Imagine the feeling you have when leaving a spa. You’re relaxed, pampered, beautiful, fresh…. You wish it would last forever. But then you get stuck in traffic, you find the to-do list in your purse, the kids are demanding dinner, and when your husband sees the bill, he says “You spent what!?” And the feeling evaporates.
Well, there’s a secret that not only extends those benefits, but also helps you justify the expense. It involves shifting your perception of the spa. It’s not just a place of escape and general mental shutdown, but also can be an institute of higher learning. Most quality spas employ experts with training and knowledge you can take home and use for years.
Although spa treatments are probably pretty low on your budget priorities right now, if you splurge or are lucky enough to get a gift certificate, here are the best treatments with the longest-lasting effects (according to a few insiders).
Professional makeup application: Usually conducted by a “beauty technician” (why do they make it sound like so much work?), this session involves a thorough assessment of your look, plus recommendations for how to enhance it. If you can resist the sales pitch for expensive products, you’ll take home lots of practical advice. Best done before an important event, like a wedding, for further justification.
Brow shaping: Your eyebrows are your most important facial feature because they frame the eyes and, to a degree, the face. If yours are starting to look like Andy Rooney’s, it’s time to take action. But before you reach for the tweezers, it’s worthwhile to have a spa expert show you how it’s done. This is a true science. Your brows are best when they’re proportional to your face and create specific lines.
Hairstyling: While getting your hair done regularly at a spa is generally too costly, a one-time splurge can be useful for gathering tips on how to better care for and style it. Some spas even offer computer programs where you can scan a photo of yourself and see how you’d look with different tints and ’dos.
Personal training: What? Go to a spa and sweat? Actually, if you’re out to lose weight and get back in shape, this is your best beauty bet. And, long term, it’s a bargain. A personal trainer will assess your fitness level, design a custom program, and demonstrate the correct way of doing each exercise. Ask for an at-home plan with dumbbells and bands to keep costs low.
Nutritional consulting: You can drop a lot of cash on cellulite-reduction and other fat-busting treatments but the reality is none of them work in the long term. Instead, look for a spa with a registered dietitian who will assess and revamp your diet. This is the key to lasting weight loss and extending that “just-spa’ed” feeling. Keep a detailed (and honest) food diary for 2 weeks prior to your appointment.
Oh, and while you’re there, of course, sneak in a pedicure or massage. You deserve it.
WOW! The students need practice and the money is donated to them for their massage club. Same with the facials for students in the asthetician program. You can even by salon products like Redken from the cosmetology dept. Call them today and have some ME time on a dime!!!!
We are in Farmington, NM and we have the best relaxation place ever! Not that it replaces the "hands-on" massage, but it leaves you relaxed and the tension is gone. I couldn't believe how inexpensive it was!! The Breathing Room is what it is called and I believe they have a website. Now talking about it, I think I will visit there today! Walk-ins or appts, so it is convenient for any schedule.
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