I knew when I read about Erika Heynatz being the ambassador for the Yantra Mat and the benefits of the mat that it would be a perfect fit for me. Luckily Erika gave me a mat and the lowdown on it while I did her makeup and hair for an interview for her new role in Legally Blonde: The Musical. I love acupuncture and acupressure and I love how this mat makes you relax and breath while using the same principles of acupuncture without being invasive.
Erika and I have been working together for years and have been friends since we met… I am constantly inspired by her and she seems to get more and more beautiful inside and out.
In a quick chat recently, we caught up about her beauty essentials and the Yantra Mat.
ERIKA, WHAT ARE YOUR BEAUTY MUST-HAVES IN YOUR MAKEUP BAG AT ANY GIVEN TIME?
Aveda Stress Fix & Blue Oil Balancing Concentrate (mini-roll on aromatherapy), Shu Uemera eyelash curler, M.A.C face and body makeup, NARS Laguna Bronzer and Copacabana Multiple, Bobbi Brown Pot Rouge Cream Blush in Cabo Coral, YSL Touché Éclat, Clinique Lash Power Tubular Mascara and SKII masks for a quick pick-me-up.
WHAT DO YOU ALWAYS CARRY WITH YOU WHEN YOU’RE ON THE RED CARPET?
Makeup Forever HD Powder, NARS Blush Bronzer Duo Laguna Orgasm, M.A.C Lipstick in Shy Girl, chewing gum and Carmex balm.
HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN INVOLVED WITH YANTRA MAT AND HOW DOES IT WORK FOR YOU?
I had read about the Yantra Mat and being a big believer in the benefits of acupressure, saw this as being a really fantastic tool for someone like me who has a restless energy and a great difficulty sleeping and even just switching off.
I was given a mat by a girlfriend to try and was immediately hooked. I have so often turned up to a job, despite going to bed early, feeling like I’ve been hit by a bus and looking a 100 years old because I’ve had a really bad night’s sleep. It can be so frustrating! I love acupuncture but don’t have the time or bucks to get treatments every week. So the Yantra Mat has been such a godsend for me.
I use it for 20 minutes every night, which releases endorphins and antioxidants, which are not only regenerative for the body but especially the skin. It’s worked wonders for my insomnia and has really helped with my muscle tension and relaxation. I have the travel mat and pillow as well which has been such a saviour, especially when I’m clocking up the miles and working odd hours on location.
WHAT ELSE DO YOU DO TO STAY FIT, HEALTHY AND LOOKING GOOD?
Exercise is a such is such an important part of my life. It’s not just the health benefits – it’s the chance to connect with the environment, connect the body and breath, regain focus, and the chance to feel vital and grateful to the machine that gets me through life. Variety is the spice of my sporting life, I like to run on the road and on the soft sand at the beach, swim, surf, body surf, surf ski, do yoga, spin classes, weight training, xtend-barre Pilates, and boot camp.
My new way of training tends to be short sharp bursts of interval training. Fast paced 15-20 minute sessions of really high intensity moves using my own body weight or gym weights. This supposedly burns more fat by boosting the metabolism and enhances fitness at a much faster rate. I like that it’s a shorter session leaving me time to go for a walk, meditate or chill out on my Yantra Mat.
I eat 6 good meals a day, as pure food as possible, swear by veggie juice, munch on nuts and have protein shakes as snacks, and don’t mind the health benefits of a few glasses of red vino!