2008 Skin Tip # 4 of 12: Exfoliate for GREAT Skin

Having great skin means exfoliation! Little babies have great skin because their skin cells are rapidly turning over new cells. The older we get, the slower our cells turn, causing dead skin to cake up (no this is true) on the top layer. This is the dullness you will see with skin.

Looking for smoother and silkier skin? First exfoliate, either chemically or physically, then make sure to rub on some lotion after you exfoliate. Exfoliation takes off the dead layer on skin at the top, which then makes it easier for the lotion to work its magic on your skin.

For beautiful glowing skin, we suggest getting a Seaside Sugar and Tea Scrub (Physical Exfoliation) from nSPA or a Beach Ready Young Body (Chemical Exfoliation.

2008 Pro Yoga Tip #3: Let N. Yoga Help You Unwind

How to get the most out of N.Yoga??

#1. You should wear loose clothing, (not loose like if you stand on your head, your shirt will fall over your head)- Loose as in not too tight. No shoes or socks, so you must have pretty toes, and no cracked heels.

#2. It is important to breathe. Don't hold your breathe, but breathe in and breathe out with conviction...like you really mean it. It will start to make a difference in how your body responds. With every exhale, you get to stretch just a little further and just a little further. Inhale through the nose and exaggerate your exhale through your mouth.

#3. It helps to have eaten at least 4 hours before a session of yoga, so that you have strength and energy to last the hour or so. You would think that all of that stretching and posing would not require so much energy, but it does...it will wear you out and change how your body looks.

#4. Do you ever hear people say...oh I couldn't go to the gym, because I'm not in great shape. Ha, you will never hear that in yoga. It doesn't matter whether you are 15 or 95, pencil-thin or robustly rotunda, limber like a ballerina or stiff as ladder-backed chair...it just doesn't matter. Anyone can take yoga...I mean anyone.

#5. As the weeks go by, feel your body respond to the movement, the poses...the muscles change..you start to become aware of your breathing, your posture...and for 1 hour...your mind takes a backseat to your body. It's hard to think about something, when you have one leg in the air, one arm in front of you, one shoulder turned to the sky.

Yoga isn't a religion, it was ancient wisdom telling us to take time for us!

nSpa Celebrates the 100th Mother's Day with a Glam Contest!

Re-tell your favorite story about your mom’s glory.

In honor of the 100th Mother’s Day, nSPA wants you to tell us your favorite story about your mom. The top 10 stories will win an nSPA glam bag worth almost $400. The top mom story will win the Ultimate Spa and Pampering Package for two. Happy writing.

Entries must be in by April 11th.

Alpha Mom Takes Yoga Classes

Each generation has its own description of the "do-it-all" mom...from Super Woman to "Alpha Mom", the latest in the monikers for the stretched thin, incredibly organized, super MOM. Good Morning America has talked about her, USA Today has written about her, and now I have met her (AKA "Alpha Mom") in person.

It all started when our new yoga studio needed a babysitter for the 8:30 am vinyasa yoga class. In walked two seemingly normal moms--you don't know an alpha mom until you actually see the diaper bag. It is also very organized, just like their life. They transport the little one to other hands, promptly close the door, and they have just adjusted to 1 hour of bliss, sans (without) the little bambino.

Now, one was an alpha mom, latest style of clothing, cutting edge of technology (iphone), hot yoga clothing and the other, well, she was "just a regular mom". Ask alpha mom her plans for the day--well she wakes, gets son ready for school, says goodbye to husband, packs up new baby, off to yoga class, back to house, change, feed baby, meet business friend for lunch, work at 1:00, 5:00 grocery store, dinner at 6:00, homework at 7:00, husband time at 8:00, sleep at 10. I am awed at her amazing ability to get everything done in one day and juggle all of her responsibilities with such apparent ease----I can barely get one person (me) ready, much less juggle 4, a job, yoga classes, house, and do it with such grace and smiles.

After one hour of my yoga class babysitting, my hats off to alpha mom. She is a goddess, we need to worship the ground she walks on....and I learned another important lesson...she takes at least one hour every day just for herself. She loves the yoga because it makes her grounded, stretched and relaxed. Whether it is yoga, or a walk, or a rerun of her favorite sitcom, or a book, she takes one hour every day for the alpha mom that she is.

Take one hour every day just for you! Breathe, stare at the ocean, read a book, have a massage, take a yoga class!

2008 PRO HAIR CARE TIP #2: Hair Care Damage

We spend hours on our hair, pulling, drying, smoothing, curling, heating, cooling....you have to start with nourishing your body from the inside out. Start with a diet rich in green leafy vegetables, nuts, whole grains and fish. If your diet isn't showing in your hair, try some evening primrose oil for at least 6 weeks and you will start to see your hair shine.

Or if your diet not rich in greens, meet with one of our "Cutting Edge Redken Certified & Trained" Stylists. They know how to make even the frizziest, coarse hair, silky smooth. Some of their tricks include using a semi-permanent color on really damaged hair, or conditioning with a Super Duper Power Serum. Repeat color can wreak havoc on hair...so make sure the color that you use is rich in conditioners. They use the word "Professional" for a reason!

Other tips include home care with Pureology Shining Duo or Hergen Gold Leave-In Conditioner. Marizete, David, & Nicole are constantly letting clients know not to over shampoo their hair, because it dries it out...and yes we are in Florida, so you need to keep your goldi-locks covered or protected.

Lastly, this is going to sound nuts (almonds), but it is really true. They told me to take a Yoga class. When you get stressed, it can cause your hair to fall out....your cortisol levels increase because of the stress, causing your head to shed (no kidding). Try some yoga (you know you need it any way), but if your head is shedding, it is time to take a deep breath and do your child's pose or doggie down.

2008 PRO SKINCARE Tip #1 -Skin Care Exfoliation

Taking great care of your skin includes exfoliation. Why you ask? As you age, our skin cells start to slow down (yes, just like the rest of our bodies). Your job is to make sure that your skin cells keep moving fast (like exercising for your skin cells). How can you do this?

At the spa, we have this amazing treatment with microdermabrasion and ultrasound--we call it the MEGA-MICRO. Microdermabrasion works like a sanding (pardon- sucking machine to create redness (inflammation and speeding up the skin cells) in the skin. The vacuum pressure in the machine combined with the crystals creates the exfoliation and increased turns of the skin cells. Simple exfoliation is great, but the machine has the vacuum, which in all of the major studies--it is the vacuum that actually does the trick to create younger looking skin. The surface exfoliation is nice, but the vacuum and aspiration speeds up the skin cells, thus creating better looking skin. Step 2 of the MEGA-MICRO is ultrasound to penetrate vitamins into the skin. Using topical vitamins is great, but pushing them into the skin is what creates this wonderful anti-aging treatment. Penetration of the vitamins takes about 2-3 months to see the results ( you need the skin cell cycle to turn every 21-28 days ). We recommend 6 treatments to start and then maintaining your skin with one a month.

And, you need your home care. It is great to have a skin treatment, but you need to maintain at home, in fact, if you have a budget choice between treatment and home care, always choose the home care, because it is daily. Exfoliate at least 3 times a week, to slough the face and body of dead skin cells. When the body is exfoliated, it allows the skin cells below to rise to the top smoother, clearer, brighter, happier skin. You can exfoliate with a scrub or with an acid (like lactic or glycolic acid) or a retinol like Procyte's Retinol 30. We recommend alternating scrub, acid, scrub, acid....then you will never be bored. For your body, you have to try our N. Body pumice scrub...many years in the making, it will keep your body smooth and moisturized, without scratching your skin. It is so smooth, you can actually massage the scrub into your skin for increased skin cell turnover and increased exfoliation.

Happy New Year....2008 will be Great with Super Exfoliated Skin!

Julia's Holiday Expert Makeup Tips- In One Word Experiment

When it comes to makeup for everyday I like to enhance beauty that is already there by using key colors to bring out your best features. For example, this holiday, the copper eye liner from Jane Iredale is way HOT! I have been combining it with the Cloud Nine eyeshadow trio for a smoky metallic eye for the holiday. You don't need 5 shades to create a smoky look, plus with mineral make up, it will last all night.

Bringing out you best features is part of my job as a makeup expert. Why obsess over trying to change a perceived flaw when you have a great feature to bring out? Focus on the positive!

And get glowing....Allure magazine voted Jane Iredale's Moonglow Bronzer winner of Allure's 2007 Best of Beauty Award for Best Natural Wonder. It's made with 24 karat gold flakes and when I apply it all over, it gives a luminous, luster to holiday makeup. Added benefits are that it does not overshadow a smokey eye or hot red lips.

If you have the itch to experiment with different looks, the Holidays are here and that's a great time to play. Try that smokey eye or an alluring look from the 50's or 60's. Find the perfect shade of red for your lips and rock it! Just remember that you should only play up one feature at a time - either lips or eyes -- but not both at the same time.

Happy Makeup Holidays!
Come by and visit me soon ...don't forget my Holiday Tip...Experiment!
Julia Robinson, Expert Makeup Artist and Spa Concierge