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N E W S L E T T E R • N O V E M B E R 2 0 0 8 |
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Blow Drying for Dummies. See page 2
Pedicures Aren’t Just for Sandal Season.
See page 2
Manage Your Holiday Stress.
See page 3
Damage Control for Blemishes.
See page 3
Massage – Hot Stone, Swedish and Deep Tissue.
See page 4
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when I take time to
care for myself…
I am healthy.
I am less stressed.
I am more patient.
I am more productive.
I am better able
to care for others.
Hair Trends for Fall 2008
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Page-2
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Hair Trends for Fall 2008 continued
Blunt Bob
Best for fine to medium textured hair, which is straight of course. And you need to have bang trims to maintain it. Ask your stylist to give you a perfectly straight hairline, no layers or curling under necessary. To get the look, work a flat iron through your hair and spritz it with a spray gloss.
Sarah Recommends:
New from Redken Extreme™ Iron Repair before drying (a heat activated protector for flat-ironed styles)
Redken Vinyl Glam |
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The Layered Bob
Good for a fine to medium hair texture. It requires a bit more styling than some of the other cuts, because it has more layers. Recommended it for round or oval faces—ask your stylist for gently graduated layers right around the ears and chin area. Add a styling cream around the layers to give them definition.
Sarah Recommends:
Redken Guts to build the volume necessary to give this cut its shape
Pureology Dry Shine |
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The Pixie
You have to have a great shaped face for this. It works with any hair texture except for curly, and you’ll need a maintenance cut about every six weeks. You also can’t be afraid to show off your face and neck—they’ll both be on constant display, so keep that in mind. Use a shaping paste to help give the short pieces in the front some texture.
Sarah Recommends:
Redken Rough Paste (for
a matte fi nish) or
Redken Water Wax (for a
shiny finish)
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Pedicures: Not Just for Summer!
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 Don’t skip your
pedicures just because
you aren’t likely to
show your toes in
sandals in the winter!
Say No to
Rough and Scaly
Wisconsin winters
take a toll on skin
- especially feet.
Pedicures help
keep skin soft,
keep calluses
manageable, help avoid painful cracks in heels,and keep
toenails maintained and pretty. All this
adds up to happy feet! |
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And, don’t forget – the whole time you
get enjoy a heated massage in the pedicure
chair. What a great way to relax!
No Polish? No Problem
If you skip the polish, you don’t even have
to wait around for your toes to dry before
slipping back into winter footwear.
Instead, try a paraffi n dip. It’s soooo comfy
and moisturizing! Schedule a pedicure
every 4-6 weeks and you will be ready
for that fi rst warm day in your favorite
fl ip-fl ops! |
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Adventures with Blow Drying
Confessions of a non-stylist
 I should say right up front, I did not grow up a “girly girl.” My mother was a farm girl and child of the Depression whose idea of high style was a new pant suit. I thought looking good was a quality that others were lucky enough to be born with – I had no idea that with some extra effort it could happen to anyone. It wasn’t until I was 40 that I learned that being "girly" was fun!
I've been frustrated with my flat, limp hair as long as I can remember. I’d heard blow-drying advice before, but it all sounded like extra fuss that didn’t seem to work for me. Enter the stylists at Samsarah, who sent me to Blow-Drying Boot Camp! Here’s what I learned:
- A blow-drying serum helps a lot. I use Pureology Blow Dry Amplifier.
- Dry hair about half way before trying to round brush. It’s just frustrating before that because your hair won’t hold shape yet and your arms will get tired!
- You need to aim at the roots while pulling up and in opposite direction (of where hair will lay). I was paying too much attention to ends and how they would curl. Big mistake!
- Be patient and work in small sections.
- Your coordination will improve. It’s taken me a good month to feel comfortable. It’s still not pretty, but I’m getting better and I love the results.
- All of this is easier with a good blow-dryer. I like mine because it has a setting that doesn’t blow too hard (causing a tornado-like mess of my hair), or too soft (takes too long – boring!).
- Ask your stylist for detailed advice. They want you to look good every day!
Now, even my fine, limp hair has some life. I can make my Layered Bob haircut work and that feels good. If I can do it – anyone can!
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Some Practical Advice for
Blemishes… To Pick or Not to Pick?
Clear skin is something everyone wants.
Consumers spend millions each year trying
to get it. And the truth is, no matter who
you are, sooner or later blemishes happen.
Damage Control –
You have a blemish. What can you do to
minimize the agony?
Don't Pick – Picking at your blemish
introduces bacteria to it and can cause
damage and scaring.
The motivation
for picking is to make the blemish less
noticeable, however, this is seldom
the outcome. Leave extractions to the professionals.
OK, I know you’re going to pick – so if
you must, be smart.
Don't pick unless there is a clearly defined
head. Blemishes without one will not
extract. Picking at them can cause the
infection to move deeper, bursting into
surrounding tissue, and prolonging your
healing time.
Start with very clean face and hands.
Wrap your fingers in tissue to cushion and
protect skin.
Try only two times, if you get no results,
leave it alone!
After extraction, you must treat the open
blemish to help fi ght bacterial infection.
Try essential oils of geranium, lavender or
tea tree which are antiseptic and soothing.
The best advice is still – DON'T PICK.
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 Instead dab on a natural remedy such as essential oil of geranium. It has antiseptic and astringent properties and helps to balance oil production. Bioelements Restorative Clay Mask also makes a great spot treatment for blemishes.
Benzoyl peroxide is a popular drying agent that not only dries the blemish, but also the surrounding tissue. You are left with dry, flaky skin that may be irritated and even more of an eyesore. Bioelements Breakout Control is a less harsh yet effective product for treating adult acne.
 Remember, blemishes didn’t happen over-night. Getting rid of them doesn’t either. Relax, and do what you can to help move healing along. The best remedy is prevention. Get disciplined about a good home care routine of cleansing, toning and moisturizing. Don’t go to bed with make-up on. Get enough water every day. Watch your sugar intake. Take a look at your diet. Reduce stress. And, if you run into trouble, come and talk to Ann, our aesthetician. We’re happy to be a resource for your skin care questions and concerns. |
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5 Stress Busters
for a Joyous
Holiday Season
You enter the holiday season with the
best intentions – looking forward to time
spent with family and friends, decorating,
shopping, baking. But as soon as you pile
holiday activities on top of an already busy
life, you’re likely to fi nd yourself relating
more to Ebineezer Scrooge than Martha
Stewart. Consider these suggestions to
keep holiday stress at bay:
1. Determine a Shopping Budget
For many, gift giving is an important
part of the holidays, serving as a way to
express love and appreciation. But when
the credit card bills arrive in January,
you may discover you’ve extended your
holiday stress well into the New Year. Plan
your budget in advance, determine what
you can spend, and stick to the plan.
2. Create a Time Budget
Before accepting every invitation this year,
decide how many parties you can and want
to attend while maintaining your sanity.
Make choices about your time commitments
based on what you’d really like to do this
year, rather than what you think you should
do or what you’ve always done. Don't
forget to leave time for yourself.
3. Set Food-Intake Boundaries
You’ll likely be tempted to eat in excess, and
don’t be too hard on yourself if you don’t
stick to your pre-holiday eating standards.
But do decide ahead of time just how much
you’ll deviate from your eating routine.
4. Stick to Your Exercise Regimen
Regular exercise is a powerful stress
buster. You’ll feel better, sleep better,
avoid weight gain, boost your immune
system, and maintain a positive outlook
about yourself. While it may seem like an
easy time concession to make, don’t give
in to the idea.
5. Take Time to Rest
Take time from your schedule to honor
the cycles of the season. The holidays fall
during winter solstice– the shortest day of
the year. Learn from nature, and get plenty
of rest. |
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| NEED A GREAT GIFT? SAMSARAH GIFT CERTIFICATES MAKE IT EASY! |
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| Page-4 |
A Hot Topic – Hot Stone Massage
It's a practice as old as time, but one
that has been recently rediscovered. Hot
stone massage is the updated version of a
technique employed by Native Americans
using gently warmed rocks to massage
the body. The technique provides a deeply
relaxing, healing, detoxifying and some
say, spiritual experience.
Typically, the stones are smooth, black
rounds of basalt in varying sizes. It may
seem that supplies for this technique are
free and plentiful, but in actual practice,
there’s a lot to choosing the right stones.
Your therapist will look at the stone’s
ability to hold heat, its exfoliating quality,
weight, color, and porosity. Stones that
have been naturally polished to perfection
by streams or Great Lakes are preferable
to mechanically polished stones. In
case you’re wondering – the stones are
sanitized before use and after every client.
The stones are heated in water to
temperatures between 125 and 140
degrees. Warm stones encourage the
exchange of blood and lymph and provide
soothing heat for deep-tissue work.
Cold stones may be used to aide with
infl ammation and to move blood out of the
area. A technique using alternating hot and
cold stones brings the entire body into the
healing process, with a rapid exchange of
blood and oxygen.
During treatment some stones are covered
with a towel and positioned to apply steady warmth and pressure along the spine and
neck. Others may be placed between
fi ngers and toes and on the stomach
and forehead – key spots where energy
flow can get blocked. The placement of
the stones can be aligned with chakras,
meridians, and zones according |
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to the
energy system your practitioner follows Still others are used almost as an extension
of the practitioner’s hands to help go
deeper into resistant muscle tissue.
The warmth transferred to the tissues and
the therapist’s hands makes for a very
comforting massage, especially during
cold weather months.
In addition to the physical effects, hot
stone massage is also considered a kind
of energy work, calming and energizing
the body. The theory is that incorporating
something from nature – the stones – adds
a symbolic dimension to this therapy,
creating a primal connection to the
elements for a grounding experience.
Stone work can easily be blended with
other kinds of massage and can be a
powerful healing and grounding force. It’s
touted as an effective remedy to stress,
anxiety, and over activity.
Hot Stone Massage is available at
Samsarah Salon/Spa in either 60 minute or
90 minute treatments. |
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Massage 101
Swedish vs. Deep Tissue
Do you find yourself confused by massage terminology? Here’s some basic information to help you get exactly the massage you’re looking for.
Swedish massage uses long, smooth strokes and gentle wringing or kneading of muscles to improve the flow of blood toward the heart. Pressure may be light, moderate, or deep depending on the client’s preference. Benefits of Swedish massage include relaxation, stress reduction, improved circulation, and possible aid in treating hypertension. Swedish massage may also help dissolve scar tissue and reduce swelling from some injuries (after the acute stage). Swedish massage is the most common massage technique.
Deep tissue, as its name implies, uses more pressure than other treatments and allows therapists to work tissues in the sub-layers of muscles. To apply enough pressure, therapists may use an elbow or leverage their body weight while leaning over a client. The goal of a deep-tissue massage is to elongate the muscle fibers and loosen hard-to-budge tension.
Deep tissue massage has more of a therapeutic nature to relieve specific areas of pain. Communication with the therapist is key to getting good results. According to Kellie, "clients need to communicate with me about the level of pain and pressure I am applying. Some believe more is better and this is not the case. Too much pressure actually causes the tissue to rebel and slows down the healing process."
Ann agrees, "the client and I need to be in clear communication during a deep tissue session. We will discuss the client’s pain tolerance and apply pressure within a 5-7 range (using a 0-10 pain scale) when working out muscle tightness. This pressure is held for five to ten seconds at a time to get tissues to respond." Don’t worry, the whole massage does not use this level of pressure!
The benefits of deep tissue work include, recovery from soft-tissue injuries, increased range of motion, and reduced pain of muscle tension or tendonitis. |
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