Archive for category: inspiration EN

Mindbodygreen and lululemon are specialists in the field of well-being. Here’s an excerpt from a recent article they published and that we wanted to share to our French, English and Spanish readers. At Néolia, we really do believe that investing in yourself is no luxury in 2018 and that everyone should take some time to unwind and have fun. Here are a few simple ideas to get you started…

We all get caught up in our routines: We wake up, go to work, do a couple of errands, make dinner, and repeat the cycle all over again the next day. Our wants and needs often take the back burner to the more practical and pressing matters of life.

But the truth is, you are the most important investment if you want to live a long, healthy, and meaningful life. Self-care is the new health care, after all—and it’s not a selfish act. If you are depleted, distracted, and uninspired, you’ll have an energy-draining effect on those around you, but if you’re fulfilled, enthusiastic, and purposeful, you have the power to lift others up along with you.

So what are some of the most powerful “self-investments” you can make that will pay off in the long run? The beauty is that there are so many options, and they don’t have to be over-the-top indulgences. Here are simple ways to invest in yourself that can boost happiness, improve physical and mental well-being, and lead to an overall more balanced life.

Exercise

Physical activity is one of those no-brainer investments in your health. In addition to being associated with an increased lifespan and reduced risk of all sorts of diseases (from diabetes to arthritis to heart disease), moving your body more is equally beneficial for the body and mind.

Research has shown that regular exercise can reduce anxiety, improve memory and thinking skills, improve sleep quality, and be as effective for treating depression as prescription drugs. It’s also one of the most effective ways to clear cortisol (the stress hormone) from the body, helping you better cope with the more challenging moments in life. The best part? You don’t have to run a marathon or do an intense boot camp workout to experience these perks. Current recommendations say to aim for at least 30 minutes of exercise every day to reap the benefits, but if you are truly enjoying the type of exercise you do, chances are you’ll far exceed that.

Try New Things

What gets you up in the morning? What lights your creative fire? What do you need to do to feel whole? The truth is, you don’t really know until you’ve experienced it. That’s why making a commitment to learning new skills and engaging in fresh experiences is so important. That might mean taking a cooking class, going for your yoga teacher certification, traveling solo, or starting a blog.

In the short term, trying new things like these might make you uncomfortable, and that’s completely normal. But the more you commit to doing things that aren’t part of your regular routine, the more you’ll let go of the fear and prevent it from holding you back. Stepping out of your comfort zone can also reveal previously unknown talents and passions you might have, helping reveal what you’re really supposed to do with your life and giving you a greater sense of purpose.

Invest in Meaningful Relationships

As an adult, it can be really hard to make friends. Oftentimes, building new relationships requires a giant step outside of your comfort zone, to the point where it can seem hopeless to even make the effort. However, research shows that the effort is worthwhile in the long run. Studies have found that having more friends makes you significantly happier, which, in turn, is associated with a longer lifespan.

However, as an adult, opportunities to meet new people seem to be few and far between compared to our childhood days. The solution: Put yourself out there and consider signing up for an event, workshop, or retreat where you’re more likely to meet like-minded people with whom you can have meaningful conversations about things you both enjoy.

During pregnancy, anatomical and hormonal changes can cause many skin imperfections. The skin changes, but fortunately, there are things you can do to soothe and reduce these discomforts.

Here is a list of common skin changes that can occur during pregnancy:

STRETCH MARKS
Almost 90% of pregnant women will notice their skin cracking revealing pinkish traces on their abdomen. After giving birth, these stretch marks fade, but they never disappear completely. So you might as well treat right from the beginning of the pregnancy to prevent their apparition.

What to do?
Exercise and moisturize quickly and intensely the areas you know will stretch, the abdomen, the breasts and the hips among others. Massage in a circular motion with a replenishing body butter. This is relaxing and it also improves skin circulation.

MASK OF PREGNANCY
Also known as melasma or chloasma, the mask of pregnancy is characterized by local brown spots on the forehead and cheeks. During pregnancy, your body produces more hormones which increases pigmentation. Nearly 50% of women will show signs of this problem and on 10% of them, the problem will persist or will reappear with the use of the contraceptive pill. That’s why maintaining good habits is fundamental to avoid these spots.

What to do?
Take your protective shields out: SPF 15 (minimum) sun care cream, hat, light covering clothes. No need to mention that you should avoid sun bathing!

IMPERFECTIONS
Hormonal upsets during pregnancy disrupt sebaceous glands that increase their sebum production and make the skin oilier and more prone to pimple breakouts, to acne and imperfections.

What to do?
Adopt a strict beauty routine to purify your skin. Choose adapted products and visit your beauty professional to get the best advice for your skin. Avoid the use of harsh products that could irritate your skin even more.

You can also use anti-imperfection products to correct and conceal minor imperfections.

VARICOSE VEINS
Varicose veins are the bluish veins that appear on the legs. If you have a family history of varicose veins, chances are that you’ll also be dealing with this discomfort.

What to do?
Avoid standing or sitting for long periods, walk to increase your blood flow, wear support stockings, take your dose of vitamin C to keep your veins healthy and lift your legs up regularly.

ITCHY SKIN
With stretching skin often comes dryness and itching. If late in the pregnancy, the symptoms worsen, you should talk with your doctor.

What to do?
To soothe the discomfort, it is important to wash with gentle products and to keep your skin well hydrated.

And maybe we could conclude on a positive note by talking about the PREGNANCY GLOW. As a matter of fact, during pregnancy, your body produces 50% more blood and this gives the skin a pinkish glow. Moreover, the skin retains more moisture, which plumps it up smoothing out fine lines. This little extra could all make us blush with envy…

Dandruff is a common benign condition affecting almost one out of two persons, mainly younger men. Marked by itching and flaking skin on your scalp, the symptoms tend to worsen during the dry winter months.

Pinpointing the exact cause of your itchy, flaky scalp can be difficult but the most common factors that could investigate are:
-dry skin resulting from dry air
-irritated skin also known as seborrheic dermatitis (a more severe form of dandruff)
-not shampooing enough which causes skin accumulation
-overgrowth of a yeast called malessezia
-eczema and psoriasis can also inflame the scalp area as well as other parts of the body
-your personal care products may also cause contact dermatitis

Probably the most important thing to do to control dandruff is to shampoo regularly with a mild shampoo and conditioner, rinse very well and practice good hygiene.

While you are at it, stop scratching to relieve irritation and relax, stress can worsen the situation. If that doesn’t work, ask your pharmacist to recommend a dandruff treatment shampoo. Alternating the type of product can also help achieve the best results.

Source: dermatology.ca

With a wide range of creams, butters and body lotions on the market, making a smart choice for skin care can become complicated.

In fact, moisturizers contain a combination of humectants and emollients. Humectants have an effect on moisturizing the skin and the ability to retain its water while emollients act on nutrition.

Understanding your skin’s needs and learning to read the ingredient list of a product will ensure you get the best results. Neolia products counter popular beliefs because of their high concentration in oil.

Here is a comparative chart of our products that may enlighten you when it comes to choosing what’s best for your needs:

Body Butter	Body Lotion
Nutricious effet on dry skin	Moisturizing effect for dehydrated skin
Non greasy and quickly absorbed	Its 8% olive oil content gives it a film-forming effect
Ideal in the morning	Ideal in the evening due to its long-lasting film-forming effect
Generous and silky texture	Anti-drying

 

All in all, our butters and lotions have been formulated in a complementary way, to fulfil all of your skin’s needs. Now go ahead and take full advantage of that !

Do you often look in the mirror and find yourself thinking your hair looks dull? Many things can contribute to making your hair seem less than unharmed even if you avoid the typical assailants such as hot tools. The drying effects of seasonal arid air both inside (thanks to your radiator) and outside (cold winter winds) not to mention tight ponytails and even brushing out tangles can have negative effects on your locks.

By skipping conditioner, you’re exposing your hair to tons of damage that will wear away the cuticle layer, making every strand appear thinner.

Conditioning as rule of thumb is key in helping to maintain the natural nourishment of your hair especially after doing treatments such as straightening, colouring, perming and other hair enhancers. The conditioner closes our hair cuticles and keeps the moisture locked in after the shampoo has lifted and stripped it. The added step is crucial to make your hair softer by coating the hair with a protective layer to your easily roughed-up hair cuticles (that look something like fish scales under a microscope).

Use the right kind of conditioner with cool water and your hair will not only be silky, smooth, hydrated and detangled, but healthier-looking too!