Spascape Day Spa

skincare factoids

 

My mom is a pretty skin-savy customer and it's not just because I'm her daughter.  She reads her articles, watches the pertinant tv shows and, asks her doctors many many questions.  Still, I found out the other day that there were a few things that she did not know and so I am taking her advice and blogging about these little factoids incase there are others out there who are unaware.  For example did you know........

that most skincare products take anywhere from 4-8 weeks before you see significant results?  It takes that long for the skin cells to regenerate and change, and the older you are the longer it will take (hello 8 weeks!).  So don't expect your new eye cream to work miracles over night.  Yes you may see a difference right away between the old and the new cream but in general give it a good 6 - 8 weeks before you expect to see the results that it claims to make.  A case in point, my mom bought the Clairsonic sonic cleansing brush and even though her skin became immediately glowy she was dissapointed that it didn't make the wrinkles go away.  "You're 72 Mom, give it a good 8 weeks before you decide to return it" I told her.  And sure enough, with time the lines did in fact begin to soften as claimed (FYI:  if this sounds good to you, we carry the awesome Clairsonic at Spascape).

And did you know that you can't actually shrink the size of your pores?  However you certainly can reduce the appearance.  One way is too keep the skin clean and free of oils and debris (again I'll recommend the Clairsonic sonic cleansing brush) and another is to use a retinol product.  At Spascape Day Spa we carry Environ - the best retinol products I have come across.  Not only are they loaded with anti-oxidants but they are made with fat soluable vitamin A which has none of the side effects found in the traditional retinol products that most of us are familiar with.  In addition Environ makes Vitamin A creams in varying stregths so you can slowly acclimate your skin to the vitamin.  I would come in and consult with one of our Environ-trained estheticians to pick out the product that is right for you.  

 My mom also didn't realize that her vitamin C skincare serum was making her a little photosensitive.  While it is true that most vitamin C products are recommended for daytime use because they are rich with anti-oxidants that fight environmental damages, they also need to be followed with a good sunscreen to be reapplied every two hours.  And because we are coming into suncreeen season anyway (Spring is officially here in less than a week!  Yay!) you'll definitely want to chech out our selection of suncreens at Spascape.  We've got professional brands of sunscreeen from Environ, GM Collin, and some people, like our fearless leader Deb Larson, even like to use the Jane Iredale mineral powders.

Maybe you already knew some of these skincare factoids or maybe you didn't but one final fact you should know is that Spascape provides leading expertise in skin and we would be more than happy to help you with any of your skincare concerns (781) 545-1200.

Spascape for weddings

Spascape Day Spa has been responsible for helping many a bride walk glowing down the aisle.  As a matter of fact I cannot imagine not going to the spa before the big day.  There are a number of different ways in which Spascape helps brides get ready for their wedding, and you can choose any or all of the  following spa preparations.

Naturally we do makeup for the wedding party:  bride, bride's maids, mother of the bride, even mother of the groom.  Our trained and talented makeup artists will meet with you a week or so before your main event to do a trial run to determnine the best bridal look for you.  We use Jane Iredale mineral makeup that is rich in color and velvety in texture, and our makeup artists are trained in techniques to ensure that your makeup is long-wearing, and flattering in photos.  Rest assured we've done the bridal make up thing many-a-time.

Most brides like to come in a couple days before the wedding to get a spray tan.  Linda is a pro with the airbrush machine and is very helpful in choosing color that will look authentic on you.  We use Aviva Labs Sunless Spray Tan which is a natural looking, alcohol-free, hypoallergenic formula that can be customized for each and every client.

One thing we do alot of here at Spascape are the bachelorette parties, or wedding showers.  You can book the spa ahead of time and receive special rates on a multi-person, multi service event.  It's a terrific way for the bride and her friends and family to bond over the intimate spa rituals of nails, massage or facials.  Spa days are sure to make a special event even more memorable.

 While it is ill-advised for a bride to get a facial immediately before the wedding, it is a good idea to think ahead and start getting a series of facials  or light peels for several months leading up to the big event.  When strategically planned out, problem skin can be whipped into shape in preparation for the bride's special day.  This is especially important when you think of your face being captured in photos that will document it for all time.

And finally - bikini waxage!  Most brides like to come in a few days ahead of time and get cleaned up in anticipation of their honeymoon.  Whether it's a swimwear trip to Aruba or the snowsuit slopes of Vail, every bride wants to be looking her most alluring in the bedroom.

So while June may be the big month for wedding ceremonies most brides know that now is the crucial time for planning.  If you or anyone you know is in the planning stages of the wedding give us a call at Spascape and we can help you look and feel your best for the main event. (781)545-1200 

winter tanning

 

I think we can all agree that February is a tough month.  Except for the avid skiers most of us are done with the snow and the cold.  And I don't know about you but I have been pulling out all the stops to make this month more cheerful.  I've been buying fresh flowers, wearing bright colors, and in a desperate attempt to mimic Summer I have been tanning.  NOT that horrible, dangerous, ill-advised tanning bed tanning but instead I do the spray tan and in a pinch the self-tanning gels.

I find that a winter tan is the perfect pick me up for the last dreary dregs of the season.  I revel in looking hale and hearty like I just stepped of the plane from Jamaica.  And for those of us who can't actually afford a few weeks on a tropical island, faking a vacation is the next best thing.  That's why I go to see Linda at Spascape Day Spa because they won the reader's Choice Award for best tanning Salon in Scituate and the Silver award for best tanning in the South Shore area.  Furthermore, Spascape uses Aviva Labs Sunless Spray Tan which is a natural looking, alcohol-free, hypoallergenic formula that can be customized to ensure a color and a look that is right for you.

And still another tanning option that Spascape offers is the brand new Jane Iredale Tantasia Self-tanner.  This citrus-scented, hydrating, all natural self-tanning formula is gentle enough to use on your face as well as your body, and gives a gradual, entirely authentic looking tan.  Tantasia is healthy and safe to use:   no cancer, no wrinkles, and no hyper-pigmentation like the tanning beds cause.  Just slap some on in the privacy and convenience of your own home, and you are good to go.

Spring is on the way, to be closely followed by Summer, but with a quick trip to Spascape you can still enjoy a gorgeous looking tan until they actually arrive.  (781)545-1200

coming soon....

 

Many exciting new things are coming our way at Spascape Day Spa - read on to find out more....

 A winter tan is an awesome thing indeed (who says we have to be pale in the winter?!?) but you know that those tanning beds are terrible for you.  If the threat of cancer doesn't scare you off then think about all the wrinkles and hyperpigmentation they are giving you.  It is much safer, and just as attractive, to fake bake so that is why we are thrilled to be getting in Jan Iredale's brand new self-tanner Tantasia.   Tantasia is an all natural, gentle enough to use on your face, self-tanner that is applied gradually over a three day period to achieve a completely authentic looking tan.  Because it looks so fantastic, smells so pleasant, and is entirely gentle on the skin people are going ga-ga for it.  We will be getting Tantasia in Spascape virtually any day now - just give us a call first to see if we have it in yet.

Now this is still very hush-hush, but I feel compelled to share with you that we will be getting in a new holistic skincare line from New York.  I can't tell you the name or the date yet but what I can share is that this line will be adding all kinds of sensational new treatments to our menu of services.  Holistic skincare will be perfect for those of you who are concerned with health and wellness - it is very healing and taylor made for your specific needs.  So just think, when you come into Spascape for your treatments you will soon be able to choose from clinical (GM Collin), organic (Farmesthetics), oceanic (Osea), and holistic approaches.  I'm pretty sure no other spa is offering you options such as these!

I don't know about you but I am sooooo ready for Spring!  And Spring can now be found at Spascape as all the new soaps, belts, jewelry, and other accessories that are trickling in week by week.  There is so much cute stuff, all to put you in the mood for warmer weather.  And really Spring is just around the corner so why not get ready and shop now.  Also all our Winter clothing and accessories are 30% off now through the end of the month, so get some great deals and help us make room for our new spring goodies.

All this newness is so enticing, I know you are just dying to come in and check it all out but if you have any questions feel free to call first (781)545-1200.

.

Valentines Specials

 

Some of us are married, and some of us are dating.  Others are single and even others are in a relationship.  But whatever your status may be it is important that this February 14th you be your own special Valentine.  It's so thoughtful of you to buy that Spascape Day Spa gift certificate for the loved one in your life but what have you done for yourself lately?  Don't you also deserve some pampering, a little indulgence, a quiet moment of RnR?  Of course you do!  It is so important that we take care of ourselves and what better way to do it than to book an appointment at Spascape for one of our Valentines Day Specials (good through the entire month of Feb.) Wait until you hear about what we've cooked up for you and you really won't be able to resist.....

Perfect for Valentines is our Chocolate Power Rescue Peel.  This super charged peel not only exfoliates but infuses your skin with mega anti-oxidants such as dark chocolate, acai berries, and the always fantabulous resveratrol.  Be prepared this treatment is noticably firming.

The Sea Rose and Lavender Cocoon is pampering at its best.  The sea rose is actually sea kelp so you get wonderful, natural exfoliation plus trace mineral application.  This is all finished up with a deeply relaxing lavender massage that will calm all your senses.  It's the perfect way to say "I love you" - to yourself!

 And then there is the Sea Rose Restorative Facial.  Again you have the exfoliating and mineralizing sea kelp mask but there is also a very special vitamin serum that is infused into your skin.  Talk about rejuvenation!

And FYI besides these wonderful treatments there are a couple freebies we are offering for the month of February:

With any purification facial you may enjoy a complimentary eye treatment - it's a great de-puffer.  And you may also receive a free chakra balancing with any acupressure massage from our health and wellness guru Kathleen Ogar.

Spascape has so many terrific offerings this month, it would be the perfect time to do a little something special for yourself.  (781) 545-1200

TLC for your eyes

 

If there's one thing I can say to you is when it comes to skincare is don't ignore your eyes.  (actually there's alot more than one thing I want to say to you about your skin but we'll have to save that for other postings). Anyway....the eyes.  Don't ignore the eyes.  This even applies to you lovely young things in your twenties because at your age you want to be all about prevention.  Trust me on this. If you don't take care, one morning you'll wake up and you'll have crow's feet.  That's how fast it can happen.  And then you'll spend the rest of your life trying desperately to erase them. Which is not totally impossible but it just gets more involved and more expensive as you get older. But that's enough of the doom and gloom, now we'll move on to some solutions.....

It is never too late to start using eyecreams because you actually can soften and smooth out your wrinkles and firm the loose skin at bit.  And I always get asked "why do you need an eyecream - can't I just use my regular moisturizer?"  My answer is, if you are serious about your skin, you will definitely need an eyecream.  The skin around your eyes is actually quite different from the rest of the skin on your face and right off the bat I can think of four good reasons to use an eye cream instead of just a regular moisturizer:

1. the skin around your eyes is a lot thinner than the rest of the skin on your face 2. it does not have the same sebaceous glands to secret hydrating oils so it can be drier than the rest of the skin on your face  3. the eye area it is often times more sensitive than facial skin and 4. if you use a regular moisturizer on your eye area it can sometimes cause millia - those hard white little bumps that can only be removed by an esthetician or dermatologist. But bottom line let me just say this: my regular moisturizer does nothing for my crow's feet but my eyecream makes me look 8-10 years younger than I actually am.

So there you have it.  Buy an eyecream and use it twice a day every day.  There are scads of great eyecreams out there - some light, some rich, some for younger skin, some for more mature skin.  There are even eyecreams to help puffiness and dark circles. So I would do your research and if at all possible get some samples to try things out.  If you are in your 20s or 30s I would definitely look for something with lots of antioxidants for prevention and if you are in your 40s and up I would look for any kind of peptides in the ingredient list.  At Spascape Day Spa we sell the fabulously anti-aging GM Collin Bota-Peptide Eye Contour (with loads of firming peptides) and the all natural, antioxidant -laden Osea Eye Gel Serum (awesome for dark circles and puffiness).

So call us now for some TLC for your eyes and don't forget, pat the eyecream on gently! (781) 545-1200

 

amazing Clairsonic

 

I've blogged before about the Clairsonic but I really feel that I cannot say enough good things about it....so here we go again.  But this time I have recruited other Clairsonic users to put in their own words what they think of the fabulous oscillating brush.  And remember that this is a brush like no other, with sonic technology that cleans six times deeper than manual cleansing alone which means all the products that you put on afterward work much much better with much much greater results.  So lets see what others are having to say about it:

"I wasn't really sure I wanted one but a friend talked me into it and now I am like obsessed!  I love it!" - Rachelle 24 sales associate 

"The Mia is great!  I keep it in my gym bag to make sure my skin is thoroughly clean after a grungy work out" - Johnathan 38 district manager

"I feel firmer!" - my mom 73, antique dealer

"I bought it for the body brush and it has totally helped clear up the chicken skin bumps on my arms"- Julie 36 CPA

"I was surprised at how gentle it was.  I can even use it every day now that I bought the delicate skin brush head" - Maria 29  mother/housewife

"I use the Clairsonic on every facial that I do and the results are immediate and dramatic - you won't get a better clean!" - Linda Spascape esthetician

So there you have it, straight from the horses mouth.  If you haven't bought a Clairsonic yet perhaps it is time to do so - it is definitely a worthwhile investment.

At Spascape Day Spa we sell a couple different models so swing by the spa to check them out.  One of our technicians will be able to help you select the brush that is right for you.  (781)545-1200

microdermabrasion

 

If you could remove that outermost layer of dry, dead skin cells, you would see that just below the surface lies a fresher, younger looking face.  And that is precisely what microdermabrasion does.  After a series (which is highly recommended) of treatments your skin will be brighter, more evenly toned, and superficial scarring, discoloration, and fine lines and wrinkles may disappear.  It is a painless 45 minute procedure that is safe for most all skin types, even sensitive. We at Spascape Day Spa offer microdermabrasion treatments at virtually all our locations.   Today I went to the Scituate spa to have some done, and my skin has never felt smoother or softer.  Ever!

It just so happens that at the Scituate spa an independent esthetician named Cynthia Dean does the microdermabrasion.  She has her own room at the spa and she offers a special Clinical Microdermabrasion Facial.  Cynthia has been in holistic skincare since 1992 and has found for her facials a skincare line that works synergistically with her beliefs about skin and nature.  It is a holistic brand and is in fact based on Traditional Chinese Medicine.  It's pretty darn cool.

So what Cynthia did for this Clinical Microdermabrasion Facial was cleanse the skin with her holistic cleanser, then she microdermed my skin for almost a half hour because she included the neck area which is so crucial.  And FYI it wasn't uncomfortable in the least - it just felt like someone was vacuuming my skin with a teeny tiny vacuum.  

Next Cynthia massaged my face with her special lymphatic drainage machine (also no discomfort) which I love because it drains the excess fluid build up from my face.  Yay I get a skinny face!

And then she applied a soothing mask and while it sat and did its thing I got a lovely hand massage and foot reflexology.  Talk about pampering!  Cynthia has a deeply relaxing, healing touch.  

Finally she wrapped up the procedure with a moisturizer that represents the Chinese element "earth" because seasonally we are in the time of "earth" - and really I do like the idea of being in sync with nature.

I am always one for the ultimate spa experience like Cynthia gave me, but if you just want to pop in get microdermed and pop out you can arrange something like that with her.  And in fact that is kinda more like how it's done in our other Spascape locations too.

So give us a call and book your microdermabrasion treatment today - I know you're going to love it! (781)545-1200

 PS   for those of you in the know, Cynthia and all Spascapes use the renowned Power Peel Microdermabrasion machines.  They are the Cadillac of microdermabrasion!

the Hydralift facial

 

Have I got something great in store for you!  The spectacular HydraLift facial is a highly sophisticated anti-aging, lifting and firming treatment formulated to deeply cleanse and moisturize the skin. It produces immediate, visible results and is recognized for its intensive moisturizing and exceptional skin lifting and firming ability for the face and neck. But bottom line I love it because it is insanely moisturizing.  Perfect for this time of year really.  And also perfect to do before a special event so that you can look your absolute best.

As with all our Spascape Day Spa facials the hydralift is pampering at it's finest so let me walk you through what you would be experiencing, because this facial has its own very specific products with active ingredients:

Step 1   your esthetician removes your makeup and cleans the skin with a decadently creamy cleanser.  This cleanser is its own very special product with hydrating ingredients in it.

Step 2   the steam is turned on and a silky enzyme exfoliating mask is applied to your face.  With the steam this high-powered yet gentle cream dissolves all the dead skin cells away so that you are starting the facial with a clean slate so to speak.  All the subsequent ingredients will now penetrate that much better.  And not only is all that going on but you are simultaneously given a world class hand and foot massage as well.

Step 3   After turning off the steam and removing the exfoliator with a warm towel, a special toning and hydrating lotion is applied to immediately quench the skin.

Step 4   And then for the best part of the facial - a super emollient massage cream is applied to the face and you are given a magnificent facial massage (a crucial step in stimulating the skin).

Step 5   Next the real work begins:  the mask goes on for superior lifting, firming, and hydrating action.  You may take this time to truly relax and go within yourself.  A lavender eye pillow may help you relax - a nice little detail in the way we pamper you here at Spascape.

Step 6   After 20 minutes under the miracle mask, it is removed with a warm towel and a lifting and firming serum is massaged in.  This will give you the final oomph that is needed for all that heavy lifting.

Step 7   The final step is a specially designed firming and hydrating moisturizer that is massaged into your face and neck for perfect penetration.  The end result is astounding  and I can guarantee you that you will love the results.  All those lines and wrinkles will be plumped up and not nearly so pronounced.  From an esthetician's stand point we love it too because the dramatic results make us feel like miracle workers.

Now doesn't all that sound amazing?  Call today and book your appointment for a hydralift facial (781) 545-1200

Environ skincare & vitamin A

 

In my professional opinion everyone's skin could use a little vitamin A, no matter how old you are or what skin type you have.  It's a fact that skin needs plenty of vitamin A for proper nutrition.

In your twenties it's all about preventative measures.  You may be experiencing extra time in the sun and late nights of partying lifestyle.  You'll want to protect yourself as much as possible.

In your thirties you may be concentrating on building a career and/or raising a family which can result in stress and too little sleep.  Vitamin A can fight the effects of stress which increases the levels of cortisol a destructive stress hormone.

In your forties the wrinkles begin in earnest.  Your skin gets lazy and loses it's ability to regenerate on its own.  Vitamin A will provide the outside stimulation to help your skin regenerate.

In your fifties and older your skin is producing less collagen so the skin becomes looser and flatter, and skin discoloration and dehydration may occur.  High levels of Vitamin A are now needed for support.

If vitamin A sounds like something you want to try Spascape Day Spa has the perfect solution.  We carry the professional skincare line Environ which specializes in vitamin A, in all different formulas suitable for all different skintypes.

 Environ and is known for it's healthy content of vitamins, A,C, E, B5, resveratrol (love resveratrol!) and other antioxidants as well.  The theory here is that this combination of ingredients will restore the health of your skin, the collagen structure, and it's protective abilities. Because of all that it is terrific for sensitive or reactive skin (many vitamin A products will irritate) and it can even help prevent skin cancer. 

One of the reasons Environ is so powerful is that vitamin A is the only ingredient that can permanently change the nucleus of the skin's DNA.  It can permanently restore the skin to be thicker, healthier, happier and even less sensitive.  Of course it is also terrific for reducing sun damage, erasing wrinkles, and clearing up congested skin.

Furthermore, the vitamin A used in Environ products is fat soluble as opposed to most acidic Vitamin A which is what people are more familiar with.  What this means is that fat soluble Vitamin A is more "user friendly".  ie. You can get waxed. You can go out in the sun year round. There is less irritation.

Everyone here at Spascape is hooked on Environ and with good reason.  If you want to stop by the spa we can set you up with the right formula best suited for your skin.  (781)545-1200