brushing up...a quick guide to dry body brushing

Brush your hair, brush your teeth, brush your skin.  Yeah, add another brushing to your to-do list. I picked up a brush off of Amazon for around five dollars a while back.  Even though I keep it in the bath room I consistently forget to use it.  When I do though, I totally notice the difference.  If I kept it up on a regular basis I would probably see even more benefits.  Mostly I notice the circulation and exfoliation.  Better to do the dry brushing before a morning shower as it really seems to wake you up and leave you a little tingly. 

Equipment needed: Just a body brush, stiff but still flexible. 
The basics: Starting at your feet brush upward in circular strokes (toward the heart).  Then hop in your shower.  See, it's just a quick little addition to your morning routine.  After your shower make sure to moisturize, it's ideal to do when your skin is damp and pores are open.  

Interested in learning a little more?  Here you go:

• Benefits of Dry Body Brushing

• Why you should start dry body brushing

• How to Detox you Skin

Cheers my friends and don't forget your SPF even though it's December! 

Long Beach Trade Show

Boldijarre Koronczay (he's from Hungary) President
of Eminence Organics

How do I love a trade show? Let me count the ways...
1. Shopping and samples
2. Classes and demos

Yeah, technically it's not a lot list wise but multiply it into a convention center and you've really got something there.  Bonus: I won a raffle in one of the classes (a book, a shirt, and a box of detox tea), additional bonus: I got to test drive a treatment with The Contour Light (a magical machine that breaks down your fat cells and helps you to lose inches...a $100 value).

I watched some awesome demos of which I would love to continue my education in a little further down the road.  The first of which is a bamboo facial massage using warm bamboo.  The woman doing this demo had a lovely french accent and was so relaxing that I almost fell asleep watching the massage (in a nice way).  Today I watched a demo using Kansa wand as part of a facial massage and I sat there thinking "Man, I want to do this too!!".

Example of a Kansa Wand
 from Diamond Way Ayurveda

Which leads into the shopping...I gave myself a very small budget, but I splurged and bought some Eminence products anyway.  They just smell so lovely and work so hard to make their booth amazing.  They have demos at their booth all day and they give so much info.  I also picked up some brushes...you can't beat wholesale (I'm guessing) prices.

After visiting this year I was realizing that somewhere down the line I would like to teach Esthetics. I love taking classes and learning more and more about the skin care industry.  There is always something new, unfortunately in school the focus is mainly state board.  Don't get me wrong students need the state board stuff but there is so much more that I wish that I had been exposed to.




Links from the stuff I liked in Long Beach:
Diamond Way Ayurveda (Kansa Wand Face Massage)
Eminence Organics (Official Website)
Ageless Health / Dr. Rhonda Donahue (Healthy Living/Supplements/Contour Light)
M'lis (Detoxing and Body Wraps...I'll have a certification class in October)

A trip to Eden...(A Day Spa)

I love the idea of "detoxing".  Clearing out the bad so there is room for good.  The other day I tried a M'lis Detox Wrap at Luxe in Glendora.  Generally I go there for my cut and color needs (with Lisamarie).

The more I visit this salon, the more I like it.  This was my first trip to the Eden Day Spa side and I have to say that I was kind of amazed.  Past the hustle and bustle of the busy salon area there is a door in the back that leads to another door and into a quiet room.  A comfy couch and dim lighting it is a perfect spot to relax a little before you are led upstairs to one of three treatment rooms.

On with the show though.  My skin therapist today was Michelle, who was nice as could be.  We started with a quick scrub, a quick application of the M'lis Contour Body Cream and then I was all wrapped up with plastic.  I got real cozy for about 40 minutes and even dozed off for a few minutes.  The wrap was removed and I was on my way.  I don't know if I lost any inches, but I was for sure relaxed and smelling faintly of cinnamon. Overall it was a very positive experience and I would for sure visit again for other treatments! For a M'lis location near you click here.

How to get hot...or the time I got a heat wrap

Last Saturday I visited a little place in San Dimas, Infrared Body Wraps.  What a delightful experience!

It goes a little something like this:

1. Drink a lot of water before you go in, and wear long pants, long sleeves and socks
2. Hop on to the massage style bed into what looks like a giant sleeping bag
3. Pop your headphones on and catch up on some TV (Jaime got me started on Scandal)
4. Feel all warm and cozy for while (you start to sweat a bit toward the end)
5. Leave a little sweaty but so very relaxed!

I signed up for a set of 10 sessions...can't wait to go again this Saturday.  

While I don't know about all the claims...I'd like to think I left detoxified, burnt 1400 calories, and lost some inches...maybe that comes more with time.  Nine more sessions go though, we'll see.

Cheers all!

Check out the reviews on Yelp here.