So many good intentions, so little time. Here are the cheats that busy women use when they have less than ten minutes to get glowing
Margaret de Heinrich de Omorovicza, co-founder of Omorovicza
If you were the owner of a skincare brand, you’d be having facials every week, right? The reality is, as Margaret de Heinrich de Omorovicza, co-founder with her husband Stephen of the premium skincare brand Omorovicza can testify, that when you’re running a global enterprise with four children, life gets in the way. “We have four children, the youngest of whom is seven months, and travel like mad. Plus, I don’t get much sleep. Omorovicza has its own spa in Budapest, but that’s the first appointment that always gets cancelled because I just don’t have the time. And when I’m meeting people to talk about our lovely brand, it's to Omorovicza's advantage to look like I’ve just had a facial,” she explains.
So how does she, as ambassador for a brand rooted in the revitalising properties of the mineral-rich waters of Budapest, get that ‘just stepped out of the spa’ glow?
Her morning routine is non-negotiable: “I cleanse , I use an essence , a moisturiser , a serum and an eye cream ," she explains.
Hmmmm, well we all do that (or at least we try) but it doesn’t make us look like we’ve spent an hour on the couch wrapped in fluffy towels zoning out to tinkly music, while a therapist buffs, polishes and plumps us. What’s the secret? The key is in the science behind the products that Margaret puts on her skin. Omorovicza has developed a patented delivery system known as Hydro Mineral Transference™, which delivers the minerals of the thermal springs of Hungary, known since Roman times for their skin rejuvenating properties, deep into the skin. Previously, this type of absorption was only possible from bathing in the waters themselves.
The system was developed in conjunction with the Nobel Prize-winning Hungarian laboratory, that discovered Vitamin C. The process captures the minerals and reconfigures their molecular structure into a state that the body recognises, then delivers to the deepest levels of the skin where they will have the greatest anti-ageing effect, boosting collagen and elastin. So your skin can experience the rejuvenating benefits daily, without you having to book a spa break in Budapest (appealing though that is).
The result is firmer, suppler and younger-looking skin. One of Margaret’s favourite products is the award-winning Copper Peel , which she confirms “takes two minutes and looks like you’ve had a 90-minute facial.”
Ziggie Bergman, holistic beauty expert and founder of The Zone Facial
A good facial always includes lymphatic drainage to detox and reduce puffiness as well as techniques such as massage to stimulate the skin and allow products to penetrate deeper. The good news is that this too can be added to your treatment cheat sheet as it can be done at home in just one minute. Holistic beauty expert Ziggie Bergman has an amazingly effective one-minute Zone Face Lift sequence which, like the Omorovicza story, gives a modern spin on ancient skincare wisdom.
The secret is a Chinese j ade facial tool, which is swept across the skin in specific movements, shown on the chart below. “It stimulates collagen and elastin production from the inside, whilst smoothing away puffiness with anti-aging lymphatic drainage techniques,” explains Ziggie. “It’s equivalent to having an oxygen facial, as it increases oxygen and blood flow, and the results are almost immediate leaving you with a summer glow.”
How to do it: Apply your facial oil or serum such as the Omorovicza Blue Diamond Concentrate or the Gold Flash Firming Serum.
Ziggie continues, “Hold the heart-shaped tool between your thumb and index finger, being careful not to pull the skin; it should slide easily. Use a gentle scraping technique following the arrows on the chart from the inside outwards. The concave edge is useful for along the jawline and over cheeks and the convex edge for under the eyes, the forehead and to iron out wrinkles.”
“You should expect a pink coloring to the skin which shows the treatment is working,” says Ziggie. “However, you do not want to scrape to the point of reddening or soreness. You will bring color to sallow skin and stimulate collagen and elastin to tighten and firm the face so look for these results in the skin texture while working on one side of the face, and then the other.”
If you have rosacea or sensitive skin, use your fingers in the same motion rather than the tool, she advises.
To find out more, book on to Ziggie’s Get a Summer Glow workshop on June 10 at Triyoga Camden here .
Tara Lee, yoga instructor
So now we’ve got the glow, what about the visible relaxing of the face (and the body) that comes from simply having nothing to do for an hour when you have a facial. Can you quick fix this?
Yes, says yoga teacher Tara Lee who has taught the likes of Rosamund Pike and who also turns to time-honoured techniques to address modern concerns. Yoga Nidra, or yogic sleep, is the ultimate power nap (plus you can whack on a face mask while you do it). Tara explains: “It’s a systematic method of complete relaxation, that helps to balance us on a physiological and deep neurological level.”
How to do it: Lie down for ten minutes to listen to Tara's free guided Yoga Nidra meditation . It’s different from the lying down, or savasana, done at the end of a yoga class, explains Tara. “It takes you into a deeper state of relaxation, slowing down the brain waves while staying totally conscious. Alpha waves become dominant which are characterised by deep relaxation. The idea is to stay awake rather than drift off to sleep (which produces theta waves). There is often an underlying feeling of euphoria while you are in this deep resting state. The nervous system is deeply relaxed, leaving you refreshed and revitalized, unlike a short sleep which can leave you feeling groggy and even more tired."
Try putting on the Gold Hydralifting Mask , a favourite of Margaret de Heinrich de Omorovicza who uses it on the morning of an important meeting ‘"to give [her] a moisture surge in only ten minutes".
And if you are not in a position to lie down for ten minutes, this one-minute yoga trick, called Rag Doll, will give you a rosy glow as well as calm the nervous system, says Tara (you could even do it in the loo before a meeting).
How to do it: “Stand with your back to a wall with your heels a few inches away and feet hip distance apart. Bend forward pressing your bottom into the wall for support and let your head hang down like a rag doll so your neck is relaxed. You can hold opposite elbows with your hands or let you arms dangle loosely (they don’t have to touch the floor). Hang here for a minute and breathe deeply. The combination of breathing deeply and bending forward brings fresh oxygenated blood to the face and calms the nervous system. Roll up slowly and take five strong breaths.”
Written in partnership with Omorovicza. The brand celebrates its 10 year anniversary this summer. New customers will receive 15 per cent off their first order at www.omorovicza.com plus three free samples and free UK shipping.
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