2010!

Happy New Year everyone!

With 2010 only two days away, take a moment to revisit some of your favourite memories of 2009.

This has been a year of growth at Skindulgence. Even though we've been in the business for twenty years we are constantly learning new things about the spa industry and acquiring the latest techniques and products to best serve our loyal clients. We look forward to the new challenges and exciting adventures that 2010 will bring.

We also look forward to seeing you all soon! Why not start the New Year off with a bang by treating yourself to a little spa pampering? We'll have fabulous new promotions in January which we will be sure to post up but for now these are the top services and products that are being requested:

1) Clinical facials - Why? Because around this time of year not only does the cold weather make skin appear dull, dry and rough but so does partying late nights, stressful shopping and perhaps a little more alcohol consumption than normal. Our knowledgeable estheticians will be able to help decide which facial will be best for your skin type and condition to get maximum effectiveness from the GM Collin or Yonka products we use.

2) GliSODin Skin Nutrients - You've probably read about our GliSODin experiment in earlier posts and these miracle formulas are speaking for themselves. Our first shipment has been sold and luckily we just got another one in. Visit their website here, or come in and check it out for yourself.

3) GM Collin Daily Ceramide Comfort - These precious golden beads pack a serious punch in helping your products retain their active ingredients. After cleansing and moisturizing, open up a Ceramide capsule and apply the dry oil all over your face. It absorbs within 30 seconds and will lock in your products. It also helps to defend your skin against environmental stressors.

4) Body Exfoliation - Just like our faces, this skin on our bodies suffer from this cold weather. If you're finding your skin to be rough, uneven, flakey or itchy, your skin is begging you for an exfoliation to remove dead skin cells. Our fabulous exfoliants come in a wide range of scents that are sure to please anyone. After the exfoliation enjoy a steam shower and then an application of body butter in a matching scent.

We hope that all of you have a wonderful New Years Eve and we wish you all the best!

Sincerely,

Skindulgence

Written by Paige Forgie

Natural Ways to Cleanse

Holidays are a time of family, charity and indulgence. With the new year upon us, it's time to cleanse ourselves of all the toxins that have built up over the year, especially all those tasty holiday treats! Here are some easy ways to help your body naturally release those harmful toxins:

1. Gotta have that H2O! Water helps to flush your system and keep everything flowing as it should be. Optimal water consumption should be around 6-8 glasses of water per day.

2. You are what you eat. Stay away from processed foods, sugars/sweeteners, caffeine, dairy, gluten, soy, animal products and alcohol. Instead, load up on fresh fruits, veggies, raw nuts and whole grains. There are also herbs like nettle, burdock, milk thistle and dandelion that naturally boost liver kidney and skin detoxification.

3. Get plenty of antioxidants. Antioxidants fight free radical damage by removing them from your body. This is easy with so many tasty antioxidant-rich foods like: nuts, beans and brightly coloured fruits and veggies. Amplify your antioxidant intake with GliSODin Skin Nutrients Advanced Detoxification Formula. This twice daily formula is full of amazing antioxidants including SOD which is part of our primary antioxidant system and is not absorbed after attacking only one free radical like the superfruit antioxidants. Learn more at http://www.glisodinskin.com/ or try it today for only $129!

4. Get your circulation in action! Good circulation makes it easy for your body to eliminate wastes and brings fresh nutrients to your all organs, including the skin. Dry brush massaging is a good way to promote circulation and keep the skin gateways open for toxin elimination. Hot Yoga is a good way to de-stress, purge toxins while you sweat and improve your circulation all in a fun and healthy exercise. Saunas and steam rooms are good for sweating out toxins and following up with a cold shower is sure to get your blood flowing again.

Sincerely,

Skindulgence

The Top 5 Reasons to Drink More Water

1) Water rehydrates and replenishes the body, helps flush toxins and is key in maintaning skin hydration. The skin is the first area of the body to show dehydration. You will feel itchy and dry. You may experience flaking, inflammation and the skin may even start to look tired and saggy. Remember, water is one of the simplest ways to prevent aging from the inside out. Foods such as strawberries, grapefruit, tomatoes, and melons are great to add to your diet to as they are high in antioxidants and vitamins as well as water.

2) Be sure to drink water before you sleep (not too much!) as dehydration increases the bodies pulse rate which leads to anxiety and disturbed sleep. Not to mention puffy eyes when you wake up!

3) Cutting short your daily water intake can lead to constipation which can then lead to blemishes and break outs (remember you skin is the bodies second largest elimination pathway.)

4) Dehydration can lead to feeling tired as well as lethargy and forgetfulness.

5) The lymphatic system needs at least two liters of water a day to stay flushed and healthy (fizzy and caffeinated drinks and alcohol don't count). Herbal teas & diluted fresh juices can be a part of the 2 litre intake but pure water should account for at least half.

Two litres might seem like a lot but don't forget that fruits and veggies also help make up that two litres. Every little bit counts! Try to bring a water bottle with you, you'll find yourself reaching for it instinctively just because it's near by.

Have a wonderful, hydrated Christmas and don't forget, we are closed for Christmas Day but are open once again on Boxing day. Click here for our holiday hours!

Sincerely,

Skindulgence

Written by Tazeem Jamal

Two Days until Christmas! Hurry!

As you're probably aware, Christmas Eve is tomorrow and that means you are (hopefully) well on your way to finishing your Christmas shopping. Buuuut if you're a last minute shopper we won't hold it against you. We will be open until 5pm on Christmas Eve so don't delay, come in and pick up the latest jewellry, make up, nail polish and shawls! If you're stumped for ideas, a gift certificate is the gift that can't go wrong. Don't forget: you'll receive 10% off any additional retail gift* purchases when you buy a gift certificate before Dec 24th!

Sincerely,

Skindulgence

Written by Paige Forgie

*Does not include skincare products or make up

GliSODin is HERE!

We have our first shipment of GliSODin Skin Nutrients in stock early! If you're in the area why not swing by and meet with one of our estheticians and see what formula is right for you!

Visit the GliSODin website for more information.

Sincerely,

Skindulgence

Written by Paige Forgie

Our Top Three China Glaze Nail Polishes

Winter is the time to unearth those nail polishes you've been neglecting... You know, those vibrant, rich colors that you loved in store but are too afraid to rock out in public. Put aside your fears and revel in deep reds, bold blues and plush purples.

Our top nail polish for the season is China Glaze's Ruby Pumps. As the name suggests it's a bright pure red saturated with red sparkles. This color is perfect for the girl on the go because you can easily get away with one quick coat. Plus, nothing amps up a holiday outfit like festive nails. If you feel it's a little over the top, try it on your toes. The bright red will look stunning peeking out from your favourite pair of peep-toe pumps. If you're still wary of the bold bright colors (or perhaps you want your outfit, hair and jewellry to steal the show) we're loving Who's Wearing What by China Glaze. It's the perfect lilac that suits all skin colors.And our third favourite for this season is Drenched in Diamonds by China Glaze. This gorgeous silver glitter polish looks fabulous on it's own but it can also jazz up any other colors (we wonder how it'll look over top of Who's Wearing What... We might just have to experiment!).

Over the years of buying gifts for my girlfriends I've realised that the perfect finish to any gift is a gorgeous nail polish. I always tie the latest color on the top of their presents with the gift tag -- it looks cute and they love it. Plus nail polish is always great as a stocking stuffer... I know that I would rather find a beautiful new China Glaze nail polish in the toe of my stocking than a mandarin orange!

Happy last-minute shopping to all!

Sincerely,

Skindulgence

Written by Paige Forgie

P.s. Don't forget that investing in a good base and top coat makes all the difference in maintaing your nails and your nail color! We recommend China Glaze's Strong Adhesion Base Coat and Fast Forward Top Coat for keeping your nails strong, healthy and beautifully polished.

Detoxification Update

With all four girls well on their way into their GliSODin detoxs, here is what they're saying:

Rose: For the first week or so I found it very difficult to wake up, but once I was up - I was raring to go. I believe I missed most of the semi-negative symptoms since I have been taking mine in the evening (editors note: Paige and Rose both are doing half the normal amount of the detoxification formula). I haven't broken out too badly but I do feel hypersensitive to touch and sound. And WOW, I have never been so thirsty in my life! Therefore I have been visiting the washroom frequently. It does not have a laxative effect, in fact I felt rather constipated and bloated from day 5~10 but it passed. The SOD enery boost also makes it a little difficult to fall asleep right away. On a lighter note, I actually rather like the smell and taste but the undissolved leftovers at the end caused me to cough a little as I swallow the last few gulps.

Paige: I'm about half way through the detox and I'm hoping that most of the negative effects will be over soon. My skin (which is acne prone) is breaking out quite badly along my jawline and chin but they're healing a lot quicker than usual which is a great. Like Rose, I have also been very thirsty recently. When I wake up and take my supplement I usually drink it with a big glass of water and then have another one right after it. I have a lot more energy than usual, especially the few hours after I drink the supplement. I have been a little bit naughty about my eating but my weight has gone down a few pounds and the skin on my body is looking brighter and more even. I still detest how it tastes but I think I was drinking it too concentrated before (half a glass of water) and so now the flavour is less strong when I mix it with one full glass.

Heather: I have found that the formula suppresses my appetite, which is something I don't mind. I no longer take it at night because I also found that it gave me a big boost of energy and since I am a light sleeper to begin with I cut it down to once a day. I'm now sleeping great. I can tell the detox is working but luckily it doesn't have any sort of laxative effect to worry about.

Tips to Every Day Calm

Around this time of year stopping to relax and rejuvenate seems out of the question but by depriving your body of sleep, exercise and proper nutrition you're exerting more energy than necessary to get your tasks completed.

Just as you might schedule out errands and chores to be completed, try writing out things you can incorporate into your day to keep you working at an optimal level. Try scheduling in a healthy lunch or snack, like a quick salad or vegetarian sandwich. By making a conscious decision to eat well (especially in the middle of the day when so many people neglect to find proper food) you'll be less likely to reach for that bag of chips. Write down your bed time and stick to it. This might seem juvenile but sometimes it can be hard to know when to put your work down and catch up on some Zzzz's.

Speaking of sleep, make your bed a haven. Invest in sheets and pillows that are irresistible to you. Keep all laptops and work related papers far away. Your bed should be a place of rest, not your office desk. Additionally, avoid dramatic or thrilling books near the bed, it is easy to get sucked in and end up staying awake hours after you planned to. My secret is keeping an old college textbook next to my bed -- one page in and my eyes are instantly droopy!

Sincerely,

Skindulgence

Written by Paige Forgie

Early Bird Gets the Worm

For those of us who get our Christmas shopping done early it can be fun to sit back and watch our friends and family scramble around for gifts. But eventually their stress becomes your stress:

"Can you pick this up for me?"

"Can you wrap these 60 packages for me?"

"Can I borrow twenty bucks?"

And so on. The best thing to do is to reward your shopping savvy and escape to the spa for a day with any of our fabulous spa packages.

For this month we're offering some special holiday packages. My favourite is the Winter Warm Up which includes:

Aromatherapy Steam Shower
30 minute Cranberry-Mango Body Butter Massage
Express Cranberry-Mango Pedicure
Express Customized Facial

This package lasts for nearly two hours and is only $199! That's just enough time to destress and rejuvenate. Even better, you'll look fabulous for the holidays and will simply glow at all of your seasonal events.

Sincerely,

Skindulgence

Written by Paige Forgie

Mad Christmas Dash!

With Christmas less than two weeks away, everyone is starting to feel the seasonal rush and the pressure is on. One of my biggest pet peeves about Christmas time is thinking that all my shopping is done but then remembering a friend, family member or coworker that I forgot to buy a gift for. We've all been there.... Last minute mad-dashing through the mall, trying to find a suitable gift, bobbing and weaving through the crowds of slowpoke shoppers... And it stinks.

Save yourself the hassle of tackling the mall mob and come see us at Skindulgence. Not only will we be able to help you find the perfect gift (be it bath products, skincare or a gift certificate) but you'll also get to have a couple of seconds of much needed near-silence that only a spa can offer (save for the sound of delicate bird song and waves). Plus, our exceptional staff will help you find the ideal gift for anyone on your list, no need to "go it alone" or wait 45 minutes for service in a crowded store.

Sincerely,

Skindulgence

Written by Paige Forgie

GliSODin Open House

Just a reminder that we will be getting the fabulous GliSODin line in the middle of January and we are planning an Open House for those of you who are interested in learning more about the product. We will have one of GliSODin's co-founders, Corina Chrysler, coming in to the spa to discuss the benefits of the product as well as answer any questions you may have. Corina is a leading Canadian Nutritionist who has worked closely with Health Canada. Health Canada has one of the most stringent approval policies in the world, making Corina an expert on what can help your body and what can hurt it. We are so excited for this opportunity and we cannot wait to share this fantastic product with our clients. We will have more details about the Open House closer to the event, but be sure to mark the night of January the 19th off on your calendars!

Sincerely,

Skindulgence

Written by Paige Forgie

GliSODIN Advanced Detox Formula Reviews

The Spa Divas have all started taking the GliSODin Advanced Detox Formula but started on different days. Here is their progress so far:

Paige (Day 1): I took my first packet of GliSODin this morning at around 9:00 after eating a tiny bowl of cereal. I know I wasn't supposed to eat before I had the drink but I was so hungry I completely forgot. The drink in itself wasn't the best tasting thing I've ever had and the smell left something to be desired. I would have preferred it to be in a pill form like the other GliSODin formulas. It is now 1:30pm and I usually start to crash around this time but I have way more energy than normal and was even dancing around in the kitchen. I will not be following the nutrition directions to the T, since it is Christmas time after all but I'll do my best to cut out white sugar and white flower and up my daily fruit/veg intake.

Ayeshe (Day 5): Even after five days I still am not used to the taste but luckily it doesn't last long. I have followed the nutrition suggestions very closely, as well as continuing near daily exercise and I have lost around 3 lbs!

Heather (Day 5): I don't mind the taste, I like that it's not sweetened with anything but natural flavours. I have done many cleanses this year so I didn't think I'd have a lot of toxins to remove. I was a bit sluggish the first couple of days but now I can really feel the energy hit me. I've also noticed that I have been sweating a little bit more which is my body ridding itself of toxins.

Experimenter #3

Name: Ayeshe
Age: 37
Approximate weight: 128
Skin type: Combination
Initial thoughts on GliSODin: This is my first detox but I am not worried about it. I trust Taz and I know she researches her products carefully. It helps knowing that she has done it before and I can go to her with questions if I need to.
After reading about it: Interesting! I have never seen or heard of anything like this before, I am excited to try it.
Looking forward to: Health benefits such as weight loss and cleansing my systems.

Experimenter #2

Name: Rose
Age: 20
Approximate Weight: 110 lbs
Skin type: Combination (oily and dry)
Initial thoughts about Glisodin: Skeptical about the drinkable powder format (would rather take a pill), a little nervous (I have never tried a detox/cleanse before) and a little worried about the weight loss (I don't want to lose any more weight!).
After reading about it: SOD is an amazing antioxidant!
Looking forward to: More energy and clearer skin!

Test Subject #1

At Skindulgence we believe in standing behind our products 100% and knowing exactly how they work. We are bringing in a brand new, exciting product called GliSODin. For more information on the product you can read the blog entry below or visit their website here.

Four of the Spa Divas are testing out the Advanced Detoxification Formula and one is using the Advanced Skin Brightening Formula (and has already tried the Detox).

Let's meet our first experimenter:

Name: Paige
Age: 20
Skin type: Very fair, acne prone and combination skin
Approximate weight: 122 lbs
Initial thoughts on GliSODin: Admittedly a bit skeptical but also very curious. Not too sure about detoxs in general (I've heard scary things!) but willing to try it for the sake of science and our clients.
After reading about it: A little less skeptical... But the proof is in the pudding. Slightly horrified by the healthy eating plan as I basically run on white sugar and pasta. Buuut I'm willing to try to follow the guidelines as closely as possible (at least I can eat pasta and as many avocadoes as I want!) since it's only two weeks.
Most looking forward to: clearer skin, less water retention and a cleansed liver for the holidays. ;)

Photos of the experimenters will be up shortly!

Sincerely,
Skindulgence

Written By Paige Forgie

Exciting New Product!

Around this time of year when the temperature drops and skin tends to get dry, flakey and dull the best thing you can do for your skin is to redesign your skincare regimen to fit the season. This means investing in a incredibly hydrating face cream (even those of us with oily skin need added moisture, both GM Collin and Yonka stock products that are effective for all skin types) and a soothing yet effective exfoliant such as GM Collin's Exfozyme.

But sometimes we need an added kick to keep our skin -and our bodies - energized and refreshed. Skindulgence is proud to introduce GliSODin Skin Nutrients*, a revolutionary nutricosmetic. "Nutricosmetics" is a term for ingestible products that help provide nutrients to the skin which increases overall quality of your skin.

We will be carrying the following three formulas:

1) The Advanced Daily Formula:
Rejuvenates and hydrates the skin to restore a natural healthy glow
Reduces fine lines and wrinkles
Reduces the signs of aging and protect the skin and body from damaging radicals.
Reduces inflammation that causes flaky dry skin and skin rashes and redness
Maintains structural integrity of skin and collagen

2) The Advanced Skin Brightening Formula:
Reduces oxidative stress and minimizes skin damage associated with environmental stressors
Reduces post inflammatory hyper pigmentation
Supports the beneficial effects of facial skin resurfacing treatments
Reduces the incidence of side effects associated with facial skin resurfacing treatments

3) The Advanced Detoxification Formula:
Cleanses the eliminative pathways (liver, digestive, skin, kidneys)
Removes toxins to promote clear and radiant skin
Assists with weight loss
Optimizes gastric transit time and relieve digestive upsets/disturbances.
Promotes liver detoxification and acts as a powerful free radical scavenging agent
Controls water retention

If you're looking to improve your skin and overall health, GliSODin is for you. Currently four of the Spa Divas are trying out the Advanced Detoxification Formula and our very own Tazeem Jamal is starting to use the Advanced Skin Brightening Formula after completing the Advanced Detoxification Formula. The detox is a two week system and over the next 14 days we will update you on our progress. Once it is completed we will give you our final review and Taz will give you the scoop on the Skin Brightening Formula.

At Skindulgence we feel it is our duty to provide only the best products and one way of ensuring this is through testing the products ourselves. Tazeem can attest to the effectiveness of the Advanced Detoxification Formula but we want to provide as many testimonials as possible so that you can feel as confident as we do that our products are of the highest quality and performance.

Sincerely,
Skindulgence
written by Paige Forgie

*All GliSODin information provided by the GliSODin Skin Nutrients website. Visit their website for more details.

Holiday Hours

December 2009:

Thursday the 24th (Christmas Eve): 10-5
Friday the 25th (Christmas Day): CLOSED
Saturday the 26th (Boxing Day): 10-5
Sunday the 27th: 12-4
Monday the 28th: 12-6
Tuesday the 29th: 10-6
Wednesday the 30th: 10-7
Thursday the 31st (New Years Eve): 10-3

January 2010:
Friday the 1st (New Years Day): CLOSED
Saturday the 2nd: 10-5pm
Sunday the 3rd: CLOSED

Sincerely,
Skindulgence