Did you know that the average woman absorbs more than FOUR pounds of cosmetics during her lifetime?
Depending on what she’s using on her body, that’s a TON of chemicals in her bloodstream… especially if she’s anything like this chick!
GOING GREEN.. Why?
A True Story by Kathy:
Once upon a time it was uncool to purchase or use eco friendly products. The packaging wasn’t alluring and the products often didn’t stand up to their toxic counterparts. Well, organic and natural products have come a long way since then, baby!
After discovering the negative and harmful effects these products could have, the “Going Green” movement started to forge it’s way with affordable and efficient products.
All of a sudden, natural and organic products became “cool” and in demand. Men and women all over started to embrace the organic and natural products and all was well with the world. The END
(well, not quite)
Bath Bomb Recipe
Looking for something fun and relaxing to do? Why not try my secret bath bomb recipe (never shared before). These make great for gifts, too!
Kathy’s Bath Bomb Recipe
1 cup sodium bicarbonate
3/4 cup citric acid
2 TBSP water
10 drops of your favourite essential oil(s)
These instructions are crucial to follow exactly to have successful bath bombs:
1) In a large glass bowl, put in water and your essential oil(s)
2) Cover liquid completely with the sodium bicarbonate
3) Add the citric acid
4) Mix it all by hand. If it seems too dry and crumbly, use a spritzer to spritz water onto your mixture, being careful not to have it all go off at once! Keep mixing with your hands and form into balls
5) If you choose to use a form, make certain that it is glass or plastic
6) Allow to fully set. You’ll know because it will be hard
7) Fill a tub with warm water and plop your fizzy, super awesome bath bomb in the water, relax and let your skin be softened while your cares melt away.
PS.. Some essential oil combinations that I like are lavender and lavender, or lavender with just about anything :-), rosemary and peppermint, eucalyptus and geranium.
I prefer not to use colour, but food grade colour can be added during step 1
ENJOY!
Chocolate and Your Skin
Sinfully Delicious!
Antioxidants
The antioxidants in cocoa have been found to be comparable to those in green tea. Dark chocolate contains the highest amount of antioxidants as it is composed of at least 35% cocoa. Chocolate skin treatments containing high amounts of cocoa can help the skin looking young and healthy. It is suggested that the antioxidant properties in cocoa can help prevent free radicals from damaging the elastin and collagen in the skin, thus helping prevent wrinkles and discoloration. In a study published by the “Journal of Nutrition,” some women were given cocoa beverages over a span of 12 weeks. The women who consumed the cocoa beverage showed significant improvement in skin quality including skin structure and texture.
Cocoa Butter
Cocoa butter is one of the most highly concentrated natural fats. It melts at body temperature so it is easily absorbed by the skin. Cocoa butter has been recommended by dermatologists for a variety of different issues such as eczema, dermatitis, and for the prevention of stretch marks in pregnant women. Cocoa butter contains a polyphenol, which calms the irritation of dermatitis and has even been shown to have cancer fighting properties.
Hot Chocolate Bath Recipe
This decadent recipe is fun to make and good for your skin and your soul. It also makes an awesome gift for someone special!
1 cup cocoa
1 cup powdered milk
1 cup epsom salts
1 cup baking soda
10-20 drops essential oil of your choice
(Use about 1/2 cup finished product per bath)
Mix all ingredients together in a bowl and store in an air tight container like a mason jar. I have cocoa essential oil and it smells heavenly but you can use peppermint, lavender, orange or even vanilla. This recipe is a lot of fun to play with.
The cocoa is soothing to the nerves and has great anti inflammatory properties as well as being chock full of nutrients. The powdered milk has lactic acid in it which will gently exfoliate the skin. The epsom salts and baking soda both help balance the skin while the essential oils impart their own magic.
Try it and let me know what you think! Enjoy!
Bamboo Spa Wins… Again! Eminence Green Spa Award
Bamboo Spa attended the Eminence Regional Awards, November 19th, 2012 at the beautiful Old Mill Inn in Toronto. In attendance from Bamboo was the owner, Kathy Kowalsky as well as staff extraordinaire, Karlijn Reijm, Jessica Jones and Julie Mathers.
It was an exciting event with lots of great new information about the product, wonderful gifts and prizes from Eminence President, Boldijarre Koronczay. The event reaffirmed why Bamboo is so excited about organic and natural products and why Eminence is the natural choice.
Why Is A Facial Important?
It’s safe to say that if getting a facial was as commonplace as brushing your teeth was, we’d not only have brighter faced futures, but just more wellness in our lives.
This week, I’ve decided to tackle a basic question that’s often overlooked: Why get a facial?
To many, getting a facial seems like a decadent luxury that’s beyond budgets and lifestyles to be considered essential or is something that they don’t need (e.g. there’s nothing “wrong” with my skin).
So, in defense of facials, here are a few reasons for why getting a facial is more important than you think.
- It’s the ultimate anti-aging treatment
Staying young and fresh-faced means taking care of yourself and your skin. What you do at home is only 1 part of this equation. The other is receiving the deep cleansing, exfoliation and hydration only a facial can provide. Getting a facial means you are doing your part to slow down the clock.
Think of getting a facial as analogous to going to the dentist for a routine cleaning. Brushing at home is necessary, but you rely on a professional for the deep cleansing and maintenance to keep your pearly whites in tiptop shape. Why stop at your teeth?
- A little TLC goes a long way
Facials are more economical than you think. For 4-6 weeks after a facial, your skin will appear radiant, resilient and even-toned.
That’s a heck of a return on your investment! Not only will your skin continue to renew itself after your facial, but also your spirit will be lifted knowing that you’re doing right by your skin.
- Better than a good night’s rest
Believe it or not, people have mistaken the results of getting a good night’s for a facial.
The effects are similar, but facials go 1 step further to remove toxins and dirt accumulated over the weeks, months and years. And at Bamboo Spa, our facials incorporate extensive facial massage, which improves circulation for an even-toned complexion.
If you’re simply craving that dewy, healthy glow and can’t get a good night’s rest get a facial. It won’t disappoint – and you’ll sleep better too!
Not convinced? Just give it a try. I promise I won’t be the one to say, “I told you so!”
Spring Warm Ups the Proper Way
It is coming up on Spring and everyone is getting that itch for a healthier lifestyle and getting back to the gym. Although, we want to keep in shape we need to get healthy the right way and always remember to stretch before and after our workouts. Here are a few tips for stretching and your workouts:
Always remember to breathe through your stretching and workout. Breath holding does not help through the pain. It’s just a natural response to it. Breathing is key to achieving your exercise goals and is necessary for a workout to be successful.
“Ballistic stretching” is a form of passive stretching or dynamic stretching in a rhythmic motion. It involves moderately paced rhythmic movements ie: swinging arms gently through self-hugs into spread open arms, shaking legs or arms out and rotating the neck softly.
Ballistic stretching is used to encourage further ROM and increase blood flow into the limbs. No bouncing or sharp movements are necessary, just rhythmic soft movement through your available ROM. Always remember to not “snap” into the extended motions, just soft gentle and rhythmic movements will get you the results you are looking for.
It is never necessary to hurt yourself in any stretch. If pain occurs you are pushing it too far. Stretching is used to increase your muscle length and strength as well as muscle health pre and post (and sometimes during) exercise.
“Static Stretching” is stretching in a secure, stable position and lengthening the muscle to its furthest but still comfortable position and holding for 30 seconds or more. 30 seconds is the minimum because that is when the muscle realizes its new position and let’s go into it. Anything less will be unsuccessful and the muscle will not fully release.
When holding a static stretch, if you feel able to comfortably push into a further stretch do so but remember comfort is key, and not to push yourself too far. I would suggest you restart your 30 second count down if you do this.
It is never a good thing to stretch cold muscles. Make sure to have a five minute warm up and cool down before and after workouts to prevent having more aches and pains then necessary, as well as injuries become more likely if you don’t.
Stretching after your morning or evening shower is also a good way to lengthen and relax the muscles with the comfort of heat, especially when injury or discomfort has occurred.
Remember to stay fit and have fun this spring but most of all stay healthy! For more tips or info feel free to contact me at Bamboo or through my twitter account found at Frankie Jimenez RMT @Frankiermt
Frankie Jimenez, RMT
Our Most Amazing Organ: Our Skin
Human skin is an amazing organ — protective, waterproof, and exceedingly useful. It’s also constantly changing and regenerating itself. Your skin is made up of three layers: from outermost to innermost are the epidermis, keratin and dermis. The dermis is constantly moving upwards and the new skin cells gradually push their way to the top layer about every 28 days. The top layer sloughs off as dead skin cells.
In contrast to a snake, we don’t shed our skin all at once. Our skin is constantly shedding from all parts of the body at a rate of approximately 30,000 cells per hour! Now, not all of those cells actually leave the body, resulting in an accumulation of about 720,000 dead skin cells every 24 hours. That’s a lot of dead skin cells to lug around!
So, imagine now, that you have purchased some amazing moisturizers to apply to your skin and you’re thinking that you are doing your skin a big favour. Well, you could have, if the cream didn’t have to fight its way through all those dead cells!
If you are going to invest in the largest organ of the body, please, do yourself a favour and exfoliate! My suggestion? For my face: I like to exfoliate daily with a gentle exfoliant. My favourite is the Strawberry Rhubarb Dermafoliant and I mix that with the Lemon Cleanser and a little water. This helps ensure a daily healthy glow. Once a week I exfoliate with the Pear and Poppy Seed Microderm Polisher for a deeper exfoliation. For my body: I use a natural jute brush, always scrubbing upwards towards the heart in a circular motion. I would like to say that I do this daily, but I try to do this at least every two or three days.
Of course, nothing compares to a professional exfoliation either through a monthly or at the very least, seasonal facial and body wrap from Bamboo Spa.