The above quote is from the glorious Mae West – a performing icon famous for being the image of early 20th century decadance but who, in fact, was a teetollaer and lived an extremely healthy lifestyle that was at least 50 years before its time. Ms West believed in a vegetarian-based diet of fresh, locally sourced produce, daily (but not necessarily rigorous) exercise, lots of water, lots of sleep and no alcohol or tobacco. She also preached being as stress-free as possible in both mind and body.
Sound advice but oft ignored in our world.
None moreso than the world of Health & Beauty. I was just at the Back Pain and Professional Beauty tradeshows in London this past weekend. They are both great shows and incorporate a myriad of businesses and specialities within the industry. I walked around both shows with my Kneader and business cards at the ready in my bag in case I came across any potential distributors – sadly, only 2-3 lovely companies were relevant despite these being large trade/exhibitor gatherings.
Surprisingly, so much of the Back Pain Show (which should have been perfect for an easy-to-use massage tool like the Kneader) had to do with diagnostic equipment and “lotions and potions” (mostly health drinks and creams for exisiting problems). These products were all valid in diagnosing and treating conditions but there was very little on offer – save a few expensive ergonomic beds and chairs – that dealt with preventing back pain.
Even moreso with the Pro-Beauty Show. Pro-Beauty is the “big one” re Health & Beauty and both trade and the general public can attend. It can be forgiven for being a bit top-heavy on make-up, nails and hair but, again, overall beauty is dictated from within. No cream, or make-up, or hair dye or nail colour will make someone beautiful, unless the wearer already enjoys a decent standard of well-being. I saw SO many wonderful massage creams and oils – nearly every major retailer had its own “home spa” range – but not one of them came with a usable massage tool, which is a pity, as most people will tell you that they would love daily massage but don’t know how to do it properly (really – we have carried out many such market surveys). Real, sustainable beauty is not just about looking good but feeling good and there should be a bit more of that at every Health and Beauty-related show.
