Okay, so I know that it has been awhile since my last post…sorry! The truth is that I have been really, really busy with work and such and I just have not had the energy to write much in my spare time (you know how it goes). At any rate, I have been partaking in a fabulous anti-aging ritual over the past few months and I just have to share! This fall I began having regular facial acupuncture and Gua Sha treatments (you can learn more about Gua Sha here).
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As a professional esthetician and spa owner, one of the biggest concerns which I hear from clients is how to properly care for their skin in the cooler months. I can absolutely offer some practical advice, but first it is important to explain a few things about the skin. It is important to understand that there are three primary types of skin: Dry, Normal and Oily. Dry Skin is characterized by a under active sebaceous (oil-producing) gland, Normal Skin is well-balanced and is ideal, Oily Skin is characterized by an over-active sebaceous-gland. Most people tend to fall somewhere in-between, that is to say Normal-to-Dry or Normal-to-Oily; true “Combination” Skin is something which I have very rarely encountered in my practice. Beyond your skin type, an esthetician may analyze a skin condition (i.e.- acne, dehydration, etc.). Your skin type is genetically pre-determined. Understand that any skin type can be affected, at any time, with any skin condition.
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Image Courtesey of YonKa Paris
As I have been writing articles for this blog, a funny thing has happened. I have noticed that far more of my posts than I had originally intended to be are, in fact, written about food. This has gotten me to thinking about the fact that beauty and nutrition really are inextricably linked. For that matter, leading a fabulous life is also largely tied in to nutrition. You literally are what you eat. Therefore, if you want to look good, age well and feel great (thus allowing you to lead a more fabulous life) then eating well is a must!
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Typically I wax my legs approximately every three weeks. This past weekend I was so busy at work that I did not have an opportunity to do my waxing. Normally this would not be an issue…I would simply wax my legs next week. Unfortunately, I need to wear a dress for an event tomorrow. Naturally I found myself at home this evening with no wax in the house. In desperation (I really did not want to shave) I turned to the internet to do a bit of research on sugaring.
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Waxing is a highly effective means of removing hair at the root in order to achieve smooth skin and to slow regrowth; learn more about waxing here. As I have stated in the past, I am a waxer; however, due to the reactive nature of my skin, I am unable to do facial waxing. For years I experienced issues with breaking out following facial waxing. Whether I waxed myself or another practitioner waxed me, it did not matter; regardless of the type of wax used, the results were the same…particularly on my upper-lip which would break out in an unsightly manner.
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Clients frequently ask me certain questions. One of the inquiries that comes up a lot is, “what is the importance of a facial?”. The answer…A LOT! Facials…I’m sorry…good facials are one of the most powerful weapons in your anti-aging arsenal. Regular facials will help to keep your skin exfoliated, hydrated and looking fresh. A well-done facial should include the following steps:
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I am a waxer…both personally and professionally. I began with getting bikini waxes when I was 18 years old and I never looked back! Today I wax my bikini, my legs and my underarms. And yes…I do ALL of my own waxing! Waxing is a HUGE element of my business at Balance Day Spa. For the past 11 years, I have spent much of my time waxing both women and men (sorry boys…I do not do bikini waxing of any type for men…this is a personal choice). In fact, Brazilian Bikini Waxing is my specialty! As a result of this, I frequently have people contact me with their waxing-related questions. One of the reasons that I began this blog was to disseminate much of the misinformation out there. Today, I am going to answer my most frequently asked waxing questions for you:
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Balance Day Spa Client…Fake Tan and Make-Up by Yours Truly!
If you are concerned about premature aging then there are several golden rules that you MUST abide by. Of these rules, the 5 most important are:
With that said, many of us have a difficult time forgoing a little color…particularly in the warmer months. So what are our options? Personally I have trained myself to not really care for the look of heavily sun-tanned skin…to me it appears unhealthy; however, I do like a healthy glow. One of the best options for achieving this is to get a fake tan. There are several ways to do this, which include: spray tans, auto-bronzes (hand applied lotions), or DIY home-applied tans. Whether you are a “sun-kissed sweetie” or a full-on “bronzed babe” I am here to provide you with the professional know-how to achieve your most natural look for you fake tan!
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Each and every single year I subject myself to the hellish ordeal of home teeth whitening. I say hellish, because it really is a process. I spend 10 days wearing two sets of Crest White Strips back-to-back every single day…(I should let you know that I have only ever used whitestrips from Crest, so I can’t offer any feedback on other brands). The time that this requires is honestly the most tedious part of the whole experience for me; I work a lot and I am frequently trying to keep from falling asleep at midnight with my whitestrips on. Generally, I only really experience any type of dramatic tooth sensitivity for the first day or two…after that it dissipates; the upside to this is that I eat less (bonus)! So yes, it is a pain to do; however, the product REALLY works well and the results are long-lasting. Plus, it is oodles cheaper than whitening my teeth with professional trays from the dentist.
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Have you had fleeting (or perhaps not so fleeting) thoughts of running to the plastic surgeon’s office? For many of us women, the idea of cosmetic surgery can creep into our thoughts from time to time. As a dutiful skin care professional, I feel that it is important for me to educate women about effective alternative options. One of these options is Gua Sha. Gua What?! Gua Sha (pronounced “Gwa Shah”) comes from Traditional Chinese Medicine. Literally translated, “Gua” means ‘scraping away’ and “Sha” means ‘toxins’.
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