle Tone has always been a serum, a lovely lightweight gel formulation that adds a wonderful hydrating boost to any skin care routine. But for very oily skins or hot and sweaty summer skin it’s sometimes just right on its own, to give skin a lovely refreshing moisture hit without a hint of oiliness.

This new formulation is a real treat for the skin featuring seaweed and South American Tara Bush extract which have powerful moisturising properties to help your skin feel firmer and more elastic.

Fans of the original Gentle Tone are sure to love this super charged new version but with its now more fitting name its set to attract a whole new following too.  The gentle alcohol free formulation is suitable for all skin types; use it for face, neck and décolletage in conjunction with facial oil or moisturiser. It makes a lovely make up primer too. 

October 17th-23rd is Back Care Awareness week.

This year,  the focus is on the potential ill effects of children carrying heavy school bags each day.

Heavy bags put pressure on the discs between the spinal vertebrae, which can cause long term back pain in small and still-developing bodies.

Potential long-term effects may include: strains to the neck and shoulders resulting in headaches and early development of poor posture.

To try and keep your child pain-free, a few useful pointers to remember are:

- It is best to use a backpack rather than other types of bags, as it will avoid straining one shoulder alone, but even a backpack should not be overloaded.

- Buy a sturdy bag with wide and adjustable shoulder straps for your child.

- Check your child’s posture with the bag on. Make sure the child is not slouching or leaning forward.

- Make sure only necessary items are in the bag.

- Encourage your child to use their locker to its full capacity for any items they do not need to carry to and fro between school and home.

If you have any back care concerns why not book a consultation with Muniba Malik our Osteopath? Read more about Osteopathy...

If you’re generally happy with your skin care regime but if you feel that your skin needs a little extra boost then a facial serum could be the answer.  

Serums come in two forms, either a light water based gel consistency, which are great for hydrating the skin, or oil based serums which are good for counteracting dryness.  Skin that lacks water is described as being dehydrated whereas skin lacking oil is described as dry.

Both dehydration and dryness tend to affect skin as it ages, which is why serums tend to feature heavily in anti ageing skin care ranges. However, virtually everyone’s skin is dehydrated so a hydrating serum is an addition to the skin care routine that almost everyone will see a benefit from regardless of age.

You apply your serum after cleaning and toning and before applying your moisturiser or night cream so that this extra moisturising or hydrating layer is locked in. You only need to use a tiny bit so even though serums can sometimes seem quite expensive they are really good value.

Our skin changes throughout the year, the seasons, central heating and our general health and well being can all affect the way our skin looks and feels. Serums are a brilliant way to help your skin through these challenges whilst being able to stick with your favourite products for your core regime.

Browse our facial serums >>

Looking to take control of your Health, Diet and Fitness? Maybe this can help. The ultimate promotion of Nutrition from it's science basis of Optimum health, peak performance, disease prevention and individual client/patient care.

My role during my weekly Nutrition clinics at So Organic and in all my Nutrition work with patients is an approach that works with the individual, most importantly, on many different levels to support the body to help alleviate or prevent illness and disease, supporting the body towards normal everyday function and importantly to promote optimal health.

Personalized Nutrition for personalized health is my goal for my patients, dealing with prevention and underlying causes instead of symptoms of illness and chronic disease. Health is more than the absence of disease:

Using a more personalized, individual approach to preventative and optimal health, good Nutrition, or Nutritional Therapy can help all manner of people of any ages with a wide range of conditions. These may include specialized areas l deal with such as:

• Energy imbalance, fatigue and excess tiredness

• digestive dysfunction such as IBS, Celiac’s, Low or Excess acid, food Intolerances and allergies, bloating and other digestive issues

• Stress management

• Female Hormone imbalance

• Skin conditions such as eczema and Psoriasis

• Male Health

• Female and Male pre pregnancy and fertility advice

• Post pregnancy diet and fitness advice

• Infant and child food advice and cooking sessions

• Weight management programmes

• Fitness and lifestyle advice

With this type of Bio chemical individuality approach towards nutrition, diet and fitness, seeing health as a positive vitality not just the absence of disease, promoting prevention and optimal health to all, Nutritional therapists in their work may also give advice and recommendations to those with an array of varied clinical imbalances including:

• Depression and other mental health issues

• Immune function and susceptibility to illness and infection

• Migraine

• Acne

• Arthritis

• Osteoporosis

• Chronic fatigue/ME • Circulatory conditions

• Candida

• Insomnia

• Blood pressure issues

• Sports Nutrition

• Cholesterol balance

• Obesity

• Child behaviour difficulties

With my Nutrition clinics, l like many other practitioners recognise that each individual is unique and important and therefore require not 'one size fit all'....."well it worked for her lm sure it will work for me" approach, but the 'what's right for me approach'...., which l can tell you of years of experience can be a ongoing process when it comes to finding what's right for our diet, lifestyle and health.

The Nutrition Consultation Process

For tailored individual care, clients will receive a detailed Health, Nutrition and Lifestyle Questionnaire prior to our first meeting that is to be completed and returned beforehand or bought along to the meeting. Along with this questionnaire, the client will have detailed at least 5 days dietary intake in a food diary to help assist the practitioner detail help and advice where it is needed or required.

The First consultation will usually last one and a half hours, during which we consider the detail of the questionnaire and food diary, taking an extensive case history, discussing health and wellbeing and any overriding issues the client has and establish Health and Lifestyle goals for the client.

Prior to the first consultation l will have started the process of looking in detail at the patients health issues and ultimate goals, and along with the Consultation in clinic l will hopefully be able to better explain potential underlying causes of any health concerns and how from that point on, a tailored, individual Nutrition and lifestyle plan will be of benefit to the client, which will delivered to the client following the first consultation. This plan discussed and negotiated with the client will be a individual Nutrition and lifestyle plan aimed at addressing concerns, symptoms and other complaints with the ultimate aim of improving health for the long term needs of the client and empowering them to take control of their health and their life, instead of waiting for illness and disease to take over them.

Follow Up Clinics

Follow up clinics are usually advised 4-6 weeks after the initial consultation whilst progress, follow up information, telephone and email sessions will be available to the client to assist them during the time following the consultation where sometimes significant changes to diet and lifestyle maybe taking place and support may be needed, and always welcomed from a Therapists point of view. A Clinic visit or telephone based follow up consultation will usually take 45 minutes, though this may take longer at the clients request. Follow up clinics may continue at the clients request if the client feels they will be of benefit to them to do so, whilst some clients may need only one follow up session.

My Role your Role

In essence, l see my role during my Nutrition clinics as the supplier of knowledge, of facts, of science that may help everyone on a individual basis, to enpower them once they have the right tools, take control of their own health, know their own bodies, know what their body needs to maintain optimal health and live life instead of worrying about health and the potential for illness and disease.

If that means that are only see clients a few times, so bit, hopefully that means l have done my job and done it well.

So why not see me, a Nutritional Therapist, at one of my Nutrition clinics

At So Organic Therapy Rooms: Thursday 4-8pm Sunday 2-6pm

Until the End of March: £20 off!!! Contact So Organic or direct to Ray of Sunshine Nutrition: 07793 017534 Or Matthew Reay: matt.reayofsunshine@hotmail.co.uk