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Posted by Sarah Miller on March 3, 2012Winter is hard on skin.
Unlike the rest of our body, our face is exposed to the cold, wind, and sun whenever we step outside. Cold weather tends to suck every last drop of moisture out of our skin, resulting in a red, rough, flaky texture. It also causes our sebum production to slow down triggering tightness, and inflammation and a breakdown of collagen which causes premature wrinkles, and fine lines.
The best thing you can do to hydrate your skin is drink plenty of water. The amount of water needed can change every day, based on your physical activity, current health condition, the climate and weather conditions. Typically men should drink about 3 liters of water and women should drink about 2.2 liters of water per day. Pregnant women should drink about 2.3 liters of water daily and 3.1 liters while breast feeding. Those who exercise should increase their water intake by .5 to 1 liter. The same thing applies with extreme cold or hot weather conditions and during illness; especially fever, vomiting or diarrhea.
If you are drinking an adequate amount of water, but your skin is still showing signs of dehydration, you may need to adjust your moisturizer.
How do you know which moisturizer is right for you? It’s important to find a moisturizer that will seal in the moisture you already have as well as the moisture you’re missing. It should be powerful enough to protect against environmental aggressors, yet not be so heavy that it results in a shiny, greasy appearance. It should also be effective all day long and leave your skin soft
and velvety.
YonKa’s Crème 28 does all of that! It’s a 3-in-1 restorative product. It protects, moisturizes and deeply re-hydrates. It’s lightweight and won’t clog pores. This time of year, I use it as a final hydration cream in almost all of the facial treatments I provide.
Once you have the right protection, the benefits will show immediately resulting in a smooth, glowing, supple appearance.
Some things you can do at home to combat the effects of winter are:
- Wash your face with lukewarm, not hot water
- Exfoliate regularly (at least twice per week)
- Apply your moisturizer to damp skin after showering (helps to lock-in extra moisture)
- Avoid using alcohol-based toners or astringents that tend to over-dry the skin
Easy at-home treatments for dry, dehydrated skin:
Exfoliating Mask
¼ cup almonds, finely chopped
1 tablespoon oatmeal
4 tablespoons soy milk
1 tablespoon mashed avocado
In a bowl, blend ingredients until pasty. If the mixture is too dry, add another tablespoon of soy milk. Spread a thin, even layer over face, rubbing gently in a circular motion, avoiding eyes. Leave on for 20 minutes, then remove with a warm, wet washcloth. Repeat twice per week.
Moisturizing Mask
½ large ripe banana
2 tablespoons sunflower oil
In a bowl, mash banana with oil; blend until smooth. Apply mixture to clean, dry face, avoid eyes, and leave on for 20 minutes. Rinse and pat dry. Treat once per day or whenever skin feels dry and dehydrated.
Posted by Geri on December 28, 2011As I write this blog post, we are three days away from a new year. As we wind down 2011 and look forward to what 2012 might bring, I find myself breathing a sigh of relief that I survived another hard year. Life is hard, yes it is true. But, life is hard for everyone. I am learning to put challenges into a new perspective and realize that perhaps I should stop trying to control my life and just ‘let it happen’.
A good friend gave me a bit of advice the other day; she said “let go…. let God“. Another wonder bit of advice came from the book Gabby, the story of Gabby Giffords and her struggle to regain strength and health after her terrible ordeal. Her husband said it this way “courage is living the life you were given when it isn’t the life you had planned”. Woo.. for me, that sums it up PERFECTLY.
Being a very strong Type A, I have always been sure that I could control my world, I just needed to ‘want to’ bad enough. Where there’s a will, there’s a way. My life’s motto. I stayed headstrong and stubborn with making sure my life went according to plan. It didn’t work. Whew, I’m exhausted. As we all know, it’s really not possible to ‘control’ life. Yes, it is necessary to arrange order and structure in life to make your days easier to manage, but really, that’s much different than ‘control’.
I have always been convinced that people come into our lives at precisely the moment we need them most. It is our job to keep our hearts (and eyes) open and recognize these gifts.
I was headed to the airport on a business trip the other week and had made up my mind that morning that I would ‘be open’ to whatever was going to happen to me that day. No tunnel vision. Just open and paying attention to what was happening around me.
I was standing waiting for the train and this man came down the escalator screaming to someone on his cell phone. He was cussing up a storm. I looked at the elderly lady next to me and she said ” oh my, life is too short to be that angry“. I nodded and agreed. The train came and we both got on. She came and stood very close to me with tears in her eyes. She told me that her and her daughter had a falling out many months ago and that her daughter hadn’t spoken to her in months. That morning, just before she left for the airport, the daughter called. She apologized for the rife that had caused so much pain and told her mother she was sorry and that she loved her.
This stranger then touched my arm and said “we shouldn’t let anger take over our lives“. Whow…. how did she know those were the exact words I needed to hear that day? I got tears in my eyes as the train came to a stop. I hugged her and thanked her for her special gift.
That chance encounter has had an impact on my life. We are all dealing with our individual struggles, but have the ability to bring light to another person’s day. Whose life have you touched today?
Happy New Year to you and those you love!
Posted by Geri on April 13, 2011I am proud to announce the launch of our brand new Teen & Pre-Teen Party Package. The is a fantastic choice for this year’s birthday party! It also makes a great gift for graduation.
The package includes (1) 30 min spa service for each of your guests. Guests choose from: Muscle Melt Massage, Chocolate Sugar Scrub, Chocolate Facial, or Make-up lesson/application. The chocolate choices are very popular! I personally LOVE the Chocolate Facial.
Your guests will enjoy private spa time to relax in our lounge, read magazines, catch up with their friends, and enjoy your party. The spa is closed to other guests during this time, so you are welcome to move throughout the spa without the worry of disturbing others.
There is an eight person maximum with a 2 1/2 hour party format. Parties are booked between 3-5 pm, Tuesday-Saturday. Cost is $60/per person.
Our teen clientele LOVE this party. They feel so pampered and have a fantastic time. Check out the website for more details, or call us Today! Make this year Unforgettable!
Posted by Geri on March 30, 2011Here’s the secret to beautiful skin at any age…..hydration, hydration, hydration!
Water keeps skin looking healthy and fresh by hydrating and delivering nutrients to the cells. But, for those times when you can’t drink a glass of water or smooth on your favorite moisturizer, try this smart and convenient way to hydrate your face. Use a facial moisture mist. Sprayed directly onto your face, facial moisturizing sprays help bring instant hydration to your face. It’s like giving your skin a drink of water.
Especially helpful in extra drying conditions, such as airplanes, a quick facial mist is just the trick. Hold the spray bottle 10-12 inches from your face, and spritz two or three times for a quick hydration boost.
Another trick is to mist just before applying your moisturizer. The water droplets act like little sponges to draw in the additional moisture.
Be sure to check the ingredients in your facial mist product. Make sure you can pronounce each ingredient. If it’s unpronounceable, chances are it’s not natural or healthy for your skin.
Try Sanitas Moisture Mist, which is a natural healthy way to give your skin that well deserved drink of water. Moisture Mist is available in the spa, or call us and we can have it sent directly to your home.
Posted by Geri on November 26, 2010As mentioned in my previous post, shopping local is one of the easiest, quickest ways to help grow our local economies. Where you spend your dollars makes a big difference to our economic growth.
The Mile High Business Association is sponsoring the 4th annual Buy Local Week Campaign, from November 26 to December 2, 2010. It is a great opportunity to connect with locally owned businesses and show your support. As a small business owner, your participation is greatly appreciated.
This year’s campaign includes a Buy Local Bingo Game. Purchases made at participating local businesses will quaify you to win gift certificates from local retailers AND some really great grand prizes including a grill from Ace Hardware, skis from Edgeworks and a 50″ TV from Listen Up!
Pick up a Holiday Shopping guide at local merchants throughout historic Downtown Littleton. Make your purchases and get the local merchant to mark your bingo card. Turn in your bingo card by December 31, 2010, and be entered to win. It’s that simple.
When you buy local, we All win. Thank you for your support, and enjoy a wonderful holiday shopping season.
