Bathing beauties
Luxe organic French beauty brand Suzanne aux bains has launched a super-relaxing bathing range that promises to soothe your senses and your skin.
Based on a rich plant complex – including apricot kernel oil, and lime blossom and mallow flower extracts, all chosen for their nurturing and regenerating qualities – the range focuses on three phases of bathing: ‘Before’ (preparing your skin), ‘During’ (enjoying the soothing effects of water), and ‘After’ (helping to prolong the nurturing experience).
Gorgeous products in the range of nine include Bath Foam Bliss, Calming Body Wash, Relaxing Organic Massage Oil and Gentle Body Scrub (£18.50, pictured) – we just want them all…
Stockists include Content Beauty/Wellbeing,
14 Bulstrade Street W1
(020 3075 1006/www.beingcontent.com)
Ross Edgely’s tips for perfect abs
Want abs like these? Then listen to these words of wisdom from LA Muscle’s Ross Edgely.
‘I have worked with my fair share of celebrities and models, and one thing I have discovered over the years is that in Hollywood it seems the size and appearance of a celebrity’s waistline directly corresponds to their wage packet. You see it’s no coincidence Beyonce, Brad Pitt, Will Smith, Cameron Diaz and Gisele Bundchen are amongst the highest paid and that they also own the tightest, firmest most defined stomachs around. So here are my tips to craft yourself a ‘Hollywood’ Stomach.
Tip 1: Upper Abs (Upper Rectus Abdominis)
To train and define the upper abs try performing the conventional sit-up but with a weight held against the chest. Use a weight with which you can perform between 10-20 sit-ups. This is perfect for burning calories, increasing the body’s metabolism and helping to define the stomach muscle.
Tip 2: Lower Abs (Lower Rectus Abdominis) The lower abdominals are so important to train if you want the appearance of a flat stomach. If it isn’t trained regularly, gravity can take its toll and the lower part of the stomach can stick out ever so slightly. One way to train the lower abdominals efficiently is by lying on your back, raising your feet 6 inches off the ground, holding that for 2 seconds and then raising them 25 inches off the floor, pause for 2 seconds and then lower back down to 6 inches off the floor. Repeat repeat 12 times.
Tip 3: Transverse Abdominis This muscle is far less well known than the abdominals (which are the muscles for producing the six-pack) yet is so important to the appearance of the stomach. It wraps around the abdomen like a corset and when trained, can produce a firmer, thinner and tighter waist. To train this muscle try the plank exercise. Assume a press up position but rest on your elbows instead of your hands. Then hold this position for 30 seconds, keeping the stomach and bum raised and tight at all times while remembering to breathe normally. Perform this 3 times and when it becomes easy, try it for 45 seconds and then 1 minute.
Tip 4: Side stomach To produce the lines that subtly appear down the side of the stomach simply try implementing a twist into all your stomach exercises. Whether it’s the conventional sit up, or leg raises, this will engage the oblique muscles (the muscles that run down the side of your stomach).
Tip 5: Body Fat Even if all of the above is done well and the relevant muscles are trained properly, how the stomach appears is mainly determined by body fat levels. Women should be aiming for a body fat level in the region of 17%-22%, and men in the region of 9%-12%, since this will ensure the definition in the stomach muscles is visible. A tip to attain these body fat levels is to perform anaerobic workouts such as weight lifting and sprinting, since these burn more calories than aerobic workouts (eg slow cycling, walking etc) and also they can increase the body’s metabolism for hours even after the person has stopped exercising.
Pure face oil
If you fancy a break from your usual moisturiser, why not treat your complexion to a face oil instead – they are a dream to smooth on, and can be lighter on your skin than traditional moisturisers.
We love the new Revitalising Face Treatment Oil (£49) by organic anti-ageing specialists Pure Lochside – a luxurious face oil, that’s also completely organic and natural. It smells gorgeous, and is a great way to nurture your skin, leaving it glowing. And, although it’s an oil, your skin is actually left feeling smooth and healthy – not greasy at all – thanks to its lovely light texture.
www.purelochside.com
