10 Purchase Tips when visiting the Day Spa

Ahh! A Day Spa Gift from my Valentine! Thank you!

1) Letting the gift recipient choose what service they do is a nice way to purchase the gift. Why? Well, you might purchase a massage for them, but they really want a facial. It’s hard to give a Valentine’s Day Spa Gift Certificate for a facial because it’s like you are saying to them – “you look like you could use some skin assistance” – and that is probably not the message you want to send, right? :-)

2) In the spirit of #1, find out if they can change what they want. If you do buy the massage, can they change it without penalty? Is that answer listed on their website?

3) What is the return policy? Sometimes you can return a gift after 5 days, say, if you are in a new relationship and did not realize that the person dislikes massage.

4) Find out of some of the money can be considered a tip. Some people like this option because they want the gift recipient to have a day where everything is covered – even the tip. Try and see if you can indicate that on the Valentine’s Day Gift Certificate that you purchase. (If not, include some cash in the card to cover the tip?)

5) If you purchase a Gift Certificate 2 days before Valentine’s Day, don’t assume you can use it on Valentine’s Day. Many people book a month ahead of time to get an appointment on Valentine’s Day. Just make the appointment when it is comfortable for the recipient and read about the best day to visit a day spa.

6) Couples massage gifts are great but might be limited during redemption. Check into this at the spa of your choice.

7) Male therapist? Female therapist? What is the spa’s policy? Will they tell you or allow you to choose? Many men do not like purchasing a gift for their wife knowing another man will be doing the massage. If that is you – be sure to know how the spa works with booking and make sure she tells the spa her preferences up front.

8) In the spirit of #7, couples massages should be relaxing. If a male therapist is massaging a woman in the same room where her husband is getting a massage from a female – sometimes this is an issue. If you have any hangups or concerns in this area, please instruct the spa to provide the gender massage therapist that you are comfortable with – remember this is your special time with your sweetheart. Make it work for you.

9) If you are purchasing a Valentine’s Day Spa Gift Certificate, make it extra special and add something to the gift that personalizes it. A home made note could be included which reads, “This includes me making dinner the evening you have your spa day. Or lunch, if you visit int he middle of the day – just relax and enjoy honey!”. Little extra touches like this make the day spa visit even more special.

10) Continuing with #9 you could also include a note that says “I will take the children out for a bit so when you come home from your spa day you can take a nice, long nap – I love you”.  Ahhh, now that is being thoughtful!

I hope you’ve learned a little bit about purchasing a Valentine’s Day Spa Gift Certificate. This information is meant to assist you in your day spa activities. I hope you have a fantastic Valentine’s Day and if your Valentine does not provide a Valentine’s Day Spa Gift Certificate for you, you can always make an appointment on your own and relax! Enjoy! (For local Fort Collins folks, see our spa specials page to pick the right package for your Valentine)

Is the place comfortable when you arrive? Is the ambiance nice and inviting? Are people smiling and look content? If not, best to move on to a place you feel comfortable in when you arrive.

Ask the right questions to find that perfect Christmas Spa Gift Certificate!

Are the staff friendly and accommodating to your requests?  Sometimes when you are bringing in children to a spa to purchase a gift the staff might react differently because they get nervous that children might be loud and not understand that the spa environment should be quiet. If you get any “funny looks” from staff members as you arrive with children, I would find another place. Everyone should be welcome at the spa and your children are there with you to help pick out something for Mom. If you get any attitude, just move on to a spa that is friendly and receives your children with a smile and courteous treatment.

Are the prices clearly stated and is there any restrictions on the gift card?

Would the special Raspberry Soufflé Facial listed as a special still be available in June of 2012? If this special facial is the reason you purchased the gift, it would be good to know your recipient can get that facial any time, no restrictions.

What is the cancellation policy?  If your friend, wife or gift recipient does not like the gift (some people don’t like to be touched, for instance and you might not know this information) is there a way to get a refund within 7 days or so? If no refunds, what is the policy?

How many rooms and how many employees does the business have? For instance, a company with only 2 rooms and 2 employees might have a hard time getting all the holiday gift certificate people in and your recipient might not be able to use the gift until August 2012! yikes!  Double check that there is enough staff and rooms to accommodate large demand.

Can all Christmas Gift Certificates be used on Saturdays? Sometimes spas have restrictions on the gifts as they want to accommodate their Saturday regular clients first. Best to know this and if possible book way ahead for a special Saturday appointment.

This is important!  If you lose the Christmas Gift Certificate can it be replaced? I remember there was a place in town that would not do this and I was appalled! It was so strange! Be sure that they have a system to cancel the lost card and can re-issue a new one if necessary.

Can you request a particular therapist? Most spas have electronic card systems and some can put in special requests – others cannot put in information. Just be sure that the recipient asks for something specific when they call to make the appointment. For instance, a man might want his wife to only have a female therapist. If that notation could be made, that would be very accommodating to the customer. Of course a great spa would never surprise you with this information. If you were to have a male massage therapist, you should be informed of this upfront.

I hope these little tidbits of information will help you in your quest for the perfect Christmas Spa Gift Certificates! Enjoy and Merry Christmas!

1 plain GREEK yogurt 

4 tablespoons of Olive Oil or another Hydrating Oil

3 large liquid OMEGA 3 capsules cut open and added in

2 tablespoons Morrocan oil

Mix together and be sure to apply it to your entire head, tie it up in a bun and wrap it with a towel or something you don’t care about getting dirty.

Leave it on for a couple extra hours before you go to sleep and when you wake up in the morning then rinse, shampoo and condition and style as normal.

Your dry hair will be hydrated and nourished and if you get this in once a week you will notice a dramatic difference in hair especially if it is processed, dried or suffers from heat damage!

It will change your dry hair for the better. And who doesn’t love that sexy, silky hair look using natural yogurt?

(If you try this recipe, be sure to post your thoughts below and share! BTW – isn’t Morrocan oil becoming the new “it” ingredient lately? Might be a good blog post research project….coming soon!)

Relax . . .you picked a nice relaxing day for your services.

If there is a local spa that has a good reputation and you have been to them before, you most likely would ask for a certain therapist or particular time. But what if you don’t know anything about the spa? Do a little research and find out about that spa. Go to their Google Places page and Yelp and read the reviews. Ask friends where they would recommend (ask right on Facebook and see what your friends say) that’s a great tool and you trust those sources.

Also, consider the possibility if they have recently had a Living Social, Groupon or Deal of the Day offer or other spa deals offered on the internet. If there are many people trying to get in at the same time, your therapist could be booked or just plain tired! Either way – that is not a great way for you to relax.

With the coupons many companies don’t let the business owner say that they cannot be used on Saturdays – so understand that Saturdays are probably way busy at the spa. You don’t want to be the last appointment on a Saturday if the same therapist has worked all week covering discounted massages. Try not to go on Saturday, take a personal day off and really, truly take a day of relaxation for yourself.

So, what is really the best day to visit a day spa?

My advice is to make your appointment for a Tuesday or a Wednesday.  Often the spa industry follows the lead from the hair industry and takes off on Mondays. Having services on Tuesday or Wednesday can pretty much guarantee you a fresh therapist ready to go and start the week off strong and alert after having two days off in a row to recuperate from last week’s coupon redeemers  (hopefully new customers!).

I find that the best massage therapists usually want to work during the day and if they are good enough they can dictate when they work. Good therapists are always booked and in demand because they are good at their craft. People will work with their schedule because no one wants to pay for a lame massage, they want a fantastic one! if you find a great therapist – you stick with them!

Be sure to always ask if there is a special on the day you are going in – maybe you can add it to your session. And don’t be shy, book for the hour and a half massage. An hour is really not enough time to work all those muscles and knots out correct? The best day to visit a day spa is Tuesday or Wednesday. And if it means you take a personal day off right in the middle of the week, then do it!

White Tea
Some recent evidence suggests that white tea can help boost your body’s natural defenses by protecting the immune system. This is very important as our food supply tends to be weaker and we see outbreaks of bacteria more common. The better protected you are against “free radicals” (harmful bacteria) the better!  The secret of white tea is that the buds are gently plucked and air dried –  some leaves are steamed. The tea leaves remain closer to their natural state, enabling it to contain more polyphenols, the powerful antioxidant that fights disease and aging. White Tea is fast becoming  the new darling of the anti-aging key ingredients list!

Alpha-Lipoic-Acid
Alpha-lipoic-acid, is a sulfur-containing fatty acid that is found inside every cell of the body. It helps generate the energy to keep us functioning. Lipoic acid is a key part of the metabolic machinery that turns glucose (blood sugar) into energy for the body’s needs. It is regularly used as a powerful topical treatment for sun-damaged skin. Ingesting lipoic acid can help naturally neutralize harmful chemicals known as free radicals – molecules that cause aging and disease. Many people are taking supplements with anti-aging key ingredients as well.

Hyaluronic Acid
Hyaluronic Acid (HA) moisturizes skin from the inside out, smoothing out wrinkles and acts as an internal cosmetic to hydrate skin. It has been around for a while and has a long successful track record. Now it is being paired up with peptides to make your products work even better! HA is also a good solution for healthy joints and connective tissue.

Olive Oil

Olive Oil - used internally as well as in skincare. A super anti-aging ingredient!

Olive oil has high content of both monounsaturated fatty acids and anti-oxidative substances and it is well known for its healing abilities – especially in the Mediterranean. Studies have shown that olive oil offers protection against heart disease by controlling LDL (“bad”) cholesterol levels while raising HDL (the “good” cholesterol) levels. It is considered a wonderful additive to your moisturizer – but don’t use too much! Always layer your lighter serums on your skin first and then protect your skin from harsh winter weather with a moisturizer containing olive oil.

Green Tea – leader of the anti-aging key ingredients!
The secret of green tea lies in its rich epigalloatechin gallate (EGCG) content. EGCG is a powerful antioxidant for the heart, immune system and has shown to inhibit blood clots. Some of the newer research on EGCG has linked green tea to actually rejuvenate ailing skin cells.  A anti-aging key ingredient!

“Cells that migrate toward the surface of the skin normally live about 28 days, and by day 20, they basically sit on the upper layer of the skin getting ready to die, but EGCG reactivates them. Green tea helps to heal wounds and accelerate skin cell differentiation. Reducing scars is one the the end results (as well).”  says Dr. Stephen Hsu, a cell biologist at the Medical College of Georgia.

Pay attention to this 28 day cycle with skin cells, you can sometimes anticipate a rosacea flare-up by charting these days – so staying away from spicy foods and red wine right before you know you will have a flare-up. That will minimize the rosacea flare-up.

Lycopene
I think many of us first discovered the benefits of Lycopene through a major organic line that uses it as a solution for acne. It is a bright red carotenoid pigment, found in tomatoes and other red fruits known for its antioxidant and sunscreen protection. Lycopene has shown very positive results in reducing the risk of prostate issues and improving skin texture.  It is not the solution for everyone – it tends to work well in formulas for oily skin. Give it a try and see if your skin can heal with Lycopene.

Cocoa
Cocoa butter has long been used topically in many skin creams and cosmetics because it is thought to be good for the skin. There are potential benefits of consuming flavanol-rich cocoa in skin health. Certain components in cocoa may actually help improve the appearance of the skin by increasing hydration, decreasing skin roughness and help to support the skin’s defense against UV damage.

If you are considering purchasing a new skin care product. Be sure to check for the anti-aging key ingredients found here!

Read another post on Skincare:

Skincare Products: How Do you Choose?
Acne Breakouts – Chin and Jawline

1) Know what you are purchasing.

2) Print out and understand the terms and conditions.

3) Is the Day Spa Coupon for a local spa or is it a few hours away?

4) Can you give it as a gift?

5) What is the expiration?

6) Can it only be redeemed on certain days of the week?

If you understand all the facts and your favorite day spa is offering a special it might be a great idea to take advantage of the day spa coupon. If you don’t know the establishment you can easily check out their reviews on Yelp or Google Places to get a good idea of their stability. The last thing you want to do is to purchase a day spa coupon only to find out the business does not do pedicures (and that’s what you wanted). Be sure to take the time to understand what they are offering and if it fits in with your time schedule (can you book on a Saturday or is that off-limits?) and all will go smoothly.

If you notice a lot of coupons are selling – be sure to book early and get the time you want. Many business owners are finding out that if they oversold the coupon, their business is literally booked for the next 4 months and you might have trouble booking an appointment.

If you do decide to purchase a day spa coupon – have fun and enjoy! It’s nice to treat yourself and get a deal too!

It’s Fall now and the seasonal skincare issues are here as well. People have skin sensitivity to so many things they normally would not be sensitive to and that makes things a bit complicated at the spa. If you have a facial scheduled and have a sneezing episode right before the facial you might feel that it will just worsen your skin sensitivity.Not necessarily, but it does turn your spa visit into a slight problem. Just be honest with the esthetician, be sure to tell them if you have allergies, reactions to ingredients or other issues.

As everyone’s schedule is so busy, sometimes people rush into the spa a tad late, apologizing, and feeling that they are generally flustered. Add an allergy flare-up right before you arrive and things get really tense. Seasonal skincare changes happen right when you least expect it. Keep in mind that a good spa will overlook that tardiness, do everything to make you feel at ease (not give you the evil “you’re late” glare) and calm your spirit in every way.

Allergies and Skin Sensitivity with Ingredients

Many spa product manufacturers have turned towards more natural skincare formulas. You should feel comfortable in a professional spa that the “back bar” products (as they are called) are all of high quality and good ingredients. If, you notice that they seem to be using a product line right off the grocery counter shelves or perhaps a heavily marketed mlm product line, you might be in for a surprise during your facial with skin sensitivity issues.

Beautiful sunflowers to some people, other people see it through watery eyes.

Many over the counter products are really not formulated to work together with other products and they tend to be manufactured in rather large batches to save money. What does that mean? It means they are prepared for a long, long shelve life and there are some strong preservatives lurking about in that formula. If you have any skin sensitivity due to allergies or ingredients, the lesser grade products will give you the biggest problems (reactions) due to their rather long ingredient lists. Good, professional spa product lines will cleanse, exfoliate and hydrate your skin with excellent ingredients and minimal or no alcohols or preservatives. It does make a difference what product line the spa uses, especially when you have skin sensitivity.

Just be sure to inform them if you are allergic to any ingredients, even food sources like strawberries or nuts. Many new skincare companies are including fruits and veggies in their formulas as new discoveries reveal the topical benefits of these natural foods. If you don’t tell your esthetician you are allergic to anything, your spa day might be cut short with a quick trip to pick up Benadryl. Your red and itchy skin would pretty much ruin your day too of course! So, be forthcoming with all necessary information to ensure your day continues in a blissful fashion.

This blog post was not meant to scare you in the treatment room, but to encourage you to speak up and discuss any skin sensitivity you might have (especially during the Fall allergy season) with your esthetician or else your spa day may be uncomfortable. A great spa product line can assist a knowledgeable esthetician to give you fabulous results with every visit – no matter what the situation!  And sometimes a client with allergies prefers to visit the spa in order to have the facial steam clear up their sinuses, too! In any event, be sure to give yourself enough time to truly relax and get your skin prepared for the cooler, winter weather that is sure to come soon. If you like the products during the facial, leave with a sample or purchase that thicker winter moisturizer so you are prepared. (Just make sure that ingredient list is not hiding bad ingredients! – check it out!)

Have you ever had a skin sensitivity issue at a spa? Leave us a comment and tell us about it!

Prepare your skin for the Fall by clearing away Summer dryness

It’s September and the cool, crisp morning air and breezy evenings immediately change your mood from Summer to Fall.  You start to think about your Fall wardrobe like sweaters, boots, soft velvety skirts, scarves and such. Many people like to change up their make up from cool summer favorites to warm fall colors. Seasonal changes hook you into the new colors and fashions that are hot for this season and it gets you ready for days full of football and hot chocolate! Well, it’s fun right up until you decide to try new make-up and when looking in the mirror you realize your skin is dry and dehydrated from all that summer fun. Is your first thought to cover up problems with concealers? Oops! Don’t forget that seasonal changes affect your skin.

What to do when seasonal changes affect your skin . . .

Before you go purchasing tons of concealers and corrective make-up balms be sure to remove all the dry, dead skin cells that are still hanging on to your top facial layer. The sun can do damage faster than you realize. A skincare regime is important. We don’t always remember our SPF 30! Don’t beat yourself up – just exfoliate away the dry skin. Here is a great system:

1) Cleanse your face first to remove dirt and oils. If you don’t cleanse first, but jump right into exfoliating you might open up your pores only to have debris sit in there and turn into an unwanted zit! ugh! Let’s not set up that scenario. Try to find a cleanser with 2% glycolic to help begin the process. It is a bit more aggressive and if the object is to exfoliate, starting with a glycolic cleanser will help remove debris even faster.

2) Your exfoliating product should be applied next. No, do not use straight sugar or salt on your skin as it is way too harsh and you will most likely end up tearing your skin. If the skin is very irritated anything you put on it afterward is going to make you red, red, red! (a true sigh your skin is unhappy). Be sure that your product does not contain walnut shells (nuts are ok, they are softer) in general stay away from this old school solution. Instead take a look at natural product with rice bran - a great natural way to exfoliate gently and effectively! Just remember to let the natural product do the work for you - you should not have to aggressively scrub for it to remove your dry, dehydrated, sun damaged layers. Be sure to get the nose and chin areas and many customers love to exfoliate the décolleté (chest area) in order to keep their chest area looking as young as their facial area.

3) Be sure to remove all the product. Be diligent in removing the exfoliating product from your face and hairline. It tends to get a bit messy. At the end, use cool water to ensure that your pores are closing up. It's ok to have your face be a bit wet or damp when you apply your moisturizer.

4) At this point you can apply a special serum or just apply your favorite thicker, fall moisturizer. That's right! Time to put away those thin moisturizers you loved during the hot summer. With the coolness now and especially after just exfoliating, you need to re-hydrate your skin with a super moisturizer. Don't let the seasonal changes affect your skin badly.  Find something with awesome peptides, Co-Q-10 and your favorite natural ingredient. You need a nice thick moisturizer for cooler autumn breezes - keep your skin protected!

As seasonal changes affect your skin, just change up your skincare routine and all will be great.

Try to avoid concealing dryness with more make-up - you are not covering up anything - just causing problems later as acne appears. Keep your skin clean and clear with a routine exfoliation process and don't forget to re-hydrate after that process with a great natural moisturizer. Have a wonderful fall. Do you have a special routine? Be sure to share your story in our comments section. Thank you!

1) Have a professional facial at the spa using the products the esthetician chooses for you to repair your skin issues.

Having a professional facial is a wonderful way to see if your skin is favorable towards the ingredients and you can tell if it seems to make a difference. True, it’s only one facial, but many people have seem dramatic results using a professional grade spa line over what they may have used at home for the last few years. If it makes that big of a difference in just one facial, imagine if you used the products on a daily basis?

2) Make sure you talk with the esthetician to inform them of any allergies or issues you might have with specific ingredients.

Tell the esthetician ahead of time things they need to know. It helps them to eliminate items that might react with your skin. Many times (like 80%) clients instruct the esthetician that “I have sensitive skin”. Well, most likely your skin is is dry and dehydrated and “mad” so yes, it is sensitive. What it really needs is to be taken care of with a great daily regiment! A thorough exfoliation is totally going to happen during this visit. Calming skincare products will keep things mellow, but in the future – don’t be afraid of using a more serious approach to your skincare. If you are super freaked out about upsetting your skin, you will end up with products that are recommended to you that do no more than a splash of water on your face. Once you have exfoliated your skin and super-hydrated it, you can start to introduce anti-aging serums and masks that will make a huge difference in your skin tone, wrinkles and brightness. Don’t be afraid – trust your esthetician!

Skincare products – how do you choose?

Carefully. Listen to the esthetician explain why they have choosen this for you. If you loved it – don’t hesitate – buy it. If you are not sure, that’s fine -just be sure to ask for a 3 day sample to give it a try. Don’t always go by smell. Do you need a chemical fragrance in everything? Not really, try to not let the smell influence your buy.

Look at the ingredients. Check to ensure that the ingredients are good and non-chemical laced. A little bit of preservative is good. A large amount is bad. That usually indicates that they make huge batches of products and then store them – so the product you purchased – it was manufactured exactly when? Last year? Two years ago? Beware of these tactics. Only put fresh, naturally active ingredients on your skin for the best results.

Choose wisely and have a daily skincare routine.

As with shopping in the grocery store, look for the freshest products on the shelf at the day spa. That may mean you pull from the back of the product display. Spa owners need to move their inventory just like the grocery store so it is possible you will buy a fresher product when you pull from the back. See if there is a sticker on the bottom – can you figure out the date of manufacture?

Be sure to get the advice of the esthetician – not the receptionist, unless you feel they are extremely knowledgeable. And please be careful when purchasing a series of products like the cleanser, exfoliant, moisturizer, serum and masks – don’t immediately go home and use them all at once! Remember, you just had a deep cleanse with the esthetician. So go easy on your skin for at least a week. Cleanse and add a serum and moisturizer only during that time. You can be a bit more aggressive after your skin has calmed down a bit. (And don’t feel the need to “use up” the old, dated product line on your shelf . . . do not put it on your face again – stay with the new fresh product line.)

I hope this information has assisted you in your quest for a new skincare product line. Listen to the advice of the esthetician, throw out old products, clean your make-up brushes and commit to a daily routine and you will have a bright, even complexion!

 (pronounced ‘day-kōl-tay’)

The décolleté area is defined as your neckline area. It is often overlooked, avoided, and exposed. Yes, it is exposed to the sun, the elements, your sticky fruit smoothie, dust, dirt, etc. Unfortunately, we tend to spend all of our beauty rituals on our face. If you have a nice, beautiful complexion that is the envy of your friends – your dewy glow and all – have you spent the same amount of attention on your neckline? I bet not. Go to the mirror now and see if your neckline looks older than your face. So sad, but it is very common and there is something you can do about this problem. Don’t worry, the area can be revived and looking splendid with a little bit of extra attention.

Don’t neglect your neckline – your décolleté area.

If you are exfoliating your face with your wonderful cleanser mixed with exfoliating beads, why not go a bit further down and thoroughly exfoliate your neck and your décolleté? You will be amazed at all the dry skin that will come off. The sun has done the damage this summer, you know there were times you faithfully applied the sunscreen on your face but you neglected the neckline – you can see the tan lines! This is damage that can be reversed fast if you exfoliate and apply your nice wonderful moisturizer in your neckline as well as your face. To speed things up you can always have an alpha hydroxy product work on the area as well – just be sure to apply sunscreen.

Have your Therapist include the Décolleté area during your next Spa visit.

Going to the spa for a lovely facial? Why not call ahead and ask if the esthetician can include the neckline area. Or wait till you are in the room and have them pull a little time off of your facial massage to include the décolleté area. Most estheticians love to include this area because they know it rarely gets the attention it needs. Either call ahead, or ask the esthetician in the room – either way make sure it is included with your facial.

SPF Protection is important for your Face, Neck and Chest Area

Keep your neck and chest area as smooth and glowing as your face and then your skin won't give away your age. Oh, and you can ditch the scarves later on in life too!

Are you attending festivals this summer? The late summer sun tends to be more intense and you might forget your SPF – please don’t! These areas need sun protection all the time. Here in Colorado we are closer to the sun than some other states and most people know to not leave the house without protection. However, when someone comes into the spa at the age of 32 and they have sun damage that looks like a 45 year old – we are very quick to recommend Microdermabrasion sessions to peel off that damage fast and educate our customer on the benefits of SPF protection and proper skin maintenance for our dry state. You should consider having your Microdermabrasion session include the décolleté area as well so that your face, neck and neckline area are all in sync. Ever look at someone with beautiful facial skin and a tough, leather-like neckline? It’s not a pretty site. Take care of your entire appearance. It takes just a few minutes.

Another Anti-Aging Tip: Include the Hands with your SPF Ritual!

While we are talking about anti-aging practices let’s include the hands in our SPF ritual. When you are driving your hands are right there basking right in the summer sun blasting through the windshield. Are  you protecting the tops of your hands? No? Well, let’s start to protect that area as well. Taking some simple sugar at home and mixing it with your best body wash and gently exfoliating the hands over your kitchen sink – that is heaven! Give it a try. If you can, use sugar instead of salt (less drying). Be sure to drench your hands in your favorite hand lotion to put that moisture back in – you’ll be amazed at how easy it absorbs once all that dead skin is out of the way. And in the morning – what are you going to do? Right! Add SPF lotion to your Face, Neck, Décolleté and hands, too! Hope you have a good amount of protection -buy the big size next time.

Let’s be beautiful all over and remember to pay attention to our décolleté area!

 

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