DIY Lavender Chamomile Scrub Beats the Winter Skin Blues

There’s so much to love about this time of year……snow angels, hot chocolate, and cozy blankets to name a few. But on the flip, winter is so unkind to our beauty routines.

Winter doesn’t care that we’ve spent the summer growing strong healthy nails, pampering baby soft skin and conditioning tresses to perfection. It bolts in & zaps every ounce of moisture from our skin leaving dry, flaky trails in its white cloudy wake.

So what’s a girl to do, stay inside & hibernate?

Fortunately, there are options, like this fabulous but simple DIY recipe, courtesy of our friends at the popular SkA:nÁ Spa in upstate New York.

I absolutely love the idea of an award-winning spa offering easy DIY recipes! SkA:nA’ spa has received multiple awards from Spa Finder & they’re offering a wonderful recipe using ingredients we all have on hand. Save money. Save time. Awesome results!

I tried it, and let me tell you… my skin felt great after my shower. Softer, smoother and not the least bit irritated. 

Here’s what you’ll need:

• 1 cup Almond Oil
• 10 drops Chamomile Essential Oil
• 20 drops Lavender Essential Oil
• ½ cup Baking Soda
• 2 cups Epsom Salt
• 1 cup Sea Salt

Here’s what you’ll do:

Stir all ingredients together in a mixing bowl. Once the mixture has a gritty consistency…. more yummy granita than rough abrasive…. you’re ready to go. Apply it in the shower, rubbing directly onto your skin, then rinse with warm water. Viola, say hello to soft & smooth skin!

You can safely store this scrub in your refrigerator for one week, so use it often to take advantage of its amazing moisturizing and exfoliating benefits. Be sure to store it in an airtight container. I plan to keep it in the fridge & scoop a few tablespoons into a small black plastic container when I’m ready to use it. After a week, simply whip up another batch. Keep it on hand all year to feel rejuvenated and refreshed no matter what the weather!

Thanks SkA:nA’!

 

And if you’re near Verona, New York or have plans to travel there anytime soon, you should stop in for a pampering treat…. find out more here.

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My thoughts on mentoring…..

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The other day, I read an interesting thread on a professional skincare forum about mentoring. A professional esthetician posed a question and her concerns about mentoring. Her daughter’s friend is a newly licensed esty and (anxious to work) asked if she could “do anything” to help out in order to learn more about the industry. They reside in a small town already saturated with estheticians, and she is feeling protective of her business and “all the years she’s put into her education and twenty-year career”, so she asked for input from other working estheticians on how to handle the matter.

I was surprised by the responses to her post and there were several, all overwhelmingly in agreement that she do one or all of the following:

• have the newbie sign a waiver of some sort
• teach her but charge an hourly fee and make her bring her own models and supplies
• train her for the hours/days you don’t work and charge her a percentage

While I think it’s somewhat difficult for an unemployed esthetician to pay for mentoring when they’re probably not making any money as it is, hence the reason she offered to “do anything”, what surprised me most of all, was the mean-girl approach to the question. The responses were negative and defensive, so I had to chime in with my two-cents:

I’m new to the board & a newly licensed esthetician. I’m currently mentoring at a local medical spa, as that is the field I’m eager to break into but my education didn’t cover the area in great detail and required an extra 5k for an additional three weeks schooling at a medical esthetics partnership school across town. The medical spa isn’t charging me anything for the opportunity and I’m learning about laser hair removal, skin resurfacing, IPL, peels, etc. I’m not the only newly licensed esthetician mentoring there as they have also allowed current students and recent graduates to mentor as well. The lead esthetician has seven years experience and an extensive background in anatomy, physics and chemistry. She’s not worried by any means about us taking any of her clients nor should she, she’s a wealth of knowledge and experience and has her own unique way of doing things. As someone with 15 years experience in customer service, project management, corporate employee development and social media marketing, I have offered my services to the spa in exchange & I love paying it forward. I find it comes back to me tenfold. And I find it helps you grow both professionally and emotionally, it can be quite rewarding. Oftentimes, we think we’re “protecting” our brand by not helping others but it can actually be more stifling than beneficial. Besides, if someone is mentoring, they shouldn’t be touching your clients or actually doing your job but learning and observing. If fear prevents you from extending yourself that much, then I would advise against doing it but also self-assess your talents and abilities to determine why you feel what you bring to the table is valued so little that anyone can take it & run…… this business of touch goes far beyond a business. Just a thought.

I’ve had no responses to my post as the conversation has come to a stand-still, so either I killed the “us against them” mentality in the forum or no one else has anything to add. It really surprised me that a twenty-year esthetics veteran would be so threatened by the prospect of mentoring.

As my corporate career progressed and more opportunities/responsibilities came to me, I was called upon many times to train and mentor new and existing employees and ultimately entire departments consisting of 50+ employees, and not once did I withhold my knowledge and experience for fear they would somehow exceed my ability or negatively impact my progression. If anything, their success only exemplified my skills thereby further advancing my exposure and performance reliability. If they sparkled, I shined, as the solid rapport built by the interaction resulted in their praising me for teaching them what they know. Reputations are often built on word-of-mouth advertising and I benefited from that many times.

Being on the defensive is not how you build a lasting impression in corporate america or any profession for that matter. And if you’ve been at your job for twenty years, you’ve certainly amassed a wealth of knowledge, clientele and skills that can’t be absorbed by an industry newbie in the time it takes to mentor her, just doesn’t make sense.

So, that’s my take on the mentoring angle. If you can find a secure and reputable environment willing to mentor you, go for it! And hopefully, you will be in the position to pay it forward one day, remember, it’s hard being new at anything.

If you got it, share it.

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Green Valley Spa, St. George, Utah

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I love discovering new spas & finding out about places to add to my “Spa Wish List”. I read up on this place awhile back & while I’m not exactly the rustic type, the fact that it’s garnered so many awards has me curious so let’s check out the Green Valley Spa.

“Green Valley has been described as the “best mid-sized spa in America” (by Spa Finder Magazine), “among the best spas in North America” (by Conde Nast Traveler), and one of the Top-3 spas in the world (by Travel & Leisure).”

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Despite their “breathtaking hikes” and “adventures through the surrounding Red Rock Canyon country”, I’m sure I’d probably start my stay with a massage, which is a good thing because they also have a “world-famous spa”, sooo right up my alley.

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Now I’ve never been to Utah but knowing they have the only 4-diamond accommodations in southern Utah, doesn’t really surprise me. Should it? I just don’t imagine much luxurious living going on there. I envision it as an ideal camping ground more so than a suite-filled hot-spot for celebrities.

I must add that I like the ease & simplicity of their website, it’s nice & simple while still showcasing the spa beautifully. Little things like that mean a lot plus their pretty open with the prices. Some spas make you call for everything little thing & if you’ve been reading my blog, you know how much I detest the “sales pitch“.

I especially love this tid-bit of inviting presentation:

“Whether you want to get away from it all, change your life, lose weight with our Fast Track Weight Loss Program, recover from stress with our Stress Recovery Program, or just enjoy a rejuvenating overnight stay, we have the perfect Green Valley experience – just for you.“

Sounds divine! I love a spa with options & for some reason, weight loss programs are so appealing to me. Hmmm, maybe because I could stand to lose some weight…ah, yes, that’s it.

You can choose from their all-inclusive spa packages or stand alone overnight accommodations. I’m interested in their spa packages:

Four Choices:

2 for 1 (14 Night Flexible Package)

The 14 Night Flexible Package includes:

• One spa treatment per person/night at $80 per treatment.
• 4 Diamond Accommodations in a 750 sq. ft. Junior Suite.
• Three delicious and nutritious meals per day plus healthy snacks.
• Daily guided hikes in spectacular desert locals.
• Unlimited fitness classes including yoga, tai chi, and stretch.
• Use of resort facilities including indoor and outdoor pools, fitness equipment, and tennis courts.
• In-room Wireless Internet access.
• Healthy Lifestyle workshops.

Single Occupancy: $428 per person/night plus 15% tax and resort fees. Treatments are not taxed.

Double Occupancy: $403 per person/night plus 15% tax and resort fees. Treatments are not taxed.

The total price includes a 50% discount from the regular price of $670 double occupancy and $695 single occupancy in a 750 square foot Junior Suite.

Junior Suite

Junior Suite

Junior Suite

Junior Suite

Junior Suite

Rejuvenation Package (1-13 Nights)

The Rejuvenation Package includes all of the above just different room rates & fewer nights, of course:

Single Occupancy: $497 per person/night plus 15% tax and resort fees. Treatments are not taxed.

Double Occupancy: $472 per person/night plus 15% tax and resort fees. Treatments are not taxed.

The total price includes a 40% discount from the regular price of $670 double occupancy and $695 single occupancy in a 750 square foot Junior Suite.

Bed and Breakfast

Includes one $10 coupon redeemable per person per night (maximum 2 per night/room) toward breakfast, one $10 coupon per room/stay redeemable toward any Good Medicine products. Treatments may be added for $120 per treatment.

	Junior Suite	Grand Suite	Presidential Suite
Per room/night (up to 2 people) Weekdays	$149	$299	$449
Per room/night (up to 2 people) Weekends	$169	$329	$469

Rate is per room in a luxurious 750 square foot Junior Suite, a 1500 square foot Grand Suite, or a 3000 square foot Presidential Suite. 15% tax and resort fee not included in price. Weekends are Thursday through Saturday.

Does not include meals, hikes, lectures, fitness classes, or a spa robe. Guests on the Bed and Breakfast package can purchase lunch for $20, dinner for $40, or both for $50 per day.

Add a Fitness Program which adds access to hikes, lectures, and fitness classes to your Bed and Breakfast stay for $200 per person/night.

Add a luxury spa experience to your Bed and Breakfast Package for $10 per person/room, includes a spa robe for the duration of your stay and $10 off coupon per person per night toward the purchase of a spa treatment of choice.

Grand Suite

Grand Suite

Grand Suite

Grand Suite

Grand Suite

Grand Suite Living Room

Grand Suite Living Room

Grand Suite Living Room

Grand Suite Dining Room

Grand Suite Bedroom

Grand Suite Bathroom

Bed and Breakfast Plus Tennis Instruction

Tennis Instruction is available for guests at $160 per person per day, or $190 per person per day for those who are not staying at Green Valley Spa.

	Junior Suite w/ Tennis	Grand Suite w/ Tennis	Presidential Suite w/ Tennis
Per person (Single) Weekdays	$309	$459	$609
Per person (Single) Weekends	$329	$489	$629

Rate is per person in a luxurious 750 square foot Junior Suite. Call for Double Occupancy rates with Tennis. 15% tax and resort fee not included in price. Weekends are Thursday through Saturday.

Does not include meals, hikes, lectures, fitness classes, or a spa robe. Guests on the Bed and Breakfast package can purchase lunch for $20, dinner for $40, or both for $50 per day.

Spa robes available for $10 per person per stay.

Presidential Suite

Presidential Suite

Presidential Suite

Presidential Suite

Presidential Suite

Presidential Suite

Presidential Suite

Presidential Suite

Presidential Suite

Presidential Suite

Presidential Suite

Boy, a stay at this mid-size spa is certainly on the pricey side! Considering I’m a bit of a frugal spa snob who really wants her monies worth, I’d probably opt for a more spa-like locale in that case. But the weight-loss option might be a better choice seeing how the results are “guaranteed”:

Fast Track Weight Loss

3 Week Weight Loss Package

Green Valley Spa has been helping people lose weight, get fit, and make healthy lifestyle choices for 22 years. Their professional team of instructors, therapists, chefs, and dietitians have made Green Valley one of the top destinations to lose weight.

                                                                                     Oooh, this sounds good!

The Fast Track Weight Loss Program has been Green Valley’s most successful and popular weight loss program to date. Supervised by their knowledgeable medical, therapist, fitness, and culinary staff, you are guaranteed* to lose fat and inches faster than any other diet program.

Participants on this program lose at least 5 lbs. per week, and up to 1 lb. per day! Not only that, but since the program is designed to reset your metabolism, you will not gain the weight back!

Say what!!

Program Includes

• Body composition analysis with BodPod™ at the beginning and completion of your program.
• Medical assessment
• Blood tests (CRP, Thyroid, Hormone levels)
• Cooking and nutrition classes
• Daily consultation and weighing
• Private counseling session with Dr. Sid Young, PhD
• Private consultation with Dr. Gordon Reynolds
• 21 nights in a luxurious Junior Suite
• Daily meals.
• Green Valley’s reknowned fitness program and hourly excercise classes for every fitness level.
• Daily hikes in Southern Utah’s red-rock country.
• One 50-minute spa treatment per night.
• Green Valley’s weight loss guarantee that you will lose 20 pounds*.

*You will lose 20 pounds in 21 days, guaranteed. Your weight loss program will be refunded $50 per pound not lost during your 21 night stay, up to 20 lbs, or a total of $1000.

Hmmm, I must say that does sound impressive!

Pricing

Total per person for 3 Weeks Single Occupancy in a Junior Suite: $10,083 plus 15% tax and resort fees
Total per person for 3 Weeks Double Occupancy in a Junior Suite: $9,558 plus 15% tax and resort fees

Shorter stays are available.

This sounds like a great & super effective program….. wonder if they have any celeb clients who sneak away donning sweats, sunglasses & goofy hats their entire stay, only to return to sunny L.A. & pop up on the red-carpet boasting their new-found love of water! Yea, right, we know what you did last summer.  🙂

And lastly, Green Spa offers a Stress Recovery Program but since it’s more medical based sans special pricing or details of your stay, I opted not to include all the info but you can read about it HERE.

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