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 you increase circulation the muscles lose water and move fluids into the interstitial spaces that are around them.  Your body also releases metabolic waste and lactic acids that must be flushed out by drinking water.   If you do not drink water and flush these toxins out, they will build up this could result in muscle soreness after massage.   This is especially true with deep tissue work.

Massage has the best results over time.  The therapeutic effects of massage are cumulative, the more you receive the faster your body will respond… and with proper hydration the better you will feel.  Kimberly Spa offers a variety of massage options to get you started to a happy healthier new you!  See you soon!

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 the bag from the freezer so your items get a chance to thaw out before you use them.

I know the expense of make-up and shaving items, but your health comes before cost…right?  Replace any lip color that is over 6 months old.  And if you’ve been using your favorite lip color during an illness, guess what…you’ve contaminated the product!  Throw it away!

Now, for our handsome gentlemen that work so hard to make sure that your skin is also healthy.  If you’ve cut yourself shaving…stop!  Change the blade, razor, or take a Clorox wipe over the electric blades.  Many viruses can live in the epidermis of our skin.  This can include a wart virus that can be spread after the area was scraped by a shaving blade!  Even women can be affected in the underarm, bikini, and leg areas!

Stay tuned…because I’ll be blogging about even more preventive ways to keep your skin healthy!

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…scarves.  I love scarves!  Keep a variety of scarves on hand to perk up a drab winter outfit…and still keep warm!  Use a heavy weight scarf on a really cold day.  Wrap it snug around your neck…just not too tight!  Tuck the remainder of the scarf into any gaps that could let that dangerous cold air in, and body heat out.  A brightly colored scarf can also help combat Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).  Scarves are an inexpensive way to dress up that boring black or gray coat.

Cold and flu viruses are usually caught when our bodies primary function switches to keeping us warm, rather than fighting off potential ‘bugs’.  Our immune systems then become compromised and we get sick.  Most trips to the Dr. will reveal swollen lymph nodes in the neck region.  When we go out in the cold and are not properly bundled, our shoulders will rise up to help the body retain heat.  If we take care to properly tuck and bundle…our shoulders can stay in their natural relaxed position.  This should allow proper drainage of the lymph nodes, and hopefully less illness.

The fact is…we live in a harsh weather state.  But since Nebraska weather loves to change and keep us on our toes, it is really easy to forget the basics.  Hopefully we’ll have a mild winter, but if not…I hope that now you will be ready for whatever Mother Nature sends our way!

I get it!  I make it a priority to understand the value of flexibility when it comes to our clients.

I’ve thought long and hard about what clients have told me they want in their skincare and massage services! I’ve taken it to heart…and here are just a few of the flexible options that we offer:

- the flexibility of the services we offer! We are able to accommodate a multitude of skin issues, budgets and lifestyles!

-on-line booking… gives you a chance to book at your convenience!

-reminder calls the day before appointments…allows you to reschedule your appointment if “life” has gotten in the way again, and you are unable to make it.

-being able to purchase your products on-line and have them shipped directly to your home in-between appointments.

-ability to choose their form of payment…cash, check, Visa, MasterCard, American Express, or Discover.

-the flexibility to prepare for the rest of their day after a treatment, via our comfy Ladies Lounge.

I want you to know that even though schedules can sometimes be rigid and unyielding…we here at Kimberly Spa understand, and we’re ready whenever your schedule allows!

Ear candling is performed with the client lying on his or her side.  A long hollow candle is inserted into the ear and then lit.  The smoke of the candle is pulled down into the ear causing the ear to warm up and loosen the wax and other debris inside the eardrum. As the ear warms up, the candle will cause suction which creates a vacuum in the ear canal…that is how the toxins are removed from the inner ear and sinus canal.  After the candle has burned the appropriate amount of time, it is removed from the ear.  When you look inside the hollow candle…you can actually see the wax and toxins that were removed from your ear! 

Ear Candling isn’t a treatment meant only for cold weather, best results are when it it’s performed every three months. It is quick, and painless…so why not call today to make your appointment!

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!

Did you know that our bodies are made up of many electrically charged cells?  Sometimes these cells can become off balance due to the buildup of toxins.  When those cells are out of balance they aren’t able to function correctly to keep a person healthy.  Foot detox baths use the thousands of sweat glands in our feet to help take out some of those unhealthy toxins.  A foot detox bath also puts safe positive and negative ions back into the body through those same glands!  These ions then gradually help to bring the body back into balance.   

Foot detox baths have been used for centuries.  Japan and other Asian countries first used this method to cleanse the body of its impurities.  They also believed that these detox baths had a healing power. It is said that foot detox baths may help you with: pain reduction in joints and muscles, decreased swelling, weight loss, have more energy, better sleep, lymph node cleansing, and many more!  Foot detox bath treatments are quick, easy and painless. You  simply keep your feet in a bath of warm, salty water for thirty minutes and let the ionized water do the rest!  When you are done, the water itself actually tells the story of what type of toxins had been building up in your body!

Come try an Ionized Foot Detox Bath at Kimberly Spa!  Your body will thank you!

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.

This is a scenario I put together from the many different clients that have come to me with this typical summer skin problem. The answer is skin treatments and nutrition. I’ve done a lot of research pertaining to irritated skin and I can tell you with great certainty that the Pevonia RS2 Facial Treatment will calm down, sooth and cool off your hot, swollen, aching, acne skin. I’ve seen it a hundred times! This treatment really excites me because you can see the difference in just one treatment. So imagine what regular treatments every 2 to 3 weeks could do!

We’ll make sure you’re facial bed is comfortable, the music is soothing and you’ll realize that this treatment isn’t about putting “stuff” on your skin. Your esthetician’s excellently trained hands will help transform your skin and calm your mind. We have some sensible Pevonia Skincare products that are completely botanically derived and are of the highest quality to help facilitate a quicker recovery. Your skin health will be in caring, knowledgeable hands. Caring because we hear the pain in your voice. Knowledgeable because we care and want to help!

In my next blog, I’ll tell you how nutrition can really make a difference to those with this condition.

What is your summer skin complaint?

Most of us don’t have a handy assistant ready to give us our daily intake of vitamins, and prepare our well-balanced meals for the day.  It’s easy to forget about putting proper nutrition and vitamins in our bodies to fuel us for our busy lives, and treat our bodies well.

Good nutrition is key in having healthy and glowing skin.  If you want a beautiful garden, you fertilize the soil to make it rich and ready to grow big beautiful plants.  Well, your skin is the plant and vitamins are the fertilizer!  We are all really good at applying our anti-aging creams and getting our facials every month, but we forget about what goes in must come out. 

Pevonia Botanica has really addressed this with their Pevo-Vital drink mixes that are full of complexion boosting anti-oxidants.  They remind us of taking the fruity vitamins as a kid, only they are perfect for on the go moms, dads, professionals, and hectic men and women.  You simply add the powder pouch to your water bottle, shake and enjoy!  Yum!

Some vitamins are effective for skin both internally and externally.  Vitamin A can help fight wrinkles and even acne when it is applied externally to skin.  Vitamin C is fantastic for skin when consumed, and the benefits are best when it is in it’s purest form in skin care products.  This will help with cell regeneration and evening out skin tone.  Vitamin E has been known for years and years to benefit the skin.  Eat foods rich in Vitamin E like nuts and salt-water fish, as well as try it topically with your skin cream.  Kimberly Spa sells Jason Vitamin E Oil in the highest I.U. (Individual Unit) we can find.

For more information on healthy skin from the inside, ask your Kimberly Spa Esthetician for more tips and insight.  We love to help our clients look and feel their best!

Q:  Do you feed your skin the nutrients it needs?