Can't Miss My Valentine's Date!

1951 Pin-up Calendar illustration by Earl Moran

Conversation Hearts

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OMG It's February!

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The Sunday Bath

I started today's bath with by lighting a few candles and adding in loads of Lovely Vanilla & Lavender Fizzing Milk Bath -- my favorite!!

After steaming my face with a washcloth, I generously applied the Rose Sandalwood Masque plus a touch of Cucumber Serum under the eyes, for a replenishing in-bath facial.

As I reclined, I realized that I should be giving my poor over-worked hands a moisture treatment!

A light hand massage with a couple pumps of the Lavender & Oakmoss Bath Oil, and I had reached pure relaxation bliss. Ahhh..................

The water began to cool, so I gave my footsies a good scrubbing with the Mint Tonic Body Scrub and soon realized it was exactly what I needed to invigorate me back into the world.

And so it was.... A full body scrub-down with the super-minty tingling refresher Mint Tonic.

A quick shower to rinse it all off, and I'm back in the world of best friend's with a new baby to visit in the hospital (welcome little Zoe!), running the vacuum a bit, grocery shopping, a sick grumpy boyfriend to make soup for and of course many, many Angel Face Botanicals related tasks.

I hope you will take the time to enjoy a bit of bathing luxury today!! It is sooo worth it.....

xoxo

SpaGoddess

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Water Is Key To Beatuiful Skin

70% of our body weight is water. No wonder it's crucial to our health-- and to beautiful skin!

From clear, radiant skin tone to protecting joints and helping achieve a slimmer waistline, water is necessary for good health!

Water is the primary transporter of nutrients throughout your body. If you don't drink enough water, toxins can build up increasing fat deposits, causing breakouts and leave you in a tired, sluggish mood.

Drinking water flushes these toxins out of your body. Regular bathing clears your sweaty toxins from the surface of your skin, washing them away along with the dirt and grime so they can't clog your pores.

It is easier for your skin care products to do their job when you make healthier choices including whole unprocessed foods rich in antioxidants. Bathe regularly to wash away the dirt & grime so your cells can breathe! And of course --drink as much pure, fresh water as you can to keep you cells hydrated & free of toxins.

Image : Rain Shower

Long and Decadent.....

I'm a sucker for clean, white, sunlit spaces.
And long, decadent baths.
Give me some Zen...........

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Spa Day Luxuries

Beeswax Buddha Meditation Contemplation Candle

by Peace Blossom Candles

Kimono Style Ankle Length Robe in Darling Jardin Bleu
by PlumPrettySugar

Luxury Soft Linen Huckaback Bath Towel in Rainforest Green

by LinenMe

Girl in Bathtub

Saul Steinberg, Girl in Bathtub, Gelatin silver print, 1949

Saul Steinberg (June 15, 1914 – May 12, 1999) was a Romanian-born American cartoonist and illustrator, best known for his work for The New Yorker.

The Saul Steinberg Foundation.

Dry Winter Skin??

Recently, a customer asked me about caring for over-dry Winter Skin.

She writes:

Thank you for the amazing products! I particularly love the Milk and Honey Lotion- my arms and legs stay soft for a good 2 days.

It's wonderful. However, the skin on my hands is still cracking from the bitter winter weather. I use lotion and gloves at night, but the Honey and Milk isn't quite enough. Would you recommend a Shea Butter or a Body Butter for hand use?

Thanks!
-Alex

SpaGoddess replies:
I would absolutely recommend using an Angel Face Botanicals Organic Shea Butter as nightly hand treatment, especially in these dry Winter months.

The solid butter creates a rich, dense moisture barrier which heals and repairs throughout the night. Using gloves after applying will further enhance the healing effects. Shea Butter in any of the scents available will work wonders, but the Lavender Shea in particular will give an extra boost of healing, soothing phyto-nutrients.

You can also use Shea Butter throughout the day, especially if you are out in the elements or working a lot with your hands. The butter creates a dense moisture barrier between your skin & the elements that helps protect & prevent damage to your skin & cuticles.

The Angel's Balm would also be a wonderful treatment if you prefer a moisturizer that is absorbed into your skin more quickly. It has a literal ton of healing properties but melts & absorbs more quickly and leaves a much lighter moisture layer on your skin.
 
A little goes a long way with these solid butters! Take a small amount from the jar and melt it between your fingers. Once it is melted, spread it wherever you need its rich, healing moisture. After about five minutes, it should absorb enough so you don't feel overly oily. If you do, use a little less next time!

For more info on Shea Butter see these articles. For more info on Lavender read this and/or this:)
Image Credit: Ski Slope

Mod Luxe for Two!

The double headrests are the perfect invitation to get warm & cozy in the tub with someone special!

I Love You!!!

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Rococo Romance

The bathers - Les baigneuses - the inspiration for the Art of the Bath. This fabulously romantic subject, boldly intrigues us with the erotic possibilities of water. With a little inspiration, it's easy to transform an every day experience into something sublime....

Susanna at the Bath by Jean-Baptiste Santerre
1704, Oil on canvas, Musée du Louvre, Paris

What is the Most Common Skin Issue?

Jessica: I'm curious. Working as an esthetician, you must treat a lot of different skin types and conditions on a daily basis. What's the most common skin condition you see in your skin care studio?

Anna Marie: I sure do see lots of different skin! It's important to remember that everyone has their own unique skin care needs. But the most common issue I see year round is dehydrated skin.

A lot of clients under-moisturize their skin for fear of looking 'greasy' or 'oily'. This always shocks me because the same clients will compliment the 'glow' to my skin. I love your Jasmine Exquisite Crème - I use it daily! It is the perfect richness for my skin and I just loooove the scent.

In my treatments, I use your Chamomile Exquisite Crème  most often. I find it's beneficial for all skin types. It's such a soft and soothing moisturizer that calms any redness from the more intensive aspects of facial treatments, such as extractions, that I perform on my clients. The relaxing chamomile scent is an added plus, too.

Using an appropriate moisturizer will actually decrease your chances of getting mid-afternoon, unwanted shine as the skin won't be struggling to keep itself hydrated by producing more oil.

Jessica: I totally agree with you on that.

The most common issue I hear from my customers is that they have oily skin. When I start talking to them about their facial care regimen, I often find out that they're not using moisturizer or are using a really harsh facial cleanser, and sometimes both! These actions are actually causing their skin to produce more oil.

If your skin is naturally oily, using a mild cleanser and a light moisturizer will help to counter-act over-productive sebaceous glands. I recommend the Super Detox Deep Pore Cleanser with Activated Charcoal to gently pull to gross stuff from your pores and a synergistic Essential Oil blend designed to balance oil production, plus heal & prevent blemishes. It is essential to follow this with a mild, alcohol-free toner and moisturizer such as the Chamomile Exquisite Crème.

I advocate using mild facial care products packed with phyto-nutrients that address your specific issues while helping find your skin's natural balance - where it's not over or under-producing oil.
Anna: Me too. Mild, natural, and preferably organic skin care products are the best choice.

This is the 2nd installment of the Ask Anna Esthetician Series. Read her intro here. Do you have questions you'd like to ask a licensed esthetician? Leave them in the comments:)

Rustic Chic

Must have! Lovely Fizzing Milk Bath & Double Love Scrub for an ultra relaxing, luxuriously warm & cozy wintry bath delight!!
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More Cult of SpaGoddess

Dear SpaGoddess,

Before I used your Ambrosia Cleansing Grains and Jasmine Exquisite Crème, I had really horrible, dry skin and my face was plagued with eczema and acne as a result. I tried everything from pure Vitamin E cream to prescription lotion and acne medication (like P**A***v) but nothing worked and my skin just got worse and worse.

I received my Angel Face Botanicals products in the mail just a few days ago and I cannot believe the difference I’ve seen since I started using them. My skin is smooth and has a beautiful tone and texture and my acne is almost completely gone!

Thank you so much for not only giving me the most beautiful skin I’ve had in months, but a self-confidence I rarely get to experience.

thanks again!

-Laura

 

Sometimes your stories touch my heart so much I feel the need to share them. Keep them coming! I really do love to hear from you:)

xoxo

SpaGoddess

 

Image: Cosmos 2 by Lori411

Martha's Vinyard Comfy, Cozy

This dreamy clawfoot, serenely set in a beach cottage on Martha's Vineyard is calling softly for the Milk & Honey Luxury Gift Set: Luxurious Fizzing Milk & Honey Bath, Milk & Honey Lotion, and the Sunshine - Citrus & Lavender Soap.............. Fabulous!

Design: Hutker Architects. Photos by Julian Wass.

Ask Anna - Consulting Esthetician

Introducing a brand new feature on SpaGoddess Speaks....!! The Ask Anna column where readers are invited to submit their skin care questions to our in-house esthetician.

Here's a little intro interview with Anna:

Jessica: Welcome to the Blog Anna!! Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

Anna: I studied at the New Age Spa Institute and am a licensed esthetician in Illinois and Oregon. I received my Reiki Certification from Colleen Benneli. In addition to running my skin care studio and consulting with Angel Face Botanicals, I am also studying Amma Healing. I love to blend my energy work and skin care to provide customized healing, relaxing treatments for my clients.

Jessica: What inspired you to begin working in skin care?

Anna: I had really bad acne growing up. Although my skin has cleared up, I became very curious and educated throughout the process. I have a Master's Degree in Social Work. I had sort of a quarter life crisis in the social welfare field which led me, finally, to pursue my interest in skincare. I am so happy to have made these positive changes for myself, to be expanding my studies while working with my life's passions.

Anna Marie Esthetics is a full service Skin Care & Reiki Studio in NE Portland where clients receive customized treatments with a personalized, healing touch.

You are invited to ask us your skin care questions in the comments of any of the Ask Anna posts. We'll be delighted to answer them :)

Images: The portrait is courtesy of Anna Marie Esthetics. The Reiki Power Symbol - Cho Ku Rei which loosely translates to "in the presence of the spirit." This symbol is used as a seal or amulet of protection and can be used to cleanse a room of negative energies.

Seeking Warmth....

I must have this with loads of Milk & Honey Fizzing Moisture Bath - my new favorite bath time treat.....

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And the Winners Are......

Congratulations!!

First Prize goes to Marissa B! You've just one 6 Months of Luxury Organic Soap ($50 value) delivered to your doorstep! The three runners up are Lyndsay A, Anna L, Kerry A!! Yay!

Thanks so much for all of your entries, about 275 this time! If you didn't win, don't fret! We'll be hosting another giveaway soon. If you follow the blog, you are automatically entered into all of our future giveaways.....

Image Source and thanks to Random.org for helping me choose the winners.

Moody Moroccan Darkness

I love this slightly sinister Moroccan Design with a Gothic~Vampire edge. A Dark & Moody bath calling for loads of candles, and a long, hot soak with the deeply ethereal Lavender & Oakmoss Bath Oil and the grounding, woodsy Enchanted Forest Body Scrub.........

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