Understanding dual paradigms, such as mind/body or good/evil, is not necessarily black and white but quite often requires a third perspective.
Colourful make-up stands out against the minimalist counter.
This Zen philosophy is the essence of the Japanese cosmetic brand, Three, which offers a third beauty alternative that focuses on achieving an holistic balance of mind, body and skin through the use of natural ingredients.
Three emphasises inner beauty through having an open and positive attitude. It is for women who view themselves as neither young nor old, plain nor pretty, old-fashioned nor avant-garde and who define their own beauty; in the way they look and dress, as well as choose how to lead their life.
Launched in Thailand last year, Three now has several counters at Central department stores. They are immediately recognisable and present a simple Zen-like design marked from its absence of eye-catching colours.
Instead, deep browns and black walnut woods are set against the light tones of stacked limestones and transparent glass. This colour-scheme brings the beauty of the natural materials to the forefront, while making the cosmetics, particularly the make-up range, enticingly stand out.
The brand follows a simple skincare routine with formulas made from the finest natural components including certified organic essential oils.
The development of each of Three’s skincare products is based on the result of collaborations with universities and research institutions, who have studied the effect of essential oils on the mind, body and skin.
The Balancing skincare products, for example, contain a mix of Frankincense, Bergamot fruit, rosemary, marjoram and sandalwood essential oils, as well as 16 other botanical ingredients, including the signature tea seed botanical oils sourced from the Japanese district of Shizuoka.
This product line was developed to holistically rebalance temperamental skin. It addresses problems caused from stressful lifestyles and the day-to-day and seasonal changes that affect the appearance of the skin.
The brand’s skincare ingredients are also inspired by beauty techniques and materials from different parts of Japan, including skin beauty boosters using bamboo water from the Aomori district; plum extract from Wakayama district, fossilised coral from Okinawa, and hot spring water from Oita district.
Three’s Balancing line for temperamental skin.
Relax and recharge
Busting stress can begin with a visit to the Aveda Experience Center at Siam Paragon or Central Chidlom where one can check out a hand and arm massage with a soothing Stress-Fix aroma created in collaboration with clinical aromaologist, Pierre Franchomme.
Aveda has its own botanical aroma lab that harnesses the power of essential oils to relieve tension. The Stress-Fix aroma is a blend of certified organic French lavender, lavindin (a hybrid of true and spike lavender) and clary sage sourced from small organic farms in France to ensure high-quality essential oils.
“With stress playing such a prevalent part in everyone’s lives, our bodies have lost the balance between our sympathetic nervous systems (fight or flight response) and parasympathetic nervous system (repair and restore response),” says Marc Zollicoffer, director of Aveda Spa Education. “As a society we are in a constant state of flight or fight and are not spending enough time resting and regenerating.”
The number of people suffering from stress is even reaching epidemic proportions, he added, as studies show that 44% of adults in developed global markets report adverse effects from stress and 57% of women say they feel stressed at least once or twice a week.
The Stress-Fix hand and arm massage involves an intensive rub down with a body cream and ayurvedic massage techniques that focus on hands and forearms, areas prone to repetitive stress injuries from endless hours spent typing at computers.
The US brand draws inspiration from ancient ayurvedic wisdom to develop plant-based hair, skin, body and make-up products, as well as treatment rituals to help calm the mind and comfort the body.
Doing the rituals at home further helps one relax and recharge at any time with the Stress-Fix collection of soaking salts, concentrate, and body lotion or cream.
The body ritual, for example, can begin after showering by massaging cream into the hands and holding them under your nose while taking a deep breath. Work on massaging tense areas such as the neck, shoulders and forearms with the ayurvedic technique of using circular motions at the joints and back-and-forth between them. In addition, give the tummy a rub with clockwise circular motions.
Stress-Fix collection of soaking salts, concentrate and body lotion or cream.
