5 Springtime Skincare Tips

Springtime Skincare Habits

For Glowing Skin

1) Exfoliate 1-2X a week with a gentle scrub or glycolic acid to rid your skin from the dead cell buildup.  Our Janssen Intensive Face Scrub is a great option that will help do the trick.

2) Incorporate an antioxidant serum into your regime for extra glowing skin and vitamins.  It's like a triple-play for your skin.  Our Sesderma 5-C Glowing Complex will brighten your skin, fight free-radical damage and stimulate your collagen too!

3) Incorporate a hydrating and/or brightening mask 1-2X a week to refresh your skin.  Our Janssen Rich Energy Mask with Apple Stem Cells will renew and restore your skin.

4) Apply SPF every day over a light moisturizer, even on rainy days.  This is essential to protect your skin from overall UV exposure with the warm, sunny days ahead.  Our Janssen Optimal Tinted Cream protects the skin and gives an added glow with a little tint! 

5) Daily hydrating is essential.  Drinking 8 glasses of water daily along with eating fruits and veggies high in water content can keep your skin extra hydrated all season long!

Springtime Bonus Tip - Schedule a facial with one of our estheticians and we can clean up your skin and give you that glow you've been looking for this season. We offer mini-facials and customized treatments for that extra relaxation that may be needed too! And check in with us anytime for questions or help with your homecare regime.

Keeping Wellness in Mind This Season

If you’re looking for that well-deserved break from life, the kids or that Elf on the shelf, we are here for you for all your wellness and relaxation needs this holiday season. we Look forward to seeing you soon.

Massage, Energetic Work & You

Contributed by: Ashley

The emotional and physical body holds tension in our muscles, so with my approach, I take the time to work out the actual areas of distress. In addition, I am addressing ways to help alleviate the pain from coming back.

The body is a map of every experience we've ever had in our lives. We can go years and even decades without realizing that we have trapped these emotions inside or where they actually stem from. We wind up holding on to blocked energy, which can manifest into pain.

Massage itself can help remove these blockages, relaxing your muscles and releasing stress from physical activity. To intensify the massage experience, you can add Balance-ology, a massage technique to put your body back in balance, or a Reiki treatment, a Japanese form of energy healing. For more information, please feel free to contact us at 708.246.9200 and we are happy to explain our treatments more thoroughly and determine what would be best for your body.

Ashley-Massage Therapist, Esthetician (Soothing, Intuitive, Thorough)

Ashley has practiced esthetics for over 15 years and massage therapy for over 10 years. She is intrigued by the human body and how it is connected with the emotional mind and our physical wellness. Ashley has a different flair to her treatments. She is known for her ability to really adapt to her clientele needs, provide lasting results with clinical massage and trigger point therapy as well as floating, lymphatic drainage, and reiki. In her free time, Ashley is busy horsing around, literally, with her horses. She is also certified in Equine Therapy.

Ashley is here part-time,

Wednesday – Saturday.

Healthy-ish Fun Cocktail Recipes

“We’re delighted to have our first guest blogger, just in time for the upcoming New Year’s celebration! Thank you to Sydney Crawford - @urbanbodyfix and Cheers to 2021! Enjoy!”

Written By Sydney Crawford (@urbanbodyfix)

If you are 21+ (that’s 18 for you Canadians) and want to spice up your holiday cocktail regimen, look no further. New Year’s Eve is approaching. What better way to celebrate the beginning of 2021 than with a healthy-ish cocktail? If booze isn’t your thing, no problem. All of these drink recipes can be made non-alcoholic. 

Citrus Kombucha Margaritas

Counteract the possible effects of alcohol with the health benefits of Kombucha. Kombucha helps regulate your gut to keep you feeling good. Combine fresh orange juice, lime juice and an orange-flavored kombucha to make the base for this cocktail. Add in ice and a shot of vodka; top with a chili-salt rim for an added spice.

Blueberry Moscow Mule

Put a healthy twist on a cult favorite cocktail order. Combine ginger beer, lime juice, mint leaves and blueberries. Be sure to muddle the blueberries and mint for a flavorful drink. Add in either a shot of vodka or gin to finish off the cocktail. If you want extra zip, add in fresh grated ginger. The key to this recipe is high-quality ginger beer.

Winter Sea Breeze Cocktail

This cocktail resembles a snowy landscape with pops of red berry bushes in the distance. Combine grapefruit juice, tonic water and a shot of vodka. Top with fresh mint and pomegranate seeds. This cocktail will leave you feeling refreshed and thirsting for more.

Vodka Cranberry 

A classic cocktail that is sure to please. As with the Moscow Mule, a high-quality, healthy cranberry juice is the key to success for this cocktail. You do not want any chemicals or processed sugars in your holiday cocktail. Combine cranberry juice, lime juice and a splash of club soda as the base. Add in your choice of vodka and garnish with a sprig of rosemary.

Eggnog

No other drink screams “Holiday Season” like eggnog. If the decadent milky flavors have scared you away from drinking eggnog, look no further. Follow this recipe and indulge in a healthier version of eggnog. Add in your favorite rum to take this recipe to the next level.

Play along and tag us in any of your photos when you make your holiday cocktails @UrbanBodyFix on Instagram. 

“Thank you again to our guest blogger Sydney! We hope you enjoy these “healthy-ish” drink options to ring in the New Year! We wish you and your loved ones good health and an abundance of laughter and joy in the New Year!” - Michelle, Milano Day Spa & Wellness

Sydney Crawford - Guest Blogger

@urbanbodyfix

www.urbanbodyfix.com

Happy Holidays!

Labor Day Means Fun in the Sun but Take Care

Labor Day is around the corner, believe it or not! It is considered to be the “last hurrah” of the summer, with many of us heading out anywhere to enjoy the last of the summer sun. So wherever you may venture out, whether it be the backyard, the beach or the lake, have fun but remember to protect your skin.

And if you should find yourself in need of a rescue of some sun-burned skin as we enjoy the outside activities, here are some tips to help you through and renew your skin no matter what the season.

1) Calm with Cool - Soothe and treat your skin with cooling aloe vera gel or lotion.  You can lso try adding essential oils such as Peppermint or Eucalyptus Blue, which can up the ante on your aloe vera and aid in soothing your skin and added cooling sensation. A cool shower or bath can also be helpful to bring down the heat on your skin.

2) Drink lots of water - Sunburn can draw fluid to the skin's surface and away from the rest of the body.  It's important to drink water to prevent dehydration while your sunburn is healing.

3) Nourish & Hydrate the Skin - You can help restore the skin with cleansing milk cleansers and hydrating lotions with calm ingredients in them like aloe or chamomile.  It's also important to avoid abrasive products (e.g. scrubs) and treatment products containing retinoids or alpha/beta hydroxyacids until your skin is healed. 

Don’t let the upcoming cool or cloudy days fool you either…it's important to wear sunscreen and remember to apply it to forgotten spots like your scalp and ears.  The Mayo Clinic recommends reapplying sunscreen every 40-80 minutes, and more often if you are sweating or swimming.

Stay safe and enjoy the rest of your summer!

-Michelle

How to Calm Irritated Skin From Protective Mask Use

Protecting yourself with personal protective equipment (PPE) including face masks is important, however, it can be hard on your skin and may be having some unintended consequences and less than desirable side effects to your skin.  We can help you with some important skin self-care tips that can create a new calm and help your skin feel normal again.   

Below is some information from one of our spa skincare partners, Dr. Carl R. Thornfeldt, the Founder and CEO of Epionce. He shares information on what can happen to the skin during mask use, as well as some regime suggestions to keep your skin healthy and happy. We’ve also shared some easy helpful tips that can help keep your skin clear and blemish free.

•  The enclosed area of the mask against our skin produces a microenvironment of warm moisture. This super-hydrates the outer layer of the skin, dilates pores, oil and sweat glands and can disrupt the microbiome (microorganism community) – all compromising skin barrier function. These factors also increase local inflammation.

• Folliculitis (inflammation of one or more hair follicles) due to the yeast and bacteria build up.

• Chronic skin conditions such as rosacea, acne, heat rash, seborrheic and atopic dermatitis can also flare due to the disrupted microenvironment on the skin, as well as due to increased stress.

• There is a risk of developing irritant and allergic contact dermatitis to mask material.

• Chafing and irritation due to the mask edges continually rubbing in specific areas of the skin.

Daily Regimen Suggestion

Start by cleansing with Lytic Gel Cleanser or Purifying Wash for an anti-microbial, deep cleaning effect. Follow with the application of Lytic Plus Tx or Lytic Sport Tx for anti-inflammatory, keratolytic and anti-microbial benefits. Then, apply Renewal Lite Facial Lotion twice daily to help repair and restore the damaged skin barrier.  

To Calm Chafing + Irritation

Renewal Calming Cream and Medical Barrier Cream contain optimal levels of cholesterol and ceramides to repair the damaged barrier. Apply as needed to affected areas. Enriched Firming Mask is also beneficial and will reduce redness, calm irritation and boost hydration and can be left on overnight for enhanced results. 

 Some other important tips to remember to help prevent skin problems and keep you blemish free are:

1) Apply moisturizer before and after wearing your mask, as well as protection for your lips.

2) Try avoiding makeup when wearing your mask to avoid clogging pores.

3) Try different masks if necessary that do not irritate your skin or behind your ears. Some synthetic fabrics can be irritating to the skin.

4) If you are using a fabric mask, wash it regularly to remove oils and skin cells that collect inside your mask.

5) Ask for help from your dermatologist or skin specialist if you develop or have a skin concern.

We hope you find benefit from this information and suggestions.  As the skin can be affected by stress and change in our environment, it’s important to stay positive and remember that together, we are stronger and we will get through this time and still feel beautiful on the inside and outside.

Epionce has made it easy to try these regime suggestions with online ordering using Milano Day Spa’s Professional Code, plus you receive free shipping!  So just go to www.epionce.com and shop with this code: 20160512.  If you have any questions, regarding information in this blog or about in spa services that can help your skin, please feel free to call us at 708.246.9200.

Have a happy & healthy day!

Michelle

Self Care & Support During a Crisis

Simple tips to take care of you in the Midst of this Health Crisis

In this unprecedented time of the coronavirus (COVID-19), it's important for everyone to support and help each other in any way possible.  With social distancing being our way of life now, we cannot do this together right now, in the same room anyway, but we are in this together.  Here are some things that will help you with self-care and mental health support during this time of uncertainty.  It's especially a good time to feed your soul and your smile until this is behind us and we can return to our normal way of life.  These tips are important now and going forward for our health today and in the future. 

1) Wash Your Hands Often With Soap & Use Hand Cream to Seal in Moisture

2) Keep Yourself Hydrated and Incorporate Warm Liquids Daily

3) Take Deep Breaths & Meditate for Self Relaxation

(e.g. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJVpvCQFdCk)

4) Eat Healthy & Get Creative with New Recipes or your own Creations

5) Feed Your Smile (YouTube is a great resource. Try a puppy video!)

6) Get Plenty of Rest So Your Body’s Immune System Can Work Efficiently

7) Do Something Meaningful Every Day that Feeds Your Soul

8) Take Breaks from Watching the News or Social Media related to the Pandemic

9) Keep Connected with Loved Ones & Friends

10) Remember You are Not Alone and We are In This Together

Take care of yourself during this time and we look forward to when we can take care of you again when our doors at Milano Day Spa & Wellness Center are open again. We wish you wellness, hope and positivity. #InThisTogether

2020 - A New Year, Time for You

Now that the stress of the holidays are over, we may still be in that “energizer bunny” mode and it can be hard to slow down and take time to reflect on the new year and what is best for you. I will vouch for this. Then I recently stumbled upon this quote. Perhaps it will speak to you, like it did to me.

When we get too caught up

in the busyness of the world,

we lose connection with one

another—and ourselves.”

—Jack Kornfield

It’s important to find a little time to do something for yourself, whether it’s simply relaxing with a cup of coffee in the morning, turning your phone off for an hour or two, sitting down to read that book you’ve been meaning to or just sitting in silence and meditating. Even a short period of meditation can allow your body to rid stress and has been said to increase attention span and allow more space in your life. I think everyone can use a little of that!

My plan is to read more, take time for some meditation and carve out more time with my family and friends. What’s in your plan for 2020? We’d love to hear! And if’s relaxation you need, we are here for you. All the best to you all for a happy and healthy 2020!

—Michelle

Why Pedicures are Important in the Fall & Winter Months

The cooler weather has set in sooner than expected this year!  But don’t let the weather scare you away from treating your feet!  Keeping your pedicure routine on track is important for many reasons. 

Cold Equals Dryness

When the cold weather hits, our skin can experience dryness and cracked heels are a possibility too.  Not only can a pedicure make your toes look lovely and make you feel proud to show them off no matter what season it is, they help nourish the skin and keep your feet feeling healthy. 

Nourishment for your Feet

Just like the proper diet keeps your body properly nourished, pedicures provide the proper nourishment for your feet!  The warm soak will soften the skin and the technician can provide the right amount of exfoliation to rid the feet of those dead cells that get caught on the sheets at night!  That feeling can be like nails on a chalkboard and have you setting up that appointment pronto.

We’ve Got Dazzle Dry

Dazzle Dry polish creates beautiful nails without the use of harmful chemicals.  It’s a vegan nail system, dries in just 5 minutes without the use of a UV light and lasts up to 3 weeks! Plus it strengthens the nail and removes like traditional polish.  So give yourself the beauty and wellness that your nails need! And no cold toes for you!

It Does Your Body, Mind and Soul Good

Your feet truly deserve it and so do you!  Every day life can take its toll on your feet as they take you everywhere you go.  Pampering them will provide that nourishment they need, super soft skin; and beautiful toes that make you downright feel good.  And just going into the spa where people take care of you will relax you, rejuvenate your soul and help melt your stress away.

Whether we realize it or not, we carry a lot of stress in our feet.  A pedicure can put that spring back in your step.  Having polished fingers and toes just gives you that confidence boost we all crave and love!  Taking care of yourself makes you feel good.  At Milano Day Spa & Wellness Center, our skilled technicians know how to take care of you. We work with you to make sure you get what you need from your treatment.  To learn more about the best pedicure for your feet, contact us at 708.246.9200 and schedule your consultation and treatment today.

Here's to Flawless Fall Skin

Summer is quickly coming to a close...don't kill the messenger! But it's a great time to adjust your skin care routine, just like transitioning to your Fall wardrobe. Below are some suggestions that will renew and revive your skin as we move into the new season.

Exfoliation - After all the fun in the sun, exfoliation can be an effective step to restoring your skin after potential damage from the sun. Try using alpha hydroxy acids to exfoliate the build up of dead cells on the skin. This will also help lighten and brighten the skin. If exfoliation seems daunting to you, try getting a professional peel and enjoy some pampering, in addition to an effective peel.

Hydration - The sun sure feels great and is beneficial to us as long as we mind the dosage. Too much exposure can deplete the moisture and collagen in our skin, which can lead to dryness and age the look and feel of our skin. Over dry skin can enhance the look of fine lines, which is not something we want to enhance. It's important to keep our skin hydrated and balanced.

Sunscreen - No matter what the season, sunscreen is your friend to protect your skin from the harmful effects of the sun. We recommend a sunscreen that can protect you from UVA and UVB rays. One suggestion that is recommended by the Skin Cancer Foundation is Epionce's Daily Shield Tinted SPF 50. It is light and has a tint that can used on all skin types. This can be purchased in our retail area or online at www.epionce.com with Professional Code 20160512. Enjoy free ground shipping when you use our code and receive extra perks as a Preferred Shopper with complimentary Epionce samples.

You Are What you Eat...is what they say! There's no doubt summer can be filled with hot dogs, burgers and fries, among other tasty treats. These types of foods can affect your skin. The health of your skin starts from the inside out. Getting into the routine of healthy eating can only help with your skincare goals and fall into better looking skin!