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Yuko's Tips

Skin Care 101

Ways to Create and Maintain Healthy Skin

What kind of skincare products do you use on a daily basis? Are you using products that are best suited for your skin? 

For example, skin lotion calms the skin. For people with dry skin, I recommend a highly moisturizing skin lotion that doesn't contain any alcohol.  Use a serum that penetrates deep into the dermic layer.

The correct order to layering skincare products is as follows: First skin lotion, then serums, and lastly milky lotions or creams. If you have wrinkles around the eyes or the mouth, apply special creams for those areas after applying the serums. Use the creams at the very end to trap in the moisture of the lotion and nutrients from the serums. Otherwise, the moisture and nutrients will just evaporate. People with dryer skin should opt for a more moisturizing cream to wear all year long. 

When putting creams directly on your skin, be careful of its expiration date. Even if you seal products properly when done using, once it’s opened the oxidation process will start and it may become unhealthy to apply to skin.

Don't stick your fingers directly into potted creams, but instead use a plastic spatula (spoon) instead. Don’t contaminate the cream by introducing bacteria. 

If you haven’t opened a product, it should be good for about three years, but make sure to store it in a dry, cool place, out of direct sunlight.

Skincare products that have been open have the shelf life of one year. Try using them up sooner rather than later, and use the leftovers on your arms and legs. 

Using too many products on your skin everyday can weaken your skin.   

Your skin has the natural ability to moisturize itself with the perfect amount of natural oils. 

The nasolabial fold is the line that appears from the side of your nose to the side of your mouth.

When you have a more pronounced nasolabial fold, you tend to look older than your actual age.

As you age, your face muscles get weaker, your skin starts to lose its luster, and sagging causes the nasolabial fold to look even more pronounced. Your face muscles will start to lose their strength if they aren’t used regularly, just like the rest of your muscles.

When you wash your face every morning, try over pronouncing vowels (a,e,i,o,u) to exercise the muscles around your mouth.

When applying skin products, make sure you massage your skin upwards.

When you exercise your cheek muscles you get a mini face lift, which helps soften up the look of nasolabial folds.

The skin around your eyes is very sensitive and thin. Wrinkles form very easily around the eyes. The skin around your eyes are attached to the skin around your mouth, so when you frown, the muscles are pulled downward and wrinkles are easily formed. For wrinkles around the eyes, please use a cream specially made for that area. Pat in lightly from the outer corner of your eye to the inner corner of your eye.

For beautiful skin, it is best to go to sleep between the hours of ten o’clock pm and two o’clock am. While you sleep, growth hormones are released, and your skin’s metabolism works hard to get rid of old skin and create more new skin.

That's all for now. Hope these basic tips will help you create and maintain healthy beautiful skin for many years to come!

 

 

Yuko Nishio

Yuko, also referred to as the anti-aging wizard, has been researching beauty and health for over 20 years and is the owner of the exclusive beauty salon "Natural Sage" in Tokyo, where her clientele includes royal families and A-list celebrities. She is also the founder of NNNY Skin Care, a premium skin care line initially created exclusively for her salon clientele.


What is Aromatherapy?

Aromatherapy

Yuko Nishio Beauty Tips

Everyone wants to stay youthful, no matter what age they are. In order to do so, being healthy is key. Health is the backbone of beauty. We have started this segment to educate people on becoming healthier and more beautiful. Please don’t automatically think, “At my age?” These methods are for anyone who wants to stay young.

This month, our topic will be aromatherapy. I have studied aromatherapy for over 20 years, and I hope that the methods I introduce will reach and help a wide range of people.

What is aromatherapy?

Simply put, it is a therapeutic treatment using “Aroma”; a pleasant smell. The most common method is by using essential oils pressed from flowers, leaves, roots, fruits and branches. We use these oils to relax our bodies and our minds, while strengthening our natural healing powers.

From the flowers and fruits we smell around us, we are unknowingly being affected by the power of aroma every day. The famous historical beauty, Cleopatra, is said to have floated rose petals in her bath, laid them on her floor as carpeting, and stuffed her pillow full of them for their scent.   

Why do smells have such an effect on our bodies and minds?

Our bodies are made from the foods that we consume. Food is consumed through the mouth, but the mouth is not an organ merely for eating. We also use it to speak.

As for the ear, it allows you to hear beautiful music, comforting words, which may help you feel relaxed or happy. Your eyes also help you feel good by helping you see things like beautiful scenery and art work.

Our noses also make a large contribution. Not only does it help us breath, it helps us recognize great smells. Pleasant scents not only relax you, but they make you healthy from the inside. That is the main goal of aromatherapy.

The nose is very close to the brain, causing scents to directly affect the limbic system. Since the brain is the control center for the rest of your body, it’s good to keep the brain healthy so the rest of our body will be too.

Not only do scents make us happy, they combat depression, dementia, and insomnia. In France, essential oils are not commonly sold because they are considered to be medicine to treat illnesses. In Japan, aromas are rarely used in medicine, but a wide variety of essential oils are sold commonly in stores.

The history of aroma: B.C.

In China, the Middle East, and Egypt, aromatherapy is said to have been around for over five thousand years. Even Hippocrates, “The Father of Western Medicine”, has left behind over four hundred prescriptions, all consisting of herbs.

In Egypt, a scented balm was used for antibacterial purposes on the mummies that they placed in the pyramids. Jesus Christ is said to have bathed his feet in scented oils. It just goes to show you how long people have been incorporating aromas into their lives.

Although the history of using scents in everyday life is very long, it is a French scientist by the name of Dr. Rene-Maurice Gattefosse who gave “Aromatherapy” its name.

Dr.Rene-Maurice Gattefosse suffered from a severe burn from an experiment that had gone awry. He grabbed a cold container nearby that he had just taken out of a cooler. Thinking it was water, he stuck his arm into it.

The horrible pain subsided quickly. However, it was not water inside the container, but lavender oil. Afterwards, he continued to rub the oil on his arm, until it healed quickly without a mark left behind.

That incident lead him to study essential oils and discovering new treatments. He began with lavender; later discovering that many plants had healing properties. The results of his studies have gone on to spread across the world, to be known as “Aromatherapy”.

Within our long history, the power of aromas has been experimental and has even been seen as old wives’ remedies. Dr.Rene-Maurice Gattefosse changed that into a field of study; helping more people understand this science.

Practical Application

Let me introduce to you a very easy way to use aromatherapy in your everyday life. This is great for anyone who is struggling with insomnia.

Get some lavender, dry it, and put it inside your pillow. The scent of lavender relaxes and helps you drift off to sleep better. If you can get some lavender essential oil, sprinkle one or two drops on some tissue paper and put it by your pillow when you sleep.

 

 

Yuko Nishio

Yuko, also referred to as the anti-aging wizard, has been researching beauty and health for over 20 years and is the owner of the exclusive beauty salon "Natural Sage" in Tokyo, where her clientele includes royal families and A-list celebrities. She is also the founder of NNNY Skin Care, a premium skin care line initially created exclusively for her salon clientele.


Bathe Your Way to Beauty

Bathing

The correct way to bathe

It can get a bit chilly while you're waiting to take a bath.

Turning the shower on and letting the water run for a while can help warm the room up.

Before turning on the water, sprinkle a few drops of your favorite essential oil on the bathroom floor where the shower stream will hit it directly. When you open the door, you will be greeted with a warm steam and a revitalizing scent.

It is ideal to take a bath every day. When your body is warmed up, your circulation becomes much better. The water pressure also acts as a massage, assisting your lymphatic nodes to work better. If you would like to tone your midsection, try doing twists to the right and left while sitting in a tub filled half way with warm water. Stretching the backs of your legs and thighs helps soothe muscles and make your feet feel lighter. For joint pain, rub and stretch the areas thoroughly. If you feel joint pain in your fingers, shake them in the water to ease the pain.

Use the bath as your fountain of youth

Half body bathing (sitting in the tub with warm water up to your solar plexus), has been said to be wonderful for your health. Your blood takes one minute to circulate your whole body. When you sit in a warm bath for an extended amount of time, the blood that has been warmed circulates and warms your entire body. You should aim for at least 15 minutes, 20 to 30 minutes if possible. You might want to drape a dry towel over your shoulders to keep from getting cold. Reading a book, or just reflecting on your thoughts and relaxing are great ways to refresh your soul and bathe your way to beauty.

The bath is where I regain my youth. After I finish a long day of work, I eat dinner, clean up, and take care of everything else I need to for the day. Taking a bath at the end of a long day truly helps me relax. It helps me plan and look forward to what will happen tomorrow.

The secret to youth is learning how to change the way you look at things.

If you’re 70, think “I’m only 70.” Not, “I’m already 70.” It’s not how old you are in numbers. It’s how you look and feel. The bath is where I work on my perspective of myself.

Just taking a bath relaxes your body and soul. Pleasant smelling essential oils and soaps help too. 

Recent bath additives have been using less chemicals and using more natural ingredients, which is a great thing. If you have a choice, using natural products is always better. Floating bath petals or citrus peels in the tub at home is also a great idea. Citrus peels also have the added benefit of warming your body to the core.

I love taking sake baths as well. You can use leftover sake from cooking. Add 2 cups to your tub for silky smooth skin.

If you want to use essential oils in your bath, taking some salt and mixing a few drops of oil into it first before adding it to the water helps release scents better.

Scents strongly affect your cerebral limbic system. It is a part of your brain that recognizes feelings, wants, and memories, along with your autonomic nervous activity. Scents help refresh and revive this area of your brain, thus relaxing your body and soul.

It’s best to bathe in a 100.4 ~ 104 ℃ bath, for a extended amount of time. If you feel yourself getting dizzy, don’t close your eyes, keep looking forward, breath is fresh cool air, and you will feel fine.

When you are sitting in a bath, your pores open and toxins come out. Washing your body after your pores are completely open helps get rid of toxins and dead skin, making your skin very clear.

Try washing your body gently with soapy bubbles. If you scrub too harshly, areas with delicate skin will become dry and itchy. It’s great to use milk, olive oil, and honey to remedy itchiness. Please be careful as not to slip when using these ingredients in the tub.  

Practical Application

Detoxing, whitening, and the texture of your skin

Let’s make the bath your beautifying place.

First thing is to detoxify using the following:

  • Natural salt
  • Milk
  • Coffee
  • Olive oil
  • Honey

Take one tablespoon of salt, 1 teaspoon of milk, 1 teaspoon of coffee, 1 teaspoon of olive oil, and 1 teaspoon of honey in a small container and massage it into the backs of your feet and around your toes to detoxify and get rid of foot odor. Rise after massaging.

The minerals within the natural salt penetrates past your cuticles, reviving your natural moisturizing action. Milk coats your skin, adding moisture. Coffee burns fat, and is said to assist the body in getting rid of toxins. Honey has moisturizing and antibacterial properties.

Let’s move onto whitening.

  • Natural salt
  • Milk
  • Matcha powder
  • Olive oil
  • Honey

Take 1 tablespoon of salt, 1 teaspoon of milk, 1 teaspoon of matcha powder, 1 teaspoon olive oil, 1 teaspoon of honey, and mix together well. Spread all over face, neck, breasts, arms, stomach, legs, butt, and massage for clear smooth skin. Massage upwards to tone your butt. The combination of naturals salt, milk, matcha powder, olive oil, and honey will help whiten and brighten your skin.

If you are going to use this all over your body, make a larger batch than just for the face. The protein in the milk attracts the grime in your pores, thus making your skin clean, and also moisturized. The salt will turn your skin red if you rub too hard, so please massage gently.

The catechin in the matcha powder is said to help whiten skin. If you have lackluster skin, this is a great ingredient to massage your face with. Rinse well.

And last but not least, let's smooth and tone the texture of your skin.

  • Natural salt
  • Milk
  • Soy milk
  • Olive oil
  • Honey

Take 1 tablespoon of salt, 1 teaspoon of milk, 1 teaspoon of soy milk, 1 teaspoon olive oil, 1 teaspoon of honey, and mix together well.

The isoflavones in the soy milk help smooth the texture of your skin. Gently massage this mixture all over your face and leave for 3 minutes. Gently massage your face while thoroughly rinsing for a nice facial.

The minerals within the natural salt help you sweat, opening your pores and cleaning them out. The salt also rids your skin of toxins and bumps up your metabolism by improving your blood flow and lymphatic system. Salt also has the added benefit of toning your skin.

Happy Bathing!

 

 

 

Yuko Nishio

Yuko, also referred to as the anti-aging wizard, has been researching beauty and health for over 20 years and is the owner of the exclusive beauty salon "Natural Sage" in Tokyo, where her clientele includes royal families and A-list celebrities. She is also the founder of NNNY Skin Care, a premium skin care line initially created exclusively for her salon clientele.


Got Hair?

BeautifulHair

The secret way to take care of your hair

Many people long for beautiful hair. Healthy, shiny hair makes a person’s beauty stand out even more. In order to have beautiful hair, you must be aware of how you wash, condition, and take care of your hair daily.

Hair does not continue to grow forever, but stops when it comes to a certain length and falls out naturally for another hair to start growing in its place. The three phases in this cycle are called “the growth phase”, “the involutional phase”, and “the resting phase”; creating a cycle of hair growing in and falling out. Each strand goes through all three of these phases, but at different timings.  

The growth phase

The stage where the old strand of hair falls out, and is replaced with a new one. Eighty to ninety percent of your hair is at this stage. The hair will continue to grow for three to five years.  

The involutional phase

Cells weaken, and the growth of the hair slows down significantly. One percent of your hair is at this stage, and it takes about two to three weeks for your hair to completely stop growing.

The resting phase

At this stage, the hair that has stopped growing is getting prepared to fall out. Approximately ten to fifteen percent of your hair is at this stage, and continues to be so for a few months. Deep within your pores, a new hair is being prepared, and the cycle continues.

 

On average, you lose about fifty to one hundred strands of hair every day

From hair that has naturally fallen out, to hair that has fallen out due to shampooing and brushing, you lose about fifty to one hundred strands of hair every day. Hair that is three months past the resting phase has usually fallen out.

In Hindu, the word “shampoo” has the meaning of “to massage”.

The scalp has many sebaceous glands, making it easy for it to become dirty. Washing your hair every day is the key to maintaining healthy hair.

 

The correct way to shampooing your hair

Brushing

Before you wet your hair, always brush your hair first. It will help get rid of things such as dust and dandruff even before shampooing. This simple step helps the shampooing process be more effective; creating improved circulation in the scalp, resulting in the prevention of hairs falling out prematurely.   

 

Wetting hair

Before you apply shampoo, it is very important that you wet your hair thoroughly. Don’t scrub, but rather run your hair under water as though you are naturally getting rid of the grime in your hair. 80 percent of the oils and dust on your hair can be washed away with just water.

 

How to apply shampoo

Take a dollop of shampoo in the palms of your hands and lather it up before you apply to your hair. This way, you won't damage your scalp or hair.

 

How to wash your hair

Use your fingertips and massage in a zig-zag motion from where your hair starts growing above your forehead, and work your way back to the nape of your neck without applying too much strength.

 

How to rinse your hair

Shampoo can cause sensitivity to the scalp or breakouts around the hairline, so be careful to rinse very thoroughly.

 

The purpose of rinses, treatments, and conditioners

A rinse coats the cuticles of the hair, and treatments have healing components to them, such as proteins. Conditioners are somewhere in the middle of these two products.

Get rid of the excess water from your hair and apply liberally so it soaks in. As for rinses, you can rinse out with water immediately after applying, but it’s better to leave treatments in your hair for at least three to five minutes. If your hair is severely damaged, leave the treatment in longer. Wrapping your hair up in a steamy hot towel will help the process along even more. Soak in a warm bath and let the steam assist the treatment in penetrating the hairs even deeper. Rinse very thoroughly.

 

How to dry your hair

Pat your hair lightly with a towel, and use a blow-dryer to dry your hair thoroughly from the roots. Have you ever experienced your hair not feeling quite as clean when you woke up, even though you had washed it the night before? It’s because falling asleep with wet hair causes bacteria to multiply very quickly.

 

Practical Application

People who have dry scalps can benefit greatly from camellia oil. Camellia oil is very similar to the natural oils of your skin. It is very beneficial to a dry scalp. After brushing your hair before washing it, massaging your scalp with camellia oil can help get rid of grime and help treat damaged hair; even lessen gray hairs. Camellia oil, jojoba oil, and olive oil are all great choices.

Take any of these oils and infuse with dried rosemary for a week. After brushing your hair, use this oil to massage your scalp. The circulation in your scalp will improve, and you will feel refreshed. Infusing asian ginseng, roman chamomile, or dried orange peels in oils are also great ideas. Your scalp and hair will become much healthier, and you will also feel much more mentally relaxed.

Let’s create our own hair treatment oils and turn the clock back ten years on our hair!

 

 

Yuko Nishio

Yuko, also referred to as the anti-aging wizard, has been researching beauty and health for over 20 years and is the owner of the exclusive beauty salon "Natural Sage" in Tokyo, where her clientele includes royal families and A-list celebrities. She is also the founder of NNNY Skin Care, a premium skin care line initially created exclusively for her salon clientele.


Healthy Intestines = Beauty

HealthyIntestines

The health of your intestines largely affects your overall health, and how fast you age.

So let’s start by taking care of our intestines. The intestinal tract happens to be the largest immune-related organ in our bodies.

Our intestines digest and absorb the foods and drinks we consume. If you drink too many cold beverages during the summer, your intestines will become chilled and weak. It will help to warm your stomach. If you have a weak stomach in general, it’s good to keep your stomach warm, even during the summer time. Eating a balanced and nutritional diet is also a very important part of beauty and health.

Tight underwear and heavy blankets when you sleep also put a lot of pressure on your body and prevent your blood from circulating properly. Sleep in underwear and pajamas that are not tight on you, and cover up with a light blanket. Also, a sufficient amount of sleep helps your intestines rest and become more immune to diseases; such as cancer and a multitude of different infections. A healthy immune system is necessary for a healthy body.

Since our intestines are easily effected by our autonomic nerves, not getting a sufficient amount of sleep will directly affect the health of your intestines. Along with your lungs, your intestines are one of the organs in your body that are fighting off the most bacteria and viruses. The immune system surrounding the intestinal tract are fighting off bacteria and viruses that enter the body through the food you consume. Your intestinal bacteria are always competing for power. When you eat well, good bacteria will multiply. When you eat poorly, bad bacteria will multiply and the number of good bacteria will diminish. Stress is also a very big factor when it comes to the health of your intestines. Eating well and getting plenty of sleep is very important.

Inside your intestines, there are approximately one hundred trillion bacteria, from one hundred different species. There are three main kinds of bacteria: good bacteria, bad bacteria, and one named “opportunistic organisms”; which cause harm when your immune system is weak. 

 

Foods that multiply the good bacteria in your intestines

A Japanese diet with starch (rice) and lots of dietary fiber is ideal. Instead of eating vegetables raw, cooking them helps you consume larger amounts of fiber. Afterwards, eating yogurt helps good bacteria multiply.

 

Lactic acid bacteria

The lactic acid in yogurt prevents bacterial food poisoning such as salmonella and shigella. When the number of lactic acid bacteria multiply in your intestines, your intestines become much healthier. It keeps the number of bad bacteria low, preventing diseases from happening. Eating yogurt is a great way to balance the number good bacteria in your intestines.

     

Sugar content

Sugar helps the lactic acid bacteria function better. They feed on the sugar and produce acetic acid. This makes for a more acidic environment that the bad bacteria hate.

 

Vitamins

Vitamins are a key nutrient when it comes to creating a healthy intestinal environment. Vitamin B1, vitamin B2, vitamin B6 help create more good bacteria. Getting most of your vitamins from food is the most effecting way to maintaining your health.

 

Sticky foods

Foods that are sticky such as okra, mulukhiya, seaweed, and konjac, are all full of insoluble dietary fiber (with multiple components of sugar). It helps multiply the number of good bacteria, reduces constipation, and increases immunity.

 

Dietary Fiber

Since a large portion of dietary fiber that is consumed does not get absorbed into the body, it helps with stimulating the intestines and becoming a large part of the waste leaving the body. It also absorbs the water in the intestines, making harder stool softer for it to leave the body. Eating foods that are high in lactic acid bacteria and dietary fibers are and ideal way to multiply the number of good bacteria in your intestines.

People who have weak stomachs should chew their really well when consuming foods high in dietary fiber. Try not to eat whatever you want whenever you want, and try not to drink too many cold beverages that will weaken your stomach. Too much consumption of alcohol, tobacco, and spicy foods are also not very good either.   

If you feel stressed, go on a walk with your pet or go sing some karaoke. Find your own way to relieve stress.

In order to stay young, good lifestyle habits are key. Create healthy eating habits, and enjoy a long and healthy life!

 

 

Yuko Nishio

Yuko, also referred to as the anti-aging wizard, has been researching beauty and health for over 20 years and is the owner of the exclusive beauty salon "Natural Sage" in Tokyo, where her clientele includes royal families and A-list celebrities. She is also the founder of NNNY Skin Care, a premium skin care line initially created exclusively for her salon clientele.


Winter Skin Care

Winter skin care for your neck and face

Your make-up looks perfect, but your neck is covered in wrinkles… While you put a lot of effort into your face, have you forgotten to take care of your neck?

It is said that your neck area shows your age the most. You can camouflage facial flaws with make-up, but not your neck. A saggy neck can make your face appear a lot larger.

When you take care of your face, don't forget your neck. When you apply toner or lotion to the face, gently apply it in an upwards motion, but with your neck apply them in a gentle downwards motion.

I would also like to introduce some moisturizing facial masks since the air is becoming much drier as we approach winter.

Sometimes, I see people who have cracked lips due to the dry weather. I always recommend pure honey to those people. After applying a thin layer to your lips, cover them with a moist piece of cotton or a piece of plastic wrap, and leave for 5 minutes.

 There is also a really great facial mask recipe using honey. Take a tablespoon of pure honey and mix it with a little flour and water until it turns into a spreadable paste. After washing your face, spread the mixture all over your face and neck. Wait 10 minutes before you wash it off. For people with dry skin, please add more honey.

Massaging your skin with honey while in the bath will make your face smooth and clear. Take a tablespoon of honey, half a teaspoon of granulated sugar, half a teaspoon of olive oil (any kind), and mix together. Wash your face. Then gently massage your face and neck with this mixture. The sugar granules help massage and exfoliate. It is great for getting rid of blackheads around the nose.      

A balanced diet is a must to prevent sagging around your neck and face. Proteins, vitamins, and minerals are all essential. Protein is probably one of the most important things to intake, so make sure you eat plenty.

 

Neck massages and how to rid yourself of shoulder tenseness

 

Your neck has the job of supporting your very heavy head, so it gets tired. Relieving the tenseness in that area prevents wrinkles and sagging. In order to do this, you must get your lymph nodes to function properly.

First, take your earlobes and pinch them with your forefinger and middle finger. Gently rub downward along your neck and help the flow of the lymph fluids. Take those two fingers and massage the indent of your clavicle. This is a very effective massage to do in the bath tub.

Just like how blood flows all throughout our bodies, lymph fluids also flow throughout our bodies through lymphatic vessels. They collect waste from surrounding cells.

Lymph nodes are located under your ear, neck, clavicle, under your armpits, lower stomach area, the roots of your legs, and the backs of your knees.    

Lymph fluid flows correctly when you move your muscles, but slows down when your muscles aren’t working correctly; mostly due to the lack of physical exercise. When your lymph fluid stops flowing correctly, you start accumulating water and waste. This connects to problems such as swelling, tenseness, and a decrease in immunity. This becomes more common as you get older.

Massage you neck downwards with your hands to help the flow. This will help your body become more effective at getting rid of water and waste. It is great to do this while sitting in the bath and your body is warm. 

Taking both of your hands, weaving your fingers together, and cradling your head in them while using your fingers to massage your neck is also a great way to get rid of tenseness. It helps refresh your head as well.

When your neck gets tired, it can affect your shoulders. Your shoulders can become tense from holding the same posture for too long. Try the following exercise to relieve your shoulders.

After taking a bath, rub you right shoulder with your left hand from top to bottom quickly, as if brushing it off. The same with the left shoulder. (Refer to picture 2)

Next, tighten and scrunch your shoulders upward, and release. After doing this 3 times, take your left hand and press the lymph node point under your right armpit. Roll you right shoulder to the front in a big circle 3 times, then to the back three times. Do the same to the other side. (Refer to picture 3)

It’s much more effective to roll the shoulders while pressing underneath the armpit. This will get rid of a lot of tenseness in the shoulder area. Finish this exercise by dangling both your arms.

The way you take a bath is very important as well. I would like to introduce a way to take a fragrant bath, relaxing for the mind and body.

Take your choice of aromatic oils and add a few drops to some salt. Add to bath. You can also substitute the aroma oils with mandarin oranges and yuzu. In Japan, floating skins of citrus fruit in your bath has been a tradition. It is said to promote better circulation. 

 

 

Yuko Nishio

Yuko, also referred to as the anti-aging wizard, has been researching beauty and health for over 20 years and is the owner of the exclusive beauty salon "Natural Sage" in Tokyo, where her clientele includes royal families and A-list celebrities. She is also the founder of NNNY Skin Care, a premium skin care line initially created exclusively for her salon clientele.


Walk Your Way to Beauty

Walking  

Walking 

Do you enjoy taking walks? 

I've recently started taking short walks for my health and maintaining my youth. It feels really great to walk while you take in the change of the seasons. Walking helps a lot with my stress and relaxing. Let's use walking as a tool in creating a healthy and youthful body. 

Walking is a great cardio exercise that delivers oxygen to your body. Continuing this exercise is great for the health of your brain as well, because of all the oxygen that is being delivered to the nerve cells in the brain.  

Walking does not add any extra stress to the heart or the lungs, while it improves cardiopulmonary functions. Walking is great for all of your muscles, improves circulation, aids digestion, aids metabolism, and prevents obesity and life-style related diseases.  

Preventing Osteoporosis     

Osteoporosis is known to be much more common among women. As we get older, our bones become weaker and our ability to absorb nutrients from our food becomes more difficult; resulting in less growth hormones being produced. 

Not getting enough exercise also contributes to osteoporosis. Walking is a great way to get exercise for your bones. Walking is said to increase bone density. Let's start walking to save our bones! 

Your legs are your "second heart" 

Your legs are the farthest body part away from your heart, so it is difficult for them to get the sufficient amount of blood that it needs to function. Walking acts as a pump that assists in getting the blood flowing to the rest of your body. The movements in the muscles are similar to the movements of milking a cow, which is where it gets its name "milking action". The milking action gets blood flowing and helps it flow back to the heart. The more you walk, the stronger your leg muscles will get, and will be able to better assist in this process.   

Bad Cholesterol 

Walking is also great for reducing bad cholesterol and increasing good cholesterol. Too much bad cholesterol can eventually contribute to arteriosclerosis. In order to prevent this from happening, you must be conscious of consuming a balanced diet, with healthy vegetable oils. Olive oil is great because it contains a large amount of oleic acid. I have 1or 2 teaspoons of olive oil every morning.    

Walk like a model 

The ideal way to walk is with a straight back and eyes looking straight forward, the chin drawn in a bit, knees stretched, and lifting from your toes and land on your heel. 

Models always stretch out the backs of their knees as they walk. Consciously walking with big steps and thrusting your hips forward makes you look more youthful and beautiful. Let go of your shoulder muscles and relax, while swinging your arms in a good rhythm. If you learn how to walk in this relaxed way naturally, you can prevent accidents from happening and getting hurt. 

Youthfulness begins from your feet      

We have approximately 200 kinds of muscles in our bodies, and 650 muscles in our bodies all together. Two thirds of your muscles are located in the lower half of your body, and it is also said that the muscles in the lower half of your body are faster to deplete.   

To keep your feet healthy, wear shoes that fit correctly, stand up straight with good posture, and walk on surfaces that are not only flat but go uphill and downhill. Climb some stairs. It’s important to walk at your own pace, every day. 

If you don't have a lot of time to walk, raising your heels up and down helps relieves swollen legs. If you walk too much and your muscles get sore, it means that there are little tears within your muscles. Take the area as if wrapping it with both hands and gently massage upwards towards the heart. By massaging upwards, the blood and lymph fluid flow become much better, and your feet will feel lighter. 

Take your ankle and gently press the outside and the inside of it with your fingers. Also massage the backs of your knees where there is a concentration of lymph nodes. This will help with circulation and make your feet feel lighter. Be careful as to not push too hard when massaging. Press gently, as if you were cradling your knee cap in your hands. I recommend doing this while sitting in a chair. 

If you are going to massage the backs of your feet, stepping on a split piece of bamboo will do the trick. There are many pressure points on the backs of your feet and toes. It is said that the nerves in the big toe are connected to the nerves in the head and neck area, the second toe nerves with the neck and arms, the middle toe nerves with the liver and kidneys, the fourth toe with hips and intestines, and the small toe with your legs. When you massage yourself, it is more effective to do the entire area rather than just one specific point. If you carry a lot of tenseness in your shoulders, massaging the base of your second toe can make you feel more relaxed. 

Wouldn’t it be ideal to live till a hundred years old, healthy and able to take care of yourself? Let's start walking more so we can stay healthy and happy.   

 

 

 

Yuko Nishio

Yuko, also referred to as the anti-aging wizard, has been researching beauty and health for over 20 years and is the owner of the exclusive beauty salon "Natural Sage" in Tokyo, where her clientele includes royal families and A-list celebrities. She is also the founder of NNNY Skin Care, a premium skin care line initially created exclusively for her salon clientele.


How to Create Flawless Skin

How to create flawless skin

What kind of skin care products do you use daily? Are you using products that are right for your skin type?

Lotions help prepare and calm the skin. For people with dry skin, I recommend using a highly moisturizing lotion that does not contain any alcohol. Using beauty serums help nourish the deepest dermic layer of the skin. 

The correct order to apply skin care products are first lotions, secondly serums, and lastly creams. If you are concerned about wrinkles around your eyes or mouth, apply an eye cream after applying your serums. To trap in the moisture of the lotions and the nourishment of the serums, we apply the creams last. If you don’t seal your skin with a cream, all the moisture and nourishment will evaporate. People with dry skin should use moisturizing creams all year.

Since skin care products are applied directly to the skin, expiration dates matter. When closing the lid, always close tightly to avoid air from getting in and oxidizing the products.  

When using creams in jars, avoid from sticking your fingers directly into the lid, but use a plastic spatula or spoon to apply to fingers, to avoid contaminating the whole jar.

Usually skin care products don't expire for 3 years if unopened and stored in a dry, cool place.

Products that are opened only last about a year. Try to use while fresh, and use the left overs on the rest of your body like your legs and arms.

If you use too many products daily, your skin can get tired. Your skin has a way of moisturizing itself with its own natural oils.  

Nasolabial folds are the wrinkles that form around the nose to the mouth. These nasolabial folds can make you look much older than you are.

As you get older, the muscles in your face become weaker, resulting in the sagging of your skin, which makes the nasolabial folds much more prominent. The muscles in your face are the same as the muscles in the rest of your body. If you don't use them, they will become weak.

To strengthen your face muscles, repeat the vowels “a”,”i”,”u”,”e”,”o” (sounds like “ah”,”yi”,”yu”,”ye”,”yo”) 3 times in an over exaggerated way in front of the mirror every day when washing your face in the morning. Move the muscles around your mouth like this on a regular basis.

When applying products to the face, apply in an upward massaging motion.

By strengthening the muscles in your cheeks, the nasolabial folds will become less noticeable.

The skin around your eyes is especially thin and delicate, and easily susceptible to wrinkling. The muscles around your eyes are connected to the muscles around your mouth, so when the muscles around your mouth deteriorate, the muscles are pulled down and create sagging around the eyes. For wrinkles around the eyes, use a serum or cream made specifically for the eye area. Apply from the outer corner of your eyes moving inward, in a tapping motion using your fingertips.

Is your skin satisfied with the products that you are using on your skin? Is there anything about your skin that bothers you? I have been developing a face cream of my own for the past 20 years, called the “Nano Whiteen® Cream EX”. It is made from 55 natural ingredients and botanical extracts by using the latest skin technology. It’s a moisturizer, lotion, serum, cream, and foundation combined all into one product. The microscopic nano particles used in this cream are called nano emulsions, which are one one-thousandth the size of a micron. It is a luxurious cream that works well with many different skin troubles, and gently moisturizes deeply.

It is ideal to go to sleep between the hours of 10 pm to 2 am. Your skin regenerates while it sleeps. A lot of growth hormones are produced during these hours and the regeneration process becomes more active.     

 

 

Yuko Nishio

Yuko, also referred to as the anti-aging wizard, has been researching beauty and health for over 20 years and is the owner of the exclusive beauty salon "Natural Sage" in Tokyo, where her clientele includes royal families and A-list celebrities. She is also the founder of NNNY Skin Care, a premium skin care line initially created exclusively for her salon clientele.