Wednesday, June 26, 2013

The Benefits & Reasons Why You Should Get A Pedicure

Every one deserves to have clean, and well taken care of feet. The name pedicure comes from the Latin words pedis, which means "of the foot" and cura which means "care." A pedicure is a great way to relax, and be pampered. It is also a great way to keep your feet looking great, and feeling even better. Pedicures helps prevent many diseases and disorders of the nail, and can help to aid in healing other parts of your body. Here are some of the ways pedicures help your body and why they should be done every month.

Removing Dirt & Bacteria
Soaking your feet in a bath of warm water, and a combination of signature ingredients will help to remove any dirt,and sweat while loosening dead skin cells. It will also help to eliminate foot odors caused by being trapped in damp, warm socks or shoes. The warm water helps to increase blood flow, which will improve circulation to the feet and legs. By improving the circulation, you can help reduce any swelling you may have from walking on your feet all day. This is also the time that your feet will be examined by the professional, to see if there are any nail fungus or injuries that need to be addressed. Be sure to go to a licensed professional, and check out the foot baths. Whirl pool baths, can build up with bacteria and transmit foot fungus, like athletes foot, from person to person. It is best to go to a salon or spa that uses disposable liners. They are always fresh and clean for every client.

Your nails become dry and brittle from cold weather and wearing shoes for hours at a time. Properly cutting and filing the nails will help prevent breaking, splitting, can prevent irregular nail growth, and infections. Taking proper care of your cuticles by pushing them back and trimming hang nails, helps prevent infections on the nail, around the nail, and underneath the nail. If you neglect getting regular pedicures, it can result in infections, injuries, along with brittle nails.

Exfoliating Your Feet
Every pedicure has an exfoliation process. The exfoliation of the the skin removes any excess skin build-up, which helps prevent calluses. The exfoliation will also help to smooth calluses, which allows your body to create new skin growth. Getting your feet exfoliated, helps to allow your weight be distributed more evenly across your feet. This helps reduce leg, foot and back pain that can be from standing or walking for long periods of time, as well as improve balance.  It is recommended that athletes, especially runners, have a pedicure a week before a big game or race. 

Getting a Foot Massage
The foot and leg massage is one of the best parts of the pedicure. It allows your body to fully relax, while it works out your feet, which is the hardest working area of your body, and can even help promote healing in other parts of your body. The massage will get your blood circulating, which helps you to feel relaxed, increase blood flow to the heart, reduce pain, and help keep your body warm in cold months. Regular pedicures also help increase your bodies overall circulation. The massage goes into muscles and joints to help loosen and relieve tension. The reflexology massage in a pedicure can help to relieve pain in other parts of your body, such as the hips, and back. Your feet will then feel relaxed, fresh and clean.

Monthly pedicures are recommended to keep your feet healthier, which help to create a healthier body, and improve your quality of life. Pedicures help to increase your energy, relieve stress, and can even help improve a persons self-esteem. Stop in and get a pedicure done this month.

"It is said that you can judge a person by how clean there feet are. Invest a little time and money to take care of your feet, after all they are one of the most important parts of your body."


~aphrodite




Thursday, June 20, 2013

Beauty Rules That Should Be Broken

Some beauty rules can stand the test of time, but some do not always work. They are made to be broken or changed over time. Here are some of the beauty rules that should not be followed.

1. Blue eye shadow.
Blue eye shadow gives most women an 80's flash back, and they try to avoid it at all costs. Blue eye shadow when properly done can look great on any skin tone. If you have fair skin, pastel blue with a hint of gray will look great. On medium skin tones, go for a medium shade of blue, with a hint of glitter or shimmer to add that little extra touch. For dark skin tones, you can do rich, vibrant blues that really make a statement against dark skin. You can also do your shadow to go with your outfit. If you are wearing pastel blue, go for a darker blue on the eyes. If you are wearing a darker blue, go for a lighter blue on the eyes for an added contrast.


  The DO                                         
The DON'T

2. Bronzer is for summer only.
Bronzer is great to add a little more color to your skin especially in the summer when your skin is sun kissed. There is nothing wrong with wearing bronzer all year around. Keep it looking natural by using a bigger brush, and less of the bronzer. Apply on the bridge of your nose and cheek bones, then continue on to the ears and neck. Use mattes in the for a deeper color, and a shimmer in the duller months so your skin reflects more lights.

    The DO                                  
     The DON'T


3. Don't combine smokey eyes and bold lips.
Doing a smokey eye with a bold lip can be a big don't, unless done with the proper colors. First use a neutral color for the smokey eye, then add a deeper color for a less dramatic look. Avoid using black because it can over power your look. The best combinations for eyes and lips start  with a gray shadow. If you want a red lip, add berry, bronze or copper on your eyes to keep a warm feel. For a pink lip, use a darker blue shadow. And for a coral lip, pair it with an emerald green shadow. You will make a statement, and look classy for a night out.
             The DO                               
     The DON'T
                                                                                                

4. Match your foundation to your jawline.
Matching your foundation to your jawline is never a good idea. Your jawline is curved, so using it to match a foundation to causes foundation colors to be too dark. You want your foundation to match your skin tone so it doesn't look like you have make-up on. Use your chest to match the foundation to. Your chest and face get the same amount of sunlight,so the color won't be too dark or too light. Test out different brands and shades to find out which matches your skin tone and looks great.

 The DO                            
    The DON'T


5. Oils are bad for your skin.
Oily skin is caused by the skins over production of oil, so you tend to use products that dry the skin out. By using products that dry the skin out, your causing your skin to produce more oil. Use water and natural plant oil based products lightly on your skin. The water will keep your skin hydrated, while the plant oil will give your skin extra nutrients it is missing.

6. Blunt cuts are the only cuts you can do to add volume to fine hair.
If you have fine hair, getting a blunt haircut usually makes your hair denser. It is not the only cut that can give you added volume. If you get a haircut with shorter layers it will help to add volume. The shorter layers boost up the hair giving the illusion that you have fuller, thicker, healthier hair.


7.Only tweeze or wax underneath the brows.
To create an arch and give lift to your eyebrows, you remove hair from underneath the brow. By only doing the underneath, your brows look messy, and un-kept. To have your brows looking great, wax or tweeze the stray hairs on the top and bottoms of the eyebrows. Also be sure to get rid of any excess hair in between the brows as well. See a licensed professional so you can make sure that your eyebrows look neat and polished.

  The DO                                              
The DON'T



8. The brow diagram.
The eyebrow diagram was made to tell people who to perfectly shape there eyebrows, the problem is that not everyone's face is the same size with the same dimensions. You should start your eyebrows at the bridge of your nose, any farther apart and there would be a large gap between your eyebrows. The eyebrows arch should begin about 2/3's of the way into the brow. The end of your eyebrows should be at the same height as the start of your eyebrows. If you make them lower, your eyes will look droopy.

  The DO                                              
   The DON'T



9. You can use eye shadow to fill in your brows.
An eyebrow pencil or powder is used to fill in gaps on eyebrows or to make them appear fuller. Eye shadow is made so it is loose, and it is not water proof. Putting it on your brows can cause it to unevenly wear off. Instead, use an eyebrow pencil or brow powder to fill in your brows. Be sure to match the color up to the color of your eyebrows for a natural look, that will last all day long.

10. Glitter polish is for young girls only.
Glitter polish is a common thing worn by young girls, but it can be for any age. Glitter polish is currently in style, and can be changed to fit your style. If you don't want to go too overboard, use a more neutral color and a light glitter on top. Or you can do an accent nail on each hand with the full nail covered in glitter, and the rest of your nails in the color of your choice. If you are really into the glitter, you can have it on every nail. You can also do glitter in shellac.

    

11. Cutting your cuticles. Do or Don't?
Cutting your cuticles has been a big topic on whether you should or shouldn't for quite some time. If you are giving yourself a manicure, I would recommend that you don't. If you are getting a professional manicure than it is a do. Cutting the live skin around your nails is never a good thing. It can cause bleeding and pain. To properly take care of your cuticles, first apply oil or a cuticle remover to them. Then gently push the cuticle off of the nail. The majority of the dead skin should come off but some may still be on. Any access can be gently cut with nippers.

      The DO                                
    The DON'T




12. Only condition the ends of your hair and not the roots.
The rule says that if you condition your scalp, it will make your hair oilier. This is FALSE! By not conditioning your scalp, it leads to unhealthy hair. Healthy hair starts at the scalp. Your scalp needs nutrients from the conditioner to help the hair grow healthy, strong and to keep the scalp from being dry, flaky, and itchy. Be sure to continue taking good care of your hair by using heat protectors before styling, and weekly treatments if your color, curl or straighten your hair frequently. Go to a salon every 4-6 weeks to get regular trims as well.


This should help you take good care of yourself and keep you up on some of the biggest trends of the summer. Some rules are made to be broken and this were some of them. Try out a new trend and follow these tips for great hair, make-up, nails and eyebrows.

~aphrodite

Tuesday, June 11, 2013

Different Types of Massages and the Benefits of Getting a Massage

A good massage has more benefits then relieving stress, working out tired muscles, and helping the body relax, it also can improve the overall health of your body. All great massages increase blood flow and lymph circulation. Lymph is a fluid that helps to rid your body of toxins and waste. A massage is great for people of all ages. They can help to heal sports related injuries like sprains, or pulled muscles, help with headaches or migraines, promote healthy skin, improve your immune system, good for people with arthritis and even help enhance your metabolism. Massages also help improve sleeping habits, increase energy, reduce anxiety, as well as increase strength and flexibility. Here are some of the most common types of massages and the benefits of each one to help you decide which massage sounds the most helpful to you. 

1. Swedish Massage. A Swedish massage is the most common type of massage. It is offered just about every where and is a good massage to get if you have never had one before. The massage consists of long, smooth strokes, kneading, and circular movements on layers of the muscle. The Swedish massage will improve circulation and relieve muscle tension. It also helps clear waste and lactic acid which helps to reduce pain and stiffness in joints and muscles. The Swedish massage is a full body massage that starts on the back, working on the shoulders, arms, and legs, then flips you over to work on the front side of your legs, arms, and neck. It can be any where from 60 to 120 minutes. This is a great massage if you a looking to relax and if you have never had a massage before and are looking to try one.

2. Aromatherapy Massage. Aromatherapy massage combines the massage with essential oils for relieve of stress, headaches, pms, back pain, and some digestive disorders. The essential oils are used in the room to help relax the mind, and in the lotion or oil to relaxing the muscles, and joints. Different scents will be used to fit the specific needs of the client. The scents will be used to calm the body, uplift you, energize you, cleanse your body, and as decongestant. This massage is 60 to 90 minutes long. It is a great massage if you are in stressful environments or your prone to allergies or sinus headaches.

3. Hot Stone Massage. The hot stone massage is one of the most popular forms of massage. It is used to relieve muscle tension in specific areas of the body. The stones are immersed in water and heated. The client is first massaged with oil, so the stones smoothly glide across the skin. The client is them massaged over the arms, legs, and back with the use of hot stones. The heat from the stones helps improve circulation, while calming the nervous system. The heat will go deep into the muscles, to help relieve any tension and soreness. To relieve any excess tension or stress, the therapist will then massage without the use of stones, that way they can work deeper into a certain area. A typical hot stone massage is between 60 and 90 minutes. This is a great massage if you are physically active, or you have a lot of back pain.

4.Oncology Massage. An Oncology massage is a highly individualized massage treatment designed to comfort, nurture and support someone living with cancer. The massage can greatly help relieve some of the side effects related to the treatment phase. Nausea, pain, depression, fatigue, and anxiety can be lessened with regular massage. The Eastern massage incorporates warm stones, ayurvedic oils, marma points and specialized music to help support the organ systems affected by chemo and radiation. These massages are usually 45 minutes long, and are done by an oncology trained therapist. It is great for someone that has cancer or is newly in remission from cancer.

5. Deep Tissue Massage. The deep tissue massage focuses on slower and deeper movements in areas of pain. Deep tissue massage breaks down rigid tissue in muscles to relieve pain and restore movement. A deep tissue massage may cause some pain for people, because it works from deep inside the muscle outwards. Be sure to tell the therapist if you experience any pain. The massage will release toxins into your body, so drink plenty of water to flush any out. This massage is recommended for people who are in constant pain, have had a previous injury or that are athletes. It is too much for the average person. This massage is usually 30 to 90 minutes long. 

6. Pregnancy Massage. Pregnancy massage is not like other massages. It is designed specifically for pregnant women with the health and safety of them and there unborn child in mind. It is unsafe for a pregnant women to lay on there stomach, so they are propped up comfortably on there side with pillows and blankets. You can not use any deep tissue work, and you have to avoid certain areas of the body such as the stomach, . The massage can reduce stress, swelling of the body, and pain in your muscles that otherwise would not be relieved. The massage is concentrated mostly on the arms, neck shoulders, back, legs, and feet.The feet are the most important part because they are caring the majority of the bodies weight and stress. The massage is found very comforting by most pregnant women, and the touch from the massage itself can help reduce anxiety. Avoid the massage if you are in your first trimester of pregnancy. The massage lasts from 30 to 90 minutes.  

7. Reiki Massage. Reiki is a Japanese technique for stress reduction and relaxation that also promotes healing. Reiki treats the whole person including body, emotions, mind, and spirit. In this form of energy healing, hands are placed just off the body or lightly touching the boy, as in "lying on of hands." Disrobing is not required. Reiki massage uses life's energy force to tell if your energy force is high or low in your body. If it is low, you are more likely to get sick and feel stress. If it is high, you are more capable of being happy and healthy. This massage does not involve actual massaging. It is used to reduce stress, and promote relaxation and healing. This takes usually 30 to 45 minutes.

8. Reflexology. In reflexology, you apply pressure points that correspond to organs in your body. The tips of your toes and the ball of your foot correspond with your heart, the arch of your foot are with the liver, pancreas, and kidneys, while the heel  is with the lower back and intestines. The whole massage is a combination of stretching, pressure points, and a Swedish massage that helps balance the nervous system, help reduce pain and stress, promotes relaxation and encourages overall healing. A reflexology massage is usually 15-30 minutes, and is considered an add on service. If you go to a good spa, the pedicures massage is normally a shorter version of a reflexology. This is a great massage for relaxation, and if you are on your feet a lot at work.

9. Sports Massage. A sports massage is for anyone that is physically active. The goal is to help prevent injuries as well as treating injuries and enhancing the performance of muscles. The massage is a combination of a Swedish massage, and lots of stretching techniques. This will help loosen muscles and increase overall flexibility by focusing on areas that are overused and stressed. A sport's massage doesn't have to be just for athletes, it is great for people who have a specific injury or problem that they want the therapist to focus on. This massage can be anywhere from 15 to 60 minutes. 

10. Lymphatic Massage. Lymphatic massage is a form of very light massage that encourages lymph flow to the body. It is particularly good for detoxification, edema, pre and post op plastic surgery, pre and post op any other form of surgery, and post liposuction. Lymphatic massage consists of circular pumping movements, producing a soothing and relaxing effect. The massage can help your bodies overall health, and help its ability to heal. The massage is normally 60 minutes long. 

11. Back Massage. A back massage focuses on relieving back pain. The massage can be deeper or lighter depending on your pain tolerance. It may also include a neck and shoulder massage. The back massage focuses on relieving pain and tension from everyday life. A back massage will increase the overall circulation, helps with healing, can help improve sleep, relieve stiffness, improve flexibility, and relax the body and mind.  A neck and shoulder massage helps relieve tension and help reduce migraine pain. This massage is normally 30 to 45 minutes long.

These are some of the most popular types of massages. They are not all offered everywhere, and are done by trained professionals only. To improve your overall health and well being, you should get a massage at least once a month, more if you can afford it. You will notice a lot less pain in your body, a better ability to focus, and hopefully less stress. Treat your body and mind by booking a massage today.

~aphrodite

Friday, June 7, 2013

The Benefits of Having a Facial and More!

Having beautiful skin and keeping it beautiful is something every women dreams of. Getting beautiful skin is not easier but it can be done by getting facials on a monthly basis. Just getting a facial is not enough, you have to take care of your skin on a daily basis and this doesn't mean washing your face with soap and water. Here are some great benefits from getting facials, different types of facials, how to take care of your skin in-between facials, and some of the things your skin need everyday.

Why People Get Facials.

People get facials for the relaxation feeling or for the improvement of the skins overall look. A facial is a great way to be pampered and relax. A facial is used to remove dead skin cell build up that clogs pores, and give skin a more youthful glow.

The Facial Process.

There are many different types of facials in the world. Each facial helps solve a specific skin problem. All facials consist of a cleansing process, exfoliation process, a masking process, and the finishing process. Other facials can include peels, paraffin, foot massages, and extractions. Each are done differently by different aestheticians. The cleansing process is the first process and it is done twice. The 1st cleanse is to remove excess make-up, dirt and oil from your face, neck, and chest. The 2nd cleanse is usually done with steam. It is done with steam because stem opens your pores allowing the cleanser to get deep inside, and bring the dirt out.

Next is the exfoliation process. The exfoliation process is the most important part of the facial. The exfoliation process is done by having the steam still running and adding massaging a scrub on your face, neck, and chest. The exfoliant goes into the pores to remove dead skin cell build-up, and any dry skin on your body. While the scrub is on the skin, a hot towel will gently be wrapped on your face, leaving your mouth and nose exposed, and the steam turned off. After the towel begins to cool, the excess scrub is removed.


The 3rd process is the masking. The masking is done to help tighten up skin, for deep cleansing in the pores, or to help heal and refresh your face. The facial mask normally turns to more of a solid while on your face. The amount of time it is left on is determined by the aesthetician. While the facial mask is on, a neck and shoulder massage is performed. This allows time for the mask to work. A hot towel will be placed on top of the mask, and used to remove the mask. 


After the mask has been removed a toner will be applied to your face. A toner is used to help balance your skins ph levels, and shrink down the size of your pores. After the toner is applied, the final step is to apply a light amount of moisturizer. The moisturizer will help to keep your skin hydrated, and keep it from becoming to dry. Your facial is now complete.


Different Types of Facials.

The most standard form of facials are European and mini facials. A mini facial is shorter version of a European facial except there are no extractions. They are great facials to take care of basic skin needs. If you are looking for something specific you can try an anti-aging facial, or problem skin facial. Both facials are 90 mins and target specific skin needs. The anti-aging facial is great if you want something that is going to give you a more youthful glow. It includes an eye treatment, that helps reduce fine lines and wrinkles around the eyes. The problem skin facial is good for people who experience lots of breakouts. It helps target the source of the breakouts, and deeply clean out your pores with multiple cleansing treatments. If you feel like your face isn't the only place that is breaking out, you can get a back facial. A back facial is a deep cleansing scrub, paired with a purifying mask that will rejuvenate your skin.

How to Take Care of Your Skin at Home.

Two easy things you can do to keep your skin looking good by drinking lots of water and getting plenty of sleep. By drinking plenty of water, your skin will stay hydrated and will be less likely of becoming dry. Getting at least 8 hours of sleep a night can keep your skin from looking tired and distressed. To get the best looking skin, establish a skin care routine for every morning and every night. Before you touch your face, be sure to wash your hands. Start by damping your face with warm water, and begin cleansing with a mild cleanser. Use your hands to work the cleanser in. Rinse your face with warm water and a gentle sponge. Once a week you should use an exfoliating scrub on your face. It will give your skin the soft, smooth appearance. Let face dry for a few minutes, then spray toner on cotton and gently dab your face. Follow up with a moisturizer for your skin type. By following this routine you will help keep your skin looking great in between spa visits. You should still go get a facial at least once a month. 

Follow these steps and continue to get your facials, to have great looking skin everyday. 


~aphrodite