SPRING INTO BEAUTY
In Traditional Chinese medicine, spring is associated with the Wood element and the Liver. The liver helps regulate digestion, blood circulation, and the movement of Chi. It’s a season of upward growth and outward expansion after the hibernation of winter.
Spring is a time of new beginnings. We think of the first flowers bursting through the earth, cherry blossom, cleaning our homes in a traditional ‘spring clean’ and throwing open the windows to let the fresh spring air in. Getting back out in nature, taking a deep breath and embracing all the wonderful possibilities for the rest of the year can lift your chi to a new level of positive.
Changing our beauty regime as the seasons change helps keep our Chi optimal and our hair and skin in top condition. Spring is the time of year when we can begin to dare to go bare. Snow is a distant memory and just maybe, we can reveal our arms and legs to the world after months of being hidden away under layers of clothes.
Like anything hidden for so long, our bodies can use a spring clean from the dry winter season sapping the moisture from the environment and taking its toll on our skin and hair. Now is the perfect time for a mini detox or a head-to-toe body scrub to get rid of those dead skin cells or using a deep penetrating oil to moisturize and replenish the chi of your skin. And, it’s a great time for a 'ginger' face mask!
Try This Simple Ginger Face Mask for Radiant Skin
- Take a piece of ginger and grate it to form a paste.
- Squeeze the ginger paste until it forms a ginger juice.
- Mix 1 tbsp ginger juice with 2 tbsp rosewater, & 1/2 tbsp honey.
- Mix it well apply evenly on your face and neck with a cotton pad.
- Rinse off after 20 minutes using warm water for glowing skin
Spring Foods - Eating according the the Season
According to TCM, Spring is the season of new birth and growth. Elementally, spring belongs to the wood element, representing the liver and its function as well as the color green. This is a time to add spring vegetables to your diet such as broccoli, beans, peas, kale and lettuce as they become more abundant. Increasing sweet and pungent flavors as well facilitates the liver to regulate the Chi throughout the body.
Spring also prompts us to change a lighter diet. Trade in hot soups for cool salads or super nutrient packed green drinks and smoothies – with a ginger infusion of course!
Try adding grated ginger to your meals and salad dressings - it will help fire up your body's natural ability to detoxify by aiding digestion and helping eliminate toxins.
Here is a simple and healthy salad Ginger/Sesame infused dressing that can used over salads, poured over noodles, as a marinade for fish or meat, to give kick to a stir fry and even a dipping sauce for bread.
Spring Ginger Sesame Dressing
Grate a small piece fresh ginger (1 tablespoon), mince a clove of garlic and put them in a jar. Add in 2 tablespoons of Tamari or light Soy, 3 tablespoon Rice Wine Vinegar, 1 tablespoon of toasted sesame oil, 3 tablespoon raw honey, ½ cup of vegetable oil (I love Coconut Oil but you can use Grape Seed or organic Canola),1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, 2 tablespoon water, a sprinkle of sesame seeds and if you like a bit of spice, add a little Sriracha.
Put the lid on the jar and shake well. Viola! It’s simple and so delicious I could drink it up! Keep it in the fridge and use it within a month.
Put more spring in your step
We’ve been hibernating all winter, so now it’s time to get outside, stretch your legs and start to exercise again. With the skies lighting up earlier – it’s easier to get out of bed and do some meditation and/or deep breathing excises like Chi Kung or TaiChi.
Start off slow; find an exercise that works for you. I like yoga so I start off with round of Sun Salutations and alternate with a set of 8 Brocade Chi Kung. If your schedule it tight and you cant do morning, find ways to walk more. Take the stairs or get off a stop earlier.
Take advantage, if you have access to outdoors. Being outside, being in nature (breathe it in!) not only gives you a dose of Vitamin D, studies have shown it helps with your mental health.
Time to Spring Clean
It’s great time to purge all the unnecessary that has accumulated in your life. Whether it is a relationship that no longer work, clothes that you have not worn for 2 seasons (the style is not coming back any time soon!). Just simply cleaning out your your overflowing makeup drawer will make you feel so much lighter!
Jump-start your Spring Beauty Regimen
It’s finally time to shed the winter layers and start afresh with your beauty regimen. To prep your skin for spring with these few recommended to-dos’ from GingerChi:
This delicious smelling exfoliating scrub will invigorate your mind and body. The perfect blend of sugar, coconut and ginger stimulates meridians and gently exfoliates, leaving winter behind and your skin feeling renewed and revitalized with spring Chi.
Dry Brushing not only rids the dead skin cells reveal fresh glowing skin but also stimulates meridians to invigorate Chi and boost energy. Our Sisal Brush has firm and compact bristles with a coir handle that’s easy to grip, making brushing over the body easy and will bring new levels of invigoration to your body. Just a few minutes of dry brushing every morning and your skin will be glowing for the summer. (helps tones and detoxifies - rids dead skin cells, revealing new soft supple skin.)
Full of anti-oxidants and skin toning oils, this body oil blend replenishes and tones skin. Apply after dry brushing and showering. Besides Fresh Ginger Oil to stimulate Chi, our Replenishing Body Oil also contains Juniper and Cypress which assists with detoxification, ridding the body of excess water. Grapefruit helps break up fatty tissue while Lemon strengthens veins and assists with the prevention of varicosities.
Jade Comb Scalp Massage Therapy
Time to let your down! Get your hair and scalp spring ready after the drying winter months. Combing the hair and scalp can be both soothing and nourishing. A scalp massage with our Jade Scalp Comb and the Ginger Rosemary Hair Oil stimulates blood flow to the scalp, providing healthier hair while supporting the kidney to regulate the flow of Chi throughout the body.
A weekly massage with jade comb with our vitamin rich Ginger Rosemary hair and scalp oil will ensure your locks stay shiny and healthy, relaxed scalp.
This versatile all-natural beauty must-have, combines finely ground Rice Bran powder and gentle exfoliating Rice Husks with antioxidant properties of Ginger, to give you the extra deep cleansing boost your skin needs right now. Use daily as a cleanser and/or a masque weekly, to help draw out impurities, brighten, hydrate and diminish fine lines
Spring is a perfect time to use overcome those cracked, chapped winter lips. Our delectable Lip Oil sinks into the entire lip tissue to heal and leaves lips feeling soft, plump and infused with Chi.
If you don't Oil Pull already, spring is the perfect time to start this wonderful beneficial routine. Swishing this therapeutic blend around the mouth daily for about 20 minutes stimulates glands, to help detoxify the body, maintain oral health and improve overall Chi.
Organic Nail & Cuticle Repair Serum
Nails and cuticles looking worse for wear? With all the hand-washing, sanitizing, cleaning....There's no better time than now to give your hands a little TLC. Our nourishing Nail & Cuticle Oil made with nourishing and a pair of cotton gloves. Wear the gloves overnight to help all the nutrients of the oil to absorb in deeper.
Organic GlowChi Tea for glowing skin
Our GlowChi Tea blend is packed with antioxidants and skin supporting ingredients such as Ginger, Goji Berries and Licorice. This delicious blend helps promotes a clear and radiant complexion by boosting circulation and improving digestion.
Not only is it a great skin tonic with internal benefits but when ingredients are infused in a facial steam, it also permeates into pores to nourish the skin.
Regular application of the Gua Sha technique to the face and body helps detoxify, encourages lymphatic drainage, remove stagnation and puffiness, as well as refine skin texture. Glide the tool across acupressure points to help boost skin circulation, diminish fine lines.
I make it part of my evening ritual. It's amazing how much tension we hold in our body, face and scalp. I start with points on arms and hands. I then do strokes over my shoulder and neck, jawline and face. Ending on head and scalp. It will provide you with the most restful sleep!
Let us know if you have any questions or would like advice on your spring regimen.
We'd love to hear from you!
With love and good Chi,
Anna xxx
