Bethany products are designed to make you feel refreshed and relaxed. Here’s some helpful information for pampering yourself. Exfoliation Exfoliation is essential for skin health. It helps the dead skin cells to shed making room for the lower layers of newer skin. This newer skin allows moisture to penetrate the skin more easily which leaves the skin feeling plumper, fresher and in the case of our scrubs smelling delicious! Approximately every three weeks, new skin cells push up from the lowest layers of the epidermis and move towards the surface changing shape as they go. Exfoliation helps this process by giving the dead skin cells a push.   Bethany Scrubs contain soya bean and safflower oils with witch hazel and cocoa butter. So not only do they exfoliate, they nourish your skin leaving it feeling smooth, polished and soft to touch. If you use a scrub regularly, apply Bethany scrubs in the shower. For a more thorough polish, use Bethany scrubs before showering on dry skin, taking time to rub into your entire body in gentle circular movements. Your skin will feel smooth and nourished and you may feel you don’t even need a body lotion afterwards. Skin Brushing Skin brushing is wonderful for improving circulation and removing dead skin cells, which aids in the absorption of products. You will need a body brush with a long handle and natural bristles. These are available through most chemists. On dry skin before your bath or shower, brush in long strokes, starting with   your feet and work up towards the heart. Aim to brush for around five minutes. If your trying to eliminate cellulite, skin brushing can be one of your best friends as it helps stimulate blood and lymph flow, which eliminates toxins from the body therefore reducing the appearance of cellulite. Bath Time Let your bathroom become your own private sanctuary. With our hectic schedules, bathing has become much more than just a place to clean. Bath time is now the perfect place to relieve yourself of daily stresses, by taking a little time out just for you. To maximize this quality time, make bathing a full pampering experience. Put on some soothing sounds, dim the lights, light a candle and create the perfect ambiance for you to relax and reflect on what’s important to you. Bethany Bath and Shower gels provide generous bubbles and are sodium laureth sulfate free so they are gentle and non-irritating to your skin.   Our Mandarin and Lavender gel contains essential oils and is wonderful for winding down the day and preparing you for a welcomed slumber. Our Geranium gel containing geranium essential oil is great for stimulating the blood, which can help alleviate fluid retention and invigorate the lymphatic system. When using essential oils, close the door to your bathroom to keep in the vapors. Don’t make the bath water to hot or you’ll feel drowsy, about 35 degrees Celsius is ideal. Bath time should vary between 15 to 20 min. When submerged in your bath, really take time to relax. Take deep breaths and visualize your dreams in detail sending them out to the universe. When getting out of the bath, do so slowly and try to let your body dry naturally for maximum hydration. Showertime Sometimes we don’t always have time for a long soak in the tub, but even if you’re just stepping under the shower for a few minutes, maximize the experience with a Bethany Bath and Shower Gel. Applied to a textured sponge they provide a glorious lather to cleanse you all over and leave you smelling gorgeous!     Moisturising The best time to moisturise your body is right after a bath or shower, as this is when your skin is most receptive to product. Bethany scented body lotions will leave you smelling great without the need for perfume. Avoid lotions that are petroleum or mineral oil based, mass-market cosmetic manufacturers most often use them, as they are vastly cheaper to produce. Unlike plant oils, mineral oil won’t absorb into even the top layers of your skin, it just sits there greasing up and smothering your skin and if your skin is dry it can actually make it dryer.   Bethany spent months working with a biochemist perfecting her range and believes her body lotions compare to some of the best and most expensive on the market. "We chose natural ingredients where ever possible. The combination of sweet almond oil, cocoa butter, vitamin E and rosehip oil work together to nourish your skin whilst improving elasticity and firmness. Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant, which protects your skin from free radical damage. Rosehip oil helps rebuild skin tissue which assists in fading stretch marks." However there is no better beauty secret than good diet, exercise and quality sleep which is why the Bethany philosophy is all about taking time out for you. Hands and Nails Our hands are usually left unprotected by clothing, so they are exposed to harsh chemicals, dish water, the suns rays and they stretch and wrinkle whenever we move, which is almost all the time. If you suffer from dry hands, avoid washing them too much. When you must, use a gentle cleanser like our Gardeners Hand Gel. It refreshes tired hands with peppermint essential oil and contains Tea tree to work as a natural antiseptic. Alternatively, Bethany scrubs cleanse your hands whist shedding dead skins cells and moisturising at the same time! Try leaving a bottle by the basin, you’ll be thrilled with the difference it makes. When washing dishes wear rubber gloves, and place a thin layer of hand cream on underneath.   The hands are one of those tell tale areas where we often show our age, so always keep a bottle of hand cream handy so you can moisturise on a regular basis. On your desk or by your bed are always good places. Our Rosemary and Lavender Hand Cream is designed to nourish your hands whilst essential oils work as a natural antiseptic. This is important for the protection of the cuticles around your nails, keeping bacteria out and improving the health of your nails and nail bed. Our hand cream is readily absorbed so it won’t put your hands out of action for too long. If your hands are very dry, tried and generally worn out, you’ll love our Gardeners Hand Cream, it’s extremely moisturising and soothes your tired aching hands. Foot Care Our feet take plenty of abuse, not only do they have to carry us around all day, (for most around 8000 to 10000 steps a day), they have to do it in what is often high and uncomfortable shoes! Despite all they do for us they are often neglected! With our busy schedules sometimes we don’t have the time to fill a foot spa and go through the whole pedicure process, however daily foot care really needn’t be that much of a hassle. The bath is perfect place to indulge your feet as they’ve already been soaking! Your toenails are much softer after a soak so now is the time to clean around your toenails. Bethany Cosmetics has been asked many times why we don’t have a foot scrub in our range? That’s because we feel our Pineapple and Coconut Scrub is amazing for your feet!   Its extremely nourishing and you may feel you don’t need to moisturise afterwards. As you massage the scrub into your feet, really take time to give them a good a rub. Even if you’re not bathing we urge you to try our scrub on dry feet. Rub the lotion into your feet allowing the walnut to work away at dry and hardened skin. Then simply wipe away the walnut abrasive with a damp towel. Your feet will feel instantly smoother, more nourished, refreshed and smelling amazing! For tired aching feet, you’ll love our Peppermint Foot Cream. The stimulating effects of peppermint will instantly refresh and energize. Massage the cream into your feet and enjoy the cooling effect as your feet absorb the nourishing ingredients. If you feel you require further moisturising, place some socks on afterward and leave them on overnight. You’ll wake up with baby soft feet.