Posts Tagged ‘spa boutique’

New Additions to the Spa Boutique Family!

At Spa Boutique, we’re constantly expanding our selection of beauty and wellness products.

With all of these new items, it can be a challenge to stay on top of all the latest additions to the spa Boutique family! Here are some of the Brands our team is excited about:

Lashes thinning? LATISSE® has been clinically proven to more than doubles lash fullness in 16 weeks! The first and only FDA-approved prescription treatment for inadequate or sparse eyelashes. It helps grows longer, fuller, darker lashes. LATISSE® is a once-nightly treatment applied topically to the base of your upper eyelashes. You may start to see more length in as little as 4 weeks with full growth in only 16 weeks! Available exclusively online through Spa Boutique under the direction Dr. Bob Morrell.

LATISSE®, It’s real lash growth.

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A Swiss innovator, Medela offers premier Breast Pumps and Breast Feeding accessories. They are actively involved in Women’s Health Projects, Breast Feeding Advocacy, and Research. Medela aims to provide the best possible breast feeding experience for you and your baby. The versatile Swing Breast Pump is one of the smallest, lightest, electric pumps available. Looking for a hands free pump? try the Medela Freestyle. This double pump is perfect for moms who pump several times a day!

While Medela may be best known for their breast pumps, they also make a variety of feeding solutions for infants, breast care products (The nursing pads are superb!),  and Intimate Apparel.

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Omega Nutrition is the original flax oil company. A wide variety of health products, including salts, supplements, and more! Heavily involved in the organic and natural movement  they provide many Vegan and natural alternatives to traditional supplements! The first company to bring unrefined, certified organic flax seed oil to the North American market, Omega Nutrition is considered to be the forerunner in essential fatty acid (EFA) nutrition. They manufacture the freshest, highest-quality, unrefined, organic oils and related products from the best raw materials.

Omega Nutrition products are super easy to prepare! Drizzle good-for-you oils over salads and pastas, Sprinkle flax seeds onto cereals and into smoothies, or take convenient capsules with you when you’re on the go!

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We’re dedicated to bringing you the latest in skincare, makeup, health, and wellness. We’re always on the hunt for new amazing items! Is there a product you’ve been looking for but unable to find? Leave a comment, send us an email or a tweet and let us know.

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!

Striplac – Easy Gel Nails At Home!

Next week, we’ll be premiering Striplac in Canada! I got a sneak peek into this revolutionary At Home Gel Nail System… and it was AMAZING!

Here are The Top 5 Reasons Why I LOVE Striplac:

1. Striplac is way more convenient then going to the salon. The entire application took about half an hour to put on while watching “Mad Men”. When I was ready to remove it? No second appointment needed, it peeled off smoothly and in less than a minute!
2. The Striplac UV light is small compared to other kits (making it easy to store) but still able to do a full pedicure!
3. My nails were glossy, strong and scratch free for over a week! The Striplac colour stayed vibrant through dishes, gardening, and even a dip at the pool! Currently, there are 24 colours available, and it’s going up to 55 by the end of the year!
4. No Acetone or solvents! <– This is a BIG win in my book! As I have successfully managed to spill Nail Polish Remover on my couch, carpet, linoleum floor, desk, coffee table, and even once had a cat knock it down a flight of stairs (Talk about a mess!)
5. Did I mention that it just PEELS OFF?! The top layers peel off cleanly and a thin protective layer remains on the nails. Once filed smooth, your nails feel stronger and look gorgeous!

As a pre-Mother’s Day treat, I invited my mom over for a quick Striplac manicure. Growing up, I always admired how perfect her polished nails looked. An elementary school teacher, she kept a rainbow of colours beneath he bathroom sink, one for every possible event. Purple on Sports Day, Orange for Halloween, Pastels for Easter, and shimmering reds for Christmas. She even let me practice rudimentary nail art (mostly flowers made of dots) that she diligently wore until they were too chipped to recognize. My favourite part was when she’d let me paint her right hand. The goal was, of course, to make sure it was just as smooth as the left… but I generally ended up making even more of a mess!

Now that I’m grown and a full nail polish addict, my skills have improved significantly. With a cup of coffee and the latest episode of “House Hunters International”, I set about giving my mom a special mothers day manicure! The Striplac Starter Kit includes a 4-Step File and Cuticle Pusher. I did use a touch of CND Solar Oil on her cuticles. The nails have to be completely dry for the Gel to adhere properly, so I spent a few extra minutes buffing and filing her nails. As we age, the ridges in our nails become more pronounced. Proper buffing makes a huge difference in decreasing the visible age of your hands. Many aging celebs, such as Madonna, are starting to wear gloves in public to help hide the ‘age’ of their hands.

Once the maintenance portion of the manicure is completed, it’s time for the fun part- POLISH! There are 4 layers in a Striplac Manicure, a base coat, a colour coat, a second colour coat and, finally, a top coat. Each coat is cured under the UV light for 60 seconds before adding the next. After the top coat is put on and cured, gently remove the stick surface layer with a cleaning pad and your nails are locked in!

She ended up wearing her Striplac Nails for a week before opting to peel them off and change colours! The bold and professional look was perfect for her weekend away as she didn’t have to worry about scratches or chips while  travelling.  Plus, when she was ready to change colours, she didn’t have to track down a salon or bottle of acetone. A Striplac Manicure is now one of her travelling essentials!

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!

 

 

What is Striplac?

Arriving May 15th, Striplac is a revolutionary At Home Peel-Off UV/LED Nail Polish.

Alessandro International, dedicated to the beauty of the modern woman, recruited top European chemists to develop an at home system that offers the same results with less work and fewer chemicals. Working in a state of the art German laboratory, these scientists developed  Striplac.

Once cured beneath the UV/LED Light,  Striplac Nail Polishes provide long lasting, high gloss Shellac for up to 10 days! Ready to change colours? No Solvents. No Acetone. The innovative gel nail formula simply peels off.

That’s right. It Peels Off… no harsh chemicals that can ruin the nail.

Instead of trying to squeeze in an additional 20 or 30 minute appointment to have your gels nails removed, you can peel them off in less than a minute. We received a starter kit for our office and sent it home with the staff. I’ll be posting a detailed review next week!

Spa Boutique is proud to be the exclusive, Canadian online retailer for  Striplac. For a limited time, Spa Boutique will be offering the Alessandro Striplac Starter Kit at a promotional price! This gel nail starter kit includes: UV LED Lamp, Peel-off UV/LED Nail Polish no. 12 (Classic Red), Peel-off UV/LED Base & Top Coat, Cleansing Pads, 4 step file, and a cuticle pusher. Everything for a perfect at home Shellac manicure!

 

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!

Behind Beauty: Salt and the Human Body

Salt. Possible the world’s most popular condiment, we consume nearly 1.25 kg of salt a year. But what does all this salt really do to your body? Why is it considered an essential nutrient? Made up of two simple atoms, Sodium and Chloride (NaCl), this small molecule helps to keep your body functioning.

Salt’s Essential Functions

The average human needs between 1000 – 1500 mg of Sodium a day. Health Canada warns about exceeding 2300 mg. Unfortunately, the overly processed food most people are eating has led to an increase of a daily average closer to 3400mg! This over consumption can lead to heart disease, kidney failure, and stroke.

Your body breaks salt (NaCl) into its two components  Sodium (Na) and Chloride (Cl). In its natural state, sodium reacts violently with water, making it dangerous to ingest. Likewise, Chlorine exists as a toxic gas. Salt, a relatively inert compound, is the optimal way to obtain both of these elements.

Sodium is the heavy hitter of the two. Involved with nearly every phase of the circulatory system, it helps regulate heartbeat and blood pressure. Sodium acts as a conductor for the electrical impulses in your muscles, nerves, and brain. Keeping the body moving, thinking, breathing, and stable. It is also highly important for regulating homeostasis, the internal state of your body. Without Sodium to regulate water balance or pH, many internal organs would be unable to function properly. All functions we need to live. In fact, total loss of salt due to the over consumption of water, commonly referred to as water intoxication or water poisoning or hyperhydration, can be fatal.

So, why can’t we drink Sea Water? Well, one of the functions of salt is to regulate water balance by preventing water absorption.  Sea water has a much higher concentration of salt than your body needs. It disrupts internal functions and causes you to become further dehydrated!

Chloride is also important to your body. It is a key component in digestion and aids in potassium absorption. Additional functions of Chloride in the body are maintaining the acid-base balance, helps to conduct nerve and muscle impulses. Other chemicals such as Iodine, Fluoride  and Iron are often added to salt to increase its benefits. Iodine Deficiency can effect an individuals learning ability. Fluoride consumption can impact dental health. An increase Iron intake prevents anemia.

Choosing Better Salts

The majority of your daily salt requirement can be filled by the foods you consume. Make sure to check the labels on processed foods to ensure that you’re not over consuming salt. Any food item with more than 15% of your daily sodium is considered high in sodium and should not be consumed regularly.

My husband is a salt lover. He collects gourmet salts from all over the world and enjoys exploring their unique flavors. Like wine, salt can be paired with a meal to affect its taste. He’s even paired specific salts with ice cream! While that may not be the healthiest of dishes, he enjoys choosing salts with additional health benefits as well as flavor.

Traditionally prepared salts often contain higher concentrations of additional minerals and trace elements that have significant health benefits. However, as we have industrialized salt production, many of the methods have been lost. Modern salt contains fewer of these elements.

• Himalayan Salts – Mined in Pakistan, these are considered some of the purest salts in the world. They contain additional minerals and trace elements.
• Kosher Salts – generally contain no additives such as iodine and were originally used to make meat kosher.
• Sea Salts – Refined from seawater, they also contain trace minerals and elements.
• Fleur de Sel – a flaky finishing sea salt traditionally from France. Used to season food once its prepared not in cooking
• Hawaiian Sea Salt – Full of natural minerals from volcanic red clay or charcoal, this salt extremely flavorful.

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!

Behind Beauty: Hormones And Your Skin, What Happens As You Age

The word “Hormonal” gets tossed around a lot in the beauty industry. But what exactly does it mean? How do hormones effect your skin? What can you do to stave off unwanted effect?

Hormones are chemicals produced in your body that help to regulate a variety of natural functions. The most familiar are estrogen, adrenaline, progesterone and testosterone. These naturally occurring chemicals help with metabolism, regulate fertility cycles, control hunger cravings, and much more.

There are four major times that hormones effect significant changes on a woman’s skin:

Puberty and The Teen Years

One of the first major hormone shifts occurs during puberty. The production of hormones such as estrogen and testosterone increases, stimulating growth and triggering reproductive cycles. Unfortunately, this can also cause an over production of sebum, the primary cause of teen acne.

Estrogen has a lot of positive functions for your skin as well. It helps to decrease pore size, build collagen, heal skin, build elastin, and maintain moisture. This helps to keep your skin strong and healthy.

Testosterone, another key hormone, is primarily responsible for teenage acne. Triggering the expansion of pores, hair growth and sebum production,  this hormone allows the teenage face to become prime real estate for acne causing bacteria.

Hormones are also impact mood and rapid changes in hormone levels can cause mood swings.

During The Fertility Cycle

While in your 20s and 30s, women will notice their skin clams down. Gone are oily teen faces. Instead, they may have to deal with the occasional monthly breakout as her hormone levels cycle. Right before ovulation, estrogen and testosterone levels spike. If your hormones are slightly out of balance (more testosterone than estrogen), this can your sebum levels to rise, resulting in breakouts.

Cortisol, caused by stress, is another hormone that can trigger breakouts. Still, for the most part skin is healthy and strong. Make sure to toss on the sunscreen to protect from UVA and UVB Rays!

Pregnancy

During pregnancy, the hormone progesterone is produced in a large quantity  Almost 10-20 times more than usual! The exact reasons why skin is effected by progesterone are unclear. However, it can effect the skin in several ways. Some women find their skin is constantly glowing, while other suffer with breakouts.

Menopause

As women approach menopause, they start to produces less estrogen. This slows collagen and elastin production. The skin cycle beings to slow. Instead of skin cells taking 30 days to replenish, they take 45. This means a more intensive skincare regime is required to keep your skin cells healthy.

When you reach menopause, the production of progesterone stops and the body starts producing a weaker version of estrogen. Skin is unable to produce the same levels of collagen or elastin. The skin thins and loses its suppleness. It can also take on a dull or dry appearance.

The rate of testosterone production stays the same which can cause unwanted hair growth or acne.

 

 

Understanding the role hormones play is key to choosing your skin care. As you age, look for products that will manage these issues. Notice you get that pimple right before your period? Or you skin isn’t looking as bright as it did in your 40s? These visual indicators can help you understand your body’s natural cycles.

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!