Sunday, February 28, 2010

Spa Girl says everyone should visit VANCOUVER!

Anitra Brown says I've been watching the Olympics and have been blown away by how gorgeous Vancouver is. I've never been there, in part because I have a fantastic contributor, Sue Frause, who has written several articles on spas in Vancouver, including a piece on the best day spas in Vancouver and reviews on The Willow Stream Spa at the Fairmont Empress, Poet's Cove Resort & Spa, Brentwood Bay Lodge & Spa and Kingfisher Oceanside Resort. Vancouver is officially on my "to-do" list now!

http://spas.about.com/b/2010/02/25/spas-in-vancouver.htm

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Spa Girl loves a Home Sanctuary

We can’t always escape the day-to-day hubbub by driving to a log cabin in the Québec woods or flying to an isolated beach on the Riviera Maya.

But with a few changes you can create a private sanctuary in your home, even if you live in midtown Manhattan, a sky-high condo in Toronto or a bustling soccer-Mom suburb.


http://ow.ly/1aWfT

Spa Girls Says--Time for a Massage!


According to the 2009 AMTA consumer survey, an average of 22 percent of adult Americans received at least one massage between July 2008 and July 2009, and an average of 34 percent of adult Americans received a massage in the previous five years.6

In July 2008 and July 2009, 40 percent of women and 29 percent of men reported having a massage in the past five years.4

Spas are where most people continue to receive massage, with 24 percent of those surveyed in July 2009 saying they had their last massage at a spa

Monday, February 15, 2010

Spa Girl knows the nose knows!

Research increasingly shows that smell doesn’t just affect how we feel: It affects how we think, in ways that are just beginning to be understood. Studies have confirmed that scents can trigger generosity, and that they affect our decision-making processes and judgments rather than just emotions. Even when smells aren’t on the forefront of our consciousness, our minds are trying to match them with other sensory information to interpret our surroundings.

Read more about what the nose knows!

http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/ideas/articles/2010/02/14/the_sweet_smell_of_morality/?page=1

Sunday, February 14, 2010

Spa Girl loves Cupid and all the decadent delights of the Day!

It’s Valentines Day, a holiday established in 496 AD by Pope Gelasius I. Cupid has a long and intoxicating history and Spa Girl loves all the decadent delights of the day—chocolates, roses, cards and of course a day at the Spa.

Chocolate is a natural on Valentines Day because it triggers the release of chemicals in the brain that produce a heady feeling similar to when one falls in love, and who doesn’t love this! In addition chocolate is a true sensory indulgence, it contains over 300 different compounds that have a significant impact on one's health and beauty.

Add to your special day try a chocolate body scrub which will leave your skin feeling silky and smooth or a heavenly chocolate mud wrap which revitalizes the body with it’s natural minerals and enhances skin tone, or how about a chocolate massage that is sure to release all those built up tensions and relieve stress—ideal for Valentines Day!

Disappear into a world of total indulgence; immerse yourself in chocolate as your body enjoys one of nature’s most sumptuous treats!

Chocolate Body Wrap
6 fresh strawberries (can also use thawed frozen strawberries
1/2 cup honey
3/4 cup chocolate morsels (chips)
3/4 cup champagne or sparkling cider
Melt chocolate and let cool, puree strawberries, honey and add to chocolate. Paint mixture to body staring at your feet then mist sparkling cider or champagne. Leave on for 15 minutes and wash off.

Chocolate Honey Scrub
8 tbs unsweetened chocolate, finely grated or cocoa powder
2 cups honey
2 cups Dead Sea salts
½ cup grape seed oil
Mix honey, oil, chocolate and Dead Sea salts and blend until evenly combined. Apply scrub to skin and gently massage all over the body starting at the feet. Shower to remove.

Chocolate Facial Mask
1/3 cup cocoa
4 tbs heavy cream
2 tsp cottage cheese
1/4 cup honey
3 tbs of oatmeal
Mix all the ingredients together and apply to the face and leave on for 15 minutes. Rinse off with warm water using a gentle circular method to massage and exfoliate.

Sunday, February 7, 2010

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Spa Girl says pass it on!

Make a Vanilla-Ginger Milk Bath
By: Mindy Terry

Here's a relaxing, skin-softening bath soak you can make at home.

Ahh, the new year—it's full of new possibilities, new beginnings, and new challenges. And sometimes all of this newness sounds a bit exhausting! These raised expectations often leave people needing a little lift come late-January.

Luckily, a few familiar scents left over from the holiday season may offer some pleasant and unexpected benefits. Vanilla is often used in aromatherapy to treat depression, and ginger is known for health benefits like alleviating headaches, menstrual cramps, and nausea. Cinnamon, according to one study, boosts cognitive function and memory.
While you raise your spirits, why not perk up your body with a long bath to wash away the stressors of the day? This Vanilla-Ginger Milk Bath is not only divine, it is also a great treatment for dry winter skin.

Vanilla-Ginger Milk Bath

Add 2 tsp. vanilla, 3 tsp. ginger (freshly grated or powdered), and 1 tsp. cinnamon to ½ cup honey and blend. Add the honey mixture and ½ cup dry milk to warm running bath water. Relax and enjoy.

This bath is best enjoyed fresh. Do not mix larger quantities and store for future use. To enhance the skin-softening benefits, use a loofah or coarse washcloth. Working from the upper chest down, massage each part of the body in circular motions while in the bath. If unpeeled, fresh ginger can be stored in the refrigerator for up to three weeks. In the freezer, ginger will keep for up to six months. For tubs with jets, this bath foams nicely. If using freshly grated ginger, consider placing it in a muslin tea bag before putting it in the bath to prevent the ginger from clogging the jets.

With 17 years in the spa industry, Mindy Terry is the Founder and President of Creative Spa Concepts. Terry is also a licensed cosmetologist, aesthetician, yoga instructor, and certified infant massage instructor. Image: Veer Photography

Spa Girl is heading to the tub, thanks Mindy!