Baby, it’s dry outside! Autumn and winter weather can be hard on our skin, but this year, our skin, like our outdoors, is especially dry. Summer tans and glowing skin can begin to fade into a dull, dry complexion.
A skincare routine that cleanses, moisturizes and protects your skin, especially those areas that are constantly exposed to the sun and weather – like our face, neck and arms/hands – is extremely important, regardless of age and the season.
Both regular massage and facials are important tools in skin health, as they help the body rid itself of toxins, stimulate cell growth and promote general overall health. And the difference between neglected and cared-for skin can make a difference between health and illness. Did you know that early warning signs of many illnesses often show up on the skin first?
Maintaining and protecting our skin and promoting overall health and well-being is possible with these four steps:
Hydrate. Hydration is key when it comes to healthy skin. Julius Few, clinical professor of plastic surgery at the University of Chicago, explains that when the skin is kept hydrated, it’s less likely to crack and let in external elements that cause blemishes and, in extreme cases, bacteria and viruses. The more water you drink, the more blood flow goes to your skin, producing cell turnover, which produces healthy skin. Water has all-around fantastic benefits, and skin looking healthy is one huge benefit.
Sunscreen. Yes, sunscreen is even important when it’s cold and even gloomy and snowy outdoors. Snow and ice reflect harmful UV rays. The ozone layer is also thinner in the winter, which means there is less ozone in the atmosphere to absorb the sun’s UV rays. So, while sunscreen may seem unnecessary during the winter, the sun’s rays are more harmful in the winter than in the summer.
Humidify. Using a humidifier at night is one of the best things you can do for your skin and respiratory system while you sleep. While the cold outdoor air dehydrates the skin, humidifiers pump moisture back into the air and back into your skin. It will also help your moisturizer penetrate deeper into your skin, allowing for more supple skin when you wake up. Using a humidifier during the day at home or in the office also provides much-needed moisture for our respiratory system as well as our skin. Check with your primary care provider to ensure added humidity is okay and if cool mist or warm mist is best.
Facials. While we should be cleaning our skin every morning and night, getting a monthly facial can allow for a deeper clean that we could not obtain on our own. Facials also improve circulation, which stimulates our skin’s renewal, keeping our skin looking younger and feeling smoother.
Massage Envy now offers custom facials for improving the health and appearance of your skin with a personalized treatment to leave you rejuvenated and protected. Both 60- and 90-minute custom facials are available, as well as 60-minute custom back facials.
Enhancing the Benefits of Massage
Massage Envy clients now have the choice in selecting a serum suited to their individual needs and desires. The carefully selected and proven serums provide a new level of skincare and massage benefits, for a total-body experience.
CyMe Boost serums bring massage and skincare together in a powerful way. Infused with highly concentrated antioxidant ingredients, each unique serum provides added benefits to the skin during a massage session by targeting the specific needs of each person. The enhanced lotions and serums combine and work together to offer a personalized experience that expands and improves the therapeutic massage session.
The serums are odorless and are added to the client’s individual massage lotion bottle. Two serums can be added and can be mixed with aromatherapy oils; however, adding more than two unique ingredients can dilute the serums and decrease the effects of the serums and oils.
Massage Envy’s CyMe Boost collection of skin serums include:
Energizing: Stimulates the skin for a more radiant and youthful look; contains guarana seed extract, horse chestnut extract and caffeine.
Clarifying: Helps clarify and balance the skin by removing impurities from the skin’s surface; contains aloe vera, willow bark, rose hips and cucumber, chamomile, papaya and marigold flower extracts.
Renewing: Creates a more resilient, brighter, youthful look by supporting suppleness and firmness; contains chamomile, algae (seaweed) and grapeseed extracts.
Purifying: Works to purify the skin for a brighter and healthy-looking appearance; contains aloe juice, goji fruit extract, magnesium, zinc, white and green tea leaf extracts and copper.
Firming: Moisturizes to instantly minimize the appearance of fine lines and leaves skin soft and smooth; contains aloe juice, Echinacea, plant cellulose and gotu kola extract.
Hydrating: Intensely hydrates and penetrates to the lower layers of the skin to provide lasting moisture and increase the skin’s luminance; contains sunflower, sesame, olive and grapeseed oils, and Vitamin E.
Need a Boost? Add a new CyMe Boost to your therapeutic massage session. Combine with other enhancements for nearly unlimited choices to improve your health and your massage experience. Gift Cards are available for holiday gifts. FBN
By Mark Love, FBN
Massage Envy knows it is the most wonderful time of the year to give and wants to make sure that giving the gift of health and relaxation benefits both the gift-giver and the gift-receiver. From Nov. 1 to Dec. 31, the following BOGO promotion is available for members and guests: Purchase one non-member rate 60-minute massage, facial or stretch service voucher and receive a free 60-minute massage, facial or stretch voucher.
Mark Love is the franchisee of Massage Envy Spa Flagstaff, located at 1235 S. Plaza Way in the University Plaza Shopping Center next to Safeway.
