Hibiscus  Day Spa spent a fun-filled day providing chair massages to golfers at this year’s Brooklyn Chamber Annual Golf Classic and Luau event at Dykers Beach Golf Course

Today, there are so many products that exploit the public’s limited awareness of our reproductive health.  These include commercials that market the pills to reverse erectile dysfunction, decrease or stop menstrual cycles, and birth control injections.  While some of these products may provide some sense of relief in the moment, they can have negative consequences for your long term health.  More importantly, there are small lifestyle adjustment that we all can use in order to prevent the need for some of these harmful products.  Here are a few tips:

1. Expand Your Thinking: sometimes one only thinks about their reproductive health during medical exams or when sex and fertility related concerns arise.  However, reproductive hormones play a vital role in every part of our lives. Also, our moods, nutrition and environment can impact how well hormones work, and how well our bodies control them.  So consider your reproductive health in everything you do; from work to play…even sleep.  A good question to ask when you are planning to eat or engage in activities is: “How is this going to affect my reproductive health?”
2. Go ORGANIC: By eating foods grown without pesticides and synthetic fertilizers, you avoid the excess hormones that can adversely effect your reproductive health.  Choosing the organic varieties of your favourite foods and beverages is an important step in maintaining  reproductive wellness.
3. Chart your cycles:  Charting the cycles of your life is a good habit, and can help you to recognize the larger productive health picture.  For men, charting your daily moods, the number of times you work-out, have sex, drink alchohol, and your temperature over 3 months can help you see your larger reproductive picture. For women, charting not only the dates of your menstrual cycles, but also the quality of it, and recording your daily waking temperature will give your health practicioner more information you can use to strategize about your health.
4. Ritualize Your Sleep: So many of us are not getting enough sleep to support the amount of energy we exert – this can truly throw your hormones for a loop.  Priortize your sleep the same way you would for events or meetings.  Make going to sleep an event and plan for it.  You will get yourself into a healthy rhythm.
5. More Lower Body Motion: Exercise is a great way to relieve stress and build stamina.  When considering reproductive health in your exercises, be sure to include pelvic movements.  Movements like belly-dancing, thrusts, “winding” are also good to do.  Consider adding hoola-hooping as part of your routine. Keigel exercises are often reserved for during pregnancy; however, these exercises are good anytime and are also good for men. 

This is part 2 of Ask the Esthetician where we answer your questions about peels, eye creams, and serums.

Q. What is a peel

A. A peel is a chemical, herbal or enzyme exfoliation of the epidermis.  Peels help to reduce fine lines and wrinkles, improve textures, even skin tone, and treat acne and dehydrated skin conditions.  The level of exfoliation ranges from very superficial to aggressive, so talk to your esthetician about your skin care concerns and desired results to help determine the right peel for you.

Q. Eye creams are so expensive – do I really need one?

A. Your eyes are quickest area to show signs of aging so it is important that you do use an eye cream.  At Hibiscus Day Spa, we use and recommend PeterThomasRoth Anti-Aging Cellular Repair Eye Gel it contains wrinkle relaxing peptides to promote firmer, tighter skin.  Collagen and elastin to help smooth and lift skin reducing wrinkles. Not all eye creams are expensive so shop around and find one you like.  PeterThomasRoth Anti-Aging Cellular Repair Eye Gel cost $42 and last up to six months.

Q. How can I repair my skin after sun exposure and damage?

A. Heal your skin first with an anti-inflammatory and antioxidants to correct the damage, you need a combination of peels and a professional skin care regimen to do the trick.  Consult an esthetician or dermatologist.

Q. What products do I need to add to my skin care routine as my skin matures?

A. You need products that exfoliate to encourage cell turnover.  Look for products that contain peptides, retinol, and or alpha hydroxy acids in them.

Q. Are serums necessary in my skin care regimen?

A. Yes! serums pack the biggest anti-aging and treatment punch. Use a serum if you want to preserve, change or correct any issues with your skin.  Serums are the most concentrated piece in a skin care line and will you achieve the results you are looking to see.

Attention all you brides out there!  Are you feeling a little overwhelmed with the wedding process?  While you no doubt have a ton of things on your wedding to-do list, one thing a bride must do: RELAX and enjoy this special time! As someone who recently tied the knot, I know all too well the amount of time that goes into planning a wedding, so hopefully I can help to alleviate some stress with a few suggestions:

• Set up a series of facial appointments to get your skin ready for all those pictures! Your esthetician can recommend the best products to help you work toward your skincare goals at home.
• Your wedding is a special time to enjoy with friends and family so make sure you get quality time together.  How about asking your future mother-in law or sister-in law to join you for your next mani/pedi appointment.
• Schedule massages to work out those tie-knots in your shoulders. I highly recommend the Hibiscus Aromtherapy Massage.
• Need flawless make-up for engagement photos, the bridal shower or The Big Day? Call us to schedule a complimentary make-over session.
• Grab your best girls and spend an entire evening or day relaxing in our couples suite.  Our spa coordinator will take care of your party all day so everyone can simply relax and enjoy?
• Finally, bring your fiance to the spa for some quality time together, leave the bridal magazines and checklist at home and take a day for just the two of you to enjoy each other company.

Here at Hibiscus Day Spa our goal is to educate you the clients on proper home skin care regimen, so that you can continue to see results long after you leave the spa.  So here are some commonly asked questions.\

Q. How often should I be getting a facial?

A. Once a month is ideal so we can do a deeper cleanse and skin analysis to keep you on track.  Most importantly I’ll make sure your routine is consistent with your skin care needs, and that the products you are using will achieved the desire results.

Q.What products do I need to be using?

A.  Everyone needs a good cleanser, exfoliant and moisturizer.  Your cleanser and exfoliant will remove make-up, oil and dead skin to prep for your moisturizer.  In turn, your skin will be ready for a more even make-up applicaiton.

Q. My pores are really large, can I shrink them?

A. Pore size is genetic, that’s whate give us our particular skin type (i.e dry, combination, oil) but the good news is we can make them look smaller!  Exfoliating will refine the pores and keep it clear.  Scrubs, retinol products and peels will also help your pores look smaller.

Q. What’s the best way to get rid of clogged pores and blackheads on your nose and upper cheeks?

A. The best way to get rid of clogged pores is through exfoliating; once a week during the summer, and twice a week during the winter.  Getting regular facials that include extractions will help rid the pores of congestion.  Use at home products such as PTR Anti-aging cleansing gel which contains both 1% salicyclic acid and 1% gylcoli acid.  These products help the cells fo the epidermis to shed more readily, preventing the pores from clogging.

Stay tune to part 2 of ask the esthetician, where I will discus serums and eye creams.  If you have any questionms, please feel to email them to us at hibiscusdayspa@hotmail.com or post them on our blog.

Hello Hibiscus Family,

Last month’s health talk, Flu-Proof yourself, was a wonderful engagement.  I loved your questions and willingness to share your concerns and personal experiences. With all of the conflicting informations regarding the safety of flu vaccines, you deserve the right to know what best for you and your family.  We learned the value of flu symptons and what you can do to stay healthy this season.  Being healthy is a lifestyle, which you can work at everyday.  Here are the health tips shared during the the workshop.  If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at maurice@mauircehealthworks.com  Enjoy and I look forward to seeing you at the next Hibiscus Day Spa Health Talks.

1. Avoid over the counter drugs and antibiotics – Over-the-counter drugs only treat symptons that are actually necessary for your body to fight infections successfully.  Drugs do not stop colds and may often worsen symptons if taken. “colds” are casused by the over production of viruses ,so an antibiotic which attacks bacteria will not work.
2. Stay Active – Although rest may be important if you are too far gone, staying active helps with blood and lymph ciruculation.
3. Flush Facial Tissue – Just because you blew your nose doesn’t mean that the virus disappears.  Get rid of used tissues by flushing them.
4. Fasting – Some old wisdom says”feed a cold”, however fasting allows your energy to be focused on fighting the disease.  Big meals may divert attention, so small meals may work better for some people.