Origins, a well-known skin solutions brand that prides itself in harnessing the healing powers of nature and making it work with the latest technologies, has teamed up with Dr. Andrew Weil, a purveyor of integrative health (www.weilfoundation.org). They recently created and launched the Plantidote™ Mega Mushroom Program (Origins at Rustan’s, 8173736), consisting of Mega-Mushroom Face Serum and Mega-Mushroom Face Cream, which, when used as combination treatment, can increase our facial skin’s defenses against the causes of extreme dryness, redness, hyper-pigmentation, puffiness, lines and wrinkles. In just four weeks of consistent use, 84 percent of the testers confirmed their skin felt "soothed and calmed," with visible results that included improved skin texture, condition and appearance. Personally, in my first two weeks, I experienced decreased redness or unnecessary flushing and blushing, which is a common problem for people with sensitive skin. Although my skin’s instant adverse reaction included stinging, the irritation diminished with regular use and eventually disappeared.

Dr. Weil, who has also been recently named by Time Magazine as one of the "100 Most Influential People" and "the face of integrative health," has attributed these diverse skin conditions to what he calls "the fire within." I always thought "the fire within" was more like the drive in all of us—the more you have, the more hunger for success—but evidently, according to the 63-year-old expert, it is the reason for having a skin that is constantly suffering from the cascading ill-effects of unbalanced and unhealthy living. Basically, these two breakthrough products will introduce an integrative approach to skin care, first of which, are two potent mushroom blends combined with other natural ingredients.

First, there’s the Plantidote™ Mega Mushroom Face Serum (P3,500), a lightweight liquid mushroom blend (patent-pending), that, when applied to cleansed skin, can immediately result in a quieting and calming sensation to the inner skin. It contains Hypsizygus Ulmarius mushrooms, known for its anti-irritant properties, combined with Cordyceps mushrooms, known to increase vitality, and Reishi mushrooms, for its health-stimulating properties that include the ability to lengthen life. It also has ginger which has 3,000 years of healing history; turmeric, prized for its balancing and purifying properties; and holy basil, widely believed to promote longevity by alleviating stress. Truth be told, it sounds more like a beauty-blend diet rather than an anti-ageing regimen that quells "the fire within," but, then again, healthy diet is one of the basic principles of Integrative Medicine.

The serum can work as a base to the regular skincare regimen, morning or evening, but should work its "plant antidote magic" best with Plantidote™ Mega-Mushroom Face Cream (P4,100), another potent proprietary blend of mushrooms made up mostly of Hypsizygus Ulmarius mushrooms and Chaga, or birch mushrooms, formulated with Menyanthus and heather extracts to keep skin firm, Fucoidan from Okinawan seaweed, wheat and corn lipids which discourages moisture loss, yeast and vitamins C and E to increase the skin cell-regeneration process, hopefully combating biology’s harsh eventuality leading to degeneration. This miracle mushroom cream mirrors the biological "self-protection" process that sends the Narcissus Lily Bulbs into dormancy when faced with adversity. When applied regularly, the cream’s effects resemble signals, which are sent to the skin to conserve its energy, optimizing its defenses against age accelerators like free radicals from stress or pollution. It’s a little hard to imagine at first, but that’s what it claims to do.

In just a month, one can possibly have a clearer and more vibrant complexion. On a personal level, I can’t quite comment on puffiness and lines or wrinkles, since I am not yet prone to such conditions, but, on my first month, I noticed a significant improvement of my skin tone. The blemishes, usually red, are slowly evenning out, forehead to chin. It might have been that I had an Intense Pulse Light treatment a month before, but surely no one will have the audacity to argue against more than 3,000 years of history written about ancient China and Japan, which featured mushrooms to be so esteemed that they were reserved exclusively for the royal families. I wouldn’t dare, just like I never question the moisturizing powers of milk. I bet if Cleopatra had mushrooms around her, she would have found a way to invent a plant antidote herself.

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Another ancient beauty ingredient is olive oil, also most renowned food product in the Mediterranean basin. This "liquid gold," as once referred to by Homer, is extracted from the fruit of the nearly immortal olive tree that has dominated the rocky Greek countryside for more than 4,000 years. In Greece, and perhaps elsewhere, pure Greek olive oil is highly valued for its moisturizing, nourishing and anti-oxidant properties. It is also the base ingredient of the Greek-export beauty care line, Tact, available exclusively at Essenses.

The new line includs varieties of olive soaps, in bars or liquids, body lotion, shower gel, body scrubs, hair care and the fastest growing local favorite in the line, the Pure Olive Oil Hand Cream.

Tact Beauty Care also recently introduced Tact Lavande, an aromatic lavender line inspired by the lush, blooming lavender fields that dominate the landscape of Provence in Southern France. The complete line is enriched with French lavender essential oils, proven to be calming and soothing. The Lavande Bath Salts, a blend of purifying Mediterranean Sea Salts, is an absolute must-try. Tip: Sprinkle some granules to soften the regular tap water. It can also work with a pail of water--a little tedious--but works wonders for

the skin, nonetheless.