As everyone knows, the first color of the rainbow is red.  Red is the brightest color with the longest wavelength in the visible light spectrum, which is why it is often used as a healing light.  It increases healing and tissue growth in the skin and other organs.  NASA first discovered this, when astronauts with wounds, healed when exposed to the same red light that was used to grow the plants on board.  Later, this light therapy became known as LED (light emitting diode) therapy, which you can find right here at Kimberly Spa in the Photo Rejuvenation Facial!

But the benefits of red don’t stop there.  Red foods are also great. They contain lycopene, which may reduce your risk of prostate, cervical and lung cancer.  It’s also an antioxidant that can help lower blood pressure and LDL cholesterol, support joint tissue, and keep regular gastrointestinal health.  So… red light is great for the skin, red food is good for the body…but what about those who’s favorite color is red?

Red is commonly associated with courage, strength, vitality, ambition and may help overcome negative thoughts.  However, too much red can lead to impatience, aggressiveness and anger.  That is why most decorators will use red as a design color sparingly…as an accent, or only one room in the house.

Sum it up to this…for a little more vim and vigor…for a little extra spunk…red is the color for you!

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, etc. can help lower your stress levels.  When people feel more attractive and more confident in their appearance, they tend to perform better in other areas of their lives (work, family life, social life, and marriage or personal relationships.)

Here are some tips to help lower your stress level this Holiday Season!

Tip#1 – Drink lots of water! – Its not just good for your body but its great for your skin!

Tip#2 – Take time for yourself! – Call up your sitter and schedule a Spa day!  It’s a fun and relaxing way to lower your Cortisol levels! Plus, who doesn’t love to be pampered?

Tip#3 – Ask for help! – Nothing is better then getting stuff prepared together!  Friends and family are great listeners and are always good to have around!

Tip#4 – Have fun! – Turn up the radio while cleaning or cooking and dance away! (Make sure your blinds are closed! lol)

Tip#5 – Follow your skin care regimen! – This will help control the oil production and will keep your face looking gorgeous!  Ask your Esthetician if there is anything else you should be doing/using!

Happy Holidays!

I’ll never forget the day I discovered eye shadow. I was 13 years old attending 7^th grade at my Jr. High school. Yes!!  I had graduated from the Little Leagues to, what I considered at the time, “The BIG leagues!”

Just a few weeks before I started 7^th grade, I went to a garage sale in one of my friends’ neighborhoods. The lady holding the sale was a cosmetologist. She had “used” make-up for sale and I found a brown eye shadow that I thought was so crazy dark that I decided to buy it for 5 cents!

It really wasn’t until about the 2^nd week of school that I got brave and decided to wear it. I would always show up for school early so I could sit on the steps leading to the front door of the school and chat “with the people”. That day, I had so many compliments about my make-up that it just lit me on fire! I had other girls asking me what I used and how I did it. From then on I fell in love with change.

I have the most awesome job around. I get to help others with a “positive” change to themselves. But sometimes when I suggest to clients that we could do a certain treatment to promote a change in their appearance, they react with a bit of apprehension. Once I describe the benefits and the positives of what the treatment will do, they get on board.

Sometimes “change” takes more than a few days, or even weeks before you see a difference. But typically with what we can do at Kimberly Spa through treatments and/or make-up… you will see a change the minute you look in the mirror! It can be as little as adding a brow pencil to define the brows… or it can be a series of Facials!

I love my job, I love positive change and I love helping others discover their “fire”!

My own father was very reluctant to get spa treatments when I became an esthetician 15 years ago.   He is an “old-school” kind of guy…raised in an era when men never got these types of treatments.   At first, I had to talk him in to it…but now he is not only comfortable getting treatments, he actually looks forward to them!   He leaves feeling refreshed, with unclogged pores and with  younger, healthier looking skin.

A first-time male client (age 50+) who had never been into a spa before describes his experience…”I had a good feeling as soon as I walked in to Kimberly Spa.   It was luxurious, and comfortable…while still being clinically professional.   They earned my trust.”

Ladies, if you have a boyfriend, brother, father, spouse or just a good male friend who is curious about what a “spa experience” is all about…share our “Look Good~Feel Good” secret and send them to Kimberly Spa!   They will love it just as much as you do, and it will be an experience they’ll never forget!

If you can’t seem to shake youracne, talk to your Esthetician. She can help design a program that will fit your specific needs, and even tell you how small changes in your diet will help to keep your face clear.

I may be over 40…okay…50, but I’m still in the loop and I’ve discovered GOOGLE!  You can find almost any type of information you need on what I call “the best invention since false eyelashes”. But getting through all the wordiness (is that even a word?) typically associated with whatever it is you are trying to find “the best of” … brings me to my knees!  I am finding that I spend almost just as much time searcing the web as I used to spend trekking around in my Sketcher Shape-ups… spending my hard earned dollars on gas driving from store to store!

So what’s my point?  While spending thousands of hours working in the skincare/customer service industry, I’ve quizzed my clients on exactly what it is they are looking for… what results are they expecting… and giving them opinions based on those many years of experience.  And boy have I had experiences! 

Ok, so here it is!  The looking is over!  You’ve found it… I’ve created it!  The perfect facial, the perfect waxing, and the perfectly relaxing professional experience… With the results you’ve only HEARD about.  Wow, does it feel good knowing that every time you come to Kimberly Spa for a service, you’ll walk out completely satisfied!  Now if only shopping for nude colored, platform heels was this easy!

How interesting that all of the women that have crossed over “the change” tell you all the wonders of menopause – no cramps, no bloating, no monthly visit from Aunt Flow…sounds great, right?  But what about the ACNE???  No one mentioned this to me!  Will my little pink estrogen pill help with that too?  Sadly …no.

At least 10% of women suffer from menopausal acne.  Hormonal changes during menopause, are a lot like the ones we experience during puberty.  And I don’t know about you, but please put that at the top of my list of times I do not want to revisit.  Our skin has glands that produce oil, known as Sebum.  Although our skin cells die and regenerate, during hormone changes this becomes exasperated.  Therefore, we end up with more oil and dead skin cells than we want or need.  Hair follicles will be more likely to become clogged with dead skin cells and Sebum during our hormone rages, thus causing pimples.   So what do we do to end these frustrating little bumps?

   1. Washing your face twice a day is a great start.  Use an exfoliating  scrub regularly to rid skin of excess oil and dead skin cells. 

   2.  Speak with an esthetician regarding a facial experience that will work for your skin condition.  

   3.  Don’t forget to eat a healthy diet full of calcium and fiber and drink 8 to 10 glasses of water daily – remember the freshman 15 – no one wants to re-live that! 

   4.  Most importantly during this time be kind and pamper yourself! 

And then remember, sometimes a change of life can be a beautiful thing…even with a few bumps in the road.

Have you experienced any bumps in the road?  Please share!

-Christy

It’s no doubt Nebraska’s weather can be rough on everybody and everything! I see a lot of dry skin on my clients during this time of the season. I’ve had facial clients that got a chance to experience my luscious foot and leg scrub and after applying a good hydrating moisturizer, they have said…”I feel so refreshed”…”I actually slept better that night! I didn’t feel like I was snagging my sheets!” LOL! Dry skin is a very common skin problem and is often worse during the winter when environmental humidity is low…(ex. ‘winter itch’). Even though I may have oily, acne prone skin, I still suffer from extreme dry skin in the fall and winter. Even my 5 year old son’s skin gets extremely dry and chapped after the first 32 degree day of the year and it seems to usually stick around until we hit the mid 60’s again. Your skin needs moisture to stay smooth and supple, and retaining moisture becomes difficult as we age. Try changing one little thing per week and it will make an amazing difference!
 
Here are some tips on how to keep your skin looking amazingly smooth, moisturized and glowing all season long:
 
1. Schedule regular Facials with an add-on Paraffin mask, Body Exfoliation and Body Wraps (watch for the next blog for a special on the full body exfoliation’s!!!)

2. Alternate between a Microdermabrasion add-on and a Designer Peel add-on to one of the above services to keep the dead skin long gone,

3. Make sure you are using the correct skin care products for your face and body, modifying your bathing and at home skin care regimen will help preserve your skin’s moisture.

4. When showering, try to use cooler water and pat your skin dry because your skin will lose moisture from hot water and towel drying. (I know this one is hard but cooler water pays off! I can tell you from experience!) Lack of moisture in your skin can cause premature aging (no one wants that!), so within 10 minutes of washing your face and showering, be sure you are applying a good moisturizer.

5. Also, remember even if you can’t see the sun that doesn’t mean the UV rays aren’t out to haunt your skin! Always be sure you are using a good SPF to protect your gorgeous skin!
 
6. Central heating can dry the skin, so try turning your thermostat down a little bit and watch the difference. Use a humidifier in your house to replace the lack of environmental humidity. (It helps you when you have the sniffles too!)

7. Try not to wear clothes that are going to irritate your skin and cause you to scratch because that can make your skin become more prone to the nasty winter itch!

What do you usually do to keep the winter itch from hitting you? I’d like to hear from you all! Send me your product “loves” or even a product delimma! I’m sure I could help, I have tons of experience and lots of ideas!

-Christa

Hyperpigmentation-  Darkening of the skin in areas due to sun exposure, a wound, inflammation, acne or injury.  Hyperpigmentation can be temporary or permanent. Also known as sun spots, age spots, liver spots, or  larger areas of hyperpigmentation can occur during pregnancy, known as melasma.  Common Treatments: Skin lightening serum or cream like Visual Changes Lightening Serum daily and facial treatments like chemical peels, microdermabrasion and Photo Rejuvenation based on your esthetician’s advice.

Broken Capillaries-  Small red or pink threads under the skin’s surface commonly found on the cheeks or nose area.   These occur when capillary walls narrow and widen too quickly causing the muscles in the walls to tear allowing blood to seep within the skin. Common Treatments:  Daily use of a redness reducing products like Visual Changes Lactic Nutrient Cream and Advanced Calming Serum, as well as Photo Rejuvenation spa facial treatments based on your esthetician’s advice.

Rosacea-  A chronic skin condition that causes inflammation, redness, red lines, swelling or pimples across the forehead, chin, cheeks and nose. Rosacea most often affects adults between the ages of 30 and 50 and individuals with fair skin.  Common Treatments: Specially designed home regimen like Pevonia RS2, and Pevonia RS2 spa facial treatments based on your esthetician’s advice.

Congestion- A skin care term used to describe dull skin, uneven skin, skin with blocked pores, blackheads and whiteheads.  Congestion can be a result of a pore buildup of oil, sebum, dead skin cells, toxins, pollution, make up and dirt. Common Treatments: Weekly exfoliating home treatments like Visual Changes Double Enzyme Mask and monthly spa facial treatments based on your esthetician’s advice.

Acne-  A skin condition that can occur in people of all ages — teens, adults and women going through menopause and is identified by pimples, cysts, blackheads or whiteheads.  Common Treatments: Specially designed home regimen like the Agera Acne Relief Kit and Acne Relief spa facial treatments based on your esthetician’s advice.

Milia-  A tiny cyst on the surface of the skin caused by a buildup of dead skin cells that have not sloughed off normally.  Common Treatments: Weekly home exfoliation with Agera Microderma Crystal C System and spa facial treatments like the Ultrasonic Express.