How’d you like your ginger – straight up or with a twist?

Hmmm ... a bracing cup of ginger tea, spiked with a drizzle of honey, lemon, and cinnamon on a muggy day sounds good. But an indulging bath with Origins Ginger With A Twist sounds glorious!

Those who know their gingers (Zingiber officinalis) swear it is indeed a tip-top root. As far back as 2,000 BC, the Chinese have been using ginger not only for food but also for medicine. It is said that ginger, with its volatile oils, has a stimulating effect on the body, creating a feeling of well-being and newfound energy. The Chinese use it as a blood tonic, to warm the blood and boost circulation. Hot ginger tea helps bring down a fever. Ginger helps soothe coughs, colds, flu, and other respiratory problems. You’ve probably heard of singers who take ginger tea before a performance to clear their vocal chords (of course, if you really can’t carry a tune, no amount of ginger tea can help you).

Ginger is also highly esteemed for its ability to lower blood pressure and cholesterol, and help in weight loss (surely a plus for weight watchers). To make a s-tea-mulating drink, put half a teaspoon of freshly grated ginger into eight ounces of boiling water, cover pot and steep for 10 to 15 minutes, to allow full extraction of the fresh ginger. Strain and add honey to taste.

More, ginger’s got antibacterial, antifungal, anti-nausea, and anti-ulcer properties. It’s a balm that soothes the stomach, nay, the soul.

Researchers are also looking into the anti-cancer properties of this versatile, pungent plant that’s native to southern Asia.

And now, Origins takes the aromatic and therapeutic benefits of ginger to exciting new heights with its zesty, new bath and body collection called Ginger With A Twist. Loaded with the goodness of 11 pure, all-natural essential oils, this potent mix of body cocktails is designed to pamper both body and soul. As its name suggests, Ginger With A Twist is a lighthearted twist on Origins’ famous Ginger Collection.

Says Lynn Mazzella, Origins vice president of product development, "Ginger’s pungent warmth is believed to awaken vitality and ignite the body’s fire. In our original Ginger collection, we balanced this intense warmth with the citrusy-crisp scent of lush, lighthearted lemon, lime, and bergamot to create a sensuous synergy between warm and cool, energy and calm. Our new collection pushes this synergy even further."

So, how did Orgins concoct this new body recipe?

Well, it’s quite a stirring performance. First, Origins stirred up one part zesty ginger with two parts green lime. Then they spiked it with a twist of intense orange, a dash of mandarin, and a squeeze of tangy grapefruit to come up with a whole new citrus rush.

Ginger With A Twist is not unlike one of those exotic flavored drinks that are oh-so-cool these days. Surely, consumers’ tastes – and taste buds – have become more and more adventurous, preferring the exotic and unfamiliar to the ordinary: from ethnic foods to ice cream, water, energy drinks, and exotic juices. Care for pomegranate juice?

According to Joellen Bradford, VP of Origins global marketing, this flavor invasion has added even more spirit to the spirits and beverage businesses. "We don’t see an end to the trend for new and non-traditional flavors any time soon. Origins has always been culturally-savvy and we saw this as a great opportunity to translate this pizzazz and appeal to cosmetics."

What goes into this potent body brew?

There are its essential oils like ginger, mandarin, lime, galbanum, orange, red tea, grapefruit, cinnamon leaf, litsea cubeba, clove leaf, and peppermint. They’re oil-so-good, with their purifying, relaxing, refreshing, uplifting properties.

Here, have a taste of Ginger With A Twist:

• Ginger With A Twist Sublime body wash. It turns an ordinary, ho-hum shower into an oh-so-sublime experience. All Origins did was to mix one part zesty ginger, two parts refreshing green lime, a twist of intense orange, a dash of mandarin, and then throw in some kicky cleansers from Creme de Coconut. And all you have to do is to add a splash of H2O, lather it up, and voila! Top-to-toe feel-good freshness at the end of a nerve-racking day. Ah, you’ll never want to step out of the shower!

• Ginger With A Twist Moisturizing body cooler. Origins whips up a super skin smoothie with an added sunny snap. It’s stirred – not shaken – with skin-cushioning glycerine and soothing aloe to leave skin with a subtle glow. Go right ahead, scoop on this creamy, cooling cocktail, that’s just perfect after a shower or bath, and feel its mega-moisturization refresh your body like a whiff of summer breeze.

• Ginger With A Twist Sparkling body cocktail. It’s ginger with a refreshing zing and an unexpected twist. It’s nothing but sheer pleasure for the senses. For an instant pick-me-up, simply spritz it on whenever the mood seizes you.

So, now, you can enjoy your ginger whichever way you want – shaken or stirred, straight up or with a twist.

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Origins Ginger With A Twist Collection is available at Rustan’s Makati.