Archive for the ‘Miscellaneous Skincare’ Category

BEHIND BEAUTY: SUMMER’S COMING: A FEW TIPS TO CONQUER CELLULITE

With summer around the corner, it’s important to start getting your beach bod ready. If you’re like 90% of women, this probably means tackling your cellulite. But what is cellulite? Why do we get it? How can it be prevented? Every day, millions of women struggle with these very questions. Today, we’re offering answers.

What is Cellulite?

This lumpy, bumpy skin that tends to resemble the surface of an orange is caused when fat cells press against the vertical connective tissue. Often, this results in the dimpled texture. Cosmo Magazine even compares the effect to you skin pushing through fishnet stockings.

It’s not just an excess of fat that causes cellulite. In “The Cellulite Solution”, Dr. Murad argues that, “cellulite is caused by skin that has deteriorated to the point that buoyant fat cells are able to push into the dermis, the middle layer of skin, and show through the surface.” (pg. 8) Murad believes that to truly treat cellulite, the entire body must be brought into focus.

Most commonly occurring on the thighs and buttocks, there are many theories as to why people get Cellulite. Science has managed to narrow it down to genetics, hormones, lifestyle, diet, and clothing.

How Do I Prevent Cellulite?

There is no magic formula to living cellulite free. However, there are a lot of way you can reduce your chances of developing an uneven skin texture.

First, minimize your intake of saturated fats, junk food, diet pop, sugar and salt. Overly processed foods contain bad fats that accumulate on the body, increasing your chances of developing cellulite. Salt encourages your body to retain fluids instead of passing them naturally. This can increase the appearance of cellulite.  By decreasing the amount of bad fats in your diet, your body will be healthier. Additionally, opt for skin nourishing foods, such as berries, avocado, almonds, and cold water fish.

Most importantly, drink lots of water, about 8 8oz glasses a day. This helps to clear toxins from your body. Hiding between layers of fat cells, toxins can make cellulite look more pronounced. Cut out smoking and decrease your alcohol intake as both these habits add toxins to your body and can aggravate cellulite. Also, limit caffeine. A chemical that actively constricts blood vessels, caffeine can make  your cellulite worse.

How Do I Fight Cellulite?

Exercise 
Combine moderate aerobic exercise with strength training. Aerobic exercise helps to eliminate the fat cells causing cellulite. However, as our bodies require fat cells to function, it’s difficult to completely eliminate cellulite through aerobic exercise alone.  By increasing muscle tone through strength training, skin texture even out. The new muscle cells help to fill in the gaps.

Body Brushing 
Choose a brush with soft, natural bristles and a long handle. Thoroughly brush your entire body. The brushing helps to exfoliate the skin and increase blood flow. This helps cellulite by bringing nutrients and oxygen to the outer layer of the skin. By keeping skin healthy and strong, cellulite decreases. Use on a daily basis, moving from the toes up and finishing with your hands. Avoid brushing your face, as the bristles can harm delicate facial skin.

Massage
Like body brushing, Massage is a great way to stimulate circulation and drain away any excess fluids. It also loosens and softens the cells beneath the skin to help even out the surface texture.

Supplements
Adding a supplement or multi-vitamin to your routine will help to improve overall health as well as skin texture. Some brands produce supplements designed specifically to fight cellulite.

Topical Creams & Treatments
Cellulite products help treat some of the surface issues, but should be combined with deeper treatments, such as massage, bod brushing, and dietary adjustments. Some of the best creams contain caffeine. While on the inside this ingredient can aggravate cellulite, used as a topical treatment, it firms skin and helps improve texture.

Laser Treatment
A little on the extreme and expensive side, there are a variety of laser treatments available and results very greatly from person to person.

There are so many products on the market to treat, fight, and prevent cellulite. We polled our staff and here are their top recommendations:

Golden Moor Scorpion Brush A brush that uses 137 massaging fingers to stimulate the skin to reduce the look of cellulite.
Aromatherapy Associates Body Brush The brushing action immediately stimulates circulation and boosts cell renewal which effectively improves skin tone and texture by removing toxins.
Murad Skin Care The Cellulite Solution A fantastic book that outlines simple changes that can drastically reduce and repair cellulite.
Cellex-C Body Smoothing Lotion Minimizes the appearance of cellulite while helping to tone and firm sagging skin, giving the skin a smoother, sleeker appearance in 5 to 8 weeks
Aromatherapy Associates Enrich Body Scrub A coffee based scrub that cleans and tones to invigorate and revive dull looking skin.
Thalgo Celluceane Supplement – Anti Cellulite, Heavy Leg These are the ingredients that sea has to offer to work on your legs making them look beautiful and shapely, so regain light and energized legs and diminish any unflattering curves.

As always, just for being a follower of our blog, enter coupon code BLOG10 for 10% off your next purchase! Also, remember to follow us @spaboutique on Twitter, like our Facebook  page, and check out our boards on Pinterest! You could be the lucky winner of one of our many contests!

Best Exfoliants for your Skin Type Part II

Exfoliation: A Refresher Course

Last week, we took a look at the best body scrubs for your skin type. Today, we’re examining Facial Exfoliants.

What is a Facial Exfoliant?

A facial exfoliant or scrub is a gently coarse or acid wash or masque used to remove dry or dead skin cells and brighten the skin. Many masques also contain exfoliating agents.

Mechanical: Like body scrubs, the coarse part of the exfoliant is made from either salt or sugar, although there are a variety of other materials that can be used. Unlike body scrubs, the granules in a facial scrub should feel like rice flour, soft and grainy, instead of a beach. Since you’ll be applying this scrub directly to your soft facial skin, you want to ensure it’s not going to cut or tear. Avoid using body scrubs on your face as the strong formulations can hurt delicate facial skin.

Chemical: This is the second kind of facial exfoliant. Usually consisting of Alpha or Beta Hydroxy Acid (AHA or BHA) these exfoliants  aim to dissolve dead skin cells instead of scrubbing them away. The added benefits of these exfoliants is they also dissolve oil and sebum, great on oily skin. Depending on their concentration, chemical exfoliant can be used by all skin types.

What is the BEST Method for applying a Facial Exfoliant?

First, Read the instructions. Many facial exfoliants contain active acids or other ingredients in addition to a physical exfoliant. Some need to be left on for a few minutes and others are washed off right away. Some are activated only when combined with water. The key is to thoroughly read the instructions that accompany the product before using it. How often depends on your skin type. The average is 1-2 a week. However, if you have oily skin, aim for 3 times a week. If you notice your skin developing red patches, decrease the number of times you exfoliate a week.

BEST Facial Exfoliant For Sensitive Skin:

Exfoliating is probably my favourite part of my beauty routine. I’m partial to Laboratoire Dr Renaud Satinage Gentle Scrub and Vivescence Perfect Glow Express Exfoliant The jojoba removes dead cells and stimulates the skin. I love the tingly feeling you get from active and physical exfoliants. Lauren, one of our Estheticians, also picks Vivescence Perfect Glow Express as her personal favourite.

BEST Facial Exfoliant For Oily Skin:

Our team picks Phytomer Gommage Marin: Purifying Gommage Exfoliant. If you’re looking for an acid exfoliant instead of a mechanical, make sure to pick one such as Peter Thomas Roth Anti-Aging Cleansing Gel that has BHA (Beta Hydroxy Acid) as it dissolves oil.

BEST Facial Exfoliant For Normal Skin:

With normal skin, you have the most options (Lucky!). Our most popular exfoliant is Eminence Strawberry Rhubarb Dermafoliant with Lactic Acid A mild, organic exfoliant, it’s gentle enough for daily use, while still offering effective cleansing. Looking for something a little stonger? Opt for B.Kamins Glycolic – 10 (50ml) 

 

BEST Exfoliating Masque:

For the ultimate treat in exfoliation, opt for an exfoliating masque. Two of our favourite Masques are the Eminence Rosehip & Maize Exfoliating Masque (2 oz)  and Beauty Through Balance by Ancient Secrets: Acai Facial Exfoliating Mask (60 ml/2 oz.). A masque treatment is one of the quickest ways to see results and refresh your skin!

BEST Cleansing / Exfoliating Tool:

If you’re serious about skincare, the conversation always turns to the Clarisonic Mia 2 Sonic Skin Cleansing System. It’s one of the most innovative tools for cleansing and exfoliating. Primarily a cleansing tool, you can also use a gentle exfoliant (avoid manual scrubs especially ones with large grains) to achieve deep exfoliation. As the Clarisonic Mia amplifies the effect of the exfoliant, it’s best not to over exfoliate, and you’ll want to limit the number of times you use the combination to twice a week or less depending on your skin type.

 

As always, just for being a follower of our blog, enter coupon code BLOG10 for 10% off your next purchase! Also, remember to follow us @spaboutique on Twitter, like our Facebook  page, and check out our boards on Pinterest! You could be the lucky winner of one of our many contests!

 

Friday Fun-Day! Cat-Eye Candy!

There are a lot of downsides to winter, especially not being able to hide my tied eyes behind a pair of sunglasses! I love my eyes, but after a long week staring at a computer screen, they need some serious attention before Girls Night! Especially now that I’ve entered my “Late Twenties”, I’ve started to notice how nights out, heavy food and a couple of drinks can really wreck havoc on my skin. Instead of layering on a rainbow of shadow, liner and glitter mascara, I’ve simplified my routine and invested quality product that won’t irritate my eyes.

The biggest secret in my arsenal is the Crystal Eye Patch by Vivescence Crystal Patch Regenerating Eye Contour Treatment (4 sets). I cannot rave enough about this mask! It’s a pre-cut gelatinous mask that revitalizes in 20 minutes. The coolness is really refreshing and you can feel it working as soon as you put it on.  It is an extremely active mask. Once my eyes are refreshed, I can move on to really making them pop.

Right now, I am really into Cat-Eye Eyeliner. It’s a lot of effect without adding a lot of shadow. Great for tired eyes. To get a phenomenal Cat-Eye, gently apply a basic line with Glo Minerals Glo Cream Eyeliner. Using an angled brush, trace a small flick where your lash lines meet and gently connect with your eyeliner. Next, take your Glo Minerals Glo Liquid Eyeliner – Coal (0.13 oz.) and fill out the wing. I like to keep mine subtle but for more punch, use the precision tip to thicken the line and expand the wing. Highlighting will help brighten the line, especially if you add your shadow after your liner.

Now, it is a hotly debated topic as to whether you apply your eyeliner or shadow first. Personally, I like to add my eyeliner first, let it dry and then do the shadow. I know that the liner can get powdery- BUT it also means I’m not scrubbing off absolutely everything if my hand slips. I may be in the minority here but I kinda like how you can soften the aggressive Cat-Eye with a touch of powder.

The past few years, it’s been a struggle quitting glitter. It’s fun, It’s Fast, It creates tons of impact… but when you find yourself fighting off a tween-age Belieber for a star specked electric purple eye shadow- It’s time to admit you have a problem.

Fortunately, there are tons of fun shimmer tones available, including some with real gold flecks! If you can’t have glitter, is there really anything better than gold? For a natural look, all you really need is a mineral shadow for underneath, a green with gold tones, a shimmery pink or for the ultimate in stunningly simple, a pure gold.  Heavy on the lid, soft up to the brow, maybe blend with a neutral, if needed. You really want to let your liner create the drama and keep the shadow simple.

TRY:
Glo Minerals Glo Eye Shadow (0.05 oz.)
Mica Beauty Single Stack Mica Mineral Shimmer Powder
Jane Iredale 24-Karat Gold Dust Powder (1.8g)

As always, Finish with Peter Thomas Roth Lashes To-Die-For Mascara (8ml)!

Still stuck for inspiration? Try adding a pop of colour for truly electrifying eyes!

 

 

As always, just for being a follower of our blog, enter coupon code BLOG10 for 10% off your next purchase! Also, remember to follow us @spaboutique on Twitter, like our Facebook  page, and check out our boards on Pinterest! You could be the lucky winner of one of our many contests!

 

Discover… Pangea Organics

Spa Boutique is excited to announce the newest addition to our growing organic family, Pangea Organics!  A natural line that believes beauty should be organic, cruelty-free and nutrient dense. Concentrated formulas eliminate filler so  your skin feels only the best botanicals, oils, and nutrients nature has to offer.

With so many award-wining products, it’s hard to know where to start! We recommend checking out the Italian Red Mandarin with Rose Lip Balm. The light rose and citrus scent is a perfect way to gear up for Valentine’s Day! This 2008 Natural Solutions Beauty With A Conscience winner, and Real Simple Magazine Pick is packed with essential oils. This Lip Balm protects and soothes while providing a deep level of hydration. Also available in Pyrenees Lavender with Cardamom and Egyptian Fennel with Grapefruit & Sweet Orange!

The Canadian Pine with White Sage Hand Soap is a fantastic way to begin introducing Pangea Organics into your home. Winner of The Healing Life Styles and Spas Earth Day Award, talk about a soap that is not only antiseptic but hydrating and refreshing too! Available as a Bar Soap or Body Wash, the pine scent leaves your sink or shower naturally fresh. 

Discover Pangea Discovery Kits! With a wide range of skin options, from combination, dry or blemish prone, there’s a start set for everyone.  Each 6 piece Pangea Organics Discovery Kit includes a Facial Cleanser, Facial Toner, Facial Cream, Facial Scrub, Facial Mask and Eye cream in a convenient sample size.  Each product comes in a different scent- a great way to get to know their entire line!

Oily skin? Try the Oily to Blemish-Prone Discovery Kit; hydrating without adding surface oil. The weightless hydration and sebum-control calms surface inflammation. As part of your morning, this kit provides a fantastic foundation for make-up!

Looking to renew dry, damaged skin?  The Normal to Dry Discovery Kit uses nutrients and botanicals to provide superior hydration as well as work some anti-aging magic!

Combination Skin? We’ve got you covered! The Normal to Combination Discovery Kit offers the best of both worlds. With nature’s best anti-aging, purifying and soothing ingredients, this kit replenishes dull, dehydrated or sun damaged skin.

Great news! Pangea Organics are considered safe for pregnancy (even the scented ones!) due to the concentration levels of their essential oils.  Pangea Organics produces their products with as many Vegan ingredients as possible. The products selected for Spa Boutique are Gluten-Free. All Pangea Organics products are cruelty free and have a shelf-life of up to 12 months once opened.

As always, just for being a follower of our blog, enter coupon code BLOG10 for 10% off your next purchase! Also, remember to follow us @spaboutique on Twitter, like our Facebook  page, and check out our boards on Pinterest! You could be the lucky winner of one of our many contests!

 

Affordable Sonic Skin Cleansing: Pretika Sonic Skin Care

I’m sure you’ve heard about them, maybe you already have one…  Sonic cleansing brushes have become one of the hottest beauty trends over the past couple of years.  The most well know brand is Clarisonic, but there are a few other sonic brushes making their way onto the market.  We’ve carried the oh-so-popular Clarisonic for quite some time now and we are happy to announce that we have just launched another, more affordable sonic brush option.  The new sonic brush system is called Pretika Sonic Skin Care and while it does share some similarities with the Clarisonic, it does have some differences as well.  Are you thinking of investing in a sonic skin cleansing brush, but can’t justify paying so much?  Take a look at what Pretika has to offer.

If you have any questions about the Pretika Sonic Skin Care line or any of our other lines, don’t hesitate to contact one of our estheticians!

 

As always, just for being a follower of our blog, enter coupon code BLOG10 for 10% off your next purchase! Also, remember to follow us @spaboutique on Twitter, like our Facebook  page, and check out our boards on Pinterest! You could be the lucky winner of one of our many contests!