Cleaning your make-up brushes is so important.  Making sure to clean them each week will help prevent the spread of bacteria…thereby keeping your skin healthier!

I love Youngblood Make-Up Brush Cleaner.  It does a fantastic job without leaving a sticky residue on my brushes…and that’s also what we use here at the spa!  To clean your brushes:

*Apply the brush cleaner to a clean towel (not the brush itself).  Rub the brush, gently, in a circular motion.  Although you may see a few bristles on the towel don’t worry…just continue until you don’t see any more make-up transferring to the towel.

When you want to do a thorough cleaning of your brushes, use an Ultra Gentle Cleanser (NO Salicylic Wash or Acids…those will break down the bristles of your brush) and water.  Just a pea sized amount of cleanser will do the trick.  Use a clean towel just as mentioned before and rub brush in a circular motion until make-up is gone.  Rinse with clear water and squeeze out excess.

After cleaning brushes make sure to air-dry them at an angle. This prevents any remaining water from running down into the base of the brush, which can break down the bonding in the handle.

Following these simple steps just once a week will keep your brushes in tip-top shape, and your skin will thank you for it!

Sun damage is caused by the sun and its ultra violet rays.  Approximately 80% to 85% of aging skin is caused by these rays.  UVA and UVB rays speed up the process of weakening collagen and elastin fibers in the skin.  UVA rays are the aging rays.  They are able to penetrate as far as to the dermis of the skin.  UVB rays are the burning rays. They only penetrate to the epidermis (top layer) of skin but are stronger and more damaging to the skin.  It is so important to be wearing your sun protection DAILY!!  This will help you slow down the process of aging and sun spots.  It is impossible to stay out of the sun . Here are just a few tips to avoid too much sun exposure:

-Apply sunblock at least 30 min. before going into the sun

-Avoid peak hours of sun of sun exposure between 10-4

-Reapply sun protection every two hours especially if sweating or swimming

-Wear hats and sunglasses

-AVOID tanning beds

It may seem like a little extra work, however, taking these few simple precautions will help you’re skin to stay looking young and vibrant.

Hello Kimberly Spa go-ers! If you have been feeling like most Omahan’s this spring, you definitely need a boost of Vitamin C to help your immune system fight off the nasty cold and allergy bugs going around! Your body is not the only part that needs vitamin-c…Your skin does too! Kimberly Spa’s Magic C Facial is a great preventative and healing service. It gives you a huge Vitamin-C boost and it is also extremely relaxing because of the fabulous Esthetician’s that give you the extra love that other Spa’s do not!

You don’t know what Vitamin-c does for your skin? Well, here’s the scoop:

It’s not a huge secret that Vitamin C is good for the body but some people don’t know that it is also a very effective antioxidant that helps boost your skin’s defense against free-radicals. Free-radicals are unstable molecules that age the skin. The effect of too much sun, alcohol consumption, high altitudes are all major causes of free-radicals. Vitamin C strengthens the structural support and resiliency of your skin by increasing the production of collagen.

The Magic C Facial begins with your Esthetician cleansing and examining your skin. They will then put the appropriate enzyme mask on your skin under steam for about 10 minutes. Once the enzyme mask is removed with warm water, the magic begins! Your Esthetician will begin the first step to your vitamin c boost Read the rest of this entry »

Water truly is a tool for the body.  It helps with hydration, organ health, headaches, hunger, and weight loss to mention just a few of its benefits.  A properly hydrated body from water intake will help the kidneys function along with other organs that process the different substances that move throughout the body.

Massage Therapists recommend drinking water before a massage because it will hydrate the muscles which makes them easier to manipulate.  A good example would be to think of your muscles as a sponge.   A dry sponge is not all that easy to move however once it is moistened with water you are able to squish it and squeeze it as much as you like.  When you drink water before a massage in a sense does the same to your muscles as it does to the sponge… making it easier for your therapist to be able to work your body.  Your connective tissue/fascia is more elastic when hydrated and allows you full benefit of receiving massage.

Once your massage is over you’ll need to drink water again to rehydrate your muscles.  While you receive massage, through the manipulation of the muscles Read the rest of this entry »

I was so excited when I saw a segment on TV talking about stopping bacteria via our make-up bag!  Guys…you need to listen up too!  I’ve always been a big advocate for detoxing our environment, and the practice of freezing your make-up bag & dop kit is one of the most sure fire ways to help kill and stave off bacteria!

First off, make sure your make-up items are in a metal case if at all possible.  Bacteria has a difficult time penetrating metal containers vs. plastic ones.  Once a week, place your make-up bag or dop kit in the freezer overnight.  The cold of the freezer helps to kill any existing bacteria on your make-up and shaving essentials.  Make sure to leave yourself a note that reminds you to remove Read the rest of this entry »

Skin care products can be expensive! You want products that work for your skin at the best price…we all do! So, what is the difference between Cosmeceutical products and over-the-counter…and is one better than the other?

Let’s start with some much needed information.  Your skin has two layers…the top layer is called the epidermis, the bottom layer is called the dermis.  To get the skin you want, products need to penetrate to the dermis where the collagen and elastin are.  New skin cells are also produced in the dermis.

Cosmeceutical products…those are the ones that you purchase at a spa, salon, or beauty store…can do just that.  They can penetrate to the dermis because of their active ingredients.  They are well formulated and tested so the product can reach the new skin cells.  The active ingredients are those that actually do something beneficial for your skin, be it Read the rest of this entry »

Everyone wants perfect eyebrows…but how do you know when they are?  And how is it that Kimberly Spa does such an amazing job making even difficult brows look fantastic? Here are a few simple tips that the girls use to know what is perfect for your face.

First…find a pencil (we use a wax stick…makes sense, right?).  Place the pencil on the inner crease of your nose and hold it straight up to the brow. Any hair between where your pencil lands on either side should be waxed.  To determine proper length…place your pencil on the outer side of your nose and angle it towards the outer edge of your eye. Following the line up, your brow should stop where the pencil lands.  The arch of the brow is determined by locating the outside of the iris.  To complete the look…brows are trimmed to create a fuller, well groomed look.

Who knew there were so many details for a “simple” eyebrow wax? We did! That’s why…when you come to Kimberly Spa, you leave with Designer Brows…they were ‘designed’ specifically for your face!

A “Bucket of chicken, sweats, and watch T.V. in separate rooms.” …that’s how Frankie and Mike Heck from “The Middle” will be spending their Valentine’s Day…is that your idea of a romantic Valentine’s?  I don’t know about you, but after being married for 32 years, I still love dressing up and having a romantic dinner with my best friend!

Why do we sometimes wait to have a reason to look our best?  I love a comment my future daughter-in-law made recently.  She came in for a facial and was all dressed up like she had a special place she either came from or was going to.  She said “After wearing scrubs and workout clothes all the time…I NEED to do my hair and make-up…and dress up! Sometimes I just need to feel pretty again!” I love that!  We get ourselves in a rut and don’t realize it.  I read a quote from Rachel Zoe…she said that in her mind being over dressed isn’t a bad thing at all…what could be the worst case scenario?  That you’re the best dressed person in the room? Read the rest of this entry »

Have you ever heard the expression “How do you eat an elephant”? I’ll have the answer for you at the end of my blog…but for now I thought I would take this time to explore the 3 most popular New Year’s resolutions, why they fail, and a few tips the help keep you on track! The key to resolving any issue in our lives is to first determine the underlying cause.  Losing weight, eating healthy and saving money are the top 3 resolutions made each year…and all three of them have one thing in common.  Bad habits.

Losing weight is an admirable resolution, however have you ever wondered how the pounds got there in the first place?  Bad habit #1 is Read the rest of this entry »

Color is everywhere; It’s in the iris of your eyes, the hair on your head, the paint on the wall, and of course in your food.  Nobody says it better than Skittles with their slogan “Taste the Rainbow”.  Some may think they are only referring to their brightly colored candies, but maybe they had something else in mind!  Color plays a large part of an every day life, but did you ever think about the impact those colors actually have on you?  In this series of ‘color’ blogs, you’ll learn about all the colors of the rainbow…plus a few extras!

As everyone knows, the first color of the rainbow is red.  Red is the brightest color with the longest Read the rest of this entry »