Ingrown Hairs…We all get them! But, we can also all prevent them!

An ingrown hair is when a hair grows sideways or curls back into the skin.  If the pore the hair grows in is clogged or blocked the hair is forced to grow irregularly.  They are most common in areas we shave or wax, and in people with curly hair.    Some symptoms of an ingrown hair are itching skin, red bumps, small pus filled papules, and sometimes even a rash.  Ingrown hairs can sometimes cause discomfort and can even lead to infections or scaring.  If you see an ingrown hair, you can use a warm wash cloth on the area and tweeze it out. This may cause a slight discomfort, but you want the ingrown hair out so it won’t lead to infections.

None of us want any of these symptoms, so you may ask…How do we prevent these awful ingrown hairs? Read the rest of this entry »

Ever feel like you are using a BOTTLE of moisturizer a day to help your dry skin?  Do you hate unsightly cellulite?  Then our Parafango Full Body Wrap is a great way to help tighten, tone and moisturize your skin! (It’s also a great excuse to relax!) 

Parafango is a mixture of ‘Fango Mud’ and Paraffin.  Fango Mud is from the sea and contains dehydrated ‘mud’.  This mud contains healing ingredients, such as minerals & converted plant parts.  Some of the benefits of the Parafango Mud alone are: Read the rest of this entry »

Every winter my skin goes through the same cycle…the dreaded “Alligator Cycle”.  The skin on my body gets so scaly that it looks and feels like alligator skin!  Instead of shrugging my shoulders and just letting it go…I channel my inner Steve Irwin and TACKLE the alligator!

My favorite way to do it is with a Total Body Exfoliation…I just LOVE it!  It sluffs off the old, dead skin cells and hydrates my skin at the same time.  Plus, regular skin exfoliations speed up the skin renewal process allowing healthier skin cells to take their place.  It is a great way to relieve stress, and encourages natural blood flow.

Salt scrubs are perfect for rough, coarse skin that needs a little extra love.  Sugar scrubs are best for sensitive skin.  Try adding a little aromatherapy oil to your scrub… Read the rest of this entry »

Do you know what the most popular gift for giving is during the holiday season?  GIFT CERTIFICATES!  Not only are they convenient to buy, but you can choose how much you want to spend.  I have some hints and tips on gift certificate purchasing when buying a Gift Certificate from Kimberly Spa.

Kimberly Spa makes buying Gift Certificates very simple.  You can come into the spa OR you can go to our website to purchase your Gift Certificates. When coming to the spa to buy Gift Certificates: Read the rest of this entry »

As adults we take great care in keeping children safe from harsh winter elements.  Do we take the same care for ourselves?  For most of us…probably not.  We have many people that depend on us to be fully functioning, especially during cold and flu season.  Most of us “know” how to bundle up, but here are a few suggestions that may make bundling up almost enjoyable!

One important choice in gearing up for winter is snow boots.  I know, I know…they are cumbersome and messy, but necessary.  Once trick I have learned over the years is to keep a pair of neutral colored shoes at work…that way I can head out the door in my boots and not worry about grabbing another pair of shoes to change in to.  Hats and gloves are also important when gearing up for winter.  90% of our body heat escapes through our head and extremities.  Keeping our head, feet, and hands covered is crucial.  These items will allow your body to retain that ‘lost’ heat.  Your body won’t have to work as hard to keep you warm.  I have also found that in harsh weather, messy hair is acceptable…so long as it is due to “hat head”.

My favorite winter accessory… Read the rest of this entry »

Who hasn’t’ heard the commercials from tanning salons especially this time of year?  “Get your vitamin D here” or “tanning reduces your risk of breast cancer”.  As we enter into the colder, cloudier months, let’s break down some Fact vs. Fiction about your daily dose of Vitamin D.

#1 – “It’s so gloomy and overcast through the winter I have to go to the tanning bed to get enough Vitamin D.”  – Fiction

The Fact Is:  Vitamin D is synthesized by skin through UVB exposure, which anyone who has ever gotten a sun burn on a cloudy day can tell you that UVB rays penetrate through clouds.  Another way to get Vitamin D is through diet.  Foods such as Salmon, Shiitake mushrooms, and fortified cereals are loaded with Vitamin D.  A great multivitamin or calcium supplement does the trick as well.  Read the rest of this entry »

Feeling stressed?

The holiday season is creeping up on us quick!  This time of the year can cause a lot of stress.

While everyone knows that stress can take a toll on a person physically and psychologically, it also can lead to other problems, such as acne, brittle nails or even hair loss.  When you become stressed, your cortisol level rises.  This in turn causes an increase in oil production, which can lead to oily skin, acne and other related skin problems. Professionals have also found that stress has a negative effect on the barrier function of the skin, resulting in water loss that inhibits the skin’s ability to repair itself after an injury.  Scientist’s and Doctor’s have said that skin rejuvenation procedures such as Facials, Pedicures, Massages, Read the rest of this entry »

Holidays are so much fun for me!  But not everyone feels the same way I do…imagine that!  Sometimes the comments from those who feel “Bah-Humbug” around the Holidays can really take the fire out of you when you’re feeling so jolly and happy.  Maybe it’s the impending weather, the lack of time and money for gift shopping, or the fact that they’ve been invited to be with family that doesn’t always get along when they’re together.  Whatever the reason, most of us have run across a ‘Grinch’ or two during the Holiday season.

I find myself trying to do that little something extra for people, especially around the Holidays.  Those I know, some I don’t…even a Grinch!  Random acts of kindness can really go far.  You may not get to see the result of those acts the moment at the time, but they do make a difference!  Read the rest of this entry »

Keeping up your ‘girlish’ figure sure can be hard, especially when the foods you thought were healthy really aren’t!

Some foods sound healthy, but can actually have the opposite effect on the body. Dried fruits, for example, sound like an easy healthy snack, but because they are dehydrated they are much more dense and 5-8 times the calories as fresh fruit, not to mention all the added sugars! Loaded with good for you nuts and oats, granola fools many people.  With all of the added oil needed to make it crisp, and tons of sugar to make it taste good…one bowl can have up to 500 calories!  Don’t let wraps fool you.  When spread out some wraps can be almost a foot across and have up to 300 calories, not to mention that with the surface area being so much larger than 2 slices of bread you tend to spread on more dressing and mayo than a normal sandwich.  Read the rest of this entry »

Are you going trick-or-treating this year? Maybe taking the kids trick-or-treating? Or perhaps just buying bags of candy for all the trick-or-treaters? You know you’re going to give in a little and have some of the candy you bought or earned walking with the kids to all the houses. If you are going to give in a little try giving in to something that’s going to help your skin… chocolate! That’s right, I said help, not hurt.  The myths that chocolate causes breakouts are just that…myths! In fact chocolate, in moderation, has large powerful antioxidants in the cocoa (the main ingredient in chocolate). Cocoa is derived from cocoa beans. It contains 10,000mg of antioxidants per 100 g of cocoa. The antioxidant properties in cocoa can help prevent free radicals from damaging the elastin and collagen in the skin preventing wrinkles and discoloration.

 Take into consideration the darker the chocolate the better. Dark chocolate also contains vitamins D and E which are great for your skin and body. In a study woman who took a ½ cup of cocoa with 329 milligrams of antioxidants a day for 12 weeks saw: Read the rest of this entry »