Whats Up With All The BB Cream Talk?

The newest craze in skincare are the BB creams. Or, Originally known as “ Blemish Balm”.

A blend of sunscreen,moisturizer and foundation all roled into one . The concept gained popularity in Asia where women take exceptionally good care of their skin. Originally designed by a German Dermatologist for treatment after laser treatments to help hydrate and heal the skin.

 I call this a life saver! BB Creams are like a tinted moisturizer with added benefits. The new age of BB creams are tailored for every skin care need. Spf’s of all ranges, Anti ageing ingredients,skin lightening ingredients etc etc . You can find a BB cream for just about any skin type,color and need out there. That is why this can become almost as complicated as choosing all of your other skin care products.

Once you have found your perfect BB Cream you really have found your one stop solution for your DAYTIME skin care. I say daytime because these creams are wonderful for the busy woman on the go who does not have time in the morning for a complicated skin care routine. Or ,for that woman who doesn’t wear make up much but could sure use some coverage. Most BB creams are weightless. You do not feel like your wearing much more than a moisturizer after applying one. Yet you now have your slight coverage,your sunscreen,and your anti ageing treatment. At night,you can put on your repairing serums and your repairing night creams.

I am listing the following two brands that have some of the highest ratings of all BB Creams. When choosing one of these,please take care to read up on it and choose the one you feel would best suit your needs. Do not waste time on a cheep cream as it is likely to have too many chemicals in it. You want a product that boasts good wholesome natural ingredients. Spend a bit more if you have to. In the long run you save simply because you will have two or three items rolled into one.

Jane Iredales- The Skin Care Makeup's Glow Time

Dr Brandt Signature Flextone BB Cream

 There are many other brands out there as well. But as I said,please research out what will best suit you. I have chosen the above two as they are highly rated and they contain good ingrediants.

 

Gluten free cosmetics

I started eating gluten free in January and have seen some good results with my health as a result. Having a daughter with celiac it was not a stretch to find that I was Gluten sensitive. I just finished reading an article about how being gluten sensitive can be just as serious as full blown celiac. The reason being that the damage may be insidious. By that I mean is that a person may not feel the effects of gluten intolerance right away but the damage could be happening quietly. There could be health problems that could result later on in life from this  damage. They also mentioned that people with Thyroid problems my also benefit greatly from a gluten free life style.

My next step will be to concentrate on making sure my make up and body lotions or creams are also gluten free.As I have stated on this blog before,what we put on our skin makes it's way into your body on some level. A good point to keep in mind when buying any product that you put on your skin.
The following is a link that is one of the most comprehensive sites on finding Gluten free cosmetics.

http://glutenfreern.com/gluten-free-cosmetics/

My new guilty pleasure!!

There it is people!! So while on a break at work I was flipping through some magazines and up popped an article about celebrities and their favorite beauty products. Well I was admiring the fresh faced Kate Hudson and thinking to myself ,wow she has really nice skin and me being a total sucker for ANY skin care product I saw she uses the ABOVE product.
She loves it so much she slathers it all over her kids too!! So I had to get some. Off I was on the Internet to see where I could find the best deal. Low and behold they carried it at my favorite Vitamin supplier,Vitacost. (not to get off subject,but if you've have never used Vitacost to buy vitamins ,you are paying way to much!).Anyway I was happy to see it available there for $10.00 less than most shops on line. $29.95. If you order $50 or more at Vitacost you get free shipping also!!So I ordered some vitamins I needed also... BONUS!

Following is a list of the wonderful ingredients in this lovely cream.
Egyptian Magic Ingredients

Olive Oil

Honey
Royal Jelly

Beeswax

Propolis
Pollen

So I have only used this two days and I am writing about it!! YES TWO days !! I use the wonderful Adonia Stem Cell Serum and than I put this stuff over the top. My face feels so supple and hydrated ! I really wish I could use it all over my body. This stuff would work well on dry patches ,eczema,baby rash,ect. I really can't think of anywhere you could not use this. It is so natural that it is safe to use on your children also!
So if you think you would like to try it ,go on line to check it out. The website is very informative!Also there is a blip on there from this egyptian god that is pretty freakin funny.Well worth the trip to the website just to read it!

New Skin Care line coming to the Spa!! Glo-Therapeutic

 I am very excited about the new skin care line coming to our spa in February. We have been looking for another professional line to add for a couple years now. We added the absolutely awesome stem cell cream by Adonia last year.

 That has continued to be one of our best sellers.
If you have not tried it I urge you to. I am still getting compliments from people on how great my skin looks. Yes I do take good care of myself BUT this cream has took it one step past what I had been doing.
Anyway back to Glo-Therapeutic. This line is more affordable to the clients I see coming in to the salon now a days. People want a good quality skin care line . One that is not packed with allot of chemicals. One that will give good results without breaking the pocketbook.
Now any good skin care line will cost you more than $20.00. If your looking for something cheap a professional line is not what your looking for. BUT if your looking for quality products that are under $40.00 and give good results than Glo-Therapeutics is what you may want to check out.
We are going to debut this product line with a Facial designed around their hydrating line. This is the perfect time of year to try this facial. Winter is dehydrating for any and all skin care types. Even oily skin can become dehydrated.
This product line can also be ordered on line ,for those of you that don't live in the area of the salon and want to try it out!

The Best Natural Beauty Aids by Allure

Being a fan of natural products I came across this article this morning and felt it needed a share. I have not tried a single one of these!! Where have they been hiding?! I will be trying to find them in the coming year. Click on the link to see them for yourselves!
 Have a wonderful Holiday Season and I will be back in 2012 with some new posts!


http://lifestyle.msn.com/your-look/happy-healthy-beautiful/staticslideshowallure.aspx?cp-documentid=30871061

Holidays are upon us!

Yes ,its that time of year. I will be busy until after the first of January at work so I will not be posting much . We are checking out a new skin care line this Friday (Nov 18th) So if we decide that we want to carry it I am sure I will be posting about it in the future. It seems that they specialize in various strengths of Vitamin C serums .

Meanwhile I will mention what I feel have and continue to be the best add ons at the salon this year.

First and still the best ! IONTOSONIC Facial treatment. Incredible results at affordable pricing. Nowhere have I been able to get a treatment for $65.00 that delivers the type of results that this does. It would make a great gift for anyone! Skin resurfacing,increase circulation,pore refining,stimulate collagen production. Result is healthy younger looking skin!

SHELLAC manicure. Polish that lasts up to two weeks for most people. Do I have to say anything more? Great idea for the holidays ,book your appointment NOW>

Bamboo massage. Heated bamboo sticks to loosen up tired tight muscles. An interesting twist. Also don't forget the hot stone massage . A nice treat on a cold winter day.

And product of the year!! Adonia Stemulift serum cream!! remarkable results for under $80.00.

Gift Certificates at the spa are still the best gift anyone can get in these stressful times.

General Spa Etiquette (an oldie but good one to share again!)

Way back when I first started this blog a client asked me to do a post about Spa Etiquette. Tipping practices ,what to wear ect ect. I put the following together for those of you that may have some of these questions. I tweaked the first post a bit with some more information.


General Spa Etiquette,

What to wear:
It depends on what your service is going to be. But usually loose fitting clothes that are easy to take off and on are generally a good rule. If you are going for just a Pedicure you can wear street clothes but it is still a good idea that you have pant legs that can be easy to pull up.

When to arrive:
 First time visit 20 minutes before your appointment time. This allows for you to fill out any required paperwork that may need to be done. If you have been to the spa before than 10 minutes is adequate. Please do not arrive late. This may result in your appointment being shortened for the spa to stay on schedule. Appointments are booked by time allotted for services. Even starting 10 minutes late can throw that technicians schedule off for the whole day.

The Tipping dilemma:
A good rule of thumb is 10 to 20 % of the price of the service. If you have more than one service and more than one technician, than the tips should be done separately for each therapist. If you have received a gift Certificate ask if the tip was included or not when you arrive for the service. Most spas have tip envelopes, if you are uncertain please ask the front desk to help. Some Medical or resort spas do not allow their technicians to receive tips, or the tips are included in the cost of the service. If that is the case they will often have that posted at the front desk. Tipping is not required but it is much appreciated. Never be afraid to ask if in doubt.

Cancellations or changes (This is important! )
What if you can’t make your appointment? Good rule of thumb is to call 24 hours at least in advance. This allows the spa to rebook the spot you had. If it is something that has come up at the last minute please notify the spa as soon as possible so they are not waiting for you. This also goes for if you are running late. In the age of cell phones it makes it easier to call if you are caught in traffic or running late. This allows the spa to let you know if they will still be able to service you or if you may need to reschedule your service. At the spa I work at we try very hard to work with a client that is running late. But many times it is just impossible to stay on schedule and work that client in. A call will save you and the spa unwanted grief.
 I feel I must add this point. Please if you are late,weather it is your fault OR NOT,realize that it is also NOT the fault of the spa.We will try hard to fit you in BUT if it is not possible because of time constrictions with Appointments please do not take it out on us. I feel badly even having to post this comment but it is something that we have had to deal with lately....

Appointment changes?
What if you made an appointment for two or three services and the day of your appointment you can only get one? CALL AHEAD! At our spa we call the day before to confirm appointments. That would be the time to let the spa know if you need to make any changes to your appointment.
 I can not tell you how many times I have had a client book for two hours of services only to get there and let me know they are only going to get one of the services. Where I work we work on commission only .What that means is no service, no pay. It also means we could have booked another client that wanted to get in that spot. We also realize that life throws you curves. Many times things happen at the last minute. Example: If you started to come for your appointment and found out your babysitter can only stay for part of the time ECT, call as soon as you know so we can try to adjust the schedule. We try hard to work with these situations.
We want your spa experience to be a good one. Being courteous to our schedule helps us serve everyone better.

CELL PHONES OFF OR on VIBRATE! The same rule here for when you’re in movie theaters. There is nothing worse than getting relaxed in the middle of a treatment and a ringing phone goes off. Weather it is yours or someone else’s!

Hopefully this post will clear up some questions for the first time spa goer or to regular clients that were unsure of a few issues. We are geared to giving clients a good experience in as stress free an environment as possible.