My Facialist’s Recommendations

Tonight, after a crazier than expected start to my week, I enjoyed a spur of the moment indulgence on a facial, thanks to a birthday gift certificate. I love Equinox for their wonderful personal trainers, quality gym classes, and their spa. I have been especially pleased with the spa at their 54th and 2nd location, managed by Schuyler Manhattan. Now, while I can’t confirm whether that is the spa manager’s birth name, I can confirm that he has taken this spa and turned into an amazing beauty and wellness destination for Midtown Manhattan.

011This evening I took advantage of their winter special, the 50 minute facial for $90 versus the usual $110. My facialist, Shelly, was very friendly and more than happy to provide suggestions for my blog readers. Since I realize a facial isn’t something that can fit in everyone’s budget, especially during this time of year, I wanted to provide you with some inexpensive tips and tricks to keep your skin glowing all winter long.

0131. Remember that water’s primary purpose and role is to flush toxins out of the body and support organs. While your skin is an organ, it gains very little moisture from the water you drink daily. Therefore, a serum and daily moisturizer routine is crucial during the harsh winter months.

2. A serum will penetrate your skin better than a moisturizer due to the molecule size. I did some research while trying to understand the difference between these two products and it’s pretty interesting.

  • Serums give added moisturizer and allows nutrients to penetrate into your skin in a way that moisturizers can’t due to the molecule size. For this same reason, many serums can offer anti-aging and brightening affects that moisturizers can’t. Always apply a serum before a moisturizer!
  • Due to moisturizers larger molecule sizes, it can’t penetrate the skin as far as a serum will. While serums deposit nutrients, moisturizers are meant to hydrate your skin and create a barrier from the elements. 3. Serums nor moisturizers need to be expensive in order to be affective. Below are her top recommendations for both drugstore and department store brands.

Serum Pick:

Olay Regenerist Moisturizing Serum

    Drug Store Moisturizer Picks:
        Department Store or Beauty Boutique Moisturizer Picks:
        4. Your hands and body require very different hydration than your face due to the difference in skin texture and thickness. Therefore, a glycerin based moisturizer is better for your hands, especially areas which become extremely rough and chapped during the winter months.  My facialist recommends Aveeno Skin Relief Moisturizing Lotion

            I hope these tips and tricks help you keep your skin glowing all season long! Feel free to leave a comment with questions for Shelly as she’s more than happy to help by answering your questions.

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            Do As I Say Not As I Do

             

            Last week, I did a post about moderation during the holidays. I shared wonderful tips including keeping up with your regular workouts, drinking lots of water, and shared tips from other readers and Twitter friends.

            Then, I enjoyed an amazing weekend and forgot about that whole moderation thing. In fact, by the end of our 2nd Annual Diamond Holiday Party everything  looked kind of hazy and blurry.

            049 I had a wonderful time with our amazing friends on Saturday night and even acted as bartender for the first time! I have now learned that a bartender is supposed to serve, not serve themselves! As I look back on the evening I remember toasting one too many times during the night. You know what, it’s okay, I had a great time!

            Our food spread, ranging from spicy crab dip to stuffed peppadew peppers, was also easy to enjoy too much!

            034 035 These meatballs, a recipe found in the new Meatball Shop cookbook, was the clear winner! Much to our delight however, there was no one dish that wasn’t enjoyed. Last year we had a few dishes that were only a quarter to half eaten. This year, the only thing left was some ham, rolls, and a few cupcakes!

            The pictures from the night truly highlight our friends’ amazing taste in tacky holiday attire and the festive mood! Here’s a glimpse into the evening:

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            045 047 048 051043 057 It was such a fun evening but I definitely did not move off the couch yesterday. I slept until 1pm when I finally crawled out of bed for a glass of water and the couch. Bo and I spent the rest of the afternoon napping, reading, watching TV, and cleaning the apartment. I fell asleep on the couch around 8:30, finally moving into the bedroom at 10pm. This morning I quickly turned off my alarm at 5:30, knowing that my body needed more sleep.

            This isn’t exactly the best way to stick with my moderation plan or keep off the holiday weight. Hopefully, you all have done as I said and not as I did this weekend. But, if you enjoyed one too many holiday drinks this weekend, I can now provide a few tips for getting back on track after one day, which is far easier than after a week of treats and imbibing.

            1. Start your day with warm lemon water, a delicious and warm beverage that will help flush unwanted toxins and aid digestion.
            2. Eat a healthy breakfast rich in fiber and nutrients but calorie rich enough to not leave you starving.
            3. Pack plenty of healthy snacks to enjoy throughout the day in case you get hungry or have a craving. This will keep you from giving into the cookie jar or the holiday dessert plate.
            4. Take your vitamins!
            5. Try writing down your food for a few days. During the craziest time of the year, this can help you stay on track by helping you realize what you’re eating.

            004 002 003Also, if you’re going to host your second party in 48 hours, make sure that you provide at least a few healthy options for your guests to enjoy to balance out the baked goods and wine.

            006 007 I hope you all are having a wonderful week, filled with holiday cheer and moderation!

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            Wish You Were Here

             

            The eggnog is spiked, the tree is fresh, and the food is hot in our home right now. I wish I could invite each and everyone of you here tonight to celebrate the holidays with us, but alas a quick photo tour and menu will have to suffice until I can fully recap the recipes and fun tomorrow!

            Menu

            Buffalo Chicken Meatballs, from The Meatball Shop’s new cookbook

            Honey Glazed Ham and fresh potato rolls with three types of mustard

            Spicy Seafood Dip and chips/crustini

            Cheese platter complete with five types of cheese, crackers, and grapes

            Vegetable crudités platter from Whole Foods

            Goat cheese stuffed peppadew peppers

            Mixed nuts and olives

            Homemade mini red velvet cupcakes

            Bo’s homemade eggnog

            and

            more beer, wine, and bubbly than you could imagine

             

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