Spa at Willow Bend Blog

Spa Owner

Meditation at the Spa at Willow Bend

I felt after writing yesterday’s blog on “The Issue is in the Tissue” I did not want to give short shrift to the effect that our wellness spa treatments can have on our inner mind, soul, and spirit more directly. Many times, spa services are looked at as an extravagance rather than as a necessity. Sure, we could live without them unlike food, water, and air. However, as much as sleep recharges us, spa therapies are precisely that, therapies to recharge us. I have made it a point to have at least a spa treatment once a week if not more often to get my brain in alignment.

In our workaday society and with the current stresses in the economy, we tend not to have a constructive outlet for our concerns. We do not have an oasis to put our worries. As mentioned yesterday, those worries lie embedded in your tissues. However, beyond those constraints, they also rest in your mind and spirit. We oftentimes also rush in to have a spa therapy then rush out. That is fine if that is all the time you have but that is not how I designed our spa. You can spend a luxurious time (without extra cost) in our sauna, showers, relaxation room, etc. so that your mind can more easily transition to our core spa therapies. You can also work with adjunctive therapies: a foot detox, an oxygen facial, an oxygen inhalation treatment, a body wrap, hydrotherapy, etc.

What stimulated this blog was reading Chopra’s book Why God is Laughing that I mentioned stimulated yesterday’s blog. I realized by just covering the issue in the tissue that I failed to really focus on a core element to our spiritual and mental path toward a newfound freedom from life’s fears and struggles, that is quiet meditation. During your treatment, try as I have mentioned not to talk (too much) but try to focus and open your mind. As Chopra says, this is not just entering a negative space but truly a time for focus and renewal. I hope you can enjoy this wonderful time and get yourself renewed so that you can plunge ahead with life’s challenges with more vigor, vim, and fortitude.

Best wishes,
Samuel M. Lam, M.D., F.A.C.S.

Deepak Chopra

I just finished reading Deepak Chopra’s book, Why is God Laughing?, and I like what he had to say about our path to spiritual enlightenment and to rid ourselves of the shackles of fear. He talked about not only letting your spirit and mind go through a process of purification but also your body. Anger, fear, and resentment can be literally stored in the body. We tend to focus on allowing our minds to be clear but oftentimes we hold a trembling and stiff fear in our body muscles and body tissues. As Chopra says, “The Issue is in the Tissue”. When you have a massage, a body wrap, a shirodhara treatment, Japanese foot detox, etc., your body can be released of the toxins that are stored there. I know that besides my reflexology treatment on Saturday, my hydrotherapy bath was unique and wonderful in terms of its relaxing properties. I slept better that night than I have in a long time. Come to our spa and remove the “issue in your tissue.”

Best wishes,
Samuel M. Lam, M.D., F.A.C.S.
Spa Owner

What is a Sudatonic Body Wrap?

The French Sudatonic System is the most advanced body wrap available in the Spa Industry. Not only does it provide the relaxing benefits of FAR Infrared heat, but it also targets a universal problem for women…cellulite.  But as you know, most clients are looking for more than just losing a few dimples, and the Sudatonic System helps deliver those desired results! 

The Sudatonic System is known for it’s 3 step program:  1)  Proprietary Blended Creams, 2) Advanced Cellulite Massage Technique combined with our unique lymphatic drainage and  3)  FAR Infrared Heat (FIR).  The combination of these 3 steps enable the Sudatonic System to stand out among other body treatments available.  The Sudatonic System has been called an Advanced Body Wrap or Cellulite Massage by technicians… and Heaven on Earth by clients.  So, whatever you need to call it, it is amazing!

How does FAR Infrared Heat benefit us?

As the body temperature rises by infrared heat, perspiration occurs and blood circulation increases. The muscles and organs are stimulated and toxic waste (fat, heavy metals and other toxic materials) is removed from your body through perspiration.

One of Far Infrared light’s characteristics is the ability to easily penetrate human tissue. When this happens, it creates a natural resonance, which has many beneficial properties.  Do you remember the last time you were out in the sun and applied sunscreen?  Were you still hot?   Of course you were because the sunscreen only stops the UV (Ultraviolet) light from hitting your skin.

You can be exposed to Far Infrared heat for hours and it will never cause your skin to burn. Far Infrared heat is completely healthy and safe for all living things

How Sudatonic Body Wrap Works?

As the body heats up it tires to sweat in order to cool itself. The creams form a second skin, making the process more difficult and requiring more energy.

Shirodhara – “shiro” head “dhara” flow

Shirodhara is a form of  Ayurveda medicine that involves gently pouring liquids over the forehead-the thrid eye. It was developed by vaidyas -practitionars of Ayurveda – in India, for use in restorative therapy and can be one of the steps involved in Panchakarma.The name comes from the Sanskrit words shiras ‘head’ and dhara ‘flow’. The liquids used in shirodhara depend on what is being treated, but can include oil, milk, buttermilk, coconut water, or even plain water.

Shirodhara has been used to treat a variety of conditions including eye diseases, sinusitis, allergic rhinitis, greying of hair, neurological disorders, memory loss, insomnia, hearing impairment, vertigo, and certain types of skin diseases like psoriasis. It is also used non-medicinally at spas for its relaxing properties.

Here at the Spa at Willow Bend we go through all the Shirodhara steps, including reflexology, scalp massage and hot stones taking our clients to a new dimension in relaxation and well-being.

Speaking to men now, the rules and steps for cleansing and every other aspects of your skin-care regime are exactly the same as they are for a woman; the only difference is the shaving foam, cream, or gel used. As is true for every skin-care step, gentle is the supreme rule. A gentle shave product is one that contains no skin irritants of any kind; preferably, it is fragrance-free and does not contain any menthol, peppermint, alcohol, lime, lemon, orange, grapefruit, eucalyptus, camphor, or mint. Your skin will feel and look better once you keep away from ingredients that can hurt and damage your skin.

Along with the need to use a gentle shaving foam, cream, or gel, it is equally essential to use a gentle aftershave. At the point when you’re finished shaving, it’s even more important to avoid the same ingredients listed above (and in the blog “How to Be Gentle”). Now that the skin has been abraded with a razor it is critical to not cause further irritation. The entire concept of razor burn is actually a misnomer, the burn does not come from the razor, but rather from the skin-care routine most men use on a daily basis.

What is a gentle aftershave? The bad news is that there are virtually no men’s aftershave products that are free of irritants. They are all filled to the brim with fragrance, alcohol, and almost every other irritating ingredient you can think of. To that end, the best aftershave product a man can use (and this may surprise you) is a traditional irritant-free toner. Look for a toner that is well formulated that has a supply of antioxidants, water binding agents and/or cell communicating ingredients.  All these elements help create and maintain healthy radiant skin.

After you are done shaving, it is best to follow the general guidelines for the skin-care routine for your skin type. However, as a basic routine, regardless of skin type, everyone needs a gentle, water-soluble cleanser, a gentle shave product (foam, cream, or gel) followed by a gentle toner). Then, during the day, use a well-formulated sunscreen with an SPF 15 or greater that contains the UVA-protecting ingredients of avobenzone, titanium dioxide, or zinc oxide, and at night use a lightweight moisturizer wherever you have dry skin.

So gents, book your appointment or simply drop by at The Spa at Willow Bend and don’t worry about the rest. We are here to cater to all of your skin-care needs.

Live with Passion!

Esthetically yours,

Connie & Rania

Last blog we talked about being gentle to our skin.  It logically follows that learning how to be gentle to your face is one of the most important parts of any skin-care routine.  There is no way you can ever hope for soft, smooth skin when your face is being irritated every time you take care of it.  Irritation-free skin is the goal.

We do many things to our skin and buy an assortment of skin-care products that can cause serious irritation. Yet it is far easier than you may think to eliminate these skin-”care” culprits.  With that in mind, here is a list of typical skin-care and makeup ingredients and specific cosmetics products and tools to avoid or use cautiously. The skin can react negatively to all of the following products, procedures, and ingredients.

Irritating Skin-Care Steps and Products

• Abrasive scrubs
• Astringents containing irritating ingredients
• Toners containing irritating ingredients
• Scrub mitts
• Facial masks containing irritating ingredients
• Loofahs
• Bar soaps and bar cleansers

Irritating Ingredients (These are of greater concern when they appear in the beginning of an ingredient list.)

• Acetone
• Alcohol or SD alcohol followed by a number (Exceptions:  Ingredients like cetyl alcohol stearyl alcohol are standard, waxlike cosmetic thickening and are completely nonirritating and safe to use.)
• Ammonia
• Arnica
• Balm mint
• Balsam
• Bentonite
• Benzalkonium chloride
• Bergamot
• Camphor
• Cinnamon
• Citrus juices and oils
• Clove
• Clover blossom
• Coriander
• Constarch
• Eucalyptus
• Eugenol
• Fennel
• Fennel Oil
• Fir needle
• Geranium
• Grapefruit
• Horsetail
• Lavender
• Lemon
• Lemongrass
• Lime
• Linalool
• Marjoram
• Melissa (lemon balm)
• Menthol
• Mint
• Oak bark
• Orange
• Papaya
• Peppermint
• Phenol
• Sandalwood oil
• SD alcohol
• Sodium C14-16 olefin sulfate
• Sodium lauryl  sulfate
• Thyme
• Wintergreen
• Witch hazel
• Ylang-ylang

These ingredients are extremely common.  You would be surprised how often they show up in skin-care products for all skin types.  Don’t believe us? …. Go check some of the products you have on hand and see for yourself.  If these ingredients are present in skin-care products meant for everyday use, they introduce a constantly irritating insult to the skin and causing dryness, rashes, increased oil production, redness, and breakouts.

REMEMBER, skin doesn’t have to hurt, tingle, or be stimulated even a little to be clean. (If the skin tingles, it is being irritated, not cleaned.  The major rule for all skin types is, if a product or procedure irritates the skin, don’t use it again.
Live with Passion!

Esthetically yours,                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       Concetta, aka Connie FBI, and Rania