“If an ingredient is not good enough to eat, then it’s not good enough to put on your skin,” says Dorianne Catania, from Ayur Veda organic salon in Santa Venera.
“Since the skin absorbs all the things we come in contact with, we need to be aware of anything that we use on a daily basis, from toothpaste and cleaning materials to body creams and shampoos.”
Dorianne is passionate about organic living and has been working in the beauty industry for 18 years. A qualified beauty and massage therapist, she studied ayurveda in Kerala, the south of India, where ayurveda originated. She has also managed spas onboard cruise ships and locally for seven years.
“I believe that it is crucial for people to understand the difference between natural and organic ingredients and their importance when we use them on our skin,” adds Dorianne.
At Ayur Veda organic salon, all beauty and massage therapy treatments on offer use only organic products.
“The products we use for our treatments are free from chemicals and processed ingredients. Highly processed, synthetic and chemically-orientated skin and body care products can irritate and harm the skin,” says Dorianne.
“At our salon, we know how to treat and love our skin. We understand that everybody’s skin is different and with the help of ayurveda, our approach to caring and nurturing the face and body meets every individual’s needs.
“Our most popular treatments are ayurvedic massages, which are known to relieve mind and body from different kinds of stresses and toxic build-ups. Our detoxifying body wraps offer instant inch loss while our ayurvedic facials promote deep relaxation.”
Dorianne specialises in the art of threading, which is a natural hair removal technique. Ayur Veda was the first organic salon to offer this service locally. The salon also stocks organic products.
“Our products, which include food, skin and body care products, make-up and aromatherapy, are organic. We research our products very carefully and to date we represent four organic lines which we import from Italy and the UK. We also make sure that our suppliers use fair trade policy and have appropriate licensing.”
Organic products are also kind to the environment.
“It is a known fact that the more you process and alter a substance, the more energy you use and consequently, the more pollution you produce,” says Dorianne. “One of the main benefits of using organic products is that since they don’t include any chemicals, they are biodegradable and do less damage to the environment. Threading hair removal, for instance, is the most hygienic method of hair removal as it only involves the use of antibacterial thread.”
Dorianne says that these treatments and products can be of benefit to everyone, whatever the age and sex.
“Everyone has individual concerns, from skin issues and extra facial hair to aches, pains and the need for relaxation. There is always a natural approach to address these concerns and by using organic products, we can be kind to the environment and to ourselves.”