Latisse : a work in progress

I am taking a bit of time off of my regular posts to try my own experiment with this,

It is sapposed to give you results like this,

I am only one week into this and have not as yet had any results to report.

I will be posting at the end of 4 weeks to let you all know what I think of this product.

So far the side effects I have had is some mild eye irritation that seems to last for a couple hours after applying the solution. But in fairness you are sapposed to apply at night and I have been doing it in the morning.

BAD ME!!

I am going to switch to nights starting this evening.

I have to say out of the three women that I do know that are useing this product the results have been pretty amazing.

So I will get back to you about this in a month!

I will post another new post new week .

Have a great holiday weekend everyone!

Beauty Comes From Within

Much of my career focuses on outward beauty, yes. Taking care of your skin, keeping up on the latest trends in facial rejuvenating ect ect. If you have been following my blog the past few months you also know that I am a firm believer in taking care of what you put in your body also. It is so vitally important to your overall well being and to looking your best by eating the healthiest we can.



BUT that is not where it ends!

Is this you?

We can put nourishing foods into our bodies and get adequate exercise and still not be at a place of optimum beauty and health. A key ingredient is that we need to feed our well being. We need to be able to de-stress from the everyday problems and situations that life hands us.

The spa is a place where you take your weary bones and your sagging stress laden shoulders. When you come into the spa you can leave your everyday stress at the door. During this recession I have seen people that are so overwhelmed with the day to day struggles. Every single one of us has burdens to bear. Some more than others.



We offer a place where you can come in with a frown and leave with a relaxed smile. Massage, facials, pedicures, manicures, body treatments. What ever your pleasure you will leave feeling better than when you arrived. That is our mission at our day spa.



We have a wonderful staff of well trained Massage therapists and Estheticians. When you arrive you can get a warm cup of tea, a warm neck wrap and start to feel the tension leave your body.

Many people say that can’t afford a trip to the spa, yet they find money to spend on things that will do nothing to help their well being.

I say, how can you afford NOT to?

Treat yourself or a loved one to a spa service. Mothers and Fathers day are coming and what better way to show your appreciation than to treat them to a stress free spa service.



***stay tuned for information on our Contest to treat a very special mother to a spa day. Details soon to be announced on the spa website, face book and here.

Safe Tanning: How to get the best color from self tan lotions

We all remember this ad don't we? Well it was before my time also but I am sure we have all heard or seen people with orange skin from those old self tanners.

Well they have come a long way since then!

First let me state that we all need some sun. 20 minutes a day is what we need for vitamin D absorption. After that we are leaving our skin open to damage.We all like to have some color. How can we do it without ruining our skin? This is where self tanners come in.

You will need some supplies

Products needed

1. Disposable Plastic gloves

2. Self Tanning lotion or foam (Medium tone, NOT dark) unless you have a naturally dark completion never go darker than medium.Get the kind where it goes on with the tan color in it.

3. Body scrub-I prefer a sugar based one (or you can make your own from Brown sugar and olive oil) two parts brown sugar one part olive oil to form a paste. *NOTE make sure your scrub does not leave an oily or creamy residue,this will get in the way of your self tanner absorbtion

4. Soft Natural bristle brush will work if no Body Scrub is available

5. Your favorite body lotion



First things first!

EXFOILATE- EXFOILATE- EXFOILATE

This is key to getting an even tan from your self tanner. Get in the tub and apply your sugar scrub in circular motions starting at the neck and work down all over your body. A slight bit of water mixed with the scrub will allow you to move it around your skin. But don’t dilute it too much or you will sacrifice the exfoliating.

If using a dry soft brush use the same circular motions. After you have done your body you can use whatever facial scrub on your face also. The homemade brown sugar scrub will be safe to use on your face, some of the store bought ones may be too harsh for your face.

Rinse well.
Dry off



Next the application of the self tanner. Read this completly before starting application.

Put on your disposable gloves!!!

I mix 2 parts self tanner with one part body lotion and rub it together.you can also put some in a small bowl and mix it. I start on the large part of my thigh and rub it all over blending it in well. Then take a smaller amount and do your calves. When you are down to just a small amount left on your gloves take it and brush it over the knee area, do the feet and ankles the same, just using a small light amount there. The knees and ankles and feet are the easiest areas to turn blotchy, so go lightly in those areas.

After finishing the legs work the self tanner/lotion mix on the body. The back is a hard area to reach and you may want to get someone to help you with this, you will need another pair of gloves for that.

Last do the arms taking care to do the same on the elbows and hands as you did with the knees and feet.

If you want to do your face ,do the application the same way you apply your make up(if you wear make up),working it in well till blended.



Ok you are done with the application! Oh, leave on for 6 to 8 hours before showering. When you shower some will wash off, pat dry lightly so as not to scrub off.

Now to answer a couple questions you may have.

Why mix the lotion in? Well self tanners have an odor to them that is not very flattering. The lotion cuts this odor. But even more important it allows you to apply the self tanner much more evenly.



Ok, now that you are done with the first initial application you can build up on the tan by applying this mixture every other night or every night for a week or so. After a couple weeks you may want to do a scrub again. You do not need to scrub before every application. But once a month for sure.


What about those lotions that turn you tan gradually? They are great after you have built up with a regular self tanner first!



What is even better than the above? Going to the spa to have the first application done!! At our spa we have a Sugar scrub/Self tanner treatment. It is a great way to get an all over application and then you can maintain at home! Is relaxing also! Wear loose fitting clothes that you won’t care if they get some self tanner on them.

And now you look like this! LOL! well it may take more than self tanner to achive this look but we all look good with a bit of color

Enjoy!!

Liquid Face Lifts :the latest trends in Non-Surgical options

Facial Fillers


In my last post I covered some of the surgical options to help with ageing and sagging skin. For those of you not willing or able to go that route there are the options of injectables.Injectables are more non evasive than surgery and the down time is next to nothing. Slight bruising or swelling may result at the injection site but that is usually the only side effect. The results are not as long lasting as surgical but they are a preferable choice for many people. Some prefer to combine surgical and injectables together.

I am going to talk about three of the newest injectables that many of you may not have heard about yet. I know you have all heard and are familiar with Botox Cosmetic. It has been around for several years now. This first one I am going to talk about is fast becoming the replacement of Botox. And if all I have read about it is true, it will soon replace Botox.



DYSPORT: This is a wrinkle Smoother. Dysport has been used in Europe and Brazil for 10 years now (we are always the last to get the anti aging treatments. Europe is always way ahead of us in this area). Dyasport uses a different type of protein complex derived from Botulinum than Botox. But it has a similar effect. What Doctors are finding is that Dysport works much quicker than Botox (24 to 48 hours) and the results last longer.

**Risks: bruising or swelling, temporary spreading past the injection site if improperly administered.
**Cost – Approx $400.00 lasts 3 to 4 months.



JUVE’DERM: Plumps skin. Unlike Bovine collegen, which some people can have allergies to,Juve’derm is made up of hyaluronic acid. Hyaluronic acid is a naturally occurring biocompatible complex sugar. If you have read some of my past posts on skin care ingredients you know that Hyaluronic acid is one of the most hydrating substances we can use on or in our skin. Juve’derm has great staying power, lasting 6 to 9 months. This has shown to work great on the lines that run from the nose to the mouth.

** cost approx $600 to $ 800.
** Risks: bruising or swelling at injection site.


I have saved the best for last!

SCULPTRA : Boosts collagen production. This is exciting because it encourages our body to produce more collagen where this is injected. The down side is that it can take 3 treatments over the course of a few months to get the desired effect. But the results have been very good. Doctors are seeing very smooth results allowing them to give you a nice lift without the tight skeletal look that plastic surgery can sometimes give.

**cost $1000 to $1500 per treatment. Last up to two years.

These are some of the latest trends in injectables that you will start hearing about this year if you haven't already.