Spa Bleu

Aveda is first in beauty to be C2C-certified | Greener Package

2011-04-30T06:10:00.000-07:00

Aveda is first in beauty to be C2C-certified Greener Package

Aveda Master Jam 2011 Show

2011-04-27T04:30:00.000-07:00

Aveda Earth Month Inspiration Video

2011-04-11T04:02:00.000-07:00

Aveda Earth Month2011 - Be a Water Warrior

2011-04-04T04:40:00.000-07:00

www.earthhour.org

2011-03-26T04:38:00.001-07:00

Turn out your lights tonight at 8:30 for 1 hour. Stop in to Spa Bleu and purchase your " light the way candle " proceeds goes to Global Green Grants Fund. Help preserve our environment for your children and mine....

http://www.earthhour.org/

Aveda Earth Month2011 - Be a Water Warrior

2011-03-21T04:35:00.000-07:00

Join The fight for Clean Water

2011-03-17T08:29:00.000-07:00

Click below to register for our walk or to donate online

Charity Fundraising through Personal Web Pages – Your Cause

Walk for Water

2011-03-17T08:25:00.000-07:00

Join us on April 17th for our first Walk for Water fundraiser
Click on the link below for more information

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/Spa-Bleu-Walks-for-Water.html?soid=1101975926746&aid=Fvgn4zL1pEk

A Facial for Your Hair

2011-02-27T10:23:00.000-08:00

Botanical Hair and Scalp Therapy is the service otherwise known as *A Facial for Hair*

*A potent sensory experience, intense repair and hydration for hair. It begins with the scalp, neck, and shoulder massage using aroma-therapeutic essential oil- to increase scalp circulation while targeting pressure points that release tension. The hair is treated with one of two intense repair formulas. Moisture immersion, for up to 71% softer smoother strands or strength infusion for up to 71% more resistance to breakage.
With these winter months taking a toll on our hair. We need to put moisture and strength back in. Come to Spa Bleu and treat yourself to a hair facial!!

In March Book with Andrea in Barrington or Sabrina in Dundee and get a $10 discount (service price $60). Must mention the blog offer while booking. Also, if you purchase three or more of the Damage or Dry remedy products we will award you with an extra 1000 Spa Bleu points

Call today - Barrington 847-783-0703 or Dundee 847-426-3656

By:
Christy Bruski
Dundee Color Coach

New York Fashion Week Fall 2011 -John Patrick Organic

2011-02-19T04:17:00.000-08:00

The 7 Months of Chakra

2011-02-14T16:06:00.000-08:00

Chakras are the energy centers, and they are associated with our physical, emotional, and mental interactions. There are seven major chakras, and I will be focusing on the first chakra, which is the root chakra. It's located in the base of the spine, near the tailbone. The scents are blended to balance the root chakra according to Ayurveda, the ancient healing art of India. If you need to balance this particular chakra you will be drawn to the scent once you smell it. It's not uncommon to be drawn to more than one chakra scent, since we tend to have more than one thing imbalanced in our life.

What does it smell like?

The scent is earthy, woodsy, and creates a deep sense of calm as it fills the room. It enhances yoga and meditation with helping you clear your mind. It has essences of patchouli, vetiver, and olibanum. What are the ingredients that affect you in clearing your thoughts? Olibanum is like frankincense, and both it and patchouli are helpful, as well as vetiver. If you're like me, you've never heard of vetiver and you're shaking your head wondering what it is. Vetiver is a type of wild grass and is known for its soothing and uplifting characteristics.

How do I use it?

The chakra #1 is in the form of a spray. Of course, the most obvious way of using it is wearing the scent. I would suggest spraying it after taking a bath or shower. Why? Because you are relaxed and when you relax your mind tends to clear. This will help the chakra be more effective.

What's the price?

It's $30 for each chakra, but this will last for at least 6 month or a year, depending upon how much you are using the chakra spray. Like any Aveda product, a little goes a long way. This makes it $5 a month if it lasted for 6 months, or just $2.50 if it lasts for 12 months.

What are the benefits?

When the root chakra is in balance you will have better energy, a stronger sense of security, and a healthier body awareness. When this chakra isn't in balance the body and mind becomes lethargic. You feel resistant to change, and you feel like your life is going too fast. This chakra will help you slow down and experience things as they come.

My clients tend to pick this chakra when I start the ritual of them picking from seven different cards to pick three that basically they are drawn to with the chakra massage. I've used this chakra when I feel like I'm not grounded, and it helps me to have a clearer head. If you like this scent, then it may be something you need to have balanced in your life.

Stay tuned for Chakra #2!

By:
Sarah
Massage Therapist Barrington

Martin Luther King "I have a dream"

2011-01-17T04:23:00.000-08:00

Be Curly™ Style-Prep™: Inspirational Video

2011-01-08T06:54:00.000-08:00

Self Care

2010-12-30T11:42:00.000-08:00

Self Care: What you can do for you

Take care of yourself. It's just four simple words, right? Yet, the meaning of these words can be unattainable in certain, hectic times in our life. Of course, this begs the question of how hard can it be to take care of yourself? How difficult is it to administer your own dosage of self-care to keep your sanity intact? Well, with the holiday season, and in this time and age, it's not as easy as it sounds.

For example, I am sometimes the worst person ever when it comes to self-care. I can be just as bad as others, passing out in front of the T.V., and not giving myself time to adjust from work to home. The body kicks into a flight or fight response when you're stressed, and the sympathetic system gets activated. Since you can't exactly fight what is stressing you, or run away from it, there needs to be a way to deal with it. This can be the simple act of taking deep breaths. Because when you are stressed your breath will become shallow, your heartbeat will increase, and there will be tension in the muscles. The digestive system shuts down and all of those toxic stress hormones build up over time.

I know what you're going to ask me, well, what can I do? The answer is self-care, and putting this into effect. Here are some ways that can help.

Find quiet time

You need to find time to help you deal with over stimulation. What with traffic jams, a hectic commute, or just a crazy day at the office, your mind tends to get over stimulated from everything. What this means is you need to find time for yourself to absorb the sense of quiet. Remember the old saying, silence is golden? Well, it's true, especially if you haven't had a time to think without noise throughout your entire day. Remove all of the outside distractions that you can, and try to give yourself at least 10-20 minutes of silence a day, if not more.

Take time to meditate, just let go, and experience yourself in the moment. We tend to like to chase after what we want in life, and spend a considerable amount of time avoiding what we don't want to face. Learning to use meditation can help you relax and live in the present moment, helping with your breath, body, and your emotions that have been bottling up all day.

Maintaining a healthy work/family relationship

I am a firm believer in having my work and home life very separate. When I'm working I don't want to be thinking about what needs to be done at home while I'm massaging, so I try to leave that behind when I get in my car. The same goes for what happens at my work tends to stay there. There are times when life gets so hectic in both areas of your life that it's hard to deal with either. Don't try to carry too much at one time and recognize the feeling of burnout.

I really think sometimes we carry the whole weight of the world on our shoulders, but how can we expect to walk or stand when it becomes too much? Make time for yourself to just relax and find those little things in life that make you happy. Try to make those things that make you happy into rituals that you perform, or experience, like a facial, massage, haircut, nail appointment, when you need an hour or more to yourself. It can be the most wonderful experience to be alone in a quiet room away from life's stresses and having someone else take care of you, when you're so used to taking on everyone's needs.

Don't be your own worst critic

Again, this may sound self explanatory, that you shouldn't be too hard on yourself. But, if you're like me, you may be your own worst critic. Don't focus on your own weaknesses and mistakes, they happen for a reason. Learn from them and celebrate your successes that you have both in life, and work.

Life cannot happen without tragedies, stress, and obstacles that you need to overcome. These hard times shape us into who we are, even if we aren't prepared for them in the least. Beating ourselves up over something we don't have any power over doesn't help us in facing these circumstances. The combination of meditation, finding quiet time in your life, and having a healthy relationship with both work and home life can help this.

by: Sarah Lauderdale

About Aveda

2010-12-28T04:34:00.000-08:00

Aveda Holiday 2010: Women of the Equatorial Rainforest

2010-12-17T04:39:00.000-08:00

It's my first time...

2010-12-13T12:02:00.000-08:00

There's always a first time for everything, and experiencing something new can be intimidating. When it comes to massage, I know that factor of intimidation is doubled for that first timer. There are so many questions you may be unsure about, and trusting someone to take care of you only moments after you met them can be hard. This was my problem when I got my first massage, and I made sure the therapist knew I was extremely anxious. I'm sure she met many new comers like me and wasn't fazed by my nervousness.

You forget how it is to be new to getting massages once you start giving them. I always try to remember with my clients that first time I had.

Having knowledge about something can help with anxiety issues. There is also the knowledge that everything is in your hands when the service is being provided. You want more pressure? Just let the therapist know and it can be adjusted. The therapist will have a consultation with you to decide what you need to have worked on, where the tension is, and your medical history. Are you ticklish on your legs? A full body massage doesn't have to include this if you prefer to spend more time on your back. And, talking about a full body massage, what does that mean?

A full body massage, as I like to describe it, is the back, neck, shoulders, arms, legs, hands, feet, and scalp. First timers sometimes like to go with the 30 minute massage to test out the waters and see what it's like. For the time amount I normally suggest working on the back for the entire time, but like with everything, it's always up to you.

What should you wear for a massage? This is also what I wondered and fretted about. Should I take off my underwear? Can I leave my bra on? Do I leave on jewelry, or should I keep my hair up or down? For me, I have no preference except for what makes the client comfortable. I can feel when someone relaxes during a massage and it definitely makes me feel better when they take deep breaths and fall into relaxation.

Finally, we aren't exactly mind readers when it comes to pressure. Don't worry about letting us know if it's too much, or too little, we do want to make it so that it's just right for you. There is the difference between a 'good hurt' and a 'bad hurt' when getting a massage. You will definitely know it, but a bad hurt is an electric, intense pain when working out a knot. A good hurt feels tolerable and like it's being worked out. If you notice you're tensing up too much and it feels like that bad hurt just tell us to lighten up.

Massages are a wonderful thing. I love this profession, and love receiving massages because it feels great. I was so scared about my first massage that if I didn't have someone with me I would have ran right out of there. But, I didn't, and here I am working in this profession. Don't let anxiety and fear stop you from getting a massage. It could be something you've been waiting for all your life to experience.

If it's your first massage just be sure to communicate to your therapist how everything is feeling.

Sarah

Barrington Massage Therapist

How to keep the good vibes going

2010-12-12T11:44:00.000-08:00

Okay, you've gotten that 30 min., 60 min, 90 min. massage and you are feeling great! Now, what to do?

Drink lots of water

Well, there is a reason why we tell you to drink more water after a massage. The first being that you want to flush the toxins out of your system, but what are toxins in the first place? They are the waste materials that are brought to the surface through massage. Especially with deeper pressure you should plan to drink more. Have you ever noticed after a massage that you feel particularly thirsty? This is the second reason why you should drink water, and that is because you tend to get dehydrated after receiving a massage. By taking in more fluids you can rehydrate your muscles.

Well, you've stayed hydrated and have made sure to double the amount of water you normally drink within a day, so now what? How do you keep those good massage vibes going?

Create rituals for yourself

You may be scratching your head at this, but I do believe in having rituals that you follow every day.

The definition of a ritual is:

1. A ceremonial act or a series of such acts.

2. The performance of such acts.

What this means is that you need to find something that helps you calm down, and destress during a hectic day. This could be using your signature scent, also known as the essential oil your massage therapist chose for you. If you like the scent, and have a strong positive association with it the oil can be breathed in three times with deep, diaphragmatic breaths, or added to a lotion, sprayed around the house, or used in a nice, warm bubble bath.

The ritual could be drinking your favorite cup of tea, taking a warm neck pillow and draping it around your neck, or coercing your special someone to give you a foot massage. My ritual that I do is taking a hot shower, or making myself a warm bath with essential oils.

If you notice that something helps you relax at the end of your day, try to repeat it every day. We become so stressed from our jobs, family, etc. and are so used to rushing that we don't take our time to calm down and realize we are home. The stress we were running away from is currently gone, but our bodies don't understand this. Try to find time, or make time, to create your own little rituals.

Make stretching a part of your every day routine

Stretching isn't just for people who run, or people who exercise. You may think that you don't need to stretch for a computer job, but on the contrary, my clients who spend a lot of time at computers or driving have some of the toughest shoulders and necks to massage. Why is this? It's for a very simple reason that may not make sense, but everyone has issues with, including me.

This culprit for muscle tension is posture.

I never realized how much my posture was affecting me until I got into massage school. One of our favorite things to do was to try to see who in the class had the worst posture. For example, your head should be directly in line with your shoulder. For every 1 inch, 2 inch, etc. that your head is over your shoulder it doubles, triples, the weight of your head. Suddenly, those neck muscles are doing a lot of work to hold your head in place. You get headaches, chronic neck tightness, and it literally is a pain in the neck all because your posture is off.

Being on a computer causes you to fold in on yourself, you become very forward reaching for those keys and that screen, and you collapse in your chair. Stretching helps to open up your muscles and helps to loosen them. This can be very beneficial in-between massages to help with chronic tightness.

Make sure to get massages frequently

What can help more to keep those good vibes going than to get more massages? I normally suggest to my clients every month, bi-monthly, or every 3 months at most. Massage helps with tension, stress, and clients who see me frequently say that they see an improvement in how they feel. They even tell me that their muscles feel a lot better. Be sure to take care of yourself, and find time, or make it, to help yourself relax and be ready to face your next day.

by Sarah Lauderdale

Barrington Massage Therapist

Makeup Tutorial: Intense Lip

2010-12-10T10:15:00.000-08:00

Meet the Team

2010-12-05T10:29:00.000-08:00

I often use the phrase "Spa Bleu is a great place because of our employees". The employee I decided to feature first has been a team member for three years. Starting at our Dundee location as "Belle" and then she moved to the Barrington location as part of the opening team. Lisa is now one of our "Coaches" for the stylists. Lisa's passion for systems and guest satisfaction makes her an absolute delight. Whether it's a new style or a new color, the guests that sit her chair will surely get an amazing service.

Here are a few questions Lisa answered so you can get to know her a little better:

Who is your mentor?
My big sister. She has always been a mom, a sister, and a best friend to me.

What is your favorite Quote?
"Today you are you, that is truer than true, There is no one alive who is youer than you"- Dr Seuss

What is one food you couldn't live without?
Spaghetti!

What inspires you?
Passion, if you don't have passion you won't have motivation.

What attracted you to Spa Bleu?
It just felt like a family when I walked in. I knew I had to be there.

What is your favorite Aveda product?
Control Force! I can't live without it!

What is one thing your guests probably don't know about you?
One thing that guests do not know about me is that I actually wanted to be a math teacher and I kinda just stumbled on hairstyling but it has become a true passion for me.

What is your favorite candy bar?
I LOVE Rolos!

Getting ready for our annual Holiday Open House

2010-12-02T17:54:00.000-08:00

December 2004-It feels like yesterday that we hosted our first Holiday Open House. I remember it so clearly. I remember decorating a table displaying the Holiday Gift Sets and setting up the table with cookies and coffee for the guests. Tammy, Myself, and probably 15 employees anxiously waiting for the first guest to arrive. One by one each guest walked in and we were so excited that people wanted to spend the evening with us. I believe we ended the evening with about 15 guests stopping by. Yes, that means we probably had more staff than guests. Each year as the holiday season approaches we plan our open house and still get butterflies hoping that it will be a success. For those of you that have never attended an open house let me paint the picture... We take up to 50 RSVP and we host a night at each location. Guests are treated to a night filled with complimentary mini services, wine, treats, raffles, and special incentives. Some call it a girls night out, to some it's the perfect date night, and to some it's just a tradition. That's how I like to think of it a tradition that we will proudly carry on for many years to come. I hope to see many of our regular guests & hope to meet some that I only know by seeing their appointments in our books. Here's to the start of the 2010 Holiday Season at Spa Bleu!
Heather