Real Beauty 101

No Double Dipping!

Remember the Seinfeld episode when George goes to an office party and he’s caught double-dipping his tortilla chips?

 

Well, double dipping is not sanitary at a party and it's not sanitary in the waxing room either!  The other character in the scene said that double dipping chips is like putting your whole mouth in the dip. If that analogy holds true, then double dipping in the salon during a bikini wax is like….well, you get the picture. Any way you look at it, it’s gross and is actually illegal in most states. Unfortunately, many waxing technicians double dip out of convenience and some are even trained to wax in that manner to control costs.

Here’s the deal, everyone has bacteria that lives on their skin and in most instances, that bacteria is not harmful. However, in some cases, the bacteria (like staph for instance) can be harmful to those people with weak immune systems like those with the flu or pregnant women. In addition, some waxing clients may bleed slightly during their treatments and double dipping will certainly contaminate the wax. Hot wax pots are perfect breeding grounds for germs and bacteria. 

Here are some tips to ensure your next waxing appoint is germ-free:

(1) As the spa about their double-dipping policy.  

(2) Make sure your wax technician uses a new application stick EACH TIME the wax is used. 

(3) Any waxing tools tools should come in a sterilized pouch and should be sanitized.  A new pouch should be opened each time.

(4) A new roll of waxing paper should be laid before each treatment.

(5) Lastly, make sure the technician wears gloves during your treatment.

Happy waxing!

 

"Fall" in Love With Your Skin This Season!

As we bid adieu to our shorts and sundresses come September, we also need to leave behind our summer ideology to embrace the changing colors of fall. As the trees start shedding leaves, our skin tends to transform too, shedding dehydrated flakes of skin making our bodies dry, scaly and rough. These symptoms tell you that it’s time to switch your current skin care routine, into one that is more weather appropriate for this season.

Even though it’s the season to start covering up, this does not mean that you can get away with leaving your skin unattended to for fall. Under your jeans, sweaters and boots your skin becomes dehydrated, dry and patchy. It rubs against the material of your clothing which makes your skin flake, and leaves hideous white patches if it is insufficiently moisturized. People tend to take hot showers in cold weather, which makes the skin dry, as it removes the dead skin cells from the surface. Hot water removes too much oil from your skin, making it rough and can cause some skin damage unless moisturized correctly.

You can avoid all that by following a really simple and thorough skin care regimen, by yourself or at a spa. There are certain things you can incorporate into your skin-care routine which will ensure that your skin looks fresh and glowing throughout the season.

A new season inspires a change in lifestyle- new clothes, new shoes, maybe a new hairstyle. Why should your skin-care regime be any different? Here are some tips that would help make the transition easier:

Switch your fun, tropical, bubbly shower gels to something more luxurious! Fruity shower gels are preferred by many in summer, as they are refreshing and smell divine. However your choice of shower gel might not make you feel the same way as the weather gets colder. Make sure you get a soap-free, hydrating shower gel, as nothing dries out your skin the way soap does.

Another option which is even better is switching to shower creams and milk baths. Apart from being excellent moisturizers, they feel luxuriant and have the perfect mild scent to suit the weather. Try getting fall appropriate scents such as pumpkin pie and oatmeal cookies that seem to celebrate the weather.

Effective facial cleansers for the fall months are mostly those that are cream-based. They lock in their own moisture, which prevents your skin from getting dehydrated. If they are used along with a complementing hydration face cream, it will help in forming a protective barrier against extremes in temperature.

Hydrating dry skin is essential during fall. There are many great products that can help your skin to retain its moisture and smoothness. Lotions and body-creams created for this specific purpose are abundant in the market. The best times to use these are directly after you have dried yourself off a bath or shower, as it helps preserve the moisture that has already been absorbed by your skin. Body Butters are great for this purpose. They are both fun and luxuriant. Some examples are Shea-butter, Cocoa- butter, Almond-butter, Brazil-nut- butter and Macadamia-butter.

It’s always better to use oil-based scrub in cold weather. Oil-based scrubs help you exfoliate without peeling off your healthy skin, hydrating it at the same time. There are various oil-based scrubs available with varying consistencies. Some are more oil settled at the top while better ones have balanced consistency between the oil and the exfoliation beads. There are some amazing oil-based scrubs in the market such as Morocco Black Olive and Argan Oil Scrub and Brown Sugar Oil Scrub.

Just because you’re wearing clothes that cover you up does not mean you can forgo using sunscreen. There are plenty of sunscreens which are specifically designed for cold weather. A simple moisturizing sunscreen with SPF 15 would suffice. Try to get the ones which are mineral based, with a matte finish.

Lastly, do not forget your nails and feet! Dry cuticles are a tell-tale sign of insufficient skin care, which can be prevented by the simple expedient of putting a few drops of cuticle oil on your nails per day. Your feet are already strangled by heavy stockings, boots and close ended shoes. Do invest in a good foot exfoliation and moisturizing product such as pumice foot scrub and hemp foot protectors so your feet would be remain soft and ready to embrace sandals when the time comes. Visit the spa for all your skin care needs!

Here’s to a well moisturized season!

 

*Provided by InSPAration Management

Candy Cane Scrub...Yum!

Ok, I stole this post from Marr (www.smellychicksonline) because I thought it was the cutest idea!

Natural Body Workshop shared a great gift idea for all of you DIYers out there - Candy Cane Scrub.  The stripes are achieved from using a piping bag.  The recipe is pretty easy to follow.  Ingredients are pretty inexpensive (especially if you're making more than one) and can be purchased at http://www.fromnaturewithlove.com.

Let me know how your scrubs turn out!

Da Bomb!

OK, so I have a new, unhealthy obsession with bath bombs.  If you've never had the pleasure of bathing with a bomb, then you are truly missing out.  Bath bombs are usually round balls packed with skin soothing baking soda and epsom salts, moisturizing oils, as well as citric acid - which causes them to fizz once they hit water.  Most are heavenly scented and extremely therapeutic.  Several companies are dishing out the lovely bath treats and the cool thing is that they are not only great for baths, but you can also use them for in-home manis and pedis.

LUSH makes about 25 different varieties.  My favorite is All that Jas - scented with Jasmine and Vanilla.  It leaves your bath water a tropical green, like you're bathing in the Caribbean.   Here are few reviews from the website. 

rated by Jessica on 2008-01-19 05:59:00 (#164240)

Perfect! Beautiful blue/green bath water and sexy jasmine scent. This is a lovely bath bomb!

rated by Jennifer on 2008-01-15 15:38:39 (#163832)

My first bath bomb! I love the smell of Jasmine, and this bomb had it by the ton! I smelled like powdery Jasmine all day long. The color is off from this picture though, it's much more a teal color and made the bath water the same. I'm definitely buying more of these!

rated by Rachel on 2008-01-06 11:13:06 (#163025)

I love the smell and the colour is nice. This is one of my absolute favourites! Me! Bath Ice Cream featured over 35 varieties of yummy flavors such as Cosmopolitan, Chocolate Covered Strawberry, and Peaches and Cream.  Me! Bath has been receiving quite a bit of press lately for its bath bombs.  I recently saw the  company's founders, Benjamin and Lisa Nissanoff (a husband and wife team), on CNBC's The Big Idea with Donny Deutsch.   They have also appeared on the Today Show and in the pages of O! Magazine and American Spa Magazine. If you're adventurous and want to create them yourself, here's a great recipe that was featured on notmartha.org.  You'll find the recipe and pictures here. Have fun!!

Hot, Steamy Showers

My alarm clock went off this morning at 6am...sharp.  I looked out my window and it was sleeting - hello winter!  The newscaster said that it was 20 degrees outside.  That's hard to believe when last month we experienced 70 degree days.

As I pulled myself out of bed, I walked into the bathroom and turned on the shower.  If you're like me, its days like that this that you LOVE hot, steamy showers.  But be careful, its those same showers that can ultimately wreak havoc on your delicate, winter skin.

Hot water can rob your skin of precious moisture.  The steam actually causes you to sweat, which dehydrates the skin.  In addition, most soaps and shower gels are made with artifical detergents and surfactants which strip the remaining natural moisturizers from the surface of the skin.

If you must indulge in steamy showers, keep the following tips in mind:

• Try to limit your time in the shower to minimize the moisture loss.
• Use a cream based cleaner instead of a shower gel.  These formulations are usually more moisturizing.
• Try to use all-natural soaps and cleansers.  Avoid products with synthetic fragrances and detergents that can strip and irritate the skin.
• Be sure to re-moisturize directly after your shower.  Lightly pat away excess water after shower and apply lotion while the skin is still damp.  This will help the lotion to better penetrate the skin.
• Make sure you re-hydrate internally by drinking water within 30 minutes of your shower.