ith your partner. All you need is an hour. Here’s our 10 step, easy guide to some delicious pampering.

Step 1

Turn off the ‘phone and eliminate outside distractions. Light some scented candles. This is a time for some positive self -affirmations, tell yourself how valuable you are. Better still tell your partner what you love about them.

Step 2

Apply soap with a Kessel glove or sponge or even just hands in circular movements starting with the heels and feet and working upwards to the legs and buttocks. Massage well. (Our Acceptance Body Peel & Detox is herbal liquid soap with natural ingredients designed to exfoliate and wash your body. It’s perfect for getting you a skin to envy this Valentine. The Kessel glove is a Moroccan exfoliant glove also available from us. Please contact Hania for details)

Step 3

Next massage the tummy in circular movements clock-wise, repeat 10-20 times. Take your time to relax

Step 4

Ask your partner to massage your back, again using the Herbal Body Peel or Herbal soap.

Step 5:

Now massage the chest, armpits and arms. Leave. Rinse your hands well.

Step 6:

Apply 2 pea size drops of Rassoul Face Peel and massage into the face and neck for 3-5 minutes.

Step 7

End the detox by rinsing well from head to toe, massaging the whole body as you go to eliminate the toxins & stress of the week.

Step 8

Dry and massage body with Warming Argan oil & herbs. (Try our Acceptance Body Lotion with Argan oil.)

Step 9

In circular movements, apply eye gel to the eye area & forehead too. (We recommend All in one Hydra Lift eye gel for this purpose). To replace the natural skin oil smooth Chance Argan oil serum starting on your neck and work upwards to the face. Finally apply a moisturising face cream to sooth and moisturise your skin. (Evidence Anti age has been designed to leave your face feeling smooth and lifted.)

Step 10

Put on a lovely outfit such as a Kaftan or Djellaba with matching turban and scarf.  Take some time to relax with a soft drink or herbal tea and a good book or some gentle music.

A Hammam experience shared with your partner is a great way to prepare for or celebrate Valentine’s Day. You could make the experience a bit more special with a glass or two of pink champagne or better still book a spa treatment with us and enjoy some real pampering; contact hania@haniasecrets.net

Do you have a Hammam experience you could share (nothing too intimate please!)? Perhaps you’ve visited a Hammam in Morocco, been to a bath house in Turkey, found a great spa experience which other people might like to know about?

Image courtesy of digitalart/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net

With Valentine’s Day just around the corner it’s time to prepare for romance. During the month of February we’ll be sharing some ways to pamper yourself and your partner.

After months of a cold wet winter and some overindulgence during the Christmas break our bodies are probably showing signs of stress and a lack of care and attention. You won’t be alone if you’ve gained a few pounds, if you have dark circles under your eyes and a dull skin. But with Spring just around the corner it’s time to take ourselves in hand. So let’s take action ! Starting with the inside.

1. Detox from the inside.

A good place to begin is with a detox. Over the winter and holiday season we have probably accumulated a lot of toxins in our bodies so now is the time to work at getting rid of them. Here are our top tips:

• Drink lots of water to flush away those toxins. Experts recommend an intake of at least two litres a day. If plain water is too boring drink some herbal teas instead, green teas have been found to be particularly beneficial in draining toxins naturally.
• Cut down on caffeine heavy drinks but don’t cut them all out at once unless you want to do ‘cold turkey’!
• Work up a sweat. Sweat removes the toxins so play a vigorous sport or go for a sauna or to a steam room or Hammam.
• Watch what you eat. Cut out highly processed foods and foods with a high sugar content. Increase your intake of fruit and vegetables and follow a healthy eating plan.

Take yourself in hand now so that, when Valentine’s Day comes, you will be ready with a sparkling skin and renewed energy. Why not encourage your partner to join you on a detox regime and then you’ll both be ready to sparkle on Valentine’s Day?

So having worked on the inside next week we’ll share some tips for working on the outside and we have fun in mind!

The toxic chemicals are absorbed into the blood stream through your skin and it is believed that they are the source of eczema, asthma and even cancer.

The list of chemicals used by skincare manufacturers is extremely lengthy. But it is possible to highlight a few ingredients that may be worthwhile avoiding, as they are recognised as the possible cause of health problems.

1. Parabens (methyl, propyl, butyl etc): Widely used as preservatives, Parabens have been linked to hormone function imbalance and have been detected in breast tumours. They have also been linked to asthma and eczema.

2. PEGs: Otherwise known as Polyethylene glycol (PEG) is used in cleaners and even some oven cleaners to dissolve oil and grease. They may also be contaminated with Dioxane, a carcinogen. PEGs are found in many personal care products.

3. Phthalates: These are found in so many products, from plastics to shampoo. They are believed to be hormone disrupting and can cause damage to vital organs. Diethyl phthalate (DEP) is found in fragrances but it has been linked to infertility and birth defects. Unfortunately manufacturers are not required to list phthalates on labels, so they are difficult to avoid.

4. Sodium Lauryl Sulfate: SLS is used in thousands of cosmetic and health care products, including most toothpastes. It is used to create lather. It’s a strong degreaser that dries skin and hair and can cause eczema in some people. It took me twenty years to realise that it was the SLS in my toothpaste that was causing my miserable battle with mouth ulcers.

5. Propylene Glycol: This is recognised as a neurotoxin and is known to cause dermatitis, kidney damage and liver abnormalities. Even so it is widely used as a moisture-carrying ingredient (humectant) instead of glycerine because it is cheaper and absorbs well. It is used in antifreeze and hydraulic brake fluid and some manufacturers use it just to keep their machinery well oiled – it has no function in the product itself!

6. Diethanolamine (DEA), Triethanolamine (TEA) and Monoethanolamine (MEA): These are known to be hormone disrupters and can combine with nitrates to cause cancer. Unfortunately these ingredients do not need to be listed on product labels.

7. Synthetic Fragrance: This is a term used by manufacturers to hide a plethora of ingredients, many of which you may wish to avoid.

8. Alcohol: (Isopropyl Alcohol, SD Alcohol 40, Ethyl Alcohol): Alcohol is drying; it dissolves the body’s natural moisture and strips the skin of its natural protection. Although it has been used traditionally to help spot-sufferers, in fact it simply encourages the skin to produce more oil, exacerbating the problem. Alcohol can destroy the skin’s natural pH balance and even speed up wrinkling.

In lab tests, the active ingredient in turmeric, called curcumin, can enhance the cancer-fighting as well. In an experiment with human prostate cancer cells in a laboratory dish, the combination treatment killed off two to three times more cells than either treatment alone. It may also benefit children against leukaemia, protect against damage caused by cigarette smoke and eating certain processed foods.

• Regenerates the skin by restarting vital functions of cells to prevent early skin ageing due to external stresses such as sun, weather, stress, smoking
• Reduces blemishes and slows down the appearance of wrinkles.
• Neutralizing free radicals.
• Helps protect skin elasticity. Moisturises dry skin.
• Reduces visible scars left by acne or chicken pox. Can reduces acne and skin inflammation.
• Restores the shine of dull, lifeless hair.
• Promotes scalp care to advance hair growth & prevent split ends.
• Elevate skin condition like psoriasis and eczema.
• Reduces Cholesterol.
• Soothes rheumatism & arthritis pain.

The Numerous Benefits of Argan Oil for skin care

11.  Argan Oil for Superb Massages and Rheumatism.   

Multiple benefits of frankincense on skin and body

Frankincense has been valued for thousands of years because of its medicinal benefits. Historically, it was associated with divine healing powers and considered to be more precious than gold.

Also known as Olibanum, frankincense has amazing skin regeneration properties. It helps to improve skin tone and  condition.