Ageless Brazilian Beauty - The Skincare

Secrets of Supermodels

Revealed

Discover the Natural Skincare Routine that made the Brazilian

Supermodels skin, flawlessly perfect

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Disclaimer

Copyright © Year 2017 All Rights Reserved.

No part of this eBook can be transmitted or reproduced in any form including print, electronic, photocopying, scanning, mechanical or recording without prior written permission from the author.

While the author has taken utmost efforts to ensure the accuracy of the written content, all readers are advised to follow information mentioned herein at their own risk. The author cannot be held responsible for any personal or commercial damage caused by misinterpretation of information. All readers are encouraged to seek professional advice when needed.

This e-book has been written for information purposes only. Every effort has been made to make this eBook as complete and accurate as possible. However, there may be mistakes in typography or content. Also, this e-book provides information only up to the publishing date. Therefore, this eBook should be used as a guide - not as the ultimate source.

The purpose of this eBook is to educate. The author and the publisher do not warrant that the information contained in this e-book is fully complete and shall not be responsible for any errors or omissions. The author and publisher shall have neither liability nor responsibility to any person or entity with respect to any loss or damage caused or alleged to be caused directly or indirectly by this eBook.

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ContentsAbout the Author 4..........................................................................

Introduction 6..................................................................................

Brazilian Beauty 7..........................................................................

Physical 8...................................................................................

Emotional 9................................................................................

Spiritual 14.................................................................................

The Brazilian Lifestyle 23...............................................................

The Super fruits of Brazil 30...........................................................

The Brazilians’ Love for Skincare Oils 49......................................

The Suntanned, Ageless Skin of the Brazilians 71..........................

The Conspiracies and Ineptitudes that Plague the Amazon Rainforests 80..................................................................................

The Supplementations and Natural Extracts Found in the Amazon 83......................................................................................

The “Brazilian Botulin-like Serum 86............................................

The Expert Speaks 99......................................................................

Final Thoughts on the Flawless Skin of the Brazilians 105............

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About the Author

Skin health and beauty care has been both, a leisure pursuit and a career path for Dr. Andrea Godoy. She graduated from Medical Sciences in Santos, São Paulo in 1999 with a medical degree in Dermatology. She then became a specialist at Santa Casa de Misericórdia de São Paulo.

Her extraordinary fascination with natural beauty and skin care made her an effective member of the Brazilin Society of Dermatology (SBD), with a specialist degree. The same zeal and intellect also made Dr. Godoy one of the leading members of the Brazilian Laser Society (SBL).

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The continuous success in the field, and the fervor with which she endeavored to broaden her knowledge and specialty on the subject drove Dr. Godoy to pursue a post graduate degree in Nails and Hair (Trichology) by the Faculty of Medicine of Mogi das Cruzes.

During all her practice, Dr. Godoy never stopped learning and discovering more about skincare and dermatology. She then went to the fashion hub and attended training in PDT (Photo Dynamic Therapy) by the Humanitas Institute in Milan, Italy in 2005.

Godoy then shifted her focus to a more natural approach to skincare and this time, she engaged and specialized in Ayurvedic Medicine. She consequently became a Preceptor of dermatology at Ipiranga Hospital (2008-2010).

On the basis of her extensive experience, knowledge and academic accolades, Godoy co-authored the Virtual Man Project (USP). She also co-authored the book "Foundations of Dermatology” alongside the esteemed specialist, Dr. Márcia Ramos e Silva.

In addition, Dr. Andrea Godoy also had the honor to co-author the book "Tratado de Clínica Médica" with Dr. Antonio Carlos Lopes. And she also lent her pen in the authoring of the book “Treatise on Dermatological Surgery, Cosmetic and Laser” (SBD).

Dr. Andrea Godoy has conducted extensive research and has discovered the skincare routines and the beauty secrets behind the famous Brazilian skin.

In this book, The Brazilian Babes’ Beauty Secrets, she reveals those hush-hush habits, regimes, routines and everything else

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that resulted in the beautiful skin that the Brazilians are famously known and envied for.

Introduction

Brazilian women have always been considered a hallmark of beauty, and their attractive looks have rarely gone unnoticed. The beauty of Brazilian women is not limited to the famous models and actresses either. Every Brazilian woman, young or old, carries herself with elegance and charm. Their beauty radiates. And don’t mistake this beauty for being skin deep. In addition to having lovely features and caramel colored skin that oozes exquisiteness, Brazilian women are also physically active and strong. They surely live and exhibit a healthy lifestyle.

While most people attribute their beauty to good genes, that’s not all. Brazilian’s beauty is also largely a result of healthy eating habits, disciplined fitness routines and a skincare regime that can hardly go wrong.

For as long as time, men and women have been struggling to keep their skin healthy and glowing, now more than ever, when the fast paced life is keeping us from eating healthy, and we are as distanced from our natural roots as one can be.

In this book, we’ll go deeper into the history, lifestyle, habits and routines of Brazilians, so that all of us can enjoy the same happy and healthy glow on our skins that we see on the Brazilians.

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Brazilian Beauty

When we look at a gorgeous person, our mind only registers the beauty that our eyes see. We only acknowledge the physical beauty and attribute it to good genes and consequently declare our own selves ‘hopeless’. But when it comes to beauty, there’s more than meets the eye. Granted, that the way a person looks is one of the most focal parts of beauty, but that’s not all.

What is it that makes a person look so beautiful in others’ eyes? A skin cannot glow like that, nor have such a healthy pink to it unless that person is happy most of the time, satisfied with their life, and lives their life in the healthiest way possible. The recipe of beauty is the concoction made out of three ingredients –physicality, emotions and spirituality.

A person only appears stunning and striking to the eyes, when they are physically beautiful, spiritually satisfied and emotionally

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balanced. And this is how Brazilians have ended up with an enhanced beauty.

The Brazilians live with a mindset that keeps them on the forefront of all three types of beauty. And they also have the added advantage of being blessed with a lifestyle and local resources that fend for their mindset.

All that being said, it doesn’t mean that the rest of the non-Brazilian people cannot achieve the same level of beauty. We most definitely can, but only when we adopt a lifestyle and pick up habits that match with those of the Brazilians.

Let’s learn about the three levels of beauty from the Brazilians themselves:

Physical Let’s just say that Brazilians did luck out when it comes to their magnificent gene pool. And their good looking DNA pool is a result of their ethnic diversity. In Brazil, 86% population is mixed race, which has resulted in a nation full of pretty faces and beautiful bodies.

Their signature beauty features are marked by their toned muscles, honed skin, Amazonian built, and curves to die for. The entire nation is full of women who look like the models we see on the biggest fashion ramps.

This is the reason why it’s no surprise that the top Victoria’s Secret supermodels like Gisele Bundchen, Adriana Lima and Alessandra Ambrosio among many others, are from Brazil.

The Brazilian women are beautifully diverse and have taken their best beauty features from their various ethnic backgrounds. You can trace the ethnicity of Brazilian women to India, Africa,

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and Europe. The Brazilian DNA pool is s also influence by Japanese, Arab, Portuguese, and Lebanese ethnicities.

While good genes definitely played their role, Brazilian women are self care takers too, and that is perhaps the biggest secret of their beauty. If you think Adriana Lima is the only physically fit and strong Brazilian woman, then you are wrong. The supermodels’ endless fitness regime and healthy life is driven from her roots. Every Brazilian woman keeps working on improving herself physically.

They Brazilian women also lean towards a more natural treatment of their skin. Even when they are out and about, only a light dust of makeup could be seen on them.

Similarly, Brazilian women do not accept the stereotypical thin and skinny structure of women that is considered a standard of beauty in most cultures and countries. Their live mantra is Strong Not Skinny, and that’s true. The body culture in Brazil is different from others. The physical fitness in Brazil is all about rigorous habits, natural healthy and regular gym. However their curves are there to stay, they just work towards toning their body and staying healthy.

Emotional Emotions are strong part of being human. These emotions dictate our entire life and the choices we make in it. Therefore it shouldn’t come as a surprise to know that these emotions also affect our skin.

But what is emotion anyway? It is the current state of our mind and the thoughts that continuously exist there. Over time, we begin to feel these things excessively and it slowly begins to

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affect our mood. Good and positive thoughts lead to happiness, confidences and better emotional wellbeing. Negative thoughts lead to stress, anxiety, low self-esteem, constant worries and even depression.

Makeup, beauty care, and all the hacks in the world cannot hide the aftereffects your emotions have left on your skin.

But these aftereffects are not always bad; it depends on the emotions you carry inside. Early studies and researches on the subject have implied that what we feel can have an effect on how our skin appears. Some emotional stipulations may even contribute as a factor to skin conditions.

A few people understand the real affect of emotions on our skin. We all know that stress causes breakouts, flare-ups and hives in different people. But there are other emotions too.

Let’s learn more about the link between our brain and skin:

Angst and Unease

Our underlying motions like angst and unease causes us to use all that pent up energy somewhere, and it often results in us using busying our hands. One habit triggered by unease and nervousness is picking skin. Even if starts with just one blemish or a zit, it over blows because of constant scabbing and scratching. The acne site is already an infected area, and we make it worse by putting our germ riddled fingers on it.

The skin picking habits, triggered by anxiety makes the acne worse and results in scarring.

Stress

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Stress and negative emotions are mental pressures and these brain conditions, mainline our skin. When we take stress, our body releases hormones. These hormones cause inflammation and irritation and reduce the amount of blood flow to our skin. In some propel, these hormones even stimulates allergic reaction, messing our skin in the process.

Other strong feelings that cause stress are low- self-esteem, constant embarrassment. And sometimes these stresses make the following skin condition, ten times worse:

✓ Acne

✓ Psoriasis

✓ Itching

✓ Herpes

✓ Rosacea

✓ Hives

✓ Eczema

✓ Dermatitis

✓ Warts

Expressions

How do our emotions show up on our face? Through expressions and these expressions is a major contributing factor behind the deep and permanent wrinkles on our face that slowly progresses over time.

In our teen years, our skin is rigid and tight and the expressions hardly leave any marks. When we grow up to be in our twenties,

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our skin let loose a little, and expressions begin to leave lines in their wake. As we age, these expressive lines on our faces grow deeper and more permanent as our tissues slacken. so by the time we have crossed our fifties, the lines–now wrinkles–become visible.

Because most of our emotions are reflected through our eyes and from near our mouth, these are the areas where the lines appear the most because of repetitive movement and slackening of tissues.

The Brazilians emotional secret of beauty

That is the million dollar question, isn’t it? How do Brazilian women and supermodels hold back these emotions, it isn’t like they don’t feel or go through the things the rest of us go through. Life is not easy on them either.

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The difference is in their reaction. The manner in which they react to certain turbulences in life is different. Brazilians as a nation, have this vibrant energy around them. They are always the energetic, lively and spirited kinds who do not let things keep them down for long. Even stress and anxiety doesn’t hold much sway on them.

Brazilian women in particular feel good by dressing good. And even we know how true that is. Not only does seeing yourself in the mirror, all cleaned up make you feel confident and in control but also a few complements here are there, go a long way and help you fight the emotional turmoil brewing inside you.

And on that note, here’s a tip. Compliment others as often as you can, and genuinely too. You can unknowingly end up making someone’s day.

Another thing that keeps that Brazilian skin shining and smooth is their emotional expression. Brazilians don’t over think or keep their emotions hidden. These two traits are good because over thinking and bottling up emotions will eventually cause feelings and thoughts to erupt like lava at some point -- both verbally and through your skin.

Brazilians openly express their emotions with no holds barred. Whatever they feel, they show, even if it means confronting someone. But at the end of the day, you’ll find them sleeping peacefully at night, with no weight on their chest or mind. Their affection is the same. If they love you, they’ll tell you instead of fretting over it for weeks and months.

When you are as compassionate, emotionally available and full of life as Brazilians, your feelings automatically drive towards happier emotions. And this happy glow shows on the face.

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That being said, we urge women all around the world to try and embrace their life similarly. Spend more time with humans and express your emotions openly. Keep looking for silver lining and hold on to it. Look for the good and eradicate the bad and it will help you a lot with the stress and anxiety.

You can also use various stress reducing hacks and exercises to keep a tap on it. As long as you are emotionally healthy, your skin too will look happy.

Spiritual As strange as it may sound but quality of life has a huge impact on your beauty and skin. Spirituality brings calmness and tranquility in life and many times, it even helps emotionally. And luckily for Brazilians, spirituality has always remained a strong and central part of their lifestyle.

The shaman culture in Brazil includes strong belief in energy healing and cleansing. Brazilians strongly believe in keeping the right attitude towards life as well as having a strong faith.

The French say la foi peut déplacer des montagnes – Faith can move mountains. And it is the Brazilians who strongly believe in it. The physical, emotional and spiritual beauty is all interconnected. Physical and emotional beauties groom the outer and inner versions of a person, yet it is spirituality that heightens both of them. In addition to keeping a check on their emotions and making sure their lifestyle sustains their physical beauty, Brazilians are also very keen about their spiritual wellbeing. Brazilians in general, are well-mannered, considerate, and loving and these attributes make them beautiful in more ways than one.

Let’s have a look at some of the spiritual practices that makes the Brazilians so beautiful inside out:

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Reiki

Religiosity and faith dominates Brazil and the natives love it in all semblance. They follow rituals and traditions like anything

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else. Which is why, Brazilians also actively participate in energy healing therapies such as Reiki.

Reiki has always been a part of on-going research and through it all; it keeps improving the energies in our body. A Reiki therapy encourages and strengthens out body to cure itself. It brings a tremendous amount of positive change in our mental and physical health and helps us with disease such as depression, anxiety, pain and injuries.

Reiki is more than just therapy to enhance emotional and physical wellbeing. It has a history that dates back to Buddhists and monks in Japan. Reiki was discovered by Dr. Usui, during the eighteenth century, who thought of it as a spiritual practice, which allows every person to get attuned to the nature inside them. Over time people began to realize that this energy-based healing practice is also fruitful for enhancing beauty. And it became one of the common practices in Brazil.

In the practice of Reiki, hands are laid on a person’s eyes, occipital region, and laryngeal region and on the breastplate of the heart region, 2.5 minutes, and 10 minutes respectively. These hand positions bring balance to the chakra energy in the body and synch them in order to harmonize.

Reiki is used as an overall healing procedure, and helps us balance out the emotional and mental stress, that eventually affects our skin and external beauty. Reiki is a very affective measure in reducing stress and anxiety in a person and helps in reaching a calm state of mind. It is only when we are feeling better ourselves, do we begin to get attuned to emotions around us, we learn to become grateful and our belief in faith strengthens. With such good feelings in and around us, the beauty is sure to shine through and that is another secret behind the beauty of Brazilian Super Models.

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In Reiki, waves upon waves of soothing energies are flowed gently through your mind body and spirit.

Regular Reiki sessions bring an instant change in you. In addition to you looking tranquil and restful emotionally, it also creates a glow in your skin that is the result of the happiness that permeates from within.

Color Therapies

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Our mind, body and soul are unified, and in order to bring the best health to ourselves, these three should be balanced. Hippocrates realized this, and hence in order to regulate the healing process in a body, decided to use colors as the main source of healing.

This physical and spiritual healing practice became known with the name of Color therapy or Chromotherapy. And this healing practice is one of the most common ones in Brazil, offered by most spas and massage services. In color therapy, colors are used to bring harmony in the aura and energy fields of a person, to balance out the disharmony going within.

According to ongoing research, colors that surround us have an impact on our emotional wellbeing and every color present in the light spectrum provides us with a different form of nutrition. It’s widely believed that colors are a form of energy and have various sorts of meaning in our lives. Color also denotes religious symbols and has the power to tempt and persuade us, and influence our emotions and thought processes, among many other things.

A color therapy is usually taken after receiving an extensive spiritual healing therapy. In Chromotherapy, color vibrations are applied on bare skin. Here are some basic, potent colors and their effect on our emotional and spiritual health.

• Green is one of the most common colors used in the process of healing. Green is considered the safest color to use and therapies begin and finish with the application of this color.

• Orange is considered a kindling color and used to stimulate blood flow in the body. The application of orange vibration is focused around spleen, liver, kidney

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and heart areas and is from given to those suffering from bad circulation.

• Blue is thought of as an all-healing color and applied from head to toe.

• Yellow is an integral color when it comes to mental healing, since this color signifies wisdom. Yellow color vibrations are given with shorts bursts and only focus on small areas of body at a time.

The timings of each of these color applications differ depending on their influence, potency and the patient themselves. Color therapy has noted to be extremely useful for brain and emotional troubles. Tools used for color therapy are candles, wands, colored glasses, colored fabrics gemstone and lenses. Colors can also have negative effect; therefore it is urged to only approach an expert for the therapy.

Rainforest Yoga

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Brazil is blessed with the Amazon rainforest within the confines of its lands, and these rainforest alone has been one of the foremost reasons behind the established beauty of the entire nations, including all the top supermodels. In addition to being inexplicably beautiful, this foliage covered land is also home to approximately 56,000 species of plants. And there are many natural extracts of these plants that have served as the beauty products for the gorgeous Brazilians.

The resourceful Brazilians did not only use these natural extracts and herbs for their physical beauty, but also made the green, clean foliage of the rainforest to good use spiritually.

Rainforest yoga is a nature-centric experience in which you are surrounded by exotic plants, different animals and beautiful flying creatures on all sides as you focus on your body. Eventually there comes a time when your body is one with the nature and achieves this utmost feeling of calm and balance. Such an exercise ends up rejuvenating you and your body. In rainforest yoga, you need to spend a couple of days in the breathtaking surrounding of Brazil’s rainforest and mediate daily. Various yoga poses are also established while in the rainforest. And most of them focuses on deep breathing exercises and

The clear air, and nature combined with yoga is much more effective than any other normal form of yoga, you not only feel fresh and rested with your body, but your mind is also clear and focusing on mediation is much easier.

When you are so close to nature, and your body feels it too, reaching a level of spiritual calmness becomes a lot easier. And with such a serene and relaxed state of mind, you let of your

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emotional and physical stress. This results in a healthy and glowing skin and beautiful body.

Shamanic Healing

"Because it is not an organized religion as such, but rather a spiritual practice, shamanism cuts across all faiths and creeds, reaching deep levels of ancestral memory.”

–John Matthews, the Celtic Shaman

Shamanic healing is an ancient form of spiritual practice that has followed down through ancestors and is still practiced actively in Brazil and various other countries around the world. This spiritual practice demands faith, more than others. According to the shamans, they work alongside the invisible realm of spirit and summon animal, plant and animated humans spirits to help them heal the soul of people. In Shamanic healing, one connects with nature, and focuses on healing themselves and the community. This spiritual practice also includes pilgrimage to sacred places such as natural wonders, where caves, rivers, mountains and lakes’ energies are invoked to invigorate the bodies.

This spiritual practice is rare, but it is still considered useful for skincare. Skin is one of the major sensory organs and shaman healers have practiced healing of skin and various skin disorders though epidural ways and practices.

Beauty doesn’t come easy, it requires labor, focus and accurate knowledge. It is only when a person reaches a physical, emotional and spiritual balance, do they appear truly beautiful with skin that radiates and beauty that speaks volume.

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The Brazilian Lifestyle

It’s true that Brazilians are blessed with gorgeous genes. But we’d be lying if we say that that it is the only reason Brazilian models are one of the most beautiful people on Earth. From skin and body to hair and health, it feels like Brazilian models got the best of everything. But there’s more than meets the eye. The vigorous and active lifestyle, combined with the ingrained training of self-care from an early age plays a major role.

Brazilians are big on outdoor fitness and relaxed beach lifestyle. And over time, their daily regimes and simple habits have earned them the title of being inhabitants of a country with the most beautiful women.

Yoga

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Brazilian women firmly believe in being strong, not skinny. They accept the body they are born with and hone it to perfection. So the curves stay while they practice the 60-year old regime of yoga, which is hugely popular in Brazil. While the rest of the world relies on cardiovascular exercises, the Brazilians put their trust in yoga. Rio de Janeiro is the hub of yoga in Brazil, and they prefer to do it outdoors, instead of within the confines of four glass walls of a studio.

It is yoga and nature combined that has given Brazilians such a warm and powerful connection with the earth. Yoga also brings strength and serenity in life. And as we discussed earlier, peace of mind is essential to a healthy skin. And this peace and calm is even more amplified for Brazilians because yoga outside means stretching and deep breathing is done amidst green surroundings and fresh air.

While Brazilian models embrace all the aspects of yoga, there are several poses in this body therapy that guarantees glowing and radiant skin.

Beachside shenanigans

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Unlike the rest of the world that says good day sir, the locals of Rio de Janeiro say, “Tenha uma boa praia,” that means “have a good beach!”

Beach is more than a getaway for the Brazilians; it’s a lifestyle for them. The beach culture is thick, authentic and wildly common. Brazilians grow up by the sea, and for most of them, it is second home. The fact that they have some of the most beautiful beaches in the world has a huge role to play in it.

But what does this beach culture have to do with the Brazilians’ remarkable beauty?

It’s not one thing but a mix and match of many that gives the Brazilians their unique lean body. First off, their beach outing does not include hauling ugly coolers and beach mats to lie in the sand for hours. Well there’s a little amount of that, but mostly it is energetic games of volley ball, and lots of skin exposure to the sun. That’s a recipe right there -- for lean bodies and bronzed, tanned skin.

Another norm of Brazilian beaches that are missing elsewhere in the world is the confidence that only comes from being comfortable in one’s own skin.

No matter your shape, size, or your weight, Brazilians are least bothered by that, which gives everyone a chance to strut down the beach and experience what everyone else is experiencing. And that confidence itself speaks of beauty in volumes.

And now onto the more natural aspect, sea water. This gift of nature is packed with 26 minerals, which makes hair super soft and brings natural volume without the help of chemicals. With so much time spent swimming in sea water, Brazilians also get a

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hair texture that gives them an edge over others and helps them rock super hairstyles that are in vogue.

Then there’s sea salt, which is nature’s answer for acne. Mixed with water, sea salt heals acne and gets rid of scars and blemishes. Brazilians have even found use for the beach sand. Women use it commonly for scrubbing waste materials on their skin. A good scrub massage with the beach sand stimulates the blood flow and purifies the body. It even helps in decreasing cellulite.

The Brazilians, it seems, truly value nature and nature appreciates them right back.

Lymph Drainage Massage

Lymphatic Drainage massages are big in Brazil. It is not just any ordinary kind of massage. This one avoids water retention in the body, tones your waist, and makes your thighs and arms thinner. And it is not relaxing by any means. This massage is perhaps a bit painful but it is a weekly thing for Brazilian women and a very common part of their lives.

The lymphatic drainage massage helps to remove toxins from the body by focusing on the lymph nodes. This massage carries all the excess fluid from the body and with it, all the harmful waste and bacteria as well. While French women are known to trust this massage for fighting cellulite, Brazilians do it mostly to reduce water retention in the body and to improve blood circulation. It is one of the little-known secrets of the highest-paid Brazilian models.

After every lymph drainage massage, the body feels more revitalized, energetic and cleansed. Frequent lymph massage appointments help Brazilian women and models to stay healthy,

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cleansed and beautiful. It has to be a weekly thing though, and you soon feel the difference in your body and skin. Brazilians are strong believers of beauty with health. They focus on staying healthy and happy, and beauty comes flying to them.

Samba

Even when beautiful Brazilian women are doing nothing but dancing their way through the weekend, they are making their skin pretty. Samba is one of the most famous forms of dance for Brazilians and it acts as a great and entertainment filled exercise too.

Samba helps Brazilians’ bodies and minds in many ways. It helps relieve stress and in turn reduces skin conditions like acne and eczema that are triggered by stress. In addition to healing skin problems, Samba also promotes healthy skin by regulating blood flow. It is not just the steps of Samba but the frequency of it that

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helps keep the skin radiant. Brazilians really know how to party big and so they dress in their most shiny and sequined outfits and enjoy with all their heart. Who would have guessed that trying to be healthy could be so much fun?

Fashion Trends

Brazilians are fashion forward and it shows in the way they dress up. The way the wear their clothes exudes sophisticated charm. Brazilians remain up-to-date with the latest fashion trends and especially favor bright and bold colors.

In fact, Brazilians are the forerunners of trends -- they never actually follow trends but set them. If they don’t like something, they won’t adopt, even if the rest of the world is sold on it. Brazilians are also very proud of their traditional outfits and would bring them out whenever there is a special occasion or a reason to celebrate. Another reason why Brazil is so up to the minute and unique with their fashion is because of the cultural

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and ethnic diversity found there. Rio de Janeiro alone is home to people belonging from Italian, German, Russian, African, British, and Portuguese ethnicities. When all of these cultures came together, they brought with themselves their own traditional style of clothing, which made Brazil a country that ended up with a wave of vibrant and pulsating apparel.

As you could tell by now, the Brazilians love their beaches and hence, they wear swimwear year round. This is part of their attire and their identity. The country is one of the leading swimwear designers in the world and, amazingly, these two articles of clothing makes up for most of the country’s economy. The major reason behind this popular swimwear is the beauty in Brazil and their confidence in it. The way they walk, and dress up shows the Brazilians attitude towards life.

We told you about the Brazilians’ confidence in their bodies and skin, regardless of their shape and size, well, their swimwear is living proof of that.

The beaches of Brazil are unlike those found around the world. In Brazil, women’s swimwear leaves little to the imagination, because they are proud of their curves and don’t hold back from showing them. The choice of clothing of Brazilians is not just skin deep either. They believe in expression of individuality strongly and you’ll find most Brazilian women rocking some of the most distinctive and unique style of clothes, and not even a grandma would bat her eye over it, no matter how revealing or eye-popping the outfit may be.

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The Super fruits of Brazil

Brazil is the fifth largest country in the world, and is stretched over an area of 3,285,618 square miles. But the real winner is not just the size of the Brazilian land but what really is in it. And we can honestly say that Brazilians seem to have won the lottery. From big, blue beaches to humongous rainforests, Brazil has everything. And with such an abundance of green lands and blue waters, comes another gift from the nature; fruits, or as we like to call them, super fruits.

The Brazilian fruits are so unique and healthy that most countries in the world have not even heard of them, let alone know what they taste like. But the Brazilians most certainly have, which is why they not only know of them, but have also ended up getting all the benefits that comes with them. And one of the many benefits of these super fruits is getting radiant and glorious skin.

Since Brazilians are well aware of these benefits, they have made sure to include these fruits excessively in their daily lives. If you ever get a chance to visit Brazil, you’ll notice fresh juice bars around every corner. Make use of these bars and consume as much of these drinks, and as often as you can. Most of the super fruits of Brazil contain potent antioxidants, which in turn provides protection to the skin and limit the production of free radicals that are harming to skin cells. The world’s most expensive skincare medicines contain antioxidants in them, while Brazilians get it at half the price and with much better and delicious taste.

There are so many mineral packed super fruits in Brazil that it is nearly impossible to list down every one of them. Let’s examine

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some fruits and the prevalent natural biodiversity in Brazil that make the natives’ skin unparalleled.

Açai

Açai is a small round, purplish berry that grows on Açai palm trees, found only in the Amazon region. They look exactly like blueberries, but larger. So if you need a bowl full of fresh Açai berries, you’ll have to book a ticket to Brazil. A bowl of frozen flesh of Açai is also a common treat in Brazil and consumed happily by the beachside.

These berries are packed with vitamins and antioxidants and the natives love to make smoothies, energy drinks and juices out of them. The antioxidants present in Açai battle ageing actively, while Vitamins A, B, C and E in Açai mend damaged skin cells,

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restore moisture and return the skin its youthful ‘glowry’ (pun intended).

In addition to being rich in vitamin and having antioxidant properties, Açai berries are also anti-inflammatory. This means, in addition to preventing and healing skin, Açai also fights active acne on skin. Skin is not the only part of our body that benefits from Açai. Hair too enjoys great benefits from Açai berries -- thanks to zinc that is found in their makeup. Zinc is very active in straitening the roots of the hair and also gives a light, natural hue to hair. This fruit, combined with excessive time spent on the beach, is the secret behind Brazilians’ sexy beach hair.

Açai is a coveted item in most medicinal skin creams and hair products, but nothing compares or stands equivalent to the real thing. This fruit is one of the best solutions for all skin problems and Brazilians are lucky to always have them within range and easy access.

Acerola

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You think oranges are your best source of vitamins? Wait till you hear about Acerola. This Brazilian fruit has 100 times more vitamin than oranges. No doubt, it is called a super fruit. The tree of acerola is native to Brazil and bears cherry-like fruit called acerola. This fruit comes with a number of health benefits and Brazilians benefit from it from an early age.

Acerola is rich in vitamins and helps with a number of health issues. Here are some of the best advantages of this gifted fruit:

• With acerola around, you can put a stop to scurvy for good. The real reason behind scurvy is the deficiency of vitamins in body, something with which, acerola can 100% help.

• Like Açai berries, acerola is also rich in organic compounds like ferulic acid, tannins, quercetin, chlorogenic acid, cyanidin-3-glycoside and various more. These compounds have antioxidant properties and prevent infections and ageing strongly. They prevent the production of free radicals, which are harmful to the skin.

• The antioxidant properties found in acerola are also beneficial when it comes to diabetic patients. It helps manage the release of sugar in the bloodstream and slows it down marginally.

• Free radicals are the byproducts of molecular metabolism that result is the mutation of healthy cells in our body and results in unhealthy cells. Some of these cells mutate so dangerously that they become cancerous.

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Since acerola is antioxidant, it helps with prevention and slows down the fast spreading of these cancerous cells. 1

• As we mentioned, acerola is packed with vitamin C and has a strong positive impact on our immune system. Just a few acerola cherries every week can help you feel so much better about your health. They also speed up the healing and repairing system in the body and as a result, acne scars and wounds heal faster.

• Many people suffer from acne and breakouts because of unbalanced digestive system; acerola can help with that as well. These cherries boost the digestive system and cleanse the passage of food for you.

A word of caution though, acerola cherries have an extremely high content of vitamin C and can cause adverse traction in some people. So consume just a few at first and if it’s okay, then make it a permanent part of your diet.

Camu Camu

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15103668 1

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The Amazon rainforest in Brazil is filled with camu camu. This low grubbing shrub produces a lemon sized fruit which ranges in color form yellow, red, purple and orange. While acerola is rich with vitamin C, camu camu puts even that fruit to shame. Camu camu has the highest amount of vitamin C, more than any other fruit on earth. With such a high amount of vitamin C, this fruit is considered miraculous because of its number of wide-ranging health benefits.

The reason Brazilians have such flawless skin and better health than most is because of their huge consumption of fruits and one of these fruits includes the disease fighting, immune boosting camu camu. In fact they even eat ice-cream with camu camu in it.

There’s a catch though, this high amount of vitamin C in camu camu begins diminishing as soon as they fruit reaches maturity and develops a taste. Hence the key is eating camu camu that is still not fully ripe. Speaking of health benefits, let’s go deeper and discover what these benefits – their secret to better health

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and beautiful skin -- that Brazilians have been enjoying for such a long time.

Camu camu is a natural anti-inflammatory medicine for you. Not only is it rich in vitamin C, which has anti-inflammatory properties. But it also has supplementary nutrients such as catechins, flavonols and anthocyanins, which too are anti-inflammatory agents. When combined together, this tasty fruit holds a strong front against diseases such as   arthritis, gout, hemorrhoids and   headaches. It even soothes down the inflammation on the skin.

• Camu camu is a complete pack of healthy diet in one place. This beneficial fruit has antiviral and antibacterial properties. This god gifted antiseptic fights off bacterial and viral infections in our body and constantly fights the foreign agents to prevent diseases.

• Infertility is a cursed condition that prevents females from conceiving. Camu camu is not only supportive of immune system but also provides protection. The sexual organs are protected by camu camu, and the fruit also ensures proper functioning of them. It has been discovered that those who consume camu camu have less chances of suffering from infertility.

• Camu camu is a disease fighting fruit. In addition to having a high amount of Vitamin C, it also has a mix and match of various other beneficial nutrients. This blend of vitamins, amino acids, organic compound and more smooth the progress of muscle growth. People who are aiming to tone their muscles must make camu camu a part of their diet as the fruit improves the metabolism and makes workouts so much better.

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• While there are endless benefits of this super fruit, one that stands out and helps with beauty regime as well is its aid indigestion. Among many other nutrients, camu camu is also gifted with dietary fiber. This fiber provides the best digestive health by optimizing the system. This results in improvement of cholesterol level, and protection of heart and regulation of insulin receptors. In simple terms, you can just eat camu camu and put a stop to all the worries about heart diseases, diabetes or

digestive issues.

With such a miraculous fruit in their possession, it really isn’t a wonder that Brazilian women are one of the prettiest and healthiest. You too can make this super fruit a part of your everyday life and attain good health.

Graviola

Graviola is a fruit from a tree found only in the rainforests. Graviola is also known by the name of soursop or Brazilian paw

paw and is famous for its reputation as a cure for cancer. While 23

there is no evidence that proves, whether it is a cure for cancer or not, there are still a large number of benefits that come from the consumption of this miraculous fruit. And Brazilians are fortunate enough to consume it in delicious treats such as juices,

https://www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/integrative-medicine/herbs/2

graviola

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4319340/ 3

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yogurt, and smoothies. But many like to consume this creamy fruit raw as well and enjoy the burst of unadulterated natural flavor in their mouth.

Graviola’s health benefits are not a recent discovery. In fact, it has been used as a cure for diseases and for improvement of health since ancient times. Even the tree of graviola is useful in many ways. The leaves, barks and stems of this plant are rich in antioxidants and keep the body functioning at an optimum level.

Isn’t that the best? To enjoy your favorite snack and as a result, benefit from the plethora of health benefits that come with it. Let’s have a look at the benefits Brazilians have been enjoying for such a long time.

But first, we must know what the beneficial nutrients found in this nature’s super fruit are. A graviola contains vitamin B1, B2, and C. Additionally, this Brazilian fruit also contains calcium, zinc, potassium, magnesium and phosphorous. Here are the health benefits that come with the super fruit:

• Let’s cut to the chase and understand why graviola might or might not be a cure for cancer. According to a research conducted in 2016, graviola was found toxic against breast cancer cells. The fruit was also effective on T cells and increased its quantity. T cells are lymphocytes   in the body that kill cancerous and other damaged and dangerous cells in the body.

• This Brazilian super fruit helps with bowel movements because of the fiber in its making. Those who consume graviola regularly have optimum bowel movements and stay far away from the curse of constipation and hemorrhoids.

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• Like other rainforest fruits, graviola too is a powerful ally of the immune systems and targets and kills free radicals left and right.

• Graviola is brimmed with nutrients that are necessary for the overall health of a human body. When we consume graviola, we are providing our bodies with nutrients like amino acids, calcium, carbohydrates, iron, phosphorous, fibers and many others. These nutrients actively kill all the parasites in our systems.

• Graviola has anti-ageing benefits as well. It is a rich in vitamin C and ascorbic acid. Both these components boost antioxidants and play a role in battling free radicals in our body. These free radicals are one of the causes behind ageing signs on our skin. With no free radicals, the fine lines, wrinkles and pigmentation have a hard time taking over our skin.

• Wounds on our skin leave an apparent mark. Graviola is not only good for ingesting, but for applying as well. When we spread the fleshy part of graviola on our wounds, it expedites the healing process. Moreover, it also keeps the wound free of bacteria, inflammation and swelling. When suffering from a bad wound, graviola is the best medicine you can consume. As a bonus, it tastes good too.

• One of the biggest enemies of our hair is the head lice. They weaken the roots and result in dull, damaged and dry hair. The essence of the graviola applied on the scalp helps with getting rid of these parasites.

With so many benefits of this super fruit, it’s really unfortunate that the rest of the world has been deprived of graviola for so

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long. It is about time we all learn about this Brazilian beauty and health secret and incorporate it into our own lives.

Carambola

Carambola is a star shaped fruit and some of us might have heard of it already with a different and more popular name, star fruit. Carambola is not strictly native to Brazil and is found in other parts of the world as well. It does however thrive in the lands of Brazil as well, and like all the other fruits, Brazilians consume this one largely as well. In fact they like it so much, that many backyards of Brazilian families have a tree.

Carambola has many beneficial components due to which Brazilians enjoy great health and better hair and skin than other ethnicities. A word of warning though, this fruit has high level of oxalic acid and must be avoided by people suffering from kidney problems.

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Let’s discover the benefits of this common super fruit consumed largely by the people of Brazil:

• Carambola has a waxy peel, which has a high content of dietary fiber and so does the fleshy insides of this super fruit. Because of these beneficial components, the gut refuses the absorption of cholesterol and keeps the body safe from the accumulation of bad fats.

• Another benefit of carambola is the presence of natural antioxidants and vitamin C in its delicious fleshy parts. Because of this, the body remains safe and protected against infectious agents and this includes our face as well. In addition, these components also refuse to allow inflammatory, free radicals from affecting our body and health.

• Carambola is considered a one-stop shop for most skin problems. From skin burns and ulcers to boils and pus-filled skin inflammations, carambolas take care of them all.

• People with acne prone and oily skin can benefit from carambola by eating and applying it on the skin as a mask. What it does is, make the skin glow due to the vitamins and minerals present in it. Zinc present in it fights acne and actively prevents breakouts. The antimicrobial properties of this super fruit make it suitable for people of all ages.

• People suffering from eczema will find carambola extremely useful and curing. As we mentioned before, this fruit has antimicrobial properties and it helps with curing eczema.

• If you are having hair problems, turn to the nature’s medicine and consume carambola regularly. This super

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fruit nourishes hair due to the presence of vitamin B complex. This vitamin is the key to hair growth and you get it easily from this ripe, juicy fruit. In addition to growth, this fruit also ensures the health of your scalp and hair. The damaged hair retains its former glory and helps you get a head full of wonderful hair.

• One of the most common hair problems all around the world is hair fall. And it can be stopped with help of this tasty start fruit. Vitamin C and antioxidants in star fruit impede the natural ageing process and put a stop to weakening of hair roots. As results, hair fall stops and you get wonderful hair back again. Many people prefer carambola over artificial, hair repair treatments and we cannot say we blame them -- nothing beats natural remedies.

• And last, but by no means the least, carambola helps with metabolism. An improper metabolism also affects our skin and overall functioning of our body. For optimal metabolism, consume carambola and boost the functioning of the digestive system.

All in all, carambola is a blessing in disguise from all those suffering from skin and hair problems. Even though carambola is not a native fruit of Brazil, Brazilians still consume it in high quantities and take full advantage of all the health and beauty benefits that come with it.

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Jabuticaba

Jabuticaba was once a wild fruit, but it is now planted on purpose given the endless benefits it offers to the human population. A jabuticaba fruit is either black or dark purple with a soft, white pulp inside. It is extremely juicy, and is a treat for the taste buds. Brazilians use it widely in the making of liquors, wines, jams and jellies. It even makes a delicious flavor of ice-cream. Here’s a list of benefits that Jabuticaba fruit offers to Brazilians, and must be enjoyed by the rest of us as well:

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• Jabuticaba fruit is rich in protein, calcium, iron, phosphorus, Vitamin C and some amount of vitamin B. It is also very low on carbs and calories. All in all, it is a perfect snack for those who are trying to maintain a healthy weight without becoming a size zero, stick figure.

• The rich antioxidants present in Jabuticaba wages a war against dark circles. It also fights ageing like nothing else. Ageing occurs when the antioxidants in our body ravage the skin and as a result fine lines and dark spots appear. Therefore, antioxidants present in Jabuticaba neutralize the ones present in our body and stop premature ageing considerably. Those who have been eating this fruit since forever, enjoy long lasting youth, which is why even older Brazilian women radiate with beauty.

• People spend so much money buying detox water and getting procedures done, when Brazilians have been enjoying the benefits of this natural detox for ages. Jabuticaba is one of the best things you can eat to flush out harmful and disease ridden toxins from your body. Regular consumption of this super fruit takes the stress off of the liver and helps it function properly.

• In addition to detoxification, Jabuticaba also nourishes the body with vitamins and minerals. Not only does the skin shine and stay clean, but health is also maintained.

A word of caution, excessive use and consumption of everything is dangerous. So make sure you consume Jabuticaba in moderation. Try to avoid its peel as it has been known to cause constipation.

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Guarana

Among the long list of super fruits Brazilians enjoy on a daily basis, guarana manages to hold its own with its wide-ranging properties and benefits that comes with it. Guarana is a plant that belongs to a family of vines and climbers. The branches of Guarana are as long as 10 meters and are native to the Amazon.

In Brazil, guarana is used frequently and regularly in drinks, juices, soft drinks and sweets. Every part of this plant and fruit is beneficial in one way or another. To drive its benefits at its best, this super fruit is harvested earlier and before its maturation. One of the most popular items derived from guarana is its powder, which is prepared using the seeds of the fruit.

The fruit of guarana itself is small and red in color. This berry is found in abundance in the Amazon region, hanging in bunches from the vines. This sweet fruit is high in caffeine content, even more than that present in coffee. This is the reason why it is used in sodas and drinks. According to studies, guarana can work wonders when in need for some alertness. It has also been

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discovered that this super fruit boosts memory. And we all know how beautiful and attractive smart brains can be.

Keep reading to discover the benefits this super fruit has on our health:

• People drink endless amounts of coffee to stay alert and awake. However, caffeine in coffee and other energy drinks put us in more of a burst and crash form. Guarana, on the other hand, releases energy slowly because of the tannins molecules present in it. So the energy gained from guarana lasts much longer. Guarana works as a great workout drink. And good workout means healthy form, and better skin. If you follow the Brazilian supermodel Adriana Lima on Instagram, you’d know how serious she is about her workouts.

• Take too much stress and the effects begin show on your skin and health. So why not eliminate the stress entirely? That’s how guarana helps. This super magical fruit has calming properties and mood improving abilities. A drink with guarana in it instantly makes one feel energized and positive.

• With an unbalanced digestive system, your skin suffers almost as much as your stomach does. And guarana kills two birds with one stone, when it is mixed with turmeric powder and consumed. It treats bloating, diarrhea, as well as water retention.

• Like super fruit Jabuticaba, guarana is also a natural detoxifying agent. It keeps our liver cleaned, reduces stress on the busy organ and helps us remain healthy and beautiful.

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Here are some quick recipes for you if you wish to consume guarana just like the Brazilians:

Smoothies: In your blender, add yogurt, juices, fruit and 1 teaspoon of guarana powder. Enjoy the energetic drink.

Juice: Whatever your favorite juice may be, make it ten times more delicious and healthy by mixing 1 teaspoon of guarana powder.

Tea: If you are a tea person, but love the alerting effects of coffee, then here’s your solution. Make your regular tea, and add 1 teaspoon of guarana powder with sugar.

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The Brazilians’ Love for Skincare Oils

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Brazil has always been considered a country with beautiful and exotic looking people. But as of late, it is fast gaining reputation of a country with the most beautiful women. Many of the top supermodels right now are Brazilians–some of them have received the acclaimed title of being angels while others are working as a part of the world’s top most fashion powerhouses.

And the major reason behind their legendary beauty is the country they belong to. As we have been learning from the very start of this book, Brazilians are taught to take care of themselves from an early age. In addition, they are blessed with rainforests of the Amazon that provide them with a natural remedy for everything.

Be it the form of fruits, powder or oil, it all comes from the Amazon. Products and items acquired from there are considered magical.

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Speaking of which, it’s about time we talk about the Curupira myth; a common folklore that talks about a childlike mythical creature. This creature is believed to have a child’s body and feet that are turned backwards. The natives tell stories about how this creature exists only for the protection of the Amazon forest. Anyone who takes more than their share of goods from the forest, they have Curupira to deal with. It is believed that the inverted feet of Curupira, leads the hunters, loggers and the bad guys to the starting point and confuses them until they get lost. The childlike creature also releases a whistling sound and human voices that drives hunters and trespassers to madness.

Whether this mythical creature exists in the Amazon or not, we do know that fruits, seeds and nuts brought from there are definitely magical. And from those magical things, Brazilians have also extracted various kinds of oils with endless benefits.

Let’s learn a little more about them, and the role they play in the Brazilians’ acclaimed beauty.

Pracaxi Oil

Pracaxi oil comes from a tree that is strictly native to the wet tropical areas in the north eastern parts of the South American lands. The pracaxi oil is extracted from the seeds of this tree, and while the Brazilians have been benefiting from it for a long time, it is just recently introduced in the cosmetic world. Additionally, this native oil also has medicinal and therapeutic uses as well.

Pracaxi oil is the nature’s way of answering our various skin and hair problems and is often referred to as the “miracle oil”.

Properties

Pracaxi oil is strongly antibacterial, antifungal, anti-parasitic, antiseptic, and anti hemorrhagic. It is also a very rich source of

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various fatty acids, containing the highest known concentration of Behemic acid, 6 times higher than that of peanut oil. Pracaxi oil is also an inhibitor of melanin biosynthesis and a strong natural moisturizer.

Because of all these properties, Pracaxi oil offers effective solutions for a number of skin and hair problems. When the properties of pracaxi oil are combined with the properties of some other Brazilian oils, it helps tackle down specific skin conditions. Let’s see how pracaxi oil has been helping Brazilians enhance their beauty since ages.

Uses

• Pracaxi oil is beneficial for making hair softer and shinier.

• Pracaxi oil has a high absorption rate and easily penetrates skin and hair. This is the reason why it is highly recommended for dry and damaged hair and skin.

• Pracaxi oil is one of the best moisturizers and hence used in hair products for hydration and enhancing shine and smoothness. It is also a natural conditioner because it softens and detangles hair when applied on wet hair.

• Due to its wide-ranging properties, Pracaxi oil is used in personal care such as skin, hair, nail, massage and in aromatherapy.

• Mature skin with fine lines can benefit greatly from the regular usage of pracaxi oil.

• Pracaxi oil is used in products to even out skin tone.

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• The medicinal uses of pracaxi oil include healing ulcers, healing bites of snakes and other poisonous creatures and for cleaning after surgery.

• Erysipelas–a common skin infection caused by bacteria is also treated using pracaxi oil.

Caution

People who are allergic or have sensitive skin must not use pracaxi oil.

This oil must only be used in moderate amount and after a patch test.

Babassu Oil

Babassu oil is extracted from babassu palm tree, which is native to Brazil and is one of the major economy drivers of the country. This oil is extracted using a cold press method and is used topically as well as for cooking purposes.

This oil has a creamy consistency on room temperature and takes the texture like that of butter, hence often called babassu butter. Babassu oil resembles coconut oil closely in appearance as well as in properties. But is some ways, it is better and more beneficial. Like pracaxi, this one is a “wonder oil” and used for a myriad of problems.

In fact, most Brazilians keep a bottle of babassu oil almost all the time, because of its uses in day-to-day life. Let’s have a look at its properties and how it has been playing its role in keeping the Brazilian women and supermodels beautiful and gorgeous.

Properties

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Babassu oil is anti-inflammatory in nature because of the high ratio of lauric acid present in it. As a result, it is used for soothing purposes and helps with irritation, inflammation and redness on skin.

The babassu oil also becomes solid when stored at less than 76° F and melts as soon as it comes in contact with the skin. The oil is also lightweight in texture and has a pleasant aroma. Its fatty acid composition includes lauric acid, myristic acid, palmitic acid and oleic acid.

Let’s discover how these properties help Brazilians with their ingrained self-care routines and how it can help the rest of us as well.

Uses

• Combined with skin-friendly oils such as jojoba and Shea butter, babassu acts as great carrier oil and a person could need nothing more for their skincare other than this combination.

• Hair care is incomplete without babassu oil and it can help you tackle the dryness, damage and dullness in your hair with its moisturizing and softening properties. With consistent use, it can make your hair shinier and softer.

• Lips are one of the most sensual features of Brazilian women and this oil makes sure they remain baby soft and un-chapped forever. When babassu oil is mixed with Shea butter and used on lips, it works like magic and you yourself will fall in love with the way your lips feel.

• Dry scalp and dandruff is destructive for our hair and if we need it to get rid of it, nothing could be a better

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solution than babassu oil. Not only does it restore the health of the scalp but also prevents hair fall and treats split ends.

• Skin conditions can be given a respite using the au naturel babassu oil. It helps with the treatment of eczema, dry and flaky skin, rashes, burn marks, acne, stretch marks, and almost every other skin condition.

• Babassu is also very helpful for hormonal imbalances and metabolic troubles, which are often among the leading factors behind acne and breakouts.

• Hot season is bad news for skin and babassu is just the oil to help it cool down. It draws the heat away from the skin and cools it down considerably. Additionally, it also leaves a powder like residue on the skin which provides solid protection against pollutants and other contaminants that damage the skin.

Caution

There are no major side effects of babassu oil, nor are there any known cautions. Nonetheless, people with any known allergy or hypersensitivity must avoid usage.

Pregnant women and breastfeeding women must not use babassu oil due of lack of research and scientific evidence.

As a rule of thumb, don’t use any skin product, organic natural or otherwise, without conducting a patch test first.

Brazil nut Oil

Brazil nut is another gift that nature reserved exclusively for South America. The Brazil nut comes from a tree that is found on

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the banks of some of the major rivers, Venezuela, Colombia, Peru, and Brazil. This tree is humongous and the harvest is even huge. This naturally means that Brazil nuts are found in abundance in the country and Brazilians have made sure that they make use of its endless benefits.

In addition to its myriad of health benefits, Brazil nuts are also delicious and rich in nutrients. While these nuts originated in South America, they can be found all around the world because of their wide-spread reputation that led to a large number of exports from Brazil. A single tree of Brazil nut has a life span of 500 to 700 years and enjoys its beautiful canopy appearance in addition to its long life.

While their taste is cherished and enjoyed in different meals and drinks, it is their high protein content that has suddenly made this nut such a huge phenomenon all over the world. Because of its health benefits, Brazil nut oil is also extracted from these nuts and used for medicinal as well as therapeutic purposes. Without much ado, let’s see what other properties this oil contains and

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how Brazilians have been using it to improve their health and beauty since a long time ago.

Properties

The tree of Brazil nut belongs to the family of Lecythidaceae and is known by its scientific name Bertholletia excelsa. Here’s what the Brazil nut oil contains:

• High amount of calories

• Vitamins

• Antioxidants

• Vitamin E

• Selenium

• Anti-inflammatory

• Anti-bacterial

• Free from gluten

In addition, Brazil nut oil also contains other minerals such as copper, magnesium, manganese, potassium, calcium, iron, phosphorus, and zinc. With all these energy sources, it’s no wonder this oil is valued exceptionally.

Uses

• Haven’t you always wondered about Brazilians and their glowing skin? Well, here’s their secret. The selenium present in the Brazil nut oil expedites the process of cell turnover and gives Brazilians a great healthy glow on the skin.

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• The antioxidants present in Brazil nut oil also help with the stimulation of glutathione which in turn actively kills the harmful free radicals which are mostly the cause behind acne and breakouts on skin.

• Vitamin E present in Brazil nut oil also ensures presence of healthy cells of the mucus membrane.

• In addition to improving the health of the skin, Brazil nut oil also helps in the prevention of skin cancer which is caused by the deficiency of selenium. 4

• The anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties of Brazil nut oil fight acne by reducing inflammation and killing the bacteria on the skin that further spread acne.

• Vitamin A and E in Brazil nut oil make it an anti-ageing agent as well. The collagen in these nutrients smoothes fine lines and firms the skin. Most Brazilian women include Brazil oil in their night care routine and wake up every day with a smoother and shinier skin.

• Skin is not the only body part that benefits from the nutrients present in Brazil nut oil. Hair, too, enjoys some great many benefits. For instance, hair growth is improved considerably as Brazil nut oil stops hair fall or stunted hair growth by providing vital minerals to the body.

• And lastly, but by no means the least, this oil is also great as a moisturizer. The struggles of dry skin and dry hair can come to an end with the regular usage of Brazil

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8072875 4

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nut oil. Dryness itself leads to various skin and hair problems.

• You can pour some Brazil nut oil in your shampoo, soap, conditioner or skin care products for making it a daily part of your self-care routine.

Caution

Caution is always necessary which is why you must take it even if you are trying something as beneficial as Brazil nut oil for the first time.

• People who are allergic to nuts must not use the Brazil nut oil in any manner.

• The amount of usage should be moderate. Due to lack of research, it is unsure what side effects excessive usage can lead to.

• Always perform a patch test first and wait for at least 24 hours before making any decision.

• People with sensitive skin might get an adverse reaction from the Brazil nut oil hence the usage should be avoided at all costs.

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Açai Palm Oil

Açai palms are native to tropical Central and South America. The climates of these regions support the growth of the Açai palm and hence they are found in abundance in Belize, South of Brazil, Peru, and the Amazon territories in-between. These palms grow up in their beautiful glory in flood plains and swamps.

These palm trees serve humans in so many ways. First, there’s the fruit which brings endless benefits to all those who consume it in forms of drinks, desserts or just as a whole. And then there’s the Açai plant stem cell which battles ageing like nothing else and slows it down considerably. And then there’s the Açai palm oil which is extracted from the Açai palm and is so rich in nutrients that using it helps people deal with loads of health problems.

Let’s check out the properties of Açai and then we can learn more about its benefits as oil and as a stem cell.

Properties

Following are the properties that can be found in Açai berries and in Açai oil:

• Açai berries are rich in various nutrients; some of them are protein, fiber, iron, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, manganese, calcium, sodium, cholesterol, copper and many more.

• Açai is also a very effective antioxidant.

• Good fats are one of the best nutrients found in Açai berry.

• Açai berry oil is extremely moisturizing.

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• It has strong anti-inflammatory properties.

• Anti-bacterial

• Fast absorption rate

• A natural emollient

• Soothing properties

• Reduces swelling

• Anti-carcinogenic properties

Uses

• Nutrients such as phytosterols, sitosterol, stigmasterol and campesterol found in Açai promote healthy skin and help with protection against free radicals.

• Açai palm oil helps skin by regenerating damaged cells, retaining moisture, softening the skin, as well as improving the blood circulation.

• Acne ridden skin can also benefit from Açai palm oil as it treats the infected pores, reduces swelling and kills bacteria. In addition, it also treats infected pores and heals the scars left by acne and severe break outs.

• The antioxidants available in Açai are one of the best fighters against premature ageing and help people by preventing fine lines, wrinkles, dry flaky skin and other factors of ageing.

• Research proves that Açai berries and oil has good fats in it and as a result it helps with the improvement of

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cholesterol level by decreasing it to a great extent. The 5

research was first conducted on animals and then later on humans with nearly the same results. 6

• There has yet to be a cure for cancer, but like various other fruits and oils from Brazil, this one, too, helps with preventing it. It has been discovered that Açai has mild anti-cancer effects and it can help with preventing colon and blood cancer. 789

Açai Palm Oil Stem Cells

Açai has remained a super fruit of Brazil for quite some time and after recognizing its extensive benefits on human health, researchers came up with the idea of Phyto-Biotics Açai™. A new science emerged that gave rise to the trend of Açai palm stem cells which was created by using biotic stress from Leuconostoc sp. In this process, the capital properties and benefits of Açai palm were stressed upon and as a result we got a potent ingredient to help us tackle health issues and emerge on the other side more radiant and beautiful than ever.

As a result of this cell activity, Açai Palm Stem Cells or Phyto-Biotics Açai™ became a one stop solution for premature aging,

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23244543 5

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21569436 6

https://www.mdanderson.org/publications/cancerwise/2009/07/the-7

AçaiAçai-berry.html

http://www.cancerschmancer.org/articles/healthy-eating/AçaiAçai-8

and-other-berries-fact-or-fiction

http://news.ufl.edu/archive/2006/01/brazilian-berry-destroys-cancer-9

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free radicals, and fine lines. The Ferulic acid present in it makes sure that the skin remains protected from all damaging factors.

With Phyto-Biotics Açai™ and stem cell technology, lots of skin, hair and health issues can now come to an end. With ceaseless research studies being done, pretty soon all of us can benefit from the distinct properties of Açai and perhaps even become as radiant and beautiful as Brazilian supermodels themselves.

Caution

With such a fruit and oil as Açai that have as many health benefits, its drawbacks are not many. But still caution is mandatory and here are some points you all need to keep in mind before using Açai palm oil:

• Due to lack of research, there is no data available in favor or against the use of Açai palm oil during pregnancy and lactation. Hence, it must not be used in either condition.

• Patients suffering from lupus must also avoid the use of Açai palm oil entirely.

• Some of the Açai products have high contents of caffeine and sugar in it. Please avoid if you are trying to lose weight or are a diabetic patient.

• People with sensitivities may have an adverse reaction to Açai palm oil. It must be avoided in that case.

• Some people may suffer from skin rashes upon using Açai palm oil on their skin, Conduct a patch test before moving forward.

• Always consult a physician if you are suffering from any sort of medical condition.

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Andiroba Oil

Andiroba nut oil or as is called in Latin, Carapa guianensis, comes from the seeds of a tree found in South America called Andiroba tree. The natives also recognize this tree by the name of Crabwood or Candiroba. And the scientist refers to it by its botanical name Carapas guianensis. You can call it by any name, as long as you are aware of the endless benefits this tree and the oil derived from its seeds offers. This tree is found in large amounts in Amazonian areas such as Peru and Brazil and also thrives healthily in some parts of Africa.

The oil of Andiroba is rather difficult to extract; the cold press extraction method nearly takes a month to extract the oil in its ready form. The tree of Andiroba grows as tall as 30 meters and the oil extracted from it is golden and consists of a very magical amalgamation of essential fatty acids and anti-inflammatory compounds.

The native people of Amazon such as the Brazilians have been using Andiroba oil to treat pulled muscle and as a fuel in oil lamps for a long time. This oil is also used as an effective insect repellant. Additionally, Andiroba oil has many other benefits too which have contributed to the beauty of Brazilian women. Let’s see how.

Properties

The nutrients and fatty acids present in Andiroba oil include the following:

• Palmitic acid

• Palmitic acid

• Stearic acid

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• Oleic acid

• Linoleic acid

• Vitamin A

• Vitamin B1

• Vitamin B2

• Vitamin B6

• Vitamin C

• Vitamin E

Following are some of the common properties found in Andiroba oil:

• Healing

• Anti-inflammatory

• Insect repelling

• Pain Relieving

• Collagen Increasing

Uses

With such a unique combination of nutrients and fatty acids, Andiroba oil works like a miracle in some of the conditions.

• If Amazonians are ever in need of an exceptional massage that will relieve them of the pain in their muscles then Andiroba oil is their go-to. This oil not only alleviates muscular and joint pains but also treats it. It is a widely known fact that the esteemed soccer

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team of Brazil uses Andiroba oil after every match as a muscle relaxant.

• Andiroba oil contains healthy Omega 3 fatty acids which are highly beneficial when applied on the skin. As soon as they are applied, they absorb in the skin and find their way to the core area of pain and reduce it down immensely. The anti-inflammatory properties of this oil comes handy as it provides relief from pain and brings down the swelling.

• The high percentage of fatty acids present in Andiroba oil promotes healthy hair and even helps those suffering from severe hair fall and stunted growth. It is a perfect solution for those suffering from damaged and dry hair.

• In winters, you’ll forget all moisturizers if you had a bottle full of Andiroba oil in your hands. Not only is this oil highly absorbent, but also works as a great moisturizer on skin and hair alike. And in the process it ends up improving hair as well as skin health by fighting redness and reducing swelling.

• Andiroba oil also fights many skin conditions such as acne, psoriasis and eczema. It even stops the skin cells from growing when it’s time to and prevents scaling and overgrowth.

• Premature aging is an issue, one which you’ll rarely find in Brazil. Alpha-hydroxyl acids and fatty acids present in Andiroba oil reduce and even remove all signs of ageing. Fine lines, wrinkles, dark spots, puffiness and everything else that indicates aging vanishes away or at least slows down considerably with consistent use of Andiroba oil.

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• Andiroba oil encourages the production of collagen and as a result gives a person hydrated, conditioned and plump skin.

Caution

Caution must always be taken with a grain of salt. And it’s no different for Andiroba oil either. While the oil is generally safe for use, the following precautions much be taken:

• Since the oil is nut based, people with nut allergies must avoid using it at all.

• Pregnant and lactating mother must avoid it’s usage at all cost.

• Always conduct a patch test before using Andiroba oil for the first time and wait at least 24-hours before being sure of its reaction.

Capuacu Oil

Cupuaçu oil or Cupuaçu butter to be more exact is extracted from a tree found in the Amazon rainforest abundantly. This oil comes from the cacao plant or as more commonly known by the name of Camu Camu. It is considered one of the best moisturizers gifted to us by nature.

Cupuaçu butter is extracted by cold pressing the seeds that fall from the Cupuaçu tree during the rainy season in the region. These seeds are packed with 48% of stable butter inside them, and have a feel and texture just like that of Shea butter. The Cupuaçu butter is soft, creamy, and has high consistency. Most hair care, skincare and lip balms in Brazil contain Cupuaçu butter in them. This butter is solid at room temperature but melts

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easily when immersed in hot water or rubbed in the palm of the

hand.

Properties

Following are the properties of Cupuaçu butter:

• Anti-Oxidant • Anti-Inflammatory• Protects against Environmental Damage• Natural Sun Protection• Restructuring Activity on Tissues• Improves Skin Moisture Levels• Prevent production of free radicals • Improves skin elasticity

Following are the main minerals and fatty acids that combine together to give Cupuaçu butter some of its best medicinal and self-care properties:

• Vitamin C

• Valine

• Potassium

• Serine

• Leucine

• Flavonoids

• Ellagic Acid

• Gallic Acid

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Uses

• Cupuaçu butter nourishes hair like nothing else. The butter is rich in vitamins and minerals and when applied on scalp, it feeds it with the same goodies. As a result, hair remains healthier and strong for longer. People with dry, damaged, and frizzy hair must apply hot Cupuaçu butter in their scalp and massage slowly. And then they can enjoy new and stronger hair for the rest of their days.

• Cupuaçu butter helps with balancing emulsion and enhances the properties of other ingredients.

• This butter is a skin-friendly and rich moisturizer and helps people with dry and uneven tone on skin. It also leaves the skin much softer and with a better texture by fighting the free radicals and letting it enjoy the natural beauty.

• The most unique property of Cupuaçu butter is the elasticity it provides to the skin that is too rigid, dry and flaky. This Brazilian butter aids the production of skin proteins collagen and elastin.

• Cupuaçu butter is a better sun screen than any other chemical-fused one. It provides a strong barrier between the skin and harmful factors like the harsh UV rays. This is why Brazilians spend all the time on beaches and still end up with a pretty golden hue.

• This butter also maintains the level of toxins on the skin by keeping smoke, pollution and contaminants away.

• Cupuacu butter forms a protective barrier against harsh UV rays. If you spend a lot of time in the sun daily, this is a great butter to include in your skin care regimen.

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• Due to its protective qualities, a person remains safe from fine lines, wrinkles, , dark spots and premature aging in general.

• Damaged hair can benefit from Cupuaçu butter due to its high absorption and penetrating qualities. When applied on scalp, it reaches down to the hair cuticles and hydrates them. It also fortifies hair and increases its shine.

• Hair moisturizing or skin, Cupuaçu butter treats both and even seals the moisture in hair.

• The essential fatty acids present in Cupuaçu butter promote elasticity and durability in hair.

• One of the most famous uses of Cupuaçu butter is its use as a lip balm. No chapped, dry or flaky lips can remain untreated and unaffected by the miraculous healing powers of Cupuaçu butters.

• Cupuaçu butter can be used as an anti-aging toner around eyes, forehead and mouth to treat fine lines and letting the anti-oxidants in it fight the free radicals.

• One of the best uses of Cupuaçu butter is as a nighttime cream. When applied and left overnight, Cupuaçu butter slowly moisturizes the skin, improves elasticity and softens it as you sleep. That way, you’ll wake up every morning with a clearer, radiant and more youthful skin.

Caution

Even though Cupuaçu butter is 100% natural, it still might have some adverse reactions. Caution is necessary, no matter how

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trusted or natural a product is. Remember these when using Cupuaçu butter:

• People going through chemotherapy medications cannot use Cupuaçu butter in any form as it has been noted to interfere with the treatment. If you have been using it prior to chemo, inform your doctor immediately.

• Excessive usage of Cupuaçu butter must be avoided as it is high in Vitamin content and can lead to iron overdose by affecting its absorption rate.

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The Suntanned, Ageless Skin of the BraziliansSun is harsh on our skin. Any other nation that spends as much time in the sun as Brazilians do will end up red, blue and green. But not Brazilians, even after all the time they spent on the beach, they never look ugly with skin that looks dry and flaky. It’s as if even the sun is mesmerized by their beauty and wants to add its own charm by giving them a perfect sun kissed look.

But as much biased as we’d like to make it look, it isn’t really the case. Healthy diet and healthy skincare routine goes a long way in providing protection from the sun and turning it into favor. And that’s what Brazilians have been doing since ages. The sun-care routine has carried down generation after generation. And now it is nothing but the most natural part of their life. Something we need to learn so that we too can pull off that perfect golden tan.

Let’s unfold the years old sun-care secrets of the Brazilian nation.

The knowledge about the magic hours

Sun is not all good and we all know that. It emanates UV rays, which can penetrate our skin and damage it considerably. It starts with little, temporary damages like sun burns. But once it happens more than a few times, we get dangerously close to the risk of skin cancer.

The UV rays are of two types, UVA and UVB and both of them damage the skin in different ways. UVA rays go deeper inside the skin and damage the middle layer. UVB rays do not go deeper but only till the upper layer of our skin. This type of sun rays causes tanning, but burning too.

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It is the colored pigment melanin in our skins that increases in quantity as soon as the sunrays hit us. The melanin tries to protect the skin from harm and in the process ends up giving a dark look.

This means that we have to maintain a careful balance between exposing our skin just enough to get a golden shade, but not so much that it begins to damage our skin.

Now that the process of tanning is clear, let’s get to the Brazilian tan. The only way to maintain the aforementioned balance is to limit your exposure to sun to a limited time period, or as we called it, the magic hours.

And voila! The Brazilians have known about the right hours of sun exposure since forever and the knowledge carried down descendants and resulted in a whole nation of beautiful suntanned people.

So, what is the answer to that? Well it depends on the weather.

In springs and summers, the skin should not be exposed to more than 10 to 20 minutes of sun.

In fall, the hours of sun should not exceed 30 minutes.

And in winters, when we are suffering from lack of sufficient vitamin D, our skin must get at least 2 hours and 30 minutes of sun exposure.

But the magic hours also depends largely on the color of the skin, or our genetics, to be clearer. It takes longer for the sunrays to cause skin damage to people who already have thicker and darker skin.

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On the other hand, people with lighter and thinner skin get affected by sun faster. For instance, people with freckles cannot stay in the sun for longer, because it causes them pain almost within 30 minutes. So, how do Brazilians manage that? Surely they don’t keep a chart of skin shades, and weather and number of hours in the sun exposure?

Of course not, it is mostly instinct and the fact that they don’t shy away from slathering some SPF on their face. Speaking of which, let’s talk about SPF.

Maximum SPF on the face

They all remain burn-free in Brazil despite the amount of time they spend on beach. And it’s all because of their generous application of sunscreen and sun blocks.

Sadly, most of us only become serious about sun exposure after experiencing a nasty burn, when it should have been a permanent part of our life. What sun block does is it allows the sun to give us the desired tan without actually hurting our skin or putting us to the risk of skin cancer. The sun blocks and sun screens, which majority of the Brazilians applies on their faces and bodies, contain SPF.

SPF and melanin are inversely proportional. Higher the melanin in your body, lesser the SPF you’d need to achieve that perfect golden tan. And lesser the melanin in you, higher should be the SPF in your sunscreen, preferably SPF 30.

However, the amount of time you spend in the sun also matters. If your work keeps you in the sun for more than three-hours and you are very fair, don’t hesitate to upgrade to SPF 50.

People with dark skin have it easier. They can spend five hours under the sun with SPF 15.

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But fair or dark, the amount of melanin in you doesn’t matter when you are in the sun. SPF is necessary for everyone. Just figure out your skin color, the hours of exposure to the sun and then purchase a sunscreen accordingly.

Here’s a little chart for your help:

S k i n Types

O n e Hour

T w o Hours

Three Hours

F o u r Hours

F i v e Hours

Extremely Fair

S P F 15

S P F 30

S P F 45

S P F 50

S P F 50

Fair S P F 15

S P F 30

S P F 30

S P F 45

S P F 50

Light S P F 8

S P F 30

S P F 30

S P F 30

S P F 45

Medium S P F 8

S P F 15

S P F 15

S P F 30

S P F 30

Dark Skin S P F 8 SPF 8 S P F

15S P F 15

S P F 15

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Now, you too can rock a perfect, golden, healthy tan like the Brazilians without getting sun burnt.

Just remember about the magic hours and do not forget the SPF.

The Moon Bath

The self care and natural elements that combine together in Brazilians life have not only given them a perfectly smooth facial skin, but also benefitted the rest of their body as well. Perhaps this is the reason Brazilian women are always beach ready. One such body care regimen that gave rise to a unique way of taking care of the hair on their skin is thin body hair bleach. This kind of bleach became known with the name of Moon Bath and soon rose to popularity. Moon bath is a series of processes after which you end up with pretty peach fuzz, also known as beach fuzz. After this treatment, the hair on your arms, legs, stomach and back attain a light golden hue. This kind of look is considered sexy, sensual, and beautiful, and totally au naturale.

The entire process is fun too. When all is said and done, you’ll feel fresh, rejuvenated and the moon bath will leave your skin glowing. Here’s how the treatment goes.

It starts with oil application to moisturize the body and prevent any skin reaction. And then, several bleaching products are applied to the body and removed using thick hot towels. This is followed by scrubbing to remove dead skin cells and allow the skin to breathe. This hair is considerably lighter and golden in shade and the skin is ready for a hydrating treatment. After scrubbing, your skin is hydrated with a soothing hot oil massage. You go home feeling beautiful, fresh, relaxed, and almost with a new, smooth skin.

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The method of treatment of course differs, but the end result is always the same — lighter peach fuzz that makes you beautiful in the most natural of ways.

So, next time you envy a Brazilian model for all her beautiful looks, remember, a lot of work goes into that.

Carotene based diet

Another one of Brazilian’s beauty secrets is their carotene based diet, which becomes ten-fold more beneficial with the addition of supplements. Carotenoids are one of the major dietary sources of Vitamin A. The carotenoids are yellow, red and orange pigmented hydrocarbons synthesized and found in all the organisms that are capable of conducting photosynthesis. This includes flora as well as various microbes.

However, we humans are unable to synthesize the carotenoids, so what we–or Brazilian particularity– do instead is ingest it with diets. Once ingested, carotenoids circulate with the blood and targets tissues such as macula, lungs, liver, brain, skin and many others. Because Brazilians are blessed with the humongous rainforest in the Amazon, they are rich in biodiversity and as a result, they have a large amount of carotenoid containing flora present right in their backyard.

Not only can carotenoids be used for physical beauty, they are also used to treat people suffering from the deficiency of Vitamin A.

Beta Carotene

One such Carotene that Brazilians consume commonly through their diet is Beta Carotene. When a human ingests this type of carotene, it changes it into vitamin A.

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And vitamin A is one of the most beneficiary nutrients for the health of our skin, mucus membrane, vision and eye health as well as for a strong immune system. Beta carotene is a red and orange pigment and found largely in plants and fruits. Since Vitamin A is also an antioxidant, it keeps the skin from aging and forming fine lines and wrinkles. It also provides protection from the free radicals that damage healthy cells with the help of oxidation. This means the risk of cancer and heart diseases is 10 11

reduced considerably.

With age, our cognitive functions regress too. But those who have been consuming beta carotene for more than fifteen years observe a slower cognitive decline. Another benefit that comes with vitamin A derived from beta carotene is a pair of healthy lungs in old age.

Following are the beta carotene based foods with endless benefits:

• Carrots

• Sweet potato

• Spinach

• Cos/ Romaine Lettuce

• Squash

• Apricots

• Peas

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• Broccoli

• Most of the dark green leafy vegetables

However, be aware of the side effects. Smoker who ingest too much of beta carotene develop a risk of contracting lung cancer. However, it is not the food source of beta carotene that often results in lung cancer in smokers, but the intake of supplements.

So, stay away from smoking, rely on the natural stuff like the Brazilians do, and enjoy a healthy and gorgeous life.

Urucum

Among all the flavors of Brazil, there’s one called Urucum. Urucum is another one of the Brazilians’ sun care essential. They apply it topically, as well as ingest it and enjoy the plentiful benefits that come with it.

But first, let’s learn a little more about urucum.

As we all know Brazil has a direct access to the greatness of Amazon, and among this rainforest filled land, near the Amazon River is an indigenous community of Yawanawa people. And it is because of the ancestors of these people, Brazil–and the world–got introduced to urucum.

Urucum is basically an orange/red colored pigment that comes from the seeds of a fruit which is spiky. For centuries, this pigment has remained a major cultural and spiritual part of the Yawanawa people and is used by them to express their individuality, through face and body painting. But its purposes and benefits extend farther than that.

Urucum is widely used as a natural food color all over Brazil. But when it comes to skin, it has far more uses. Most Brazilians

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rub urucum on their skin, which functions as a natural insect repellant and keep the free loaders away. Moreover, it also works as a natural sun screen, and helps with tanning. When urucum is repeatedly applied on the skin, it penetrates inside to make the skin impermeable.

Urucum contains high content of carotenoids and Vitamin A in it, and hence keeps the skin safe from premature aging and free radicals. It also helps in maintaining the color while tanning and keep the skin safe from UVA and UVB rays.

So, there you have it. Next time you see a Brazilian with a perfect tan and a glowing skin and curse all your genetics for not being like the Brazilians’, stop right there and perhaps take all the curses back. Because this tan and this skin is a result of lifetime of fruits, vegetables, green leaves sunscreen, appointments, and keeping track of hours when on the beach.

There are no tanning beds and injections involved either, only natural means.

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The Conspiracies and Ineptitudes that Plague the

Amazon RainforestsWe discussed and unraveled a large number of Brazilians’ beauty secrets, and almost all of them came from the Amazon rainforest. However, this would come as a surprise that there are hundreds and thousands of more plants, seeds, fruits, leaves waiting to be discovered.

All these known and unknown beauty and health secrets are just lying there in the Amazon rainforest, waiting for humans to get their hands on them and benefit from their endless uses. But like all other things in the world, the beautiful and miraculous Amazon rainforest too suffered at the hands of human conspiracy.

Amazon rainforest is huge and covers 5.5 million km² of land. This forest spreads over a major portion of northwestern Brazil, and goes all the way to Columbia, Peru, and many more South

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American countries. This forest is a montage of ecosystems coming together. The Amazon consists of rainforest, seasonal forests, savannas, and wetlands, and the Amazon River right there in its midst.

The rich biodiversity of this forest has given it much acclaimed reputation. But sadly, the same thing happened with Amazon rainforest that happens with every precious thing in the world. The gold diggers, the gold miners and exploiters came rushing in; they saw the opportunity and they seized it.

Over time, the political and economic forces in the Amazon gave rise to various conspiracies and as a result, a large number of medicines, nutrients, and health sources either remain buried, go wasted or is used by only a certain party.

The Cattle and Timber industries dominate the rain forest business, which hinders the ability to bring miraculous ingredients to the global market and create a sustainable business practice to cultivate such important medicines and nutrients.

The war between political and economical forces when it comes to Amazon Rainforests has devoid the rest of the world to access Amazon’s miraculous products. And while this war distracted most others, the cattle and timber industry swept in and continued to destroy and damage the precious rainforest. The timber industry keeps cutting the trees to extract timber, while the cattle industry continues to do the same to make way for the cattle. And who allowed all this, you may wonder? The ones who benefit from the subsidies and tax incentives.

This cruel usage of the Amazon rainforest got the wheel rolling for deforestation. While this forest has so many unknown treasures and cures hiding within its diverse ecological system, the risk of its doom is always there, looming at the horizon. The

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single biggest driver of this destruction is the cattle grazing industry, followed by timber and then agricultural.

The economical forces refuse to budge back and allow the world and the global market to tap into its pharmaceutical benefits. To this day, this economical scenario is conspiring against the Amazon rainforest by placing very high premiums on commodities such as soybeans, timber, and meat. Even though, what the world really needs is the sources from the standing forests.

If the environmental policies don’t take a firmer stand anytime sooner, the Amazon rainforest might very soon perish and the world would never get to know if the cure for cancer and other insurmountable diseases was ever in the depths of Amazon Forest.

Let’s hope that better policies and better management will stop the deforestation of Amazon Rainforest and allow the human race to benefit from the miraculous ingredients hiding in its depths.

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The Supplementations and Natural Extracts Found in the Amazon

What we discussed in the last chapter is certainly a disastrous and unsettling thought, and has been a lifelong struggle of many environmentalists. It is made worse by the fact that all the amazing supplements that we have had access to so far only confirm what we all believe. The Amazon Rainforest is indeed a land full of treasures that could bring quality to human life.

But let’s not dwell on that anymore. There are many things we can do to participate and make our voices heard in saving the Amazon rainforest from destruction. After all, even one small voice can start a revolution. People coming together and joining hands can surely save one of the natures’ best creations. Let us tell you some interesting facts about Amazon.

✓ The Amazon rainforest contains one in every ten known species of the world.

✓ There are 4,100 miles of winding rivers flowing in the Amazon.

✓ The Amazon rainforest contains 90-140 billion metric tons of carbon and helps with the stabilization of the global climate.

✓ More than 370 types of reptiles dwell in the Amazon.

✓ There are 40,000 plant species in the spacious Amazon rainforest.

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✓ 30 million people of the world rely on the Amazon for their agricultural, clothing, and traditional medicinal needs.

✓ In every single second, Amazon delivers 55 million gallons of water to the Atlantic Ocean.

✓ More than 80% of the world’s food originated from the Amazon.

✓ The Amazon is home to more than 30,000 fruits in which the western world has only ever consumed 200 of them.

✓ One hectare of Amazon rainforest contains 1500 types of plants and 750 types of trees.

✓ Every day of deforestation in Amazon is making the world extinct of 137 species.

✓ Every single second, 1.5 acre of acres of Amazon rainforest is lost due to deforestation.

✓ A fun fact, the canopy of the Amazon rainforest is so thick that the forest remains in perpetual darkness. And when it rains, it takes about 10 minutes for the water to reach the ground.

✓ More than 20% of the oxygen in the world is contributed by the Amazon forest.

✓ It is estimated that the Amazon forest has a whooping amount of 390 billion individual trees.

✓ Brazil is the winner because it is home to nearly two-third of the Amazon rainforest.

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✓ And lastly, if the deforestation of the Amazon rainforest continues at this state, we’d completely lost this miracle of the nature within the next 40 years.

To give you a glimpse of what this forest really contains, allow us to introduce some of the supplements, medicinal plants and natural extracts that have been found in the Amazon rainforest so far:

• Cordoncillo

Many people might be reading about this herb for the first time, but the natives have been using it as an anesthetic for a long time. Chewing the leaves of Cordoncillo makes the mouth go numb. It has the same affect when applied topically on wounds.

• Yerba Mate

Yerba Mate is another herb that is used to prepare traditional beverage called mate. This herb has relaxing properties and stimulates the heart tissues, while soothing muscles. Many believe it is excellent for maintaining cardiovascular health.

• Sodo

Addiction plagues the human society and takes months and even years to cure. However, the aromatic Sodo found in the magical Amazon rainforest is better than the best nicotine patches found on earth and cures every sort of addiction, even the addiction of alcohol.

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The “Brazilian Botulin-like Serum

If there’s one thing we can say for sure after discovering and learning so much about Brazilian women’s lifestyle and beauty practices, it is that nothing trumps nature. There’s no amount of beauty creams, high brands and famed treatments that could beat the mesmerizing effects of using the purest oils, herbs and fruits that nature has sent us in the humongous green land of Amazon. The difference is as clear as day.

The scientific beauty is obvious, immediate and wonderful, and has been in use for 30 years; however there are some downsides to it too. For one, the Botox treatment is not for everyone. A regular person cannot walk up to a skincare clinic and ask for a Botulinium toxin shots to their face. There are many limitations

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that stop a regular person from doing that. On the other hand, natural beauty measures are slow, take time and not immediately obvious but they are glorious, long-lasting and favorable to health.

Here are some of the downsides of Botox that makes it inaccessible for a large number of women:

✓ Botox treatment is very pricey. While the treatment does wonders by reducing wrinkles and returning the youthful glow, it costs a fortune. And a large population of women cannot afford to give their arm and a leg for Botox treatment.

✓ Another hitch in the popular cosmetic procedure of Botox treatment is the immunity. Some people become immune to Botox. The resistance showed by their skin wastes money and they go home with no results. While some people develop resistance over time, others are simply immune to the effect. People like these are wide and large in number and they need an alternative to keep their wrinkles to a minimum.

✓ More and more people are now moving towards a more natural life style. And while these people are desperately looking for skin tightening procedures they cannot go for it, as it does not comply with their natural life style.

✓ Some people have money to afford the pricey cosmetic procedure, and they are not immune to the Botox either. However, their issue is with being shot in the face. While the pain and discomfort from Botox injections are minimal, many people are still not in favor of getting shots on their face.

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Fortunately for these people who cannot come to terms with Botox, there is a solution to these problems. The natural Botox alternative that is created with the help of natural ingredients from the Amazon is an answer to these issues.

✓ Since the natural alternative of Botox is created with natural ingredients, it is not as pricey and costly as Botox. Regular people with average pay can also afford this cosmetic procedure.

✓ No cases so far have reported immunity to the natural brazilin alternative of Botox. As matter of fact, this product has actually helped people to enhance the life of Botox, and in improving its results.

✓ Another added benefit of the natural alternative of Botox, is its usefulness in maintaining the effects of Botox. In fact, by doing so it reduces the overall costs of Botox and helps you space the applications of Botox. With the natural alternative of Botox, working as an enhancer, you won’t have to go for Botox as many times, as you otherwise would have.

✓ The effects of Botox are undoubtedly very popular and effective. But they also leave you with a tiny risk.

✓ The natural alternative of Botox will do no such thing.

✓ And lastly, but by no means the least, the application of Botox is topical. There are no shots and injections involved.

✓ Those who have adopted a natural lifestyle have now gotten a skin tightening solution as well.

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So, out of the two, what would your rather have? Beauty that comes at a big cost or beauty that gives more than it takes?

The answer is obvious. However, we do admit that the reason behind the lacking favor of the avant-garde Natural Brazilian Skin Tightening Alternative is the lack of familiarity with it. And we are going to change it now. But before that, let’s learn a little more about the wide spread Botox practice

Most women today rely on neurotoxin filled injections (Botox) to remove wrinkles and get the glow of youthfulness back on their faces. While this cosmetic procedure is safe, and has remained a popular choice of beauty treatment among the masses, it fails to cater to every target market. Additionally, it also has some risks.

In this particular case, we are looking at a toxin named Botulinium. Here’s what we need to know about it:

Botulinium Toxin also known as Botox can sometimes result in:

• Drooping eyelids and eyebrows

• Headaches

• Bruising

• Nausea

• Redness

• Double vision

• Loss of facial expression

• Allergic reactions which can cause itching, rashes, wheezing, and asthma

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The toxin is considered safe, only as long as it stays in the intended sight.

The adverse reactions of Botox are very rare.

The so called Natural Brazilian “Botox”

We have learned about the natural beauty enhancers found in Amazon in detail. Brazilians have spent their entire life feeding on it and applying it, but that could not be the case with the non-Brazilian folks. Women, who wish to appear as gorgeous and beautiful as Brazilian models, need not be disappointed because they can now achieve the same.

The discovery of what folks in Brazil call, “the natural Brazilian Botox” is perhaps the work of a genius. In this beautifying procedure, instead of toxins, some of the healthiest and most natural extracts are injected in the skin to help everyone achieve that healthy and happy glow that until now was only found on Brazilian models. While it is considered a treatment, in truth, this “natural Brazilian Botox” is a skin tightening and line reducing cosmeceutical natural miracle of the Amazon. It is because of its pure and natural ingredients that are extracted from the backyard of Brazil, it came to be known and commonly referred to as the Natural Brazilian Botox.

You’d be surprised to know that a natural skin tightening serum has remained one of the go-to beauty secrets of even the Brazilian models..

Ingredients

It’s everyone’s right and duty to find out the details of what is being injected under their skin in clinical doses. This is why I am going to elaborate and name the entire ingredient list which I found this natural Brazilian skin tightening serum.

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During my extensive research and studies on natural skin tightening serum, I kept exploring options and alternatives that will provide a safer, more natural and a long lasting effect on the skin. And the only product I saw in the skincare market that has all the essential ingredients for an   age reversal effect was Bratoxin. This product also contains dosages recommended in clinical studies.

Hence I decided to scrutinize its ingredients one by one to see if it corroborates its claim. Were all the ingredients really natural? And if so, then how could it provide an age reversing, anti-wrinkling and skin tightening results that until now could only be achieved through Botulinium toxin injections?  

The first ingredient that I found in the natural skin tightening serum was Acmella Oleracea. This ingredient appeared to be the core and most essential part of the natural skin tightening serum. While I also found various other natural Brazilian extracts in the formula, that complemented and supported the wrinkle-reducing procedure even more, it was ultimately Acmella Oleracea that gave the exact Botox-like result sans the injecting and poking part.

When Acmella Oleracea was combined with all the natural ingredients that Brazilians have been using for ages, it gave rise to the notable secret behind the beauty of Brazilians supermodels.

Acmella Oleracea

Acmella Oleracea is derived from the Brazilian species Acmella Alba. It is used in other parts of the world as a medicinal herb, but few have actually been able to use it as a natural alternative to Botox-like results. Brzlnskin is one of the few skin clinics that

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use Acmella Oleracea in their Brazilian Botulin-like serum treatment by way of Bratoxin.

Jambu extract derived from the plant of Acmella Oleracea basically gives results very closely similar to the results of Botulinium injected Botox, minus the side effects. First off, you’ll remain safe from the injections and needles poking inside your face since it are only applied topically. And secondly, there will be no drooping eyelids, no nausea and certainly no death risks.

This natural extract reduces muscles tension, relaxes the skin and as a result, reduces the face wrinkles. Acmella Oleracea contains analgesic alkylamides called spilanthol and has a paralyzing effect on facial muscles, hence reduction in wrinkles. In the beginning of the book, we talked about emotions and how they begin to show on our skin. Repeated emotions cause repeated movements of the facial muscles and as a result we get wrinkles. Smile lines, under-eye wrinkles, crow’s feet and frown lines are some of the wrinkles that begin to appear between the ages of 25-30. Not exactly a time to get old. If these wrinkles are not treated with natural Botox–like procedure, they can turn into persistent lines.

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How it works?

Acmella Oleracea contains Spilanthol and as a result brings about the myorelaxing activity, which is why it is majorly targeted during extraction. When motor-neurons meet the human muscles fibers, they immediately contract and give rapid results.

And as a result, you get a smooth, wrinkle-free skin with glow of youth without any risks, fear or pain. While Acmella Oleracea

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extract has been used very commonly by Brazilians as a beauty hack carried down generation after generation, Bratoxin didn’t rely on this ingredient based solely on that.

Science backed the Botox-like capabilities of Acmella Oleracea and proved it to be 100% effective and safe for natural Brazilian Botox as well. And the results from it can be achieved just through topical application.

A series of clinical researches were conducted to test and discover the properties of Acmella Oleracea, known by the brand names Gatuline Expression and Gatuline In-Tense. Here are the tried and tested properties we unearthed regarding the main ingredient of Bratoxin:

• Acmella Oleracea targets the natural lifting properties of skin by stimulating fibroblast activity, cellular dynamism and as a result tightening the collagen fiber network. Effects become noticeable after the first application.

• Dynamic wrinkles on our skin are a result of muscle contractions. These contractions cause the skin to bunch together and end up forming lines. Clinical studies showed that Acmella Oleracea reduced these contractions in a surprisingly short period of time. As little as 0.6% concentration of Acmella Oleracea worked like magic. Hence the 2% concentration present in Bratoxin made it super effective.

• Studies conducted on volunteers showed reduction in wrinkles after the first application. After 28 days, the wrinkles had trimmed down significantly.

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• The Alkylamides present in Acmella Oleracea bolster the architecture of the dermis and fight aging actively.

• The fibroblasts present in the making of our skin produce and release proteins that are crucial to the firmness and elasticity of our skin. Acmella Oleracea stimulates the biomechanical function of the fibroblasts and as a result those who undergo the procedure end up having a firmer and tightened skin.

Snap-8

Snap-8 is a solution that treats wrinkles that are formed as a result of the expressions our face regularly wears. Snap-8 is an elongated version of Matrixyl, and far superior in properties. In order to further enhance the results of Brazilian wrinkle reduction solution, Bratoxin used Snap-8 as another powerful ingredient. Its properties are the following:

• Argireline Peptides present in Snap-8 reduce the depth of wrinkles that are caused by the counteraction of muscles on our skin.

• It also shows effective results through topical application.

• In a study conducted on 17 volunteer women with wrinkles, their skin showed huge reduction in wrinkles after 28 days of Snap-8 application, twice a day.

• Acacia Gum

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Acacia Gum fights a tough battle again sagging skin. Whether it is age, water retention, weight gain, or any other reason, this natural ingredient seems to have the answer. Acacia Gum is extracted from the stem and branches of an African tree. When this natural ingredient comes together with biopolymer, it creates easyliance, a smoothing agent that spreads inside the skin surface, stretching it to remove the sag. A 100% natural face lifter.

• Helix from Snail

Research shows that Helix, secretions of a snail, is effective in improving coarse periocular rhytides and fine facial rhytides. In 12

simpler terms, this secretion smoothes the fine lines on the face without affecting the skin in any other way.

Acacia and Snail Helix

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2365289412

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are also used as secondary tightening agents in this natural formula. These unique natural skin tightening ingredients from the Amazon are combined with clinically tested peptides, which locals often refer to as Natural Brazilian Botox. Because of these natural ingredients, this natural Botox brings more finesse into the end results without giving a plastic look.

However, the heart of Bratoxin serum will always be the natural extract, Jambu, which is commonly known among the natives as, Acmella Oleracea.

What is Bratoxin?

After several months of studies, researches, trial and errors, I came across a product that impressed me. Right away, I started in-depth research on its ingredients. And during this time, I discovered that these ingredients were the ultimate anti-wrinkle, tightening and skin firming natural agents. With the addition of some more supporting natural ingredients like Açai palm stem cells, Snap-8, and Camu Camu a serum called Bratoxin was created. The natural skin tightening solution offered in Brzlnskin is a very thoughtful and measured combination of these ingredients. Bratoxin is a result of in-depth, curative research. Before Bratoxin, Brazilians have been using these ingredients as a DIY skincare product.

Bratoxin, however intensified each of their powers by combining clinical dosages of these ingredients and bringing them in one place, and this combination ultimately became a successful and natural skin tightening cosmeceutical serum.

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The Expert Speaks

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That was the theoretical part of “Natural Brazilian Botox’ –as the natives call it. We now know the ultimate Brazilian secret that has given the top Brazilian models and even the Brazilian women in general, the ageless, youthful skin.

But how does this botulin-like effect skin tightening solution really work? What are the clinical dosage amounts? How long does it last? How often is it needed?

We are sure that these are the questions running inside your mind right now, so we decided to let out our secrets. As someone who already holds the solution in hand, and treats many women, including the Brazilian Models on a daily basis, I have come across various in-depth facts regarding the Brazilian wrinkle reduction solution that one can only learn through practical knowledge.

The following knowledge is shared by me as one of the few skin specialists who have started handing out this secret formula to others. Here’s what I have to say about Bratoxin .

Contrary to the popular belief, most Brazilian models like to keep their skin most natural. When they want a boost in their skin health, they come to my office looking for solutions to leave with a fresher and youthful face. Bratoxin is a great recommendation to ensure long lasting results as a daily routine post treatment

Almost everyone who comes to my clinic asks about various procedures and how it works on every person. Some people are curious, some are nervous and some just want to know so that can make their decision in good time. Remember, that every procedure we offer aims to focus on the requirements of each individual, but the procedure is mostly the same. For instance, making the visible aging process slower would need a regular

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maintenance routine. Following this line of reasoning, all procedure that is done in a doctor's office should be followed by a skincare regime through the application of creams or behavioral that is complementary, so that the desired result is achieved and somehow maintained or improved. The recommendations regarding this skincare routine is also shared by my team, and I.

One of the most common questions that I’m asked is regarding the gorgeous Brazilian models including some of the more famous Victoria Secrets’ models, and celebrities who come to my clinic.

Most people wish to know what goes inside the minds of beautiful models when they are looking for a beauty treatment. What exactly is the kind of look they go after or what is the real standard of beauty in their eyes?

Unlike most of us, models are very aware of their skin health or their health in general. They are also very clear about what they want.

When I get models in my office, their main request is that it does not look artificial. More specifically, they ask for a procedure that will keep their natural features completely intact, but only more rejuvenated, fresh, and young. They want their face to remain unchanged and most natural. And this is the way they succeed in stimulus, disguise or maintenance treatments.

Most Brazilian models are also very keen on having a short recovery period, probably because of their busy schedule. They are okay with visiting my clinic more often for retouching. As a solution to this request, I offer them micro soft needling.

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Creating micro channels of penetration in the skin increases the absorption of products that are applied thereto; in addition, as small holes are made, when they are closed, healed, they increase the production and renewal of collagen, elastic fibers, and of the epidermis itself, generating greater firmness, tonus, hydration and also improving the appearance of visible pores and diminishing fine wrinkles.

After this procedure, it is advisable for patients to use moisturizers that are rich in anti-oxidants and growth factors, as they will have their activity potentiated. In case of skins that have suffered from solar action, and are characterized by spots or are very dry, the best option is still fractionated lasers, among the CO2. However I have to be careful to apply a softer potency on clients with sun burnt skin because its recovery may be more difficult, with redness and edema.

The maintenance of this skin-tightening procedure requires a lot of hydration and products that can aid in cell replication, in the improvement of redness, and with circulation for the regeneration of the skin. The skin needs more humectants products or the daily skincare routine at home. These products have the ability to make cells have better adhesion and receive vitamins and minerals to improve their ability to divide and recover.

In cases of patients with very visible and very marked expression wrinkles, what really does affect is still the application of botulinium toxin. We must take care to respect the individual movement so that it is attenuated and not frozen; because this toxin has as it is done to paralyze or to reduce the force of contraction of the musculature in question. Its durability is around four to six months; when it should be applied.

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My orientation to patients is to try to become aware of the movements that are made during mime, i.e. during every day facial expression, and remember that the "cracks" that are made on the skin throughout lifetime can leave marks. These marks can hardly be corrected with such an application alone, so other treatments should be associated too. We suggest skincare regimen to be conducted at home and use of products that may fill the gaps or places one day for it has been broken or even assist in the process of local force downsizing.

Another way in which this natural skin-tightening alternative to Botox stands out is its customization. Every person is treated differently, because every person does have a different body, face shape and expression.

In general, these products have peptides in their composition. Depending on the patient's age, model or not, we have to remember what is or is not appropriate. Understand the face as a three-dimensional structure; the skeletal structure, muscles, tendons and ligaments, fat, dermis and then epidermis. There are specific procedures for each of these structures. Number of sites for application depends on the face shape, the age of the patient, the individual need and the routine of life.

As popular as Botox is, it is not the most affordable, healthy, or preferred method of attaining beauty. Many women up till now are constantly trying to fight their wrinkles, but fail because they realize Botulinium toxin might not be the best and most natural solution for their worries. And then, the invasive approach of the method is also least liked by many women. The injections are a constant part of Botox and its frequency doesn’t change. With natural Brazilian skin tightening serum, women now have an alternative solution. A solution that is safe, natural, affordable and not painful as Botox is.

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Final Thoughts on the Flawless Skin of the Brazilians

With this book, I can happily conclude that gone are the days when people would look at the natural, youthful beauty of the Brazilians as something unachievable. With efforts, knowledge, and alternative solutions, anyone can now have what the Brazilian always had.

Consider this book as a guide to achieving that kind of beauty. Live your life like the Brazilians and you’ll get more than just a refreshing, glowing, and youthful skin like the Brazilian models.

Introducing fruits and essential oils from the Amazon in your daily life, as well as adopting the healthy physical routine that is second nature to Brazilians, you’ll not only find yourself looking young, but you’ll ultimately feel young too.

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