Chemical depilatories

Chemical depilatories, available in creams, gels, aerosols and powders, are usually used at home. These mixtures contain chemicals that weaken the hairs on the skin’s surface to the point where they can be wiped away with a damp cloth. The process usually takes between 5–10 minutes with results lasting up to a week.

Waxing

Waxing is a popular choice because it can typically be used anywhere on the body and the results last longer than shaving or depilatories. A typical waxing procedure will give two-to-four weeks of smooth skin.  For men, some of the most popular areas are the chest and back. For women, eyebrow and bikini waxes are most often requested.

Electrolysis

Electrolysis is the only procedure approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for permanent hair removal and can be used on all hair colors and skin types, although results can vary from person to person. It works by using a fine needle to transmit an electric current into a hair follicle to destroy its root. Because the hair is treated follicle by follicle, it is often a lengthy process.

Electrolysis can be used to treat hair anywhere on the body except inside the nose and ears. Because hair grows in stages and each hair is not in the same stage at the same time, multiple electrolysis sessions are needed to achieve optimal results. Once you are done, you’re done!

Laser and intense pulsed light (IPL)

Laser and IPL hair removal are similar procedures that use different light-based technologies. Laser hair removal uses a pure monochromatic beam of laser light to target the melanin in the hair and damage the hair follicle. IPL hair removal uses a broad-based light that emits multiple wavelengths as opposed to one beam. With each procedure, six-to-eight treatments are usually needed for best results.

Laser hair removal has come a long way since the introduction of the procedure in the late 1990s. Developments in laser and light-based technology now allow for the safe and effective treatment of many different skin types, although individuals should be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

Radio frequency and IPL hair removal

This method of hair removal uses a combination of radio frequency energy and IPL to selectively target and damage hair follicles. The absorption of radio frequency is not dependent on melanin, so this combination can treat a wider range of skin and hair types than laser hair removal. Each treatment typically results in less hair growing back, as well as a lightening of the hair color. On average, six-to-eight treatments are required for maximum hair reduction.

No matter how little or how much hair you’d like to remove from your body, there is certainly a method to get the job done!

Which methods do you use or would you like to try?

• Warm up with water…while it’s tempting to soak in a hot bath or warm up in a steamy shower after being out in the cold, the heat actually strips the oil from the skin. Try keeping the bathroom door closed to seal in the extra humidity and lathering on the moisturizer soon after you get out of the tub or shower. Leave your skin a bit damp when you dry off and then rub the moisturizer right in to lock the water in the surface cells of your skin.
   
• Make it humid…dry skin needs moisture. Using a humidifier in your home replaces the indoor moisture lost to your heating system. Not only will your skin appreciate the moisture, but your sinuses will thank you, too.
   
• Just a little lick…seasonal congestion often forces you to breathe through your mouth which leads to chapped lips. Licking your lips when they’re dry makes the matter even worse. Before going outside or climbing into bed, apply lip balm to lock in moisture and protect against evaporation. Look for ingredients like Shea Butter, Vitamin E, JoJo, almond or coconut oils. Since small amounts are often digested, an organic balm is essential; try Eco Lip Balm available at our Beach Plum Spa. Stay away from bee’s wax in your lip balm which can dry your lips even more.
   
• Creamier cream…moisturizers are available as oils, creams and lotions. Oils are greasy and slippery, but they seal moisture well. Creams aren’t as greasy, will trap moisture and will disappear when you rub them in. Lotions add the least moisture, as they absorb quickly and don’t feel greasy. They often contain alcohol, which helps quicken absorption, but also drys the skin. Remember to moisturize regularly. Look for a moisturizer with good anti-oxidants and peptides. This time of year, you really want to use ceramides to lock in moisture. GM Collin offers a great ceramide cream. Additionally, the new stem cell moisturizers are proven to turn your skin around in 35 days. We have a variety of quality creams available in our Spas.

According to a paper published last year in the Journal of the American Medical Association, the effects of psychological stress can weaken immune function and trigger inflammation, raising the risk of autoimmune disease, coronary artery disease, and depression.

There is still time to regain your jolli-tude!

Try our 5 favorite Holiday stress-busters to keep more joy in the joyous season:

 5. Healthy Diet – Yes, we know all those festive gatherings, cookie swaps, and glasses of eggnog make it tough to maintain a healthy diet during the Holidays, however, you can offset those indulgences through calorie-averaging. Go ahead and enjoy a little of your favorite special treats, but balance it over the next day or two by scaling back on your calorie consumption.  As always, be sure to drink plenty of water!

 4. Limit Alcohol – You already know this one. In addition to the calories in your cocktails; alcohol consumption reduces inhibitions and can cause over-indulgence in all those nibbles and bits! Share a toast and good cheer – less toasting and more cheering!

 3. Exercise – All the hustling and bustling can definitely cut into your workout time, so be sure to set boundaries where you can to give yourself time for fitness. It’s OK not to volunteer for every round of caroling or to skip a “Yankee Swap”. Sticking to your exercise routine will keep the happy neurochemicals like dopamine, serotonin, and noradrenaline flowing, too!

2. Get Your Zzzz’s – With all the prepping, shopping, wrapping, and reveling, you may find yourself skimping on sleep. Nix the idea that you must be the symbol of perfectionism. A well-rested elf is more cheery!

 1. Enjoy a Massage – One of the very best ways to refresh and rejuvenate is through therapeutic massage. There are numerous Health Benefits of Massage. Along with relaxing your muscles, a therapeutic massage will also increase circulation, release feel-good endorphins, reduce the stress hormone cortisol, and improve your body’s natural immunity.

Happy Holidays!

Invariably, I find lots of irresistible deals…on stuff for myself! Yes, I find gifts to give, but each shopping excursion seems to include one or two items for me.  Then the guilt sets in…I’m supposed to be finding gifts for my loved ones, not selfishly buying things for myself.

Here’s what I’ve realized: I am not being selfish, because I am one of my loved ones, too! What’s wrong with including myself on my gift list? Isn’t it like the flight attendants say during the safety instruction – put on your own oxygen mask first before assisting others?

So this Holiday Season, I say enjoy the thrill of giving gifts to those you love, but don’t deprive yourself of a few treats along the way.  What do you think?

By the way, Gift Certificates make fantastic gifts!

So why wouldn’t we all want to be at our most confident every day? Personally, I have those days where I get dressed and feel a little “blah”, so I may skip flat-ironing my hair and let it stick out here and there; that snowballs into not bothering with a necklace or bracelet, then I may as well just wear the worn out comfy flats…by the time I leave the house I am already feeling defeated. 

This fall, as I’ve been rotating my wardrobe for the winter season I vow to get rid of any and all garments that don’t make me feel spectacular. So long to the too-tight skirt that accentuates my “assets”; see ya later bulky waist-hiding sweater; buh-bye unflattering blazer and cute but painful shoes! Only the best image boosting, confidence building pieces are allowed in my closet. (Unwelcome items will be donated so that others may enjoy them.)

No more postponing facials, eyebrow shaping, or manicures either. I deserve to look and feel like the rock star that I am everyday, and so do you! 

So what do you say? Will you join me in banishing the blah from your wardrobe?

Sound too good to be true? Listen to this: scientists have confirmed that massage can be a powerful and effective weight-loss tool.  Massage improves your body’s resilience, aids muscle nutrition and flexibility, and supports emotional well-being, all of which can boost your weight-loss efforts.

Healing and Preventing Injury

We all know that massage is a wonderful way to help heal injured muscles by breaking down scar tissue and other adhesions. However, massage is also beneficial in helping avoid injuries by creating more functional muscle, improving joint integrity, and improving range of motion. This allows you to have more productive and pain-free workouts with less chance of injury.

Improved circulatory function through massage increases the amount of oxygen and nutrients your muscles receive, thus easing you into much-needed relaxation.  For example, Swedish massage relaxes the nervous system and leads the body into a parasympathetic state, which is very restorative to the body.  Achieving a parasympathetic state through massage means you’ll need less recovery time between workouts so you can cruise along and stay on track with your fitness routine.

Consult with your Massage Therapist

Adopting a healthy lifestyle to lose weight and improve your overall health isn’t easy – it takes consistency, patience, and time. Consult with your massage therapist about your goals and fitness plan to customize treatments for your body’s specific needs. Let your therapist know about any health problems, surgeries, medications, or recent illnesses you’ve had. As you move forward, keep your massage therapist apprised of how your exercise routine is affecting your body, your digestive health, and whether your lifestyle is relaxed or stressed. Essentially, anything your doctor needs to know, so does your massage therapist.

Forget Self-Consciousness

If you’ve put off massage therapy because you are shy about disrobing for a massage, let go of that self-consciousness. Massage therapists are used to seeing all shapes, sizes, and conditions of the body. They are trained to have an entirely clinical perspective just like any other health-care provider. Throughout the course of a massage, you are discreetly draped under a sheet with only the body part being worked on exposed. You may also opt to wear swim attire or undergarments during your treatment, however be aware that they can hamper the full therapeutic effects of your massage. Remember, massage therapists are trained to nurture and support your journey to better health without passing judgment.

Mental and Emotional Health

A primary factor in determining your weight-loss success is your emotional health.  Massage can be a critical component in supporting your mental and emotional health on your path to fitness. Massage is a way to treat yourself without guilt or calories!

Therapeutic touch has the power to make us feel safe, comfortable, and at peace. Sadly, it is not uncommon for those who are very overweight or obese to withdraw and isolate themselves. They may experience less touch in their lives – massage is a great way to fill that gap and help rebuild a sense of connection. All bodies deserve to be nurtured. Regular massage reconnects you with your body and gets you back into yourself.

Your massage therapist wants to help you bridge body and mind as part of your greater picture of health and fitness. Regular massage is an indispensable health habit in your lifelong journey.

Have you updated massage from guilty pleasure to healthy habit? How has massage helped you lose weight and get fit?

They grow up so quickly, don’t they? I just sent my daughter Alex off to her freshman year at Boston College and it seems like only yesterday it was her first day of kindergarten!

During the past few months leading up to Alex’s college departure from our New Jersey home, she and I – as well as her godmother Kathy with whom she’s very close – made a point to make time for a few activities that nurtured bonding. That way when she left we had a good fuzzy feeling regarding our relationship.

For example, Kathy took Alex out the week prior to her college departgure for pedicures, manicures and dinner. Years ago Kathy started this tradition as Alex’s brithday present. Since then, these spa days have grown into a very special event that they’ve enjoyed many times a year, be it for Alex’s formal dances or just an an excurse for them to bond in a mother/daughter fashion, which they did each time.

Since Catania Hospitality has built its resort, spa and restaurant business on the foundation of strong family values, they specifically offer mother/daughter spa treatments at their three resorts — Cape Codder Resort & Spa; Dan’l Webster Inn & Spa; John Carver Inn & Spa – as a way to foster familial bonding. These mother/daughter spa days can be an integral part an off-season weekend getaway to the Cape Codder, Dan’l Webster or John Carver Inn.

Depending on your child’s or teen’s age, there are a wide variety of spa treatments to choose from at all three Beach Plum Spas. Some of the most popular parent/child treatments are massages, facials, manicures and pedicures.

The Beach Plum Spas offer Kids’ Corner spa treatments for children ages four to 13 years old. While you may have heard of couples’ massages before, you might not have heard of parent and child massages. The Beach Plum Spa offers them, including those which focus only on the back, neck and shoulder area. (Note that all spa treatments require children under 18 years old to have a parent/adult guardian in the room with them during the treatment.)

With creative names like “Strawberry Ice Cream” manicure and “Chocolate Milkshake” pedicure, the Beach Plum Spa Kids’ Corner appeals to children on all levels. For example, the Strawberry Ice Cream manicure starts with strawberry exfoliation and strawberry lotion and ends with a sweet treat…a lollipop! The Chocolate Milkshake pedicure is for chocoholics: while sipping hot chocolate, the youth’s feet are soaked in a chocolate milkshake bath, exfoliated with a chocolate scrub, and finished off with chocolate mousse lotion.

Since teens’ needs are different than adults and kids’, the Beach Plum Spa also offers acne facials. These treatments are for teenagers only and use a Beach Plum Spa skin care product designed to reduce inflammation.

End note:

Although my daughter’s pre-college manicure and pedicure with Kathy has certainly been chipped away due to two weeks of hitting the college books, one thing still remains: her positive thoughts of the quality time she spent with her godmother during their many spa days over the years.

For more details on Mother/Daughter and additional Spa Packages:

• Beach Plum Spa at the Cape Codder Resort & Spa
• Beach Plum Spa at the Dan’l Webster Inn & Spa
• Beach plum Spa at the John Carver Inn & Spa

We hate to admit it, but another summer is behind us. The good news is a crisp, fresh fall is just ahead! Many of the Fall 2011 fashion shows featured really natural, feminine makeup. Glossy pink lips, rosy cheeks, full brows, and black mascara. Simple.

So don’t dive into the deep jewel-tones just yet – here are a few makeup trends to try for fall:

Nude Lips

For a natural makeup look, nude is subtly, but undoubtedly, sexy. Keep it girlie with flushed cheeks and universally flattering flesh-colored lips, but make it a little naughty by playing up a stronger eye to give a more striking look.

Bright Pink Lips

Don’t throw out your summery pink lipstick just yet; pinks can still reign supreme in winter. Go for bold bubblegum pink lipstick, but blot it down to remove the shine and soften the outlines. Flushed cheeks and black eyeliner complete the look.

Metallic Lids

Metallic eyes are always great for fall because they look polished and can instantly dress up your whole look. Create a highly reflective silver eye shadow effect by contrasting thin black liner, smoky grey shading, and a pop of silver on the lid.

Green-Eyed Lady

Instead of the dark navy shadow of winter, opt for a sheer green shimmery eye for an early fall style update.  Pair with grey eyeliner to give the eye a sophisticated definition, and add a creamy nude lip to make the whole face look perfectly polished.

Repurpose your Bronzer

You don’t have to pack away the bronzer just yet – use it as eye shadow.  Sweep a warm tan shimmer-free eye shadow or bronzer across your lids and all the way up to your brows. Complement with a blotted rosy lip for a feminine and playful vibe.

Gilded Black

Black eyeliner is a fall staple and this season, the best way to make it look new is to mix it with gold. Slick on some shiny pink gloss and you have a look that’ll work for any evening event. Gorgeous!

The Transitional Smoky Eye

It’s hard jump from light summer makeup shades to dark sultry fall tones in one giant leap. The grey smoky eye and bronzed cheek makeup look from the Salvatore Ferragamo 2011 Fall fashion show (pictured right Photo: © Luca Cannonieri) is the perfect halfway point. The grey eye shadow is spot on for fall, but the white eyeliner lightens up the look.

The forehead is particularly susceptible to wrinkles because it is an area of the face that utilizes a great deal of repetitive motion. This is why horizontal lines can appear on someone as early as their teens. Whether you are in your 20s, 30s, 40s, or more, those forehead wrinkles can show up to age you at any time.  So what can you do to reduce and prevent them?

Here are some simple tips to smooth your forehead:

FACIAL EXERCISES

One of the most natural ways to get younger-looking facial skin and reduce wrinkles is to firm and tone your facial muscles using facial exercises or facial yoga. These exercises, when done correctly and regularly, help tighten and strengthen the various muscles of your face, which will really minimize wrinkles and lift up saggy facial skin.

To reduce forehead wrinkles, lower your eyebrows while pulling them together, then lift them as high as possible and as far apart as you can. For best results, repeat 3 or more times, several times a day, every single day.

HOLLYWOOD SECRET – FROWNIES™

Frownies are small adhesive patches that help reduce wrinkles and frown lines. Simply wear them around your mouth and forehead while you sleep to gently train your skin muscles to relax and prevent sagging. A word of caution – the adhesive may irritate sensitive skin.

USE A PRIMER

A primer, such as Colorescience Pro Face Primers, improves the color and texture of skin, and smoothes your complexion by filling in fine lines and wrinkles.  Apply a primer before your foundation to prevent make up from settling in to lines and accentuating them instead of concealing.

LINE-PLUMPING CREAMS

Moisturizers with peptides or retinol and retinoids stimulate collagen to plump skin. GM Collin’s new Phyto Stem Cell+ Serum can be used day and night to firm skin. For strictly overnight, GM Collin’s night care cream, Retinol Advanced + Matrixyl + Q10 is the most technologically advanced night cream on the market. It visibly reduces the appearance of lines and wrinkles without risking irritation.

LIQUID FACE LIFT

Injectables such as Botox™ and Dysport™are surefire forehead smoothers with results lasting up to 6 months.  For especially deep lines, dermal fillers such as Juvéderm or Restylane may be needed (results last up to a year).

Of course, a balanced diet, plenty of water, regular exercise, and proper sun protection all contribute to healthy skin!

FOR FACE

Avocado Facial:

Avocado is loaded with dry skin smoothing oils, minerals and a natural source of collagen. Its enzymes can help with acne. Whenever you cook with ripe avocado, reserve a tablespoon and add a few drops of lemon juice. Mash into a smooth paste. Apply for 30 minutes to face and throat. Rinse thoroughly.

From Beach Plum Spa, try OSEA’s Essential Hydrating Oil, a blend of Lavender, Roman Chamomile, Calendula and Geranium essential oils for an advanced degree of hydration, or OSEA’s Essential Corrective Complex. Another fantastic choice is G.M. Collin’s Hydramucine line of lotions, such as their innovative Hydramucine Optimal Cream, which blends Pomegranate with Bamboo, Lotus Flower and Water Lily extracts.

Purple Grape Facial:

Purple grapes are alkaline and loaded with iron, minerals and vitamins. Be sure to eat them (great for the digestion) as well as make a facial wash by putting the grapes in a blender. Strain and with a cotton ball, dab the liquid on your face and neck, applying more as each layer dries for 20 minutes. Rinse.

Honey Oatmeal Mask:

Grind 1/2 cup oatmeal into flour in the blender. Add 1/2 cup warm water and 1 Tablespoon of honey. Blend into a paste. Apply to face and neck and allow to dry. Rinse.

Cucumber Cleanser:

A cucumber paste will remove dirt and oil without removing the acid mantle of your skin. Wash and then chop an organic cucumber in the blender. Strain through a sieve and add a teaspoon of witch hazel to each 1/2 cup of cucumber pulp. Blot your face and neck with a cotton ball for smooth clean skin.

Raw Corn Milk Facial Cleanser:

Vitamin E is found in unrefined vegetable oils. Fresh from the corn kernel, the vitamins and minerals are at the peak of potency. Cut the kernels off the freshest corn you can find. Be sure to scrape the milk off the husk and blend until liquefied in blender. Strain, Use enough to clean your face, add a little salt to the rest and drink your fresh Vitamin E.

Sunflower Milk Cleanser:

Loaded with Vitamin D, Vitamin A and calcium, sunflower seed milk makes a nice facial cleanser and a supplemental drink for women. Grind a quarter cup of hulled sunflower seeds to powder and then emulsify with a cup of water. Will keep in the refrigerator for three days. Use as a cleanser, a delicious milk on cereal or add to smoothies.

For professional treatments, try any of our signature Beach Plum Spa Facials.

FOR HAIR

Shinier hair:

Between shampoo and conditioner, rinse your hair with an apple cider vinegar or lemon rinse. The rinse gets rid of any alkaline soap residue, allowing your hair to shine. Add a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar or freshly squeezed lemon to a cup of warm water. Pour through hair, rinse with clean water and then apply your conditioner.

Marigold rinse for blonde hair:

Adds vibrant color and shine to drab summer blonde hair. Dry marigold petals and then add 1/2 cup to 2 cups of boiling water. Allow to steep until cool. Strain and pour onto freshly shampooed and conditioned hair. Do not rinse out but let dry in the sun.

Fresh mint shampoo:

Refreshes any hair color and invigorates scalp. Chop up a cup of fresh mint leaves and add to a cup of boiled water. Steep until cool and strain. Beat two egg yolks into the mint water until completely mixed. Massage into scalp and hair for 5 minutes. Rinse until clear. Condition as usual.

After your massage or facial, opt for a Peppermint Scalp Treatment add-on at any Beach Plum Spa.

FOR BODY

Lemon Deodorant:

Try using fresh lemon juice as a deodorant. The acid of the lemon will rinse off any alkaline soap residue and restore your acid mantle for your immune system. Of course you do not want to apply lemon after shaving. The lemon wedge can do double duty by squeezing it first in to a glass and then patting the crushed lemon wedge on your underarm. Add filtered or sparkling water to the lemon juice in the glass. Lemon becomes alkaline when metabolized in the body improving the immune system.

Salt Bath Exfoliant:

In between your Beach Plum Spa body scrub treatments, at home wet your body in the shower and then dip a damp mitt wash cloth into sea salt. Gently scrub off flaky dead skin from toe to head. Rinse. Exhilarating.  Or try OSEA’s full body Salts of the Earth Scrub.

Almond Milk Lotion:

Use quarter cup of calcium and vitamin-rich raw almonds. Blanch to remove the skins, dry, and grind to a fine powder in a food mill or blender. Add 2 cups mineral water and blend completely. Use as an entire body lotion for soft and nourished skin.

Exclusive to the Beach Plum Spa, Plymouth (at the John Carver Inn & Spa) are our Bath Rituals offering moisturizing milk or Dead Sea salt soaks, or custom-blended herbal soaks.

What are some of your favorite beauty recipes from your kitchen?