Education

Colorescience Pep Up Gel

This has become my favorite product to apply to my client’s skin as a serum under their finishing moisturizer and mineral cosmetics.  The key ingredients contained in Pep Up Gel are pearl powder, 10% hyaluronic acid and tripeptides. Now- these ingredients are certainly quite good for the skin on their own, but in this combination, I think they are superb.

Pearl powder is purported to provide the skin with amino acids and melanin inhibiting properties while creating luminosity. Hyaluronic acid is an extremely common- yet expensive ingredient used in skin care for it’s incredibly hydrating benefits, and at 10% in this formulation, the hydrating, cooling and voluminous effect is instantaneous.  Lastly- protein peptides are all the rage in cosmetics due to their ability to improve cellular metabolism and recovery of skin cells, thus significantly reducing wrinkles and loss of tonicity in the skin.

So after all this- the icing on the cake is how good it makes the skin look, it’s an addiction, and obsession, I don’t know if I can stop myself from using it or talking about it! I heart Pep Up Gel!

It’s sure to be a favorite at tonight’s Colorescience Launch Party!

Have you used Mineral Cosmetics on your skin? What do you like about it compared with traditional make up?

In the new year Spruce Body Lab introduced Micro Zone treatments to our menu of services.  This concept in approaching professional skin care treatments, at the time was relatively new to the Vancouver spa culture. It was originally developed by Dermalogica’s concept store in Los Angeles where they are constantly striving to innovate the way we treat the skin.

I will admit that I was a little skeptical about whether or not these treatments would take off.  The concept is that within a 20 minute span, you target a specific skin concern.  For instance, someone may just needs extractions, perhaps they need to heal some break out activity or hydrate the skin.  These can be treated within a quick 20 minute treatment, whereby the client doesn’t even need to get under the treatment table covers and they can go on about their day without having to set aside an hour or more of their time.

Can you really have an effective treatment within 20 minutes? The answer is yes. Some of my successes with this treatment have been truly remarkable- as detailed by my client Jenny’s experience below.

“I have never been one that goes to the spa to get facials but when I read about the Micro-Zone treatments I thought I’d give it a try.  The shorter time frame and smaller cost of the treatments were a definite attraction.  I’ve always struggled with acne and have a horrible habit of picking; so my skin was quite bad when I went for my first treatment.  Afterwards I noticed immediate results,  it calmed down the redness, sped up the healing and seemed to help diminish the up and coming break out!  After my second and third treatment, I was amazed at the results, all of a sudden my skin was clear of acne for the first time in a long time.  As a result I stopped going for treatments, but found that my problems came back so clearly the Micro-Zone treatment is something that needs to be part of my regular skin care from now on.”

I’ve also had a client who has alternated his Micro Zone treatments with full skin care treatments.  Again, the results of coming in every three weeks and working with professional products at home have made a world of difference with his skin. Having suffered from stage two and three acne, we’ve been able to down grade his skin condition to a grade one acne which means that the main concerns that we treat are blackheads and oily shine instead of pustules, papules and comedones (the scientific term for blackheads).

It’s so rewarding as a skin therapist to see these kinds of results and be able to deliver them in a timely and affordable fashion, but the greatest reward is for these client’s who have experienced the results.

Spruce Body Lab Micro Zone Treatments

Dermalogica Products

With Father’s Day fast approaching, I started to reflect on how the perception of men experiencing spa treatments has changed.

Oddly enough, my introduction to skin care and massage therapy was through a man- my Dad!  I think he may have been an original metro-sexual.  Now, even that term seems tired and silly, as culturally we’ve come to embrace that health and wellness are not reserved for the realm of one gender, but for both men and women.

Vancouver is one of Canada’s most progressive and modern cities and as such, there’s an increasing demographic of men taking part in spa treatments and skin care.

This is in part due to marketers realizing that men want to take care if themselves and they want products and treatments that are aimed specifically at them. As a result there is now a huge variety of skin care products targeting men which have popped up in the last few years.

Following suit, spas are now tailoring their decor and even the activities they offer to men. One Vancouver spa touts a lounge where men can play x-box while they get their pedicure done. Here at Spruce Body Lab, our focus has always been on creating a gender neutral environment where both men and women can feel comfortable.

Some of the ways we approach this is with our decor, which is modern and minimalist. We also choose skin care products that don’t lend themselves to one specific gender. When we choose to carry a product line, the smell, look and feel of the product needs to be something that both a man and a woman would feel comforatable to have in their medicine cabinet. With our client base at a very nice balance of 50/50 men and women, we must be doing something right!

As far as treatments for men go, we offer massage therapy which is easily a favorite of our male clientele.  Waxing for the back and shoulders, as well as chest and stomach, has become very popular in the last few years. And skin care treatments amongst our male clientele has steadily increased as well.

With regards to skin care treatments, our Customized Spruce Facial is a client favorite. Each treatment is tailored to each person’s specific skin condition and concerns.  For men, we carry the Dermalogica Shave line of products which offers a skin care regime that makes shaving a breeze instead of a burden.

Whenever I’ve treated anyone, male or female who has never experienced a skin treatment- the end result is always the same- “Why haven’t I done this sooner?” I think that fear of the unknown or misconceptions about what it means to get a skin care treatment is what holds most people back. Once they’ve had the experience, it opens up a whole new world of self care.

The last frontier in popularity of treatments for men is the body treatment. A body treatment is something that even women have a hard time getting their heads around.  Body treatments are a combination of the relaxation of body massage, with the skin smoothing and nourishing benefits of a skin treatment.  Put in such simple terms- I don’t think it will be long before these treatments are a man-favorite too!

It’s nice to see that men like my Dad are no longer an anomaly and that the spa industry has responded in kind. Happy Father’s Day and here’s to evolved men!

Spruce Body Lab Father’s Day In Store Specials:

• 25% off Dermalogica Men’s Shave Kits until June 21st, 2009.
• Book in for Full Physical Package: 60 minute massage and Customized Men’s Facial with Complimentary Infrared Sauna $169 (savings of $50)

I am a skin care therapist, so it may seem odd that I would get so excited about make up, but I am.  I’m not talking about make up in the traditional sense though.

Why am I so passionate about mineral make-up? It’s simple really- I work with clients to improve the health and quality of their skin. They spend money on their treatments and on professional products, only to have this work, time and money laid to waste by a traditional make up full of dyes, talc, fillers, mineral oils, fragrance etc.

Since we opened four years ago, I’ve been wanting to bring in a mineral make up, but none of the brands that I’d been introduced to were a fit here at Spruce Body Lab- until we found ColoreScience.

ColoreScience is a mineral-based, treatment cosmetic developed in 2000 by Diane Ranger- the inventor of mineral make-up.  In addition to the highest quality and concentration of minerals, ColoreScience contains the latest advancements in skin care ingredients including peptides, antioxidants and vitamins to arrest the triggers of aging in the skin. 

ColoreScience minerals limit sun exposure by providing an SPF 20, camouflage uneven pigmentation and improve skin health and hydration without ingredients such as talc, dyes, fragrance, mineral oil, tars and preservatives found in traditional make-up formulations.

There are many brand variations of mineral make-up in the cosmetic market to choose from. Points to consider when choosing a treatment cosmetic are: what is the concentration of minerals and are there fillers or preservative present in the formulation?

The flawless, light coverage that enhances the natural beauty of the skin, rather than covering it up is what I find so gratifying about these products. There is an amazing camouflage palette to address scarring and pigmentation variations in the skin, that’s fool proof to use. I could go on and on.

If you’re curious about these products, book in consult with a Spruce Body Lab Skin Care Therapist and put your best face forward- stop hiding behind your makeup! 

Oh- and they have Menerals too for guys. It’s not as scary as it sounds. A VERY light amount of titanium dioxide to even out the skin tone infused with antioxidants to prevent aging. We have some men trying it so far- they’re adventurous and they look great for it!

Excuse my ignorance, but I never really considered the lengths and pains that men go through to avoid five o’clock shadow- that is until I attended the launch of Dermalogica’s new Shave line.  

I’ve seen other brands bring out product lines for men, and to be honest, there really isn’t anything very innovative out there. They all seem to be blue- blue packaging, blue cream, blue gel, and they all have that exhausted cologne scent.  Not to mention that most of these products contain ingredients that create irritation for a process that’s irritating to begin with.  Traditional shaving products, although marketed to help with shaving are in fact a hinderance by causing razor burn and sensitivity. 

At the Dermalogica’s Shave launch, a shocking example how the ingredients in a product are so important, was a pH test that showed a common shave gel to have a pH of 8- the same level as a household cleaner. This is what men are putting on their faces almost everyday.  It’s no wonder they don’t look forward to shaving!

The Shave line from Dermalogica breaks down these hackneyed models of men’s skin care and stays true to their brand vision. Using refreshing essential oil blends, omitting alcohol, dyes and artificial fragrance, while creating products that make shaving better for men.

I was won over at the launch, but the true test was for the man in my life to try them.  The verdict- the best shave he’s had in years.  

Two products that I think are big winners from this new line are the Pre-Shave Guard, which softens and cushions the beard used in combination with the Soothing Shave Cream.  To quote one of the Dermalogica educator’s experience- “It’s like cutting through butter.”

Ladies don’t need to feel left out- the shave products, although targeted to men, are good for anyone to shave with.  I personally tried the Invigorating Shave Gel on my legs and found them looking and feeling smoother than with anything I’ve used previously as a shave medium.

Curious about the new shave products? Do you want to learn how to best take care of your skin? Book in for a Face Mapping or Skin Bar session and get introduced to a new way of shaving and better skin!

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