| Still suffering from post-holidays hangover? The best way to cope is to treat your sprits and skin to a spa.
I know you’re thinking that a spa is way too expensive an indulgence, especially after Christmas, but you actually don’t have to spend too much to experience a few hours of pampering and heavenly bliss. Besides, did you really want to use the cash you received as a present to pay off your Visa bill?
January is the best time to rejuvenate and hydrate your skin because of the harsh conditions it has been exposed to since the beginning of the winter season. During winter, the air’s moisture content drops, so Calgary’s dry climate becomes drier, and indoor heating adds to the damage by sucking away the little moisture that we do have in our skin. This leaves it dry and itchy and contributes to a dull complexion.
The obvious way to combat winter dryness is to hydrate your skin with a water-based moisturizer, but a seaweed body wrap, dead-sea-salt scrub or an essential oil massage not only cures dry skin, but also recharges your energy. And after a session of treating the skin, you will quickly adopt a new skin-care regimen to maintain that feeling of revival.
Here is a quick head-to-toe guide for winter skin survival that will leave yours hydrated, healthy and itch-free.
SPAS
If you’re longing for a mental break, but don’t have the time or cash for a tropical vacation, just book yourself an appointment at one of Calgary’s many spas. Prices and treatments vary with each spa, and January is the time to take advantage of special post-Christmas offers.
· Oasis Wellness Centre & Spa (880 - 16th Ave. S.W.; phone 216-2747) – Indulge yourself for 95 minutes with the New Rapture package, including an essential body wrap of your choice and a 30-minute therapeutic massage. Or opt for something quick and inexpensive such as the Oasis Body Glow, which consists of a full-body citrus sea-salt exfoliation to reveal sparkling, fresh skin, followed by warm, soothing hydrotherapy treatment to cleanse and rehydrate. No matter which treatment you choose, Oasis offers its clients complimentary use of robe and slippers, relaxation in a eucalyptus steam room or sauna, and refreshments that include a cool beverage, herbal tea and fruit.
· Swizzlesticks Salonspa (1211 Kensington Road N.W.; phone: 270-7333) – Swizzlesticks offers the Comforting Sea Science Wrap, which consists of rich nutrients of the sea combined with pure floral elements to create a comforting body wrap that is both detoxifying and restores lost minerals. Your body is gently exfoliated during the application of the Sea Science emulsion. It’s followed by a stress-relieving massage for scalp and feet. To finish, you rinse free in a multi-jet shower and experience a skin-drenching application of protective, plant-derived body moisturizer.
· Swirl Body Products & Treatments (524 - 11th Ave. S.W.; phone 228-3046) – Swirl offers custom-blended vegan and natural body products of your choice to naturally hydrate your skin with a body wrap or massage therapy.
FACIALS
You may want to book the rest of the day off after a facial, because you will be too relaxed to want to do anything else. And good news – they’re not just for women anymore. Today there are many face-care products geared towards men, as well as cosmeticians who know how to make a guy feel at ease while his pores are being treated. Book a facial at your favourite salon, or may I suggest:
· Juliet’s Day Spa (338 - 24th Ave. S.W.; phone 287-1662) – Indulge in a facial with the finest skincare products from France, such as Guinot, Decleor and Yonka, or the famed Los Angles Dermologica line.
MANICURES AND PEDICURES
The manicure and pedicure are the least expensive of skincare treatments and the most deserved. Our hands and feet often get neglected during the winter season, especially our feet, which spend so much time encased in socks and boots. Dry cuticles and rough heels can be salved away during a manicure and pedicure appointment. Also go for the paraffin wax; it will leave your hands and feet feeling silky smooth.
· Urban Venus Nail Bar (113 - 638 - 11th Ave. S.W.; phone 266-1158) – To make your experience even more decadent, Urban Venus offers its pedicures and manicures in "chocolate fondue" or "strawberry smoothie" mixtures. Then finish with a massage with a flavoured lotion of choice.
AT HOME
If time and money are not on your side, you can always pamper yourself in the privacy of your own home. To create your own ultimate spa experience, all you need are some scented candles, fluffy white towels, mood music and good quality skincare products.
· Origins Cocoa Therapy Collection – Chocolate is now being rediscovered for its benefits both inside and out. Cocoa contains a mix of vitamins and minerals like magnesium, copper, zinc, calcium and iron. The Origins cocoa line includes Deeply Nourishing Body Butter, Total Body Treat, an Energy-Boosting Body Bar, a Body-Buffing Scrub and Instant Chocolate Fix, which is an on-the-spot roll-on chocolate elixir for your energy points. Origins is available at The Bay downtown.
· L’Occitane en Provence – With its roots in Provence, France, L’Occitane shares the colours, scents and traditions of the south of France with the world. The line includes various body products such as bath and shower gel, body lotions, soaps, hair-care products and essential oils. Choose from natural ingredients such as lavender, green tea, rosemary, citrus and fig. For the ultimate sensory experience, you can mix and match various scents to suit the mood you want to create. Ooh la la! L’Occitane is in Chinook Centre. |
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