Did you have a restful sleep last night? 
Most of us don’t and have experienced the next-day consequences of sleep loss. 
You know what I am talking about.  Your body drags and your skin sags.
You can’t think straight and focus on your work.  Your creativity is dulled, and you feel grumpy and clumsy. 

More than any designer moisturizer or spa products, a solid restful sleep does wonders not only for your complexion but for the health and well-being of your body, mind, and soul.  Sleep is the number one overnight rejuvenator.  Here are some simple steps to get you that restful slumber.

Stay away from Sleep Stealers
*Exercise early – Avoid doing it too close to bedtime
*Avoid large meals and alcohol within 6 hours of bedtime
*Avoid caffeine in the evening – Have your Cup of Joe before mid afternoon
*Power naps – Keep daytime nap under 15 minutes
*Do the To-Do list – Prepares the day ahead, leave worries behind

Power down & unwind
*Log off, Text off, Twitter off – Put your Blackberry to rest, shut off other technology including the TV few hours before bedtime
*Take a nice soak – A warm bath with Lavender Herbal Bath Powder before bedtime puts you in a relaxing state
*Mediation – Clears your mind, relaxes your body
*Have a cup of chamomile tea – Grandma is right about its tranquilizing effects
*Keep cool – Set your bedroom around 65F.  Leave it dark and quiet, and cover light sources such as clock radio, or phones.
*Cover Up – wear Sleep mask to shield off light
*Lavender Aromatherapy – spritz on your pillow case, or keep a lavender sachet by your bedside, this soothing scent relaxes your senses and lulls you to sleep

Enjoy & Good Night!

Source:  photo credit from Getty Image

Yes, it’s as amazing as they said about the Blue Lagoon – Iceland’s famous geothermal spa, 40mins from Reykjavik which I had an opportunity to visit.  This unique pool of seawater heated in the middle of a moss-covered lava field is probably one of the most visited places in Iceland. 

After a shower in the communal shower, I entered the lagoon and could see the surrounding filled with black lava rocks, covered with steam rising from the waters.  Stunning and surreal!

There it was, I slipped into the pool of milky, blue-green seawater, with the steamy air in front of my eyes. I found myself floating in the water with that weightless sensation.  The contents of the water are rich in minerals like algae, salts, sulfur and silica that are beneficial for psoriasis, eczema, and joint & muscle pains.

My feet sinked slowly into a bed of white silica mud – we were told that this strange paste-like mineral is a great skin softener.  Without hesitations, many of us grabbed a handful and smeared on our faces and bodies.  The mud gently cleanses and exfoliates the skin, while the algae revitalizes you.
What a great way to enjoy a spa-treatment. We felt our stress slowly melting away and all senses relaxed.

The waters in this basin are a constant temperature of 110 degrees F. Known for its special properties and beneficial effect on the skin, no wonder the Blue Lagoon has attracted many visitors around the world in search for health, relaxation and an exotic experience.  

Head out for this unique ‘Spa treatment’ and don’t forget to pick up a few spa and bath products from the gift shop.

New Year, new healthy you!
If you haven’t gotten one yet, let’s set up a wellness plan for better health and spirit.  Feeling aches and sore muscles from hard work or stress?  It’s time to prescribe yourself a massage therapy. 

Most of us feel that this is an indulgence.  In truth, I believe that a good massage is a necessity and try to schedule for monthly treatment can do wonders to our well-being.  Besides, releasing the suppressed anxiety and tension, massages can help to get rid of toxins from our bodies.  Our lymph system is responsible for carrying metabolic waste away from our cells which oftentimes get backed up.  During a massage session, the lymph is loosened, allowing these toxins to move more freely through and out of our bodies.  Essential oils or lotion can be added as aromatherapy spa treatments during the massage session – Lavender to calm & relax,  Peppermint or Citrus to energize. 

Below are some of the popular massage treatments at your local day-spa salons.

*Shiatsu:  Traditional Japanese hands-on therapy literally means ‘finger pressure’.  The practitioners massage specific parts of your body (energy meridians) by using their fingers, palm, and elbows and apply pressure to correct the imbalances of the body.

*Swedish:  A classic massage technique style.  The body will be kneaded, rubbed, and stroked with your desirable pressure – helps to relax muscles, release tension, and stimulate blood flow through the lymphatic system.  Swedish massage has shown to be helpful in reducing pain, joint stiffness, and improving poor circulation.  Adding essential oils to this massage is perfect for spa aromatherapy.

*Stone:  The massage therapist uses cold or water-heated stones (river stones that are smooth and polished) to apply pressure and heat to your body. Sometimes, the stones are coated with oil to deliver various massaging strokes.  The therapist places these stones along your back which help to retain heat- then deeply penetrates into the muscles and releases tension.  You can also enjoy the benefits of Heat Therapy with various spa products such as Heated Aromatherapy Neck Pillow, Spa Slippers, or Spa Mittens for sore neck, hands and feet.

*Deep-Tissue:  Designed to relieve severe tension in the muscle and focuses on the muscles located below the surface of the top muscles.  This techique takes a more aggressive approach by applying intense pressure to the body which you should discuss with your therapist first.  It is often recommended for individuals who experience consistent pain, are involved in heavy physical activity, such as athletes, and patients who have sustained physical injury.

*Thai:  This massage originated in India and is based on Ayurveda and yoga.  Combining massage with Yoga-like positions are used for this treatment. Some therapists emphasizes stretching for the northern style, while acupressure is used more often for the southern style.

*Reflexology:  Based on the Asian principle that there are reflexes in our feet correspond to every part, gland and organ of our body.  Applying pressure to these points help to relieve tension, improves circulation and promotes the natural function of the related areas of the body.  Most of us can feel a bounce to your feet afterwards.

So, stop feeling guilty and book a massage today.

Resource/ Image:  Wikipedia

Try these simple spa steps when you are traveling.  DIY spa bath products for easy spa treatments.

1)  sleeping eye mask – shield off light for a good night sleep or power nap

2)  few green tea bags – simmer in hot water, cool down and use as compress to get rid of puffy eyes

3)  few packs of sugar – add few drops of water to create a facial/ hand/ feet scrub

4)  travel size essential oil set – create your own aromatherapy spa:  lavender for relaxation, eucalyptus or citrus to rejuvenate, enhance breathing and relieve sinus pain.

5)  facial mist – hydrate your skin (DIY) mix the appropriate essential oil with water for simple beauty skincare

6)  golf ball – place under your feet, roll on pressure points to reduce sore muscle aches

7)  spa slippers – relax tired feet

8)  cotton gloves – cover moisturized hands overnight for soft skin

8)  pillow mist – (DIY) mix lavender essential oil with water – spritz on pillow before bedtime

9)  your favorite relaxation music CD

Ooh baby, it’s cold out there!

For those who live in the Northeast region like me can relate. Taking a stroll through the snowy lanes or out and about with winter sports can be great fun, but we still have to deal with what the harsh winter weather do to our skin.  The best winter skin care is mainly to keep your skin hydrated.  Cutting down on the extreme cleansing rituals avoid stripping the natural oils from you skin which act as a protective barrier.  Try switching to all-natural cleansers as well as using calming ingredients such as lavender, chamomile or oatmeal.  Floral water is also great for face toner.

By the time we get home, we are so tempted to take a long hot shower and it turns out that this is a big no-no for our skin.  Instead, use warm water and limit your shower time to 5 minutes or so.  Pat dry your skin with towel and immediately moisturize with a rich body cream or lotion to lock in the moisture. 

Some of my favorites are:  Kiehl’s Deluxe Hand & Body Lotion with Aloe Vera & Oatmeal, Mediterranean Spa’s Avocado Oil Body Butter, and Angels’ Spa’s Restoring Body Cream with Extra Dark Chocolate.  These spa-body products and beauty skincare are packed with rich ingredients which help to nourish and soften your skin from top to toe, perfect for the winter time. 

There are plenty of home-spa treatments to combat dry winter skin.  Try this simple remedy of soothing face bath from Barbara Close  of Naturopathica Holistic Health ‘The high concentrations of salicylic acid in oats can calm aggravated skin conditions and will relieve itching from dermatitis. Oat milk is deeply emollient to the face, leaving the skin soft and moisturized.’

Here’s how to make your own ‘Soothing Oat Milk Face Bath’

1/2 cup of oats
washcloth
 
*Place the oats in a washcloth and fasten closed with a rubber band.
*Fill bathroom sink with hot water
*Soak the washcloth for 5 minutes
*Squeeze washcloth several times to release oat milk and apply to your face as a compress.
*As the water cools, splash the oat water onto you face for soft, silky skin

So long dry,cracked skin!
Enjoy the benefits of beautiful soft skin, and the new glowing you.

It’s a new year, with a new you…but most of us are still stressful after the holidays…all with different reasons.  So, are you doing something to lower your stress?  Take a break from the office or housework when necessary, whether you prefer to go out for a nice brisk walk; join a Yoga class by yourself or with a friend, I found that having some quiet time to relax at the end of the day can also be helpful.  At Cozy Petal, we offer pampering spa bath products, and spa gifts to refresh, and recharge your senses. 

*Have a great relaxing soak – you tub is your friend!

Fill your bathtub with Dresdner Essenz’s aromatic Bath Powder.  They combined pure essential oils with other nurturing ingredients.  Pamper yourself with a luxurious and relaxing bath to lower your stress at the end of the day.
*Shower your stress away – start the day right!

Refresh yourself with Dolce Tentazione Shower Gel of Italy.  Enjoy their fun, youthful shower gel collections filled with wonderful citrus scent of grapefruit that can energize you through the day.  The aromatic of chocolate and coconut scents filled the air when you shower.  Lift your spirit and enhance your mood all day long!

*Wrap yourself in luxury – because you deserve it!

Nothing like wrapping yourself in a our supremely soft plush, Luxury Spa Robe for a relaxing evening or lazy weekend.  Each spa robe comes with a pretty sachet bag which filled with heavenly scented lavender.  Let this aromatherapeutic herbs relax your senses.  The benefits of lavender can ease stress, improves breathing and circulation which makes this spa robe with aromatherapy concept a must-have!

Start the new year right.  Get pampered!  Get relaxed!

Are you all stressed out during the holiday season?  With all that running around,  shopping, cooking and baking – we all bound to get more exhausted during the months of Novemeber and December every year – not to mention all the other holidays before and after.

Arguably, everyone in the entire world is under stress of some sorts.  Aromatherapy comes to my rescue.  Oftentimes, I reach out to natural remedies for relaxation.  One of my favorites is Lavender oil.  It soothes me, and lulls me for a good night sleep.  Essential oils are extracts from plants that have a beneficial effect on stress relief – particular oils have therapeutic properties that produce calming effect and decrease stress level.  Shown by research, the essentials oils stimulate the powerful sense of smell and part of our brain that affects our emotions, encourage feelings of relaxation, raising mood, or reducing anxiety to alleviate stress.  Below are some of the best oils to combat various types of stress. 

For mental stress:  Lavender, Basil, Grapefruit, Patchouli, Cardamom, Sandalwood, Geranium

For emotional stress:  Sandalwood, Geranium, Rose, Bergamot, Palma Rosa, Vetiver

For physical stress:  Rosemary, Lavender, Thyme, Marjarom, Chamomile Roman, Bergamot, Geranium

Try some of these aromatherapy ideas for relaxation today.

*Select the essential oils according to your needs

*Prepare a nice hot bath – add a few drops of appropriate oils

*Play your favorite relaxing music CD

*Light an aromatherapy candle – be sure to get good quality candles that give off the purest scent

*Diffusers – great option to replace candles if you prefer:  creates a soothing and relaxing mood

*Body products – rub on your body along with a massage if possible, or dab a few drops of skin-safe essential oils on pulse points

Essential oils are not meant to replace your regular medication if serious illness occurs.  Most aromatherapy oils are fairly safe, but please make sure to check if you have any allergy before using.

Go ahead, enjoy your holidays and get relaxed with aromatherapy to reduce seasonal stress.

Source:  Natural Stress Reducers, Aroma Cures

Whenever I head out to California, I often tried to make time for an afternoon at the spa.  Like many Day Spas in other regions of the nation, there are plenty of holistic spas to choose from at the west coat.  Somehow, I do feel that California has the most offerings… perhaps due to their healthier lifestyle.

Any quintessential California health and wellness retreat includes the pleasures of the spa, they breathe new life into that celebrated tradition. Morado, the spa at Borrego Ranch Resort is a beautifully appointed retreat where guests can spend their days indulging in an array of pampering and holistic therapeutic spa treatments. From body-centered massages, soaks and scrubs, to acupuncture and herbal medicine, Morado offers a wide variety of options, ranging from the traditional to the delightfully unexpected…it seems that I might have to try them out myself.  For those who did, feel free to drop your comments here.

Happy Spa Hunting!

JERSEY CITY, N.J.– At the end of a stressful day, we all need a way to relax and feel pampered, especially during the holiday season.  Cozy Petal is an eBoutique that provides their customers with a luxurious and soothing feeling through their spa inspired products and loungewear at their online Spa Gift Shop.  With this holiday season,  there are plenty to choose from their unique Spa & Bath Gift Baskets such as Peaceful Rose,  Happy Feet, French Indulgence, or Calm & Relax.  Send someone you care or reward that hard working individual in your life with these special pampering- bath gifts for any occasion.  Cozy Petal also offers a variety of unique spa-themed gifts for teen girls’ sleepover, and bridal shower parties.

“With the daily stress of women, my company offers them a guilt-free way to relax with the home-spa experience. Cozy Petal also focuses on wellness life style by offering natural and organic products,” says Founder, Ellen Lau Zarrell. ”I feel that there is a way for women to lounge around in a stylish, fashionable way. I call our lounge-wear ‘Lounge-Around-Wear’ which are versatile to be worn at home and when going out.”

Now you can simply surf on Cozy Petal, and find exciting gift packages that create an experience to remember. Whether it’s an in-home Spa Gift Basket or Luxury Robe, Cozy Petal has perfect ideas for that special someone in your life. On top of treating someone you love to an unforgettable gift, you will be giving them the chance to transform themselves into an oasis of tranquility where they can escape and rejuvenate while turning their home into the ultimate day spa. Perfect alone, or hold a Spa Party.

Gift givers can select from an array of products that say “You deserve it” including; Luxury Spa and Bath products, Spa and Bridal Shower Gifts, Luxury Style Spa Robes, Spa Sleep Masks, Spa Slippers, Aromatherapy products such as Chocolate Scented Neck Pillow and Shower Gel. Fashionistas can also personalize their own Rhinestone (Bling Bling) Spa Flip-Flops.

Cozy Petal also carries a beautiful selection of intimate apparel, sleepwear, lounge-wear and accessories. Products can be purchased online at www.CozyPetal.com which carries many leading brands of spa and bath product lines that can help you relax, revitalize your heart & soul and rejuvenate your senses.

Watch a loved one’s eyes light up, surprise that special someone and reward that hard working individual in your life from Cozy Petal. Our gifts provide your loved ones with amazing lasting memories.

Cozy Petal maintains a focused vision of excellence, taking pride in its dedication to its customers by offering the best quality merchandise.

Holiday special is offered to Cozy Petal customers.  Simply enter code HOLSALE at Checkout for the entire month of December 2009.

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V Spa at the Hilton Anatole Hotel in Dallas is offering festive flavors for their Holiday Spa Treatment Menu.  Located just outside of downtown Dallas, the 45-acre Hilton Anatole Hotel offers gracious Texas hospitality with modern elegance.  The wellness complex is also home to the Zen-inspired V-Spa. 

Their luxurious holiday spa treatments of chocolates and peppermint are a simple way to help reduce stress, focus energy, uplift spirits, reduce anxiety or just relax and enjoy this special time of year.

Chocolate is beneficial for the skin because of its high content of cocoa butter, which is a natural skin softner and conditioner.  The antioxidants prevent free radical damage to skin and protect its natural elasticity.  Chocolate also contains caffeine which can stimulate circulation and give skin a healthy glow.  If you around Dallas for the holidays, try out these spa treatments and get a little pampering at V Spa.

Resource:  Spa Finder