Beautiful You by Suzanne Edmonds

Each week, beauty enthusiast Suzanne Edmonds explores the best ways to take care of ourselves so that we love the skin we're in.

When it comes to beauty and treatments we can all be far too quick to make the simple association with indulgence and pampering.

But in fact, taking care of taking pride in our appearances is much more essential than that.

We all need to take time to look after our bodies, which in turn has immensely positive effects on our self-confidence and instantly increases our sense of wellbeing.

I come across people daily who are in need of a little TLC in order to feel better about themselves.

It might be as simple as getting your nails done, because in the state they're in, you're self-conscious of them and don't use your hands in the same way you would if you had gorgeous nails to express yourself.

Other common scenarios include the rushing woman (we've all heard of rushing woman syndrome) who has tension in her neck.

She'd feel like a new person if she took just 15 minutes out of her day to get a good shoulder and head massage by a professional.

Indeed, by default we feel pampered, refreshed and rejuvenated after a much needed facial to clear skin of dead skin cells, or after a pedicure that moisturises our feet and helps remove the dead skin that's making it uncomfortable to walk.

Beauty and visiting beauty salons is not about vanity or fashion, or even indulgence, it's about respect for ourselves, our bodies and our minds.

“Beauty awakens soul to act,” said Italian poet of the late middle ages Dante Alighieri, and I couldn't agree more.

Suzanne Edmonds is owner of De Lux Beauty salon in Cherrywood, Tauranga.