If you need some 'uplift' look no further than Pumpkinseed oil

I use Pumpkin Seed Oil in Skinvelop skincare products when a lifting and tightening effect is required.
It has a high zinc and Essential Fatty acid content and is an excellent lifting oil for dry, mature and damaged skin. It is an excellent natural oil where a lifting effect is required, so along with Pseudo collagen it tends to be perfect for facial, abdominal, upper leg and breast lifting/firmi...ng preparations.

It is high in vitamins A, B2, B3, potassium, magnesium and most importantly zinc. It is also high in omegas 9, 6 and 3.

I use it in:
Eye Therapy
Daily Moisture Boost
Daily Moisture Tint
And our NEW Toning & Circulation Boosting Body Lotion

Why I use Aloe Vera in ALL Skinvelop skincare products

Well if it was good enough for Cleopatra, I reckon it is good enough for us!
I use Aloe Vera or to give it it's proper name 'Aloe Barbadensis' in EVERY single item of Skinvelop skincare..even soap, because I believe it to have the most amazing moisturising and healing properties and is suitable for all skin types!
Contained within this amazing plant are many vitamins, minerals and amino acids which help stimulate cell renewal, contributing to the growth of new collagen and elastin within the skin, leaving your complexion, younger, fresher and healthier looking. These properties make it ideal when used in skin preparation such as, anti ageing and helping to speed up the repair of scar tissue.
Aloe vera is one of the most versatile and nutritious plants. Whether used externally or internally, it's beauty and healing properties are an absolute Must Have...


*Same PH as skin 5.5 approx

*Vitamins:B1, B2, B6, C, E, folic acid, beta-carotene

*Minerals:Calcium, sodium, manganese, magnesium, zinc, copper, chromium

*Amino acids:Lysine, threonine, valine, methionine, leucine, isoleucine, phenylalanine

Why I use Coconut Oil in ALL Skinvelop skincare products

A 'Hero' skincare ingredient used in ALL Skinvelop Skincare is Coconut oil.

Contrary to what you may think, coconut oil has relatively no smell and sinks straght int your skin like magic!
I find it works for every skin type, except possibly acne prone skin! Like essential oil it has very small molecules, which allows it's goodness to be absorbed into the deeper levels of the skin and because of this , skin conditions like eczema, psoriasis and dry damaged skin can be dramatically soothed andhelped.
Used in conjunction with my other hero ingredientAloe Vera, its natural chemical composition works hard to rid the skin's outer surface of dead and flaking skin cells, eventually leaving your complexion looking brighter and smoother with a more even & youthful texture. ..Even brown spots due to to ageing and sun damage can be dramatically reduced!
As if all that isn't enough, thanks to the high percentage of essential fatty acids, it also has antimicrobial, antioxidant, antifungal and antibacterial properties, so helps fight fungal and skin infections.
So there you are, just a fraction of the wonders of what coconut oil can do and why i wouldn't be without it!
Jean xx

Minerals
Potassium Phosphorus Calcium Magnesium Iron Sodium ManganeseZincCopper Selenium

Vitamins
Vitamin C Vitamin B1 Vitamin B2 Niacin Pantothenic Acid - Vitamin B6 Folate Vitamin E Vitamin K

Essential Fatty Acids
lauric acid linoleic acid oleic acid

Sea salt for the home

If your house is a bit damp and musty smelling, here is another natural tip.
Fill a small bowl with sea salt, add about 20 drops of any essential oil of your choice ( lavender or a blend of orange & geranium is lovely) mix with a spoon and leave on a window sill or somewhere away from children or pets.
The salt will draw in any dampness and the oils act as a lovely natural air freshener.
Add fresh oils every week or two and replace the salt monthly or therabouts

Boost your lymphatic system

Happy New Year everyone!
How are you all feeling after the festivities?..
Have you, like everyone else been over indulging and maybe now feeling a bit sluggish? Well before you go mad and start on the ridgid dieting proramme, remember at this time of year a bit of extra body weight is not such a bad thing.

All animals shed a few pounds over these cold winter months...it's natural! Think about it, if you suddenly start dieting and cutting down on all those essential vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids, your immune system will go into crisis!...and we all know what happens then!

Why not be realistic and start gently,steadily cutting a back a little each week.
It is a season that we naturally tend to hibernate more and excercise less! Our lymphatic system becomes sluggish (do you notice crease marks and puffiness on your face ,legs and waist areas?) and any weight we have put on is more difficult to lose!

 You can help give your lymphatic system a boost by massaging with a dry, natural bristle body brush.
Dry body brushing will help stimulate the circulatory system and bring much needed nutrients to the surface of the skin, to help repair and feed it. With regular use you will notice your skin looking healthier,brighter and clearer, with less imperfections. And any discomfort due to edema and puffiness will be lessened.

Starting from the soles of your feet and working up towards your heart area, work the brush in circular movements followed by long sweeping movements, covering every part of your body. The movements should be light and quick, don't worry if the skin goes slightly red, as this is a good sign that the blood circulation is getting a well needed boost!

By making this a part of your daily routine, you will soon notice and feel the difference. Your skin will be visibly healthier, clearer and softer. Water retention will be less of a problem and because you are giving the circulatory system a boost, that in turn will help speed up your metabolisim...so losing those extra inches will be easier!

So this New Year, why not try working with your body and nature, to see what happens!

    Jean xx

Help keep those Winter Bugs at bay

Keep those winter bugs at bay with Lemon Essential oil! Buy a bottle of amazingly tangy lemon essential oil (I like Neal's yard) from any high st chemist or health food shop. You can add several drops on to a damp cloth and wash ALL surfaces down with it. You can also use it in a diffuser or a spray bottle filled with water..a guide is to use 1 drop of oil per teaspoon of water, then spray around the home or just let the diffuser do it's job!
Do this daily and those bugs will be history!

fresh hand made skincare: Hello

fresh hand made skincare: Hello: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GpVcUl6Kd8k Recently people have been asking me why I started making my own skincare? My interest in natura...

Hello

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GpVcUl6Kd8k

Recently people have been asking me why I started making my own skincare? My interest in natural skincare started in my teens when a well known chemist chain introduced an upmarket range of natural skincare. This new range  looked and smelled amazing!.. and those gorgeous amber glass jars and bottles normally used for the dispensing of medicine, instantly had me wanting! I was fascinated by the list of ingredients that were clearly written on the labels, names like wild marshmallow,oats and honey all sounded fabulous to me but more like something you would eat rather than slather on your body! From then on I had the natural skincare bug! Even when I had my children I tended to veer away from the traditional baby skincare ranges because the ingredients sounded rather dubious and if I didn't use these sort of ingredients on myself I certainly wasn' going to use them on my little precious ones! So instead I tried to use pure vegetable soap and vegetable oils on them both...they never had nappy rash or any skin irritations. I eventually trained to become an aromatherapist and during one of our classes the teacher talked about making our own face cream using aqueous cream to which we could add essential oils. Of course I had to try this. Aqueous cream however has no real therapeutic value because it is more or less water and parrafin wax, so I started adding carrier oils and butters like olive oil, almond oil and cocoa butter that were rich in essential fatty acids, but I soon realised these were wasted in the barrier cream! I searched the internet in a quest for recipes and ingredients. I have worked tirelessly trying to improve my range, using more and more sophisticated ingredients while testing on friends and family. I am passionate about what I do and about the benefits of fresh natural & organic skincare..I hope you will love the products as much as I love making and using them! Let your skin GLOW with natural radiance! Jean x

3 must haves in your cupboard

As far as I am concerned there are 3 must haves in my medical  and beauty cupboard...Aloe vera, Lavender essential oil and coconut oil.
Aloe vera is known as the "Burn Plant" and is wonderful if you have any sort of skin burns whether sunburn or a domestic type of burn. It has both anti-inflammatory and anti-viral viral properties. It is soothing and moisturising and is a rich source of vitamins A,B,C,F & B, so is extremely beneficial in skincare products.
Lavender essential oil is a real MUST HAVE. It has too many benefits to mention, but we all know it it can be an aid to insomnia, so a couple of drops on your pillow or in an oil diffuser at bed time may just help you get off to sleep. It also has anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties so can be used neat on burns or diluted in aloe vera or coconut oil on cuts or open wounds.
Coconut oil is so soothing and moisturising and can be used topically as well as internally! Due to it's anti-viral, anti-septic and anti-microbial properties and it's rich source of vitamin E, it is a must have in skincare (great for acne,eczema and psoriasis)  use it to hydrate, nourish and add shine to dry hair and skin . For headlice, just add to the full length of your hair and combe out...those mites wont stand a chance!
For a really simple but effective moisturiser.....I tablespoon  each of Aloe Vera and Coconut Oil to this add flat teaspoon of honey and 3 drops of Lavender Essential Oil, mix well add to a jar and keep refridgerated. It can be used on the face and body to nourish,heal and moisturise and is safe enough to use on children.
Why not give it a go and see the benefits of going Natural!

NB. like any skincare products always do a patch test first.

Bespoke Therapies & Skincare - About Us

Bespoke Therapies & Skincare - About

A small unique business in on the outskirts of Glasgow.

Specialising in Holistic Therapies: aromatherapy,reflexology,indian head massage and facial drainage massage.

I also specialise in making my own range of natural and organic skincare with only the best high end raw ingredients. Cleanser,moisturiser,eye balm,body lotion and self tan.

Feel free to contact regarding anything mentioned.

Make your own bespoke soap easily.

You need a box of either vegetable soap flakes or 4 bars of plain unscented soap, grated. Add to a mixing bowl.
To this add1 tablespoon honey or glycerine, about the same of aloe vera and about 2 teaspoons of olive oil. Now add between 3-6 tablespoons of boiled water. Stir all ingredients together until thoroughly mixed,it should bind together nicely.Now add about 70 drops of essential oils and knead with your hands, do this for about 3 mins. Put onto greaseproof paper and flatten to about 1 inch thickness. Leave this for 1 hour then either cut into squares with knife or use cookie cutters. Put into a dry cupboard to dry for a couple of days..now enjoy.