Super Hydration

One of my new faves is Eminence Linden Calendula Treatment Cream. Eminence is an amazing company from Hungary and their hand-made products are 100% Organic. They've won awards for their sustainable farming and green practices...even their packaging and shipping practices reflect their commitment to the environment.

Best for dry, dehydrated skin conditions, this versatile nourishing treatment can be used as a mask or a rich night cream. I love using it in the treatment room - it seems to plump up every thirsty skin cell! And the smell..... it's my favorite smell of any product - ever! I want a body lotion that smells like this!


This stuff is a must for anyone suffering with dry or irritated skin. Our Eminence rep calls it "Nature's Neosporin", because it's very soothing for cuts, cracked skin, minor irritations, little peely patches, sore noses after a cold....

Keep in mind, Eminence products are very concentrated (they're made without any water), and they are meant to be diluted with a little water (or one of the amazing Eminence Toniques)... so a little goes a long way - and one jar will last forever!

We carry Eminence products (including this little gem) at Petite Spa.

Beeswax Candles are Super Pretty

Happy New Year, Pretties!

I hope you enjoyed the holidays. For me, they came and went so fast!!

I want to tell you about my favorite gift. This year, my family and I decided to ask for a few things we'd like. I was delighted when I got not one, but two, 100% pure beeswax candles.


I will definitely blog in the future about how amazing bees are (honey, for example, is so great for the skin), but for now, let me tell you what is so brilliant about the beeswax candle.

Unlike candles made with paraffin, which emit toxic substances like toluene and benzene when burned, beeswax candles are non-toxic and hypo-allergenic. They emit negative ions into the air - which actually attract and neutralize pollutants like dust, dust mites, mold, bacteria, viruses and other toxins. Negative ions also improve mood and impart a sense of well-being.

As an added bonus, beeswax burns brighter, hotter, cleaner, and longer than any other wax. And honestly, you really can't compare the golden glow and the natural honey aroma to any other candle... especially once you know the inside scoop.


Wouldn't you rather enjoy a natural, healthy product that comes from nature, is a renewable resource, and makes you healthier, than burn a bleached, perfumed, petroleum waste product that has been linked to cancer, asthma, and birth defects? Ummm... I would! They are permanently at the top of my my wish list.

You can find them at most health food stores and here or here.

Happy Holidays, Everyone!

It's been a little chilly here in sunny L.A. ~ and since it's Christmas, I thought I'd remind all of you who do not have your own fireplace, that there is always the virtual experience. At a holiday party last night, my friends had a cracking fire blazing away - on their computer screen! It was kind-of cheesy... but mostly just fabulous!!
Here is a good one I found on You Tube - but there are many to choose from. Just try to pick one that is long playing (don't want to have to "stoke" the fire every two minutes...) and that has actual crackling sounds.



Stay warm, pretties, and enjoy the rest of the holiday season!

And here is a link to a great one that plays 20 mins (wasn't able to embed it but it really is great:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLmwmX-mni8&feature=fvw

Super Scary

That faux leather bag may be vegan and all, but just make sure it's not poisoning you with high levels of lead. Yikes!


Here are a couple articles to read on the topic:

Your Purse May Be Contaminated with Toxic Metal

Faux Handbags Carry Real Lead Hazard

And a News Report:

Super Info

Because I am interested in natural health, I subscribe to Dr. Mercola's Natural Health Newsletter. And what do you think I read about today? Natural Skin Care!! In fact, he's got a whole Healthy Skin mini site and has posted some great stuff.

If you're anything like me, you may be interested in signing up for his newsletter yourself. There's more info coming into my inbox than I can keep up with, but there are plenty of gems in the mix that I find truly informative. You also have to take the information in without feeling you have to go and order all of his products. Although, I hear his products are very good.

Today's newsletter was about skin care ingredients to avoid. I always recommend that my clients check the labels of the products they're currently using for parabens or fragrance (two big offenders) - but there are even more things to watch out for. Here's what Mercola says to avoid:

Parabens:
Heavily used preservatives in the cosmetic industry; used in an estimated 13,200 cosmetic and skin care products.
Studies implicate their connection with cancer because their hormone-disrupting qualities mimic estrogen and could disrupt your body’s endocrine system.

Mineral Oil, Paraffin, and Petrolatum:
These petroleum products coat the skin like plastic – clogging pores and creating a build-up of toxins. They can slow cellular development, creating earlier signs of aging. They’re implicated as a suspected cause of cancer. Plus, they can disrupt hormonal activity. When you think about black oil pumped from deep underground, ask yourself why you’d want to put that kind of stuff on your skin…

Sodium laurel or lauryl sulfate (SLS), also known as sodium laureth sulfate (SLES):
Found in over 90% of personal care products! They break down your skin’s moisture barrier, potentially leading to dry skin with premature aging. And because they easily penetrate your skin, they can allow other chemicals easy access. SLS combined with other chemicals may become a "nitrosamine" – a potent carcinogen.

Acrylamide: Found in many facial creams. Linked to mammary tumors.

Propylene glycol: Common cosmetic moisturizer and carrier for fragrance oils. May cause dermatitis and skin irritation. May inhibit skin cell growth. Linked to kidney and liver problems.

Phenol carbolic acid: Found in many lotions and skin creams. Can cause circulatory collapse, paralysis, convulsions, coma, and even death from respiratory failure.

Dioxane: Hidden in ingredients such as PEG, polysorbates, laureth, ethoxylated alcohols. Very common in personal care products. These chemicals are often contaminated with high concentrations of highly volatile 1,4-dioxane that’s easily absorbed through the skin. Its carcinogenicity was first reported in 1965, and later confirmed in studies including one from the National Cancer Institute in 1978. Nasal passages are considered extremely vulnerable, making it, in my opinion, a really bad idea to use these things on your face.

Toluene: May be very poisonous! Made from petroleum and coal tar… found in most synthetic fragrances. Chronic exposure linked to anemia, lowered blood cell count, liver or kidney damage…May affect a developing fetus.

Remember the skin is an organ. What you put on it affects you as much as what you put in your body. So opt for natural and organic products - and check the ingredients before you buy!

Don't know what products to use? Come in and visit me at Petite Spa where we carry three product lines that are great for your skin. I can take a look at your skin and give you my recommendations. Better yet, schedule a facial and get your holiday glow on!

Cultured Vegetables

As you know, I'm a huge fan of probiotics. And one of the the best ways to get 'em into your body is by eating homemade fermented foods. Sauerkraut and Kimchee are examples of fermented vegetables, but the flavors and possibilities are endless. Wild Fermentation,by Sandor Ellix Katz (aka Sandorkraut), is a phenomenal book on the subject. Their website is full of great information, like this excerpt from his other book,The Revolution Will Not Be Microwaved.

Here is my method, but have a look around the ol' internets (there are even some You Tube videos), and you will find lots of variations.

1. Combine shredded or chopped cabbage and other veggies (like kale, carrot, daikon... experiment!) in a large bowl (clean the bowl first with soap and water, then rinse a few times with boiling water to make sure it's super clean).
2. Remove several cups of this mixture and put into a blender.
3. Add filtered water (enough to make a "brine" which will cover the veggies once they're in your jars).
4. Add a couple of tsps of high quality Sea Salt.
5. Blend well and then add some of the brine back into the bowl of veggies. Stir well.
6. Pack mixture down into super clean glass containers or a fermenting crock if you have one! I don't have a crock yet, but I do have various sizes of this type of jar, which seem to work very well. Use your fist, a clean wooden dowel, or a potato masher to pack veggies tightly... packing down and adding more veg as you go...
7. Fill jar almost full, but leave about 2 inches of room at the top for veggies to expand. Add enough brine to just cover the veggie mixture.
8. Roll up several cabbage leaves into a tight "log" and place them on top to fill the remaining 2 inch space. Clamp jar closed.
9. Let veggies sit at about a 70 degree room temperature for at least three days to a couple of weeks. Refrigerate once you start a jar. Yum!

It's normal for there to be a little bit of mold on the top cabbage leaves. Just pull the rolled up leaves out, and discard. And spoon away any that might be just at the top. Then stir up the yumminess, and enjoy!!


Natural probiotic foods are great for your health, and help to keep the skin glowing and beautiful!

Do you make your own? What's your favorite recipe?

Picky, picky...

Okay. This is a big one. Skin picking. Some of you know exactly what I'm talking about already. I mean, you already get that feeling in the pit of your stomach, because just hearing those words triggers a whole slew of vague but undeniable emotions. If you're a picker, you get it.
Those of you who don't get that feeling - consider yourselves lucky. Spared...!


Skin picking comes in various degrees of severity. And in its more serious forms has been referred to by more serious names:

Neurotic Excoriations
Acne Excoriee
Psychogenic Excoriations
Dermatillomania
Compulsive Skin Picking (CSP)
Psychodermotosis
Self Injurious Skin Picking (SISP)

I am a reformed picker. I remember - back in high school - being curled up on the floor in my room crying because of what I had done to my face. I really shouldn't have been left alone with a magnifying mirror in those days!! Fortunately, I was eventually steered in the right direction by my first esthetician who said to me, "Juliana, you're a picker. Go to school." And I did. I channeled the bad into good. Now I use my attention to detail and my knowledge about the skin to help make your skin require less picking! But I deeply understand that compulsive need to get rid of the pain and imperfection of what sometimes pops up on the skin.

I don't recommend picking at your own skin. Especially if you have a tendency to overdo it. Most times when clients come in, I can see the damage done, and I know how much better their skin would be looking without the gouges. The key, I think, is understanding that ultimately you are causing more harm than good. Did you know that there is a little tiny sac under the skin where the pimple is that holds bacteria? And that you can burst it under the skin when you go after that zit? This leads to the spreading of bacteria and more pimples. Best thing to do is apply ice to help take down swelling and kill bacteria. And use something medicated to spot treat... perhaps a dot of salicylic acid, some tea tree oil, or a bit of Volcanic Clay (Epicuren Volcanic Clay Mask). And come in for a facial. We do extractions under ideal and sanitary conditions without causing damage.

If you are a serious skin picker, there are some good resources online. You may need support. And you should not be ashamed to seek it out. Read some stories that other pickers have shared. And realize you are not alone. It is more common than you might think.

Here are a couple of online resources:

Stoppickingonme.com
Pickaderms