Ivana: The Power of Lavender

Lavender has been present in body care for thousands of years. Romans had their baths enriched with lavender looking for relief, and the Egyptians used its distinctive aroma for nursing and medical purposes. As Ivana Vinjic explains on her crunchbase, today the cosmetic industry uses lavender in a variety of cosmetic products such as creams, lotions, oils and soaps.

Ivana Visnjic - Lavender

Visnic enjoying

The scent of lavender has a calming effect. When we are nervous or in a bad mood, the smell of lavender may fix our mood, at least for a brief period of time. Ivana and many aroma therapists recommend it for headaches and trouble with sleeping. Therefore, always keep at home a small sachet of lavender flowers and lavender essential oil.

Lavender has antiseptic and antibacterial properties, and is an excellent assistant in the fight against oily skin and acne. Prepare your home tonic with lavender and apply it on your face every night. In a small bowl mix 1 dl apple cider vinegar and 1/2 teaspoon lavender essential oil. Leave the mixture for two days, so the ingredients can mix well. Every night before going to bed clean your face with this tonic, and in only a few days you can witness a substantial improvement of the situation on your skin.

Aromatic bath with lavender is something that Ivana Visnjic practices quite often. After a stressful working week, there is nothing more relaxing and soothing than this. In fact, hardly anyone doesn’t like long evening baths that soothe, relax and return our lost energy. If you want a truly relaxing bath, add a few drops of lavender essential oil or a few sprigs of dried lavender. Its incredible aroma will cheer you up and at the same time it will calm your senses. The skin will be open and the pores can absorb all the beneficial effects that lavender offers. In brief, lavender is a real balm for the soul and body.

Due to its antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties, lavender is also great for mosquitoes and other insect’s bites. Apply lavender essential oil on the place where you’ve been bitten. Lavender will alleviate the itching, reduce swelling and accelerate calming stitches.

Ivana Visnjic: Vitamins and Antioxidants that Protect the Skin

Consuming foods that is rich in antioxidants can have great affect on your overall health. According to Ivana Visnjic, in order to keep our skin beautiful, healthy and youthful looking, we must protect it from external influences, eat healthy food and don’t smoke. There is a whole range of vitamins and antioxidants available for a beautiful and healthy skin. Here are some of the vitamins and antioxidants that protect the skin and are recommended by Visnjic.

A combination of vitamin C, E and selenium can do wonder for your skin. Research has shown that a combination of vitamins C, E and selenium protects the skin from damage and skin cancer. Also, it can slow down the aging process of the skin. These antioxidants enhance the natural skin defense system, and thus prevent direct damage arising from negative influences from the environment.

The Coenzyme Q10 is a natural antioxidant that helps in the growth of cells and protects them from cancer. As Ivana explains, as we grow older, the natural levels of coenzyme Q10 begin to decrease, which causes the skin to age. Creams containing coenzyme Q10 have positive effect on the skin, but when purchasing such product, Ivana Visnjic reminds to pay attention to its concentration, which must be at least 0.3%. Coenzyme Q10 is found in liver, fish, and in smaller amounts in whole grains, nuts and legumes.

Alpha lipoic acid is an antioxidant that keeps the body from aging. When applied in the form of a cream, this antioxidant protects the skin from sun damage. Creams containing from 3-5% concentrated alpha lipoic acid, according to some research help the skin recover faster from burns. In small amounts, Alpha lipoic acid is found in spinach, broccoli, peas and rice bran.

Retinoic acid is actually the active form of vitamin A, and is the gold standard in skin care. It is one of the most effective anti-aging ingredients found in almost every beauty product. It works on the surface and the middle layer of the skin. Retinoic acid, as Ivana Višnjić says, is great for treating wrinkles, age spots and skin damage from sun exposure. It can be purchased in the form of gels and creams, which are used every second or third day.