Bronze Boutique

The holidays wouldn’t have been complete without a little red polish so I decided to check out Bronze Boutique, a new tanning and nail salon in Old Town Scottsdale. The décor is darling. Everything is white with pearly green accents and chandeliers everywhere- just what Scottsdale needed.

I called ahead to book my appointment but surprisingly enough they weren’t too busy. When I checked in at the front desk the salon coordinator took me back and offered me champagne, of course I couldn’t resist! I sat down at the pedicure station; it was like a throne, so cute. The chairs are setup high and mounted into the wall and the area is curtained off so you have your own private area to relax. I opted for an elite pedi, complete with sea salt and an awesome massage.
The staff was super friendly and professional – they definitely went the extra mile to make sure I was comfortable! The prices were very reasonable; it was actually less expensive then my other nail salon.

I would highly recommend checking it out!

Bronze Boutique also offers tanning, massage therapy, facials, and waxing. Check out the menu and specials at http://www.bronzeboutiqueonline.com/index.html.

Bronze Boutique
4545 N Scottsdale Rd
Scottsdale, AZ 85251-7636
(480) 947-0717

Presents of Pampering

Gift giving is meant to show love and appreciate. Unfortunately, when it comes to those hard-to-shop-for loved ones, the processes of finding a gift is anything but loving and favorable. Fortunately, valley salons and spas have made the task of pleasing the unappeasable that much easier. This holiday season valley salons and spas are offering great gifts of beauty and pampering that are sure to please any difficult gift-recipient on your list.

Got a hard-to-please glamour girl on your list? Consider the gift of gold – gold-infused pomade that is. For $49,Taglio Salon is adding gleam to gift-receivers tresses with Oribe’s 24k Gold Pomade. This real-gold flake laced- hair paste provides super rich highlights and a golden shine. To get the gift of gold without gauging your bank account, visit Taglio Salon at 7000 East Mayo Boulevard in Phoenix or call 480.991.6828.

Bliss Scottsdale at the W Hotel has the girl’s guide to the perfect present. This exclusive gift guide allows holiday shoppers to shop by price point, create their own gift or shop by what’s hot. Offering gifts from under $25 to over $100, Bliss’s gift options include makeup, hair care items, body treatments as well as bath salts, lotions and fragrances. Bliss’s gift options also include footwear, clothing and spa gift certificates. To bliss-out your gift recipients, visit Bliss Scottsdale at 7277 E Camelback Rd in Scottsdale or online.

For those on your gift-list who could use some holiday pampering, consider the Willow Stream Spa at the Fairmont Scottsdale. The Willow Stream Spa has holiday spa packages and off-peak pricing, Monday to Thursday and certain hours on the weekends through December 31. Willow Spa’s Holiday Signature Package includes a choice of a 90-minute Desert Purification Body Experience, Balance Body Experience or Ultimate Facial as well as a 30-minute manicure, pedicure or massage. Willow’s Holiday Pampering Package includes a 60-minute massage and 45-minute Rejuvenating Facial, while the Holiday Hands and Feet package offers a manicure and pedicure. Finally, Willow’s holiday hair package offers a pampering shampoo and blow-dry. To get these pampering presents, visit the Willow Spa at the Fairmont Scottsdale 7575 East Princess Drive or online.

Make your gift giving a little easier this season by providing the presents that nearly everyone enjoys – the gifts of beauty and pampering. For more spa gift ideas, visit spafitfinder.com.

Pamper Yourself This Holiday Season

Between 4:00 a.m. door-buster shopping, cooking the turkey and cleaning for holiday guest, woman are often forced to go relaxation and pampering during the November-December holiday rush. However, with the all the chaos during this time of the year, rest and indulgence is more important than ever. Thankfully, valley salons and spas are offering a slew of indulgent and relaxing holiday pampering promotions.

The Biltmore Spa is refreshing guest with their Holiday Miracle Treatment, a 50-minute Oxygen Infusion Facial by Intraceuticals that provides firming and lifting. This treatment not only benefits guests, it rewards the charitable association the Fresh Start Women’s Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping empower women.

The Biltmore Spa is also offering several other holiday spa specials including an herbal stone massage for $135, a cinnamon spice enzyme facial for $135, an herbal stone pedicure for $85 and an herbal tea body wrap for $135. Biltmore Spa guest can receive 20 percent off holiday spa specials when they mention the promotion at the time of booking. For Biltmore Spa booking, call 602.954.2507‎.

Spa Avania at Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort at Gainey Ranch is offering the Holiday Survival Guide, special holiday spa packages and pricing. Avania’s la carte menu includes instant stress relievers for minor holiday stressers. This menu includes a $99 massage, a $99 forever young facial, $115 stop the clock body wrap, a $45 turn back the hands of time manicure, a $60 pedicure and the $35 Avania blowdry.

For intensive relief for major holiday stress, enjoy Avania’s holiday survival guide packages. For $90 try Avania’s mani/pedi “ Cure Your Holiday Stress” package. For even more pampering, check out “The Avania Holiday Survival Guide Package” which includes a facial, blow-dry and your choice of a mani or pedi for $179. For the complete holiday spa indulgence, enjoy “The Avania Holiday Rescue Package” which includes a massage, facial and mani/pedi. For booking, call the Avania Holiday Survival Hotline at 480. 483.5588.

The Alvadora Spa at the Royal Palms Resort is offering two holiday spa package specials - the Holiday Fun and Holiday Cheer Pamper Passes. The Holiday Fun Pamper Pass includes three 30-minute treatments for $149. Treatment choices include a chocolate honey facial, a presently surprised massage, a cranberry pomegranate sugar body scrub, a cranberry pomegranate manicure and a cranberry pomegranate pedicure. The Holiday Cheer Pamper Pass includes three 60-minute treatments for $285. Treatment choices include a chocolate honey facial, a presently surprised massage, a chocolate truffle body wrap, a mint truffle manicure and a mint truffle pedicure. Holiday packages are offered Monday through Thursday through December 31st. For booking, call 602.977.6400.

In between hanging wraths, decorating the tree and cooking up a storm be sure to make time for yourself – and your sanity - this holiday season. Indulge and relax with some of the valley’s decedent holiday spa offerings.

The A-List Cure for D-List Bikini Blues

Waxing has always been a sticky and painful subject. From the burn of putting the wax on to the pain of tearing the wax off to the throbbing feeling afterward, getting our who-HAs waxed has generally been quite literally a pain in the butt. Fortunately, one aesthetician has developed a system for making waxing a little more bearable.

“There are three essential things that people need to do between waxes to keep their skin looking and feeling good and bump-free,” said seasoned aesthetician and A-List Skin President and Creator Shala Dveirin. “There was not a product out there that offered all three of things in one; that’s when I decided to put together a kit and see how my clients liked it - They quickly fell in love and REHAB was born.”

A-list Skins’s REHAB is a complete skincare system for post hair removal. The three piece kit, that provides a combination of healing and treating, includes:

• Calming gel - calms and sooths irritated skin.
• Gentle Exfoliant - helps unclog pores and remove dead skin cells that lead to ingrown hairs.
• Bump Prevent - cools, heals and hydrates while eliminating ingrown hairs, rashes and irritation associated with hair removal.

“I worked very hard to create products that have very effective and natural properties, said Shala. “REHAB contains very little alcohol and essential herbs and extracts that make the product unique and efficient.”

REHAB contains such natural ingredients as Aloe vera, St. Johns blossom extract, Arnica and calendula blossom, jojoba and clove oil, coca butter, mint, vitamin E and several other soothing herbs and extracts.

“I worked very closely with a chemist to formulate products that had the right and best working ingredients,” said Shala.

REHAB retails for $40. To find a REHAB retailer or to purchase the kit, visit alistskin.com, call 602-330-8114 or email shala@alistskin.com.

About Shala Dveirin:

Shala’s resume includes the title of master waxer and eyebrow designer. She is also an educator and training director for Grace Albert Aesthetics, a published author and a PCA skin care expert. In addition to being certified in chemical peels, microdermabrasion and advanced skin care treatments, Shala was named the best person to get a Brazilian from by the Arizona Republic.

Contact Shala at 602.296.5594 at Scissors Rox Paper Salon located at 4727 E. Cactus Rd., Ste 121, Phoenix Arizona, 85032.

Massage Mania

While the Arizona sun can give us that perfect golden glow, it can also leave us feeling sweaty, sticky and hot. It’s no secret that the Arizona heat can be daunting. Thus, the need to get out of the heat, cold down and relax is essential. And, there’s no better way to beat the heat and distress than with a massage.

I’ve had my fair share of massages, from Swedish to deep tissue; each having its own special touch on soothing the body. As part of my mission to beat the heat, I decided to tour the valley’s offering of massages. I explored everything from hot stone to cranial sacral to reflexology.

I began my massage mission at Massage Envy in phoenix. Specializing in massage, Massage Envy offers almost every type of massage out there including trigger point, Swedish, deep tissue, sports, reflexology, cranial sacral, hot stone, chair, prenatal and geriatric.

As an avid suffer of neck and joint pain, I opted to try Massage Envy’s cranial sacral massage, as cranial therapy is designed to realign bones and eliminate the effects of stress. Cranial sacral therapy is also said to relieve migraine headaches as well as joint pain and inflammation.

According to Massage Envy, “cranial sacral therapy (also known as craniosacral therapy) is a gentle, noninvasive form of alternative medicine that deals with the movement of the fluid surrounding the skull and spine.”

For about $80 with tip, I enjoyed a massage that was both relaxing and beneficial to relieving my neck and back pain. I’d highly recommend cranial sacral for anyone with neck, back and head problems.

My next massage venture took me Queen Creek Reflexology in Gilbert. A newbie to the world of reflexology, I was a little nervous. However, I felt a little relief having heard great things about reflexology including that it can ease discomfort associated with arthritis, chronic pain, diabetes, fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS), headaches, heel pain (Planter Fasciitis), insomnia and lymphedema, according to azreflexologycare.com.

My session combined relaxation with the work of reflexology. The reflexologist worked on my hands and feet using soft touch and pushing certain areas, which I later learned correspond to other part of the body. According to Queen Creek Reflexology, “the physical act of applying specific pressures using thumb, finger and hand techniques result in stress reduction, which causes a physiological change in the body.”

For $45, I received a unique experience that helped ease some of my pain. I would recommend reflexology for suffers of the above conditions. However, if you’re looking for more of a relaxing, feel-good experience, my next massage sampling may be right for you.

Voted "best massage” 2008 & 2009, I decided to get my next massage at Elements Therapeutic Massage in Scottsdale. I opted for pure relaxation with their hot stone massage. Hot stone massage “combines Swedish or Deep Tissue Massage with smooth basalt stones heated to 125 degrees,” according to Elements.

My treatment combined the traditional elements of massage while utilizing hot stones. The therapist used the stones throughout the treatment for both massaging as well as by placing them on specific parts of my body. The stones are said to release energy in the body. In addition, according to Elements, the stones’ heat allows muscles relax quicker, release more toxins and provide “a deeper sense of relaxation.”

For around $90, this 55-minute treatment is well-worth it. I’d recommend hot stone massage for anyone looking for the ultimate relaxing massage.

My massage sampling proved successful as I found treatments that provided both relaxation as well as stress and pain relief. Each massage was unique in its own way. For massage enthusiast, determine what you’re looking for in a massage and then do your homework to decide what type of massage is right for you.

Pedi-Frenzy

The summer heat calls for the airy allure of tank tops, flip-flops and bikinis. These skin-bearing garments, makes summer beauty from head-to-toe a must. When it comes to looking hot in the summer heat, there’s no better place to start than from the ground up with the perfect summer pedicure.

We’re all familiar with the traditional pedicure: a massaging chair, a hot, bubbling tub to soak your feet, sugar scrub, a hot towel wrap, lotion, a leg massage, some paint, polish and vuala. While the traditional pedicure can bring relaxation and the beautiful toes we desire, sometimes a little more indulgence is desired. Thus, the need to explore the many types of pedis and determine the perfect one for you.

In my quest to discover the perfect summer pedicure, I set out to explore the different types of pedicures the valley has to offer. My journey began at Suddenly Slimmer at 32^nd Street and Indian School with the Hot Stone Pedicure.

Toted "Best Spa For Hot Stone Pedicure in Phoenix/Scottsdale Arizona,” the stone pedicure includes the usual hot, bubble bath along with an exfoliation scrub, a foot masque, paraffin dip, reflexology, topped off with a warm stone massage.

Hot stone therapy has been used for thousands of years to manipulate soft tissue and muscle through pressure to relieve pain and reduce stress. Adding the hot stone therapy to a pedicure, provides some much need relief to the constant tension we put on our feet.

The $125, hour-long treatment is well worth it, providing much-need stress-relief, relaxation and beautiful toes to boot.

My next stop on my search for sweet summer pedicures, took me to Dolce Salon & Spa for their Mio Piedi Dolce or my sweet feet pedicure.

This sweet-themed pedicure, adds an extra element to indulgence as the Mio Piedi Dolce utilize chocolate and coffee elixirs to create a tantalizing experience.

My pedicure-de-sweet, began with a warm coco dip. In addition to feeling great, coco and other chocolates have been shown to help reduce blood pressure, according to studies. Post-coco, I received a mocha body polish, which is comprised of a mix of ground coffee beans and chocolate. Coffee beans and chocolate have been known to increase circulation and energy. Next, I enjoyed a chocolate souffle masque along with a warm towel wrap. My sweet session concluded with a relaxing massage using Dolce’s Chocolate Almond Butter.

This hour-long, $70 treatment combines the indulgence of chocolate and relaxation for an overall delicious experience.

My next pedi-venture took me to Essence Day Spa in Peoria. In addition to the classic, hydrating and spa pedicures, Essence also offers monthly themed pedicures that include the Hawaiian, latte, honey oatmeal, lemongrass, paradise, pumpkin and peppermint. I enjoyed their June special, the Rainforest. The Rainforest begins with a eucalyptus soak, followed by a eucalyptus masque. Eucalyptus is known for its anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, decongestant, deodorant, antiseptic, antibacterial, stimulating, and other medicinal properties, according to organicfacts.net. Next, I was pampered with a sugar scrub, topped off with a massage with eucalyptus oil. This 60 minute, $60 pedicure is both relaxing and refreshing.

Through my journey to find the perfect pedicure, I guess you could say I failed to reach an end as each pedicure was perfect in its own way. From the sweet chocolate delight to the Hot Stone stimulation to the refreshing eucalyptus experience, each pedicure brought its own unique benefits to beautifying the toes and feet. These are just a few of the fabulous foot-pampering pedicures out there. So when it comes to find the perfect pedicure, don’t pigeonhole your pedi options, explore and enjoy the variety of pedicures that are out there.

Face the Facts: Tips for Fabulous Summer Skin

While the summer sun provides that highly-desired golden glow, it’s no secret that those bright-yellow rays aren’t so golden for our skin’s health.

While sunscreen remains a strong contender in our fight for fabulous and healthy skin, when it comes to an optimal beauty regime, facials, peels and exfoliation maybe be the key to winning the battle for beautiful skin.

Here’s a glimpse at some the summer’s hottest skin rejuvenation treatments.

Don’t Hate, Exfoliate:

Enzyme peels/treatments are topical treatments that exfoliate the skin and remove dead skin cells without any down time. The practically discomfort-less treatment takes less than 30 minutes and involves an enzyme peel staying on the skin for eight to 10 minutes. The best part of this treatment? “There is no downtime, clients just need to stay out of the sun immediately after treatment,” says Phoenix Aesthetician Kari Dana.

Another exfoliation treatment is microdermabrasion. Microdermabraison is manual exfoliation where tiny crystals remove dead skin cells from the face while a suction captures the removed cells. The only post-microdermabrasion downtime would be the day of. Dana advises against workouts, tanning, hot-tubing or do anything that could raise your blood pressure. Microdermabrasion usually costs $100 to $150.

Timing in-between treatments varies. “If someone is doing treatments to for acne, hyperpigmentation or anti-aging, I tell them to come every two weeks,” says Dana. “If they are just looking for good exfoliation and extractions then they can space them out between four and eight weeks.”

Facial Expressions

Looking for a quick fix? Express facials include cleansing, exfoliating and extractions, take about 30 minutes and run $35 to $50. For further pampering, hour facials include extended versions of the services above along with relaxing neck massages and cost $70 to $90.

Peel Away Your Dirty Pores

When it comes to chemical peels, the old saying “pain equals beauty” may hold true. However, when it comes to chemical peels, it may be worth it as this treatment reduces wrinkles and can “peel back the years.”

According to Dana, the level of painfulness depends on the amount of peel layers placed on the skin. “When I do a peel, after each layer I put on, I ask the client where their discomfort is on a scale of one to 10, 10 being the most painful,” Dana says. “When they get to about five or six I stop.” Clients may experience skin sensitivity for an hour or so after a chemical peel.

The side effects of a chemical peel are more visible than most treatments. After about the third day, skin physically begins peeling. “Most of the time, the skin peels look like eraser shavings around the mouth and nose,” Dana says. “But, if you go deep enough, the skin can actually peel in sheets.” The peeling can last two to three days.

Dana stresses, “For any treatment, you should always avoid the sun!” Sun exposure can cause scaring or hyperpigmentation. “You should also avoid working out,” Dana says. “This causes you to sweat and potentially bring bacteria to your clean face.” Finally, Dana advises against using Retin-A products for about two weeks after a treatment as Retin-A is an exfoliating product and can irritate the skin.

So, yes you can enjoy the summer sun and a get that golden glow. Just don’t forget the sunscreen and remember the importance of reviving beauty regime.

Kari Dana is an a aesthetician at Salon Surreal in Phoenix, AZ. Salon Surreal is located at 7000 N. 16th Street, Phoenix, AZ 85020 at 16th Street and Glendale Ave. To make an appointment with Kari contact Salon Surreal at 602.870.9190.