Skin 2 Skin Care Launches Beauty Blog

Skin 2 Skin Care is offering consumers a daily dose of beauty advice, courtesy of its new blog BeautyAtAnyAgeIsBeauty.com. Along with info about the company’s collection of skincare products, the blog offers latest news in skincare, wellness, and beauty, exercise tips,  funny inspirational anecdotes, and more. Every Thursday, Skin 2 Skin Care founder Ken Simpson logs on to answer pressing beauty questions via his weekly column, “Dear Beauty at Any Age Is Beauty.” Thanks to Skin 2 Skin, beautiful skin is just a click away.

Healing Arts for Haiti Event Details Finalized

Thanks to the volunteer efforts of an amazing group of people, the dream for Healing Arts for Haiti, a New York City spa community charity event, is now a reality. It will be taking place Feb.12, from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the Grand Ballroom at the Grand Hyatt Hotel.

This one-of-a-kind event will support the ongoing efforts to benefit the people of Haiti who have been devastated by earthquakes and subsequent tremors. Healing Arts For Haiti is a collaboration bringing together more than 200 professionals from the spa and healing arts community and the health and beauty industry of New York City metro area for an event to bring the art of healing to the act of giving all in one location.

Participants can partake of an extensive array of special services ranging from massages and manicures to yoga and fitness. Also, there will be opportunities to participate in a silent auction and purchase products and services from retailers of specialized health and beauty items. Admission is free and the event is open to the general public. One hundred percent of the proceeds will go to UNICEF to benefit efforts to assist the Haitian community to rebuild.

Along with Oasis Day Spa and the Swedish Institute, additional supporting organizations and media partners include: The Grand Hyatt Hotel New York, American Spa magazine, Spa Magazine, Curiosity Works, Reed Exhibitions, SpaFinder, Savoy Professional Magazine, Matis Paris, MD Corrective Care, and What’s Hot.

For more information and to find out how you can help Healing Arts For Haiti, call (646) 328-1620, visit Healing Arts for Haiti or follow the group on Facebook and Twitter.

Elemis Introduces a New Skincare
Recovery Regimen For the New Year

Every year, I make numerous resolutions, and I’m proud to say, I’m actually pretty good about keeping most of them. This year, I’m determined to take better care of my skin. Although I’m religious when it comes to sunscreen, I do tend to mix and match products and rarely stick to one routine. As a spa and beauty editor, you could say it’s something of an occupational hazard. However, I think it’s time I gave my skin a rest. And that’s apparently what the folks at Elemis thought when they came out with the Elemis Rose & Lavender Recovery Regime (a $230 value for $100). Available this month only, the luxurious set includes Elemis Cellular Recovery Skin Bliss Capsules, Elemis Gentle Rose Exfoliator, Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream, and Elemis Pro-Collagen Oxygenating Night Cream, all packaged in a metallic purple makeup bag. It’s just what stressed out skin needs to make a full recovery and start the year out right. And for more on the healing power of lavender, check out “Field of Dreams” in our March issue.

Mandarin Oriental, D.C. Preps for Year of the Tiger

Thanks to incessant coverage in the tabloids, it might seem like last year was the year of the Tiger (shame on you, Mr. Woods), but it’s actually 2010, according to Chinese tradition. Through the month of February, the Mandarin Oriental, Washington D.C. will be celebrating Chinese New Year and the Year of the Tiger through an overnight package that is sure to tantalize the senses. Starting at $315, the Tale of the Tiger Package includes overnight accommodations, valet parking, two Eye of the Tiger cocktails, sushi and sashimi for two, and a parting gift of a Mandarin Oriental chopsticks gift set. Guests can also apply a $50 spa credit toward any Signature Time Ritual spa experience, to be enjoyed in the Mobil Four-Star award-winning, Asian-inspired spa. While no passport is required, guests can enjoy a true taste of the Far East in southwest D.C.

The Great Paraben Debate

Covering the health and beauty industry, I’m often overwhelmed by the amount of conflicting information that crosses my desk. For years, I’ve been hearing about the dangers of parabens, commonly used preservatives found in a host of spa products. Wanting to understand this complicated issue, we asked Ahmed Abdullah, M.D., F.A.C.S., CEO of the aloe-based skincare line, Lexli International, and Meaghan Cochrane, public relations and marketing representative at Eminence Organic Skin Care, to weigh in on the controversial issue. Their arguments for and against parabens can be found in our latest issue in “Paraben Paradox.” Now, we’d like to hear your thoughts. What do you think about the use of parabens? Are they a danger to your clients’ health or just another harmless, yet necessary, ingredient?

SpaFinder Reveals 2010 Spa Trends Forecast

The hammam at Drift Spa at Palm Place Hotel & Spa in Las Vegas.

Each year, I always look forward to the release of SpaFinder President Susie Ellis’s picks for top spa trends. She’s a wonderful and important part of our industry, and her insights are always spot-on. This year is no exception. Here are her thoughts:

1. The New “P” Word
Against the backdrop of a global healthcare crisis, prevention is poised to be the new “it” word of the spa industry in 2010 and beyond.

2. Year of the Hammam
With spa-goers increasingly seeking authenticity, tradition, and that magical spa experience that also offers true results, the Middle Eastern hammam represents one of the hottest trends for 2010, albeit with a distinctly modern expression.

3. Not “Going to,” But “Belonging to” a Spa
Spas are being creatively re-imagined as places of “belonging”—not only through the big rise in membership programs, but also in the diverse ways spas are being recast as social or communal hubs.

4. The Online Spa
2010 will be a watershed year for the spa industry’s virtual presence.

5. The Hybrid Spa
The era of the spa/fitness/integrated-health-center/hospital/spiritual-retreat/wellness-center/beauty-clinic is on a serious upswing.

6. The Price Is (Still) Right
While there’s (cautious) consensus that the economy is in recovery mode, there’s great news for consumers in 2010: The spa bargains will continue apace, not only straight discounting, but also more innovative incentives smartly designed by spas to drive incremental revenue and retain loyal customers.

7. Wellness Tourism Wows
Make room for “wellness tourism,” a new term describing travel across borders for preventive services, diagnostics, spa and well-being vacations, and even stem cell banking.

8. Scary and Silly Spa Stories Drive Evidence, Science, and Standards
The fallout from heavily publicized spa horror stories—and the recession-driven consumer insistence on no-gimmick treatments with real, measurable benefits—will quicken a rising industry trend: the demand for evidence-based therapies, stricter industry standards, and greater transparency/resources.

9. Diversity at a Tipping Point
Spa-going has become so mainstream that the face of the spa-goer will now continue to reflect the wider global population. Every spa region has its unique “diversity story,” and around the globe far more men, younger and older generations, and ethnic groups are hitting the spa. Spas are taking note, with offerings that cater to these diverse groups’ needs and wants.

10. Stillness
With the spa as one of the last remaining sanctuaries of silence and serenity, look for the industry to put a new emphasis on stillness, on slowness, on silence.

As spa experts, what do you think of these trends? And what do you see on the horizon for 2010? Share your thoughts here, and look for an upcoming issue of American Spa for more details on Susie’s selections.

Girlactik Beauty Pro Offers Makeup Application Tips

As the holiday season kicks into high gear, it’s likely that your reservations for pre-party makeup applications are spiking, as well. To help provide your clients with fantastic festive faces Galit Strugano, creator of Girlactik Beauty makeup and celeb makeup artist, offers tips for applying makeup with the fingers to achieve the perfect makeup look. Give your spa’s makeup pros a hand by passing along the following finger tips:

Ring Finger for Concealer – Applying concealer with your ring finger gives a soft touch around the eye area with no pulling of the skin. The ringer finger pats product perfectly.

Index Finger for Shadow Application - This finger possesses a little more pressure, making shadow spread evenly, but still has that soft touch.

Middle Finger for Eye Crease - The middle finger has the most pressure so it is perfect to use to frame the eye, creating definition as you move your finger back and forth.

Pinkie for Inner Eye – Your smallest digit is perfect to apply makeup to those hard-to-reach parts. It is great when applying an eye brightener or when you want to highlight. Your pinkie has a light touch, so you won’t accidently glob on makeup when you’re trying to be precise.

Galit urges you to “mind your pressure points—each of your fingers has a different pressure point affecting the pressure of touch, and knowing them can be useful in applying makeup,” she says. “A bonus with finger application is the oils and heat from your skin melts the product better when it transfers to the skin and provides the coverage you want.”

Treat Your Skin with the Clothes You Wear

Earlier this week, I was invited to an event launching a new line of accessories and active wear called SunSoul at Club H Fitness (New York City). This functional yet fashion-forward line relies on an advanced fluorescent technology and natural sunlight to treat a variety of skincare concerns. Shirts and hats featuring blumöd technology not only offer an Ultraviolet Protection Factor (UPF) of 50+, but they also amplify the sun’s blue light to the skin to help treat acne. That blue light is the same as that used by skincare professionals to treat blemished skin. Yelomöd technology is also available to help rejuvenate skin. After donning SunSoul shirts in either blue or yellow, myself and several other health and beauty editors were invited to an energizing Urban Rebounding class.

SkinMedica Launches New Kit to Help Clients Heal Faster at Home

To help clients speed up recovery time after laser resurfacing treatments and chemical peels, SkinMedica recently introduced the Ablative Post-Procedure Kit. The kit contains Sensitive Skin Cleanser, a gentle cleanser that calms irritated skin; Restorative Ointment, a non-petroleum-based ointment that contains vitamin E for quicker healing; TNS Ceramide Treatment Cream, which contains ceramides, peptides, and growth factors to restore moisture; and Environmental Defense Sunscreen SPF 30+, which protects newly treated, sensitive skin from the effects of the sun. Available for $65 on the company’s website, at physician’s offices, and in medical spas, this kit is a great way to help clients put their best faces forward even sooner.

Marie Louise Makes A U.S. Splash

American estheticians can now embrace an ancient skincare export from Japan, courtesy of Marie Louise Cosmetics, a leading Japanese skincare brand from the former beauty consultant to the Taisho and Shouwa emperors that was established in 1912. The company was founded in the belief that pure deep sea water and minerals provide skin with a healthy, natural glow. The water used in Marie Louise products is drawn off the shores of Yuron Island near Okinawa at a depth of approximately 450 meters below sea level. Each product features a proprietary Deep Sea Concentrate, which promotes a healthy cellular metabolism and features a unique nanoemulsion technology that delivers immediate results through deeper penetration of skin. The brand is supported with both professional (prices range from $57 to $74) and retail (prices range from $51 to $109) products. Worldwide, Marie Louise Cosmetics are available in top spas and salons in Japan, Korea, Russia. In the U.S., the brand is distributed exclusively by KosmeLink.