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By Marcela Teixeira
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by Ryan Brady
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More and more women over the last several years have turned to skin care as a way to give back to themselves. Their seven-step nightly routine has become the consistent bit of self-care they look forward to each day, with a monthly facial for that extra boost of TLC. But what about all the parts that exist under our neckline? Has the rest of our body become chopped liver?

Hopefully not for long thanks to Nativa SPA, a Brazilian beauty brand on a mission to inspire a whole new kind of care: one that embraces our whole body. With all that we have going on, we deserve a self-care ritual that takes into account our whole being rather than a fragmented, face-first approach. We deserve a moment to experience what it feels like to be human and to enjoy being in our own skin, each and every day. 

Why whole body care?

Americans tend to prioritize the face because it’s the most visible part of the body. But body care is so much more than anti-aging prevention and skin texture. In other countries, like Brazil, whole-body care is a way of life. It's a method of grounding down at the end of the day and connecting back to ourselves and to the earth by nourishing our skin with plant-powered ingredients.

For instance, quinoa—the main ingredient found in Nativa SPA products—is what the Incas referred to for thousands of years as "the golden grain." Quinoa earned this title because it's rich in protein, fiber, and healthy fats, but it's also loaded with properties that take the skin to the next level.

 

How to make your care routine more whole.

Extending your skin care ritual to include the rest of your body shouldn't feel like a chore. It should be thought of as a relaxing way to unwind, reconnect, and feel more fully present in your body. To help our community get started, we connected with massage therapist and Nativa SPA fan Lais Perez from Mova SPA to learn her top tips for creating a more whole-body care routine:

1. Embrace who you are.

2. Try to disconnect from all the external noise.

3. It doesn't matter if it's for 5 or 50 minutes. Get in touch with your skin through self-massage.

There are several ways to massage your own body. In Brazil, one of the most popular and effective body care techniques is called lymphatic drainage; this has become part of a weekly routine for many women. It can be done by a professional, but it can also be part of your home ritual. Here is a simplified guide on how to do it yourself:

- The most important thing is to feel the lymph flow (that drains from cells and tissues that are not reabsorbed into the capillaries) throughout the body, including the neck, armpits, groin, around the gut, and between the lungs.

- Very simple movements can have a huge benefit. For example, if you want to drain the leg, always move upward toward the bikini line; make movements toward the armpit from the arms. Make circular movements from right to left in the abdomen to help the bowel function. When you use a moisturizer after bathing or before going to sleep, apply it in this direction to help the blood and lymphatic circulation.

- Finish by doing delicate "pump" movements (5 to 10 times).

Bonus step: If you have time, make yourself an herbal cup of tea and bask in the moment for an extra couple of minutes.

Care beyond the body.

Creating a whole body care routine isn't just a way to nourish and hydrate your skin from head to toe, but it's also a way to bring more mindfulness into your day-to-day life. It creates more wholeness of the body, mind, and nature.

Since our well-being is so connected to that of the earth's, Nativa SPA takes extra steps to nurture both the individual and the planet in their approach to care.

While Nativa SPA borrows their clean, plant-based ingredients from Mother Earth, they give back to her by passing 1% of their annual net revenue to planet-positive initiatives. Plus they make sure to utilize thoughtful packaging techniques that follow sustainable principles.

So as you work on creating new, healthy habits in the year ahead, consider implementing a more whole-body care routine–not only for yourself but also for the planet!