Essie Introduces Fall 2009 Collection

Help clients embrace the new season by offering Essie’s Fall 2009 Color Collection. Inspired by the plush knits and vibrant furs of the fall 2009 runway shows, the collection mixes deep hues and bright colors. The collection consists of Chinchilly, a granite grey; Angora Cardi, a deep dusty rose; Mink Muffs, a taupe; Midnight Cami, a shimmering twilight blue; Bright Tights, an electric orange; and Pink Parka, a hot pink. These colors are sure to leave clients falling in love with the fall.

Back to the Ranch

Rancho La Puerta (Tecate, Mexico) is, quite possibly, my favorite place on earth. Whenever I visit, I come home feeling healthy, happy, and rejuvenated. So I was thrilled to be able to spend some time there over the summer during a trip out west to visit spas. I was even more excited to have my mom and dad join me. During our visit, my mom and I tested out the new exercise activities pool, a facility especially designed for low-impact water workouts, partaking in such sessions as the Aqua Plus deep water workout and the Wave Run, a deep-water crosstraining class. My dad and I hiked each morning, particularly enjoying the Garden Breakfast Hike, a four-mile trek to Tres Estrellas, the organic vegetable farm, and La Concina Que Canta, the new culinary center. My dad loves to garden, so he had lots of questions for head gardener Salvador Tinajero. We also took part in classes from the week’s guest lecturers, learning about heart health and self-hypnosis, as well as enjoying wonderful evening musical performances. I also discovered an interest in bird watching after a Bird Walk with resident avian expert Joe Sweeney. And, of course, we took advantage of the amazing fitness classes, the delicious healthy food, the soothing spa treatments, and the elegant accommodations. Once again, I was captivated by The Ranch, which will be celebrating its 70th anniversary in June 2010. To celebrate this historic occasion, we’ll be featuring a Rancho La Puerta retrospective, in which we honor the efforts of Edmond and Deborah Szekely in one of our 2010 issues. Stay tuned!

Hyatt’s Agua Serena Spa Celebrates
Birthdays With the Gift of Relaxation

Getting older can cause its fair share of anxiety, making a birthday a less than festive event. However, Agua Serena Spa at the Hyatt Grand Champions Resort, Villas and Spa (Palm Springs, CA) is giving those who are turning another year older real reason to celebrate with a 50-minute complimentary spa treatment when they visit the spa with a companion also receiving a 50-minute treatment. Birthday revelers who bring two friends will get not only a complimentary 50-minute treatment but also an additional 10 percent off their friends’ treatments. Birthday spa-goers who prefer to keep their birthdays quiet can spa solo with a 50-minute treatment at 50 percent off. Available through Aug. 31, 2010, this birthday package also includes a free entrée at Lantana Restaurant, a complimentary non-alcoholic beverage, and a special birthday gift from the spa for the birthday boy or girl.

Temptu Hits the Runway

On Tuesday, Sept. 15, I had the opportunity to visit the backstage area at Bryant Park during Mercedes-Benz Spring ‘10 Fashion Week in New York City. There, I got an up-close-and-personal look at the hair and makeup on the Max Azria models before they hit the runway. As I watched the models get their makeup done, I was fascinated by the flawless, natural look achieved by the Temptu AIRbrush Makeup System. I tracked down the key makeup artist for Temptu, Lisa Butler, to find out how they achieved the look. “We wanted the girls to look as fresh and natural as possible,” says Butler. To complement the collection’s uncomplicated sophistication, Butler and the Temptu Pro Team used the Temptu AIRbrush Makeup System with the AIR Pod Highlighter in Champagne on low pressure to add light and sheer accents around the face, including underneath the brow bone, around the sides of the eyes, on top of the cheeks, and on the lips. Clear mascara on the lashes was the finishing touch to the simple, yet elegant look. It definitely proves that sometimes less really is more!

Wynn Las Vegas Offers an Out-Of-This-World Experience

It’s a bird….it’s a plane….it’s a guest of the Wynn Las Vegas? Yes, this weekend, guests of the Wynn have the opportunity to fly like Superman with the two-night ZERO-G Spa Experience, thanks to the Zero Gravity Corporation. For $5,746 per person, guests can indulge in either a Custom Massage or a Classic Facial at the luxe Spa at Wynn then float on through to an unforgettable experience in the sky. On Saturday, the ZERO-G flight takes off from McCarran International Airport for a two-hour, zero-gravity flight around the Vegas Valley, which will allow people to feel the sensation of being in outer space. The FAA-approved Boeing 727 is outfitted with padded floors and walls so that guests can “fly” the length of the plane, effortlessly flip like an Olympic gymnast, or even pour water in the air to watch the droplets hover. Video cameras and a world-class photographer will be on board to capture the fun and frolicking. For those who are interested in flying high, they are in for a sublime time.

PrettyCity.com’s Pretty in Pink Breast Cancer Campaign Benefits Both Spa Enthusiasts and the Fight Against Breast Cancer

Spa-Goers have 31 days to take advantage of $31 treatments thanks to PrettyCity.com’s Pretty in Pink Breast Cancer Campaign this October. The campaign, which was first introduced in 2007, raises awareness and money for Bright Pink, a national non-profit charity that focuses on the prevention and early detection of breast and ovarian cancer in high-risk young women. Participating “pink” spas and salons around the country are offering a variety of beauty treatments for the deeply discounted price of $31, and all have made a pre-set donation to Bright Pink. From photo facials to pretty pedicures, a variety of treatments are available. Log on to www.prettycity.com/pink to browse a list of participating locations and their $31 services. Since 2007, the campaign has raised $20,000 every year for its charity partners. Now spa-goers can feel even better about doing good.

The Spa at the Four Seasons Hotel Chicago Offers a Game-Day Getaway This Football Season

When “Da Bears” kicked off their season opener this Sunday against perennial rival Green Bay Packers, The Spa at the Four Seasons Hotel Chicago launched a treat for non-football lovers. While Chicago football fanatics were left to mourn an early-season loss, Windy City spa-goers who discovered The Getaway from the Gridiron Package rejoiced. For $175, the package allows spa fans to enjoy a quiet day with a 55-minute massage, a healthy spa lunch (no beer or brats), a pass to visit the pool and fitness club, and a complimentary makeup application at the Bobbi Brown counter at nearby Bloomingdales. Guests also receive a special gift from Bloomingdales, as well as 20 percent off of a future couples’ massage, applicable Sunday through Thursday, to be used for some together time without SportsCenter on in the background. Available until Super Bowl Sunday, this package is the perfect way for ladies to take a time out during football season and to score points with their fellows for giving them some space to enjoy the games.

Anthony Logistics For Men Honors Prostate Cancer Awareness Month

September is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, and to do its part in helping to raise money for research, Anthony Logistics For Men is donating 100 percent of the proceeds from the sale of its 32-ounce Sea Salt Body Scrub to the Aureon Protocol Study at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City for its prostate cancer research program. In addition, the scrub’s bottle is adorned with a blue ribbon, representing prostate cancer awareness.

Since launching the brand in 2000, founder Anthony Sosnick has been a vocal advocate for the disease. While giving skincare consultations around the country, Sosnick educates clients on the importance of getting a Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) test. Prostate cancer affects as many as 16,000 men a month, according to the National Cancer Research.

New Spa Music CDs Rock

Tired of the pan flutes and wind chimes that populate most spa music CDs? Consider snapping up two new albums from CMH Label Group featuring instrumental renditions of some of rock music’s best-known and most beloved songs. Slated for a release Nov.17 release, “Rock Classics” and “Modern Classics” are 12-track collections designed to bring a modern rock perspective to traditional New Age music fare. “Rock Classics” features instrumental versions of songs from rockers like Bob Dylan, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Police, Led Zeppelin, and others. “Modern Classics” offers tranquil renditions of songs by The Verve, U2, The Cure, Oasis, R.E.M., Nirvana, and more.

And this is just the beginning. An album dedicated to U2 will be released later this year, and CDs highlighting the music of Bob Marley, Radiohead, and Coldplay are coming in 2010, as will an “Indie Classics” set featuring meditative renditions of the music of Modest Mouse, The Flaming Lips, Cat Power, and Sigur Ros.

“We are as much an idea company as we are a record label,” says David Haerle, owner of CMH Records. “We wanted to create a much more modern musical experience targeted at younger audiences who are now becoming more and more involved in healthy lifestyles. People’s perception of New Age music as heard in yoga studios, meditative sessions, spas, hotels and at home is going to change.”

The “Modern Meditations” series will be available for purchase at all traditional music retail outlets and online services, as well as distributed to many high-end lifestyle retailers. Visit www.modernmeditations.com for more information.

And rock on!

Miami Heat Dancers Celebrate the Opening
of Laser Cosmetica in Miami Beach

With 10 Laser Cosmetica facilities in Miami Beach, New York City, and Philadelphia, owner and founder Ryan Bloch recently celebrated the opening of a new Miami Beach location with help from the Miami Heat Dancers, one of the most popular dance teams in the NBA. As the official laser sponsor for the team, Laser Cosmetica supplies the dancers with complimentary treatments. The spa specializes in acne therapy, cellulite reduction, chemical peels, laser hair removal, microdermabrasion, rosacea treatment, skin tightening, and more.