Whiskey - it's a delicious drink, a tasty addition to a winter dessert… but probably something you've never thought of as being beneficial for your body.
But that's exactly what Edna Swart, founder of new skincare line 'ed&i body', is trying to change.
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Swart uses locally produced whiskey in her products to control the excess oil on the skin and help prevent acne - but it all started with the love of the drop.
"Firstly, I am a huge whiskey fan. I’m a simple girl so a Jameson on the rocks will do me just fine!" Swart says.
"When I was creating ed&i body and selecting the unique fragrance, whiskey came to mind and the good thing was that we could use actual whiskey in our products… we learnt throughout the formulation process it has positive skin care benefits.
"The antiseptic properties of whiskey control excess oil on the skin and help prevent pimples and acne. In fact, whiskey can even fight the existing acne and soothe any kind of inflammation on the skin by removing the bacteria and dirt."
That's right, it turns out whisky has a hell of a lot of benefits you may not have thought of when ordering that fourth 'whiskey and dry' at the bar.
It contains as many antioxidants as wine, and more ellagic acid which helps absorb rogue ells in the body. A 2003 study showed that adults who consumed one to six portions a week were half as likely to suffer from dementia as non-drinkers and heavy drinkers.
Whiskey contains no fat, and barely any carbohydrates or sugar, meaning it's a better choice for diabetics than most other alcohol, as it will barely change the levels of blood glucose.
And as anyone who's downed a hot toddy in winter will know - it can help battle the fiercest of winter colds.
So go forth and enjoy! (In moderation) and if you're not a drinker, just rub it into your skin in the form of skincare instead.
In celebration Swart has given us her best whiskey recipe: A "simple and sophisticated" whisky sour.
Equipment:
- A shaker
- A strainer
- Short glass
Ingredients:
- 2 parts bourbon
- 1 part lemon juice
- 1⁄2 part sugar syrup
- 1⁄2 part egg white
- Cubed ice
To garnish: 1 cherry and an orange slice
How to mix:
- Put ice and all of the ingredients into a shaker and shake hard for about 20 seconds to chill the liquid really well
- Strain the mix into a glass filled with ice and garnish with the cherry andorange slice
Newshub.
