LifeSpa and Salon

It’s the most wonderful time of the year, but also one of the most stressful. Give yourself the break you deserve this holiday season.

On Monday, December 28, we will be offering discounted services, including 50-minute massages for $50, 50-minute facials for $50 and more! You can also save 25% on select retail products. Services may vary by location, so visit your local LifeSpa and Salon for more information or to schedule an appointment.

Start the season right with special $26 services from LifeSpa on October 26! Services offered for $26 include express facial, express massage, men’s cut with neck shave and chair massage, shampoo and style, pedicure, sports pedicure, and make-up application. Event is open to both members and nonmembers and space is limited, so book your appointment now for the 26th!

Click here for a list of locations.

Note: Not offered at Arizona locations.

Some days, it can seem like no small feat fitting a workout into your busy schedule. And given the hectic demands for our time (which there never seems to be enough of!), that can sometimes mean there's no time after a workout to complete your typical grooming routine. But don’t fear! Here are some worthwhile tips that can help you look fresh and fantastic (and in less time than normal!) after a great workout.

• First of all, if your hair is long enough to get in the way (in your eyes or caught in equipment), pull it back with a hair-friendly clip, binder, or headband. If you have bangs, pull them off of your forehead, which will help keep the dehydrating effect of your sweat's natural salt out of your hair. Just don’t pull your hair back too tightly, which can sometimes cause breakage.

• For water workouts, a swim cap will protect your hair from chlorine, which can dehydrate your strands or turn it a color you wouldn’t normally opt for.

• A steamy shower might seem like the perfect end to an intense workout, but can also dry out your locks. Whenever your hair is involved, set the temperature at lukewarm. In addition, many hair care gurus believe that, over time, repeated shampooing can break down the integrity of your hair. So if you don’t need it, skip the suds whenever possible.

• For a sweaty scalp, try a dry shampoo. Most are in powder form, which absorb the sweat and fluff your hair without having to pull out the hairdryer.

• For flat hair, use a volumizer to give your hair some body. Just spray near the roots and finger comb or brush through hair. This will give your hair a little lift.

• If a post-workout shampoo is a must, a conditioning treatment or light oil applied to your hair prior to your workout is a great way to moisturize your locks while you work out. Just be sure to cover or protect equipment with a towel so you don’t leave a slick surface behind.

• If you have to blowdry, a heat protection spray can help reduce damage. The cold blast button or a cool setting is a good way to add instant luster and lock in moisture.

Your trip to the gym doesn’t have to be a grooming nightmare. By incorporating these mane-management pointers, you'll leave the gym each time with great-looking, healthy hair.

Can you treat all skin colors the same way? After all, skin is skin. It tans, burns, breaks out, dries out, gets oily and last but not least, it wrinkles. True enough on all counts, but in recent research and through years of experience at my medical practice, there are important distinctions between darker (such as: African American, Asian, Hispanic, or Native American) and lighter skin. These are factors that you should be aware of when deciding on a skincare regimen.

The Advantages of Dark Skin
Dark skin, particularly that of African-Americans, produces more melanin than light skin. The melanocytes (or pigment cells) seem to have superior protective capabilities against the sun, resulting in fewer cases of skin cancer for the dark-complexioned population. On the cosmetic side, recent research indicates that dark skin has more supportive collagen in the upper-most layer of the skin, which may mean less wrinkling.

The flip side is that dark skin is prone to a variety of problems that the fair complexions are spared. Pigment problems, dry skin, excessive scar tissue and ingrown hairs are more common.

Fortunately, we have new methods and products that can soften the effect of these conditions and leave dark skin looking and feeling better than ever.

The Polka-Dot Syndrome
Due to the amount of pigment in dark skin, discoloration problems are very common and their visual effects can be similar to a polka-dot pattern. Hyperpigmentation (excess pigment) can develop at the site of an injury or after a blemish has healed. Also, larger patches of dark skin can result from too much sun exposure.

Dermatologists have always been challenged with the difficulty of treating hyperpigmentation, but new developments in skincare have provided products that offer tremendous improvements in creating an even skin tone. Daily exfoliation is the key using a combination of ingredients such as AHA’s and BHA’s to reduce excess skin cell build-up. Vitamin C application is also extremely beneficial for brightening the complexion. And daily sunscreen use is a must, for every skin color!

Try AHA/BHA Exfoliating Skin Cleanser, Combination Skin Formula, Age Spot & Pigment Lightening Gel, Daily Renewal Complex, Vitamin C Home Infusion Facial Treatment and Age-Proof Hydrating Sunscreen SPF 15.

Dr. Howard Murad, board-certified dermatologist, pharmacist, and Associate Clinical Professor of Medicine (Dermatology) at UCLA, is the founder of Murad, an award-winning skincare products company. Dr. Murad is widely acknowledged as one of the world's foremost authorities on skin health.

Dr. Murad defines vision and direction for Murad. Dr. Murad provides direct oversight to the Murad Inclusive Health Center® and Spa, Murad Medical Group and Murad Research Laboratories and travels the world speaking both as a brand ambassador and skin-health educator.

Facials are often viewed as a way to pamper oneself, as a treat for a special occasion or as a reward for a job well done. While it is true that facials are very relaxing, they have so much more to offer. Facials, along with appropriate home care, can reduce the appearance of wrinkles and age spots, as well as delay the arrival of these harbingers of age in some cases. In addition, they are essential for skin health and general well-being. Below are some of the myriad benefits that facials offer.

1) Estheticians can correctly diagnose your skin type.

Chicago-based esthetician Liz Quesnelle, owner and esthetician at Le Bon Visage Corrective Skincare and Cosmetics, says that facials provide the springboard to healthy skin. Says Ms. Quesnelle, “Often, individuals misdiagnose their skin type, usually thinking that they are oilier than they really are. When your skin is overly dry, it can compensate by overproducing oil, thus making you think you are oily, when you are actually dry. This becomes problematic as the products for acne-prone and oily skin are rather harsh. If you are using them without actually having oily skin, you are causing some serious damage. They can dry skin out which can cause accelerated aging and a dull appearance. More seriously, though, is the fact that the dryness causes breaks in the skin. These microscopic tears are invisible to the naked eye, but allow bacteria to penetrate your body’s best defense against the environment.”

2) Estheticians have access to stronger ingredients than the general public.

If you want a great exfoliation, seeing an esthetician is the way to go. Estheticians can use stronger alpha and beta hydroxy acids and enzyme masks than are available to the public. In the carefully controlled environment of the esthetician’s treatment room, the client is able to safely receive a stronger exfoliation, leaving the skin soft, smooth and glowing. Home exfoliation between esthetic appointments will keep the skin looking younger and suppler for years to come.

3) Estheticians can help recognize problems in home care regimens.

Much like a good pharmacist, a good esthetician is able to recommend products and make sure that there are no contraindications between each individual product, as well as with any physician-recommended treatments or medications. Says Ms. Quesnelle,” Often I will see clients who are complaining of hypersensitivity or are exhibiting signs of it. When we take a closer look at their daily regimen in combination with lifestyle and medications, we usually are able to determine the culprit. Often, it is a situation where every product in their regimen contains an acid or other potential irritant. I then work with the client to find appropriate replacements for the offenders in their price range. This almost always corrects the hypersensitivity.

4) Estheticians can safely extract pore congestion without scarring or inflammation.

When pores get clogged or blackheads appear, it is normal to want to extract them yourself. Without proper preparation of the skin, as well as knowledge of what to extract and what to leave alone, it is very easy to permanently damage the skin. In improper conditions, home extractions can lead to scarring, broken capillaries, discoloration or the spreading of acne causing bacteria around the skin. A good esthetician can prepare the skin in such a manner as to significantly reduce the chances of any damage being done to the skin. Extractions leave the skin brighter, cleaner and healthier.

Although they feel amazing, facials are not just for relaxation anymore. They are essential for skin health and well-being. Not only is the actual treatment beneficial, but also through your relationship with your esthetician you will learn appropriate home care treatments and have a trusted expert to turn to when navigating the confusing and expansive skincare jungle.

-Written by Liz Quesnelle