Spa Toscana Review

I am sharing a review with you this week. A review of one of the best spa’s in Reno! Remember a couple of posts back when I talked about what I was going to get my mother for Mother’s Day?
Well, a spa day was the gift that won out. So today we went with a couple of other girlfriends from the salon and played hooky all day! I have to tell you it is without a doubt the most opulent spa I have ever been in! Here is a short list of the best parts of the experience.

• The price! So my pedicure was a hefty $65 with a 10% tip that they added on automatically for me. (nice of them, I thought) So the bill at first glance is a pedicure for $71 and some change. That is a little on the high side I thought, BUT you also get a day pass to the entire spa for that price! So if we do a little math... the day pass by itself would run you $36 if you are a local and you have a player’s card from them. So if we subtract that from the pedicure it comes to only $35.50! No way you can beat that price if you plan on spending the rest of the day relaxing anyway.  

• Outside entrance. I loved that I could enter from the outside parking area without ever going through a smoke filled casino to get to the spa! The parking is right outside the main entrance to the salon/spa making it easy access with nothing polluting your lungs or hair before you arrive! Good planning Peppermill! If you have an appointment anytime that day you can check into the spa as early as you wish before your appointment! They open at 8:00 a.m. and close at 10:00 p.m. 

• The Caldarium. This lovely facility hosts an indoor pool (for those of us allergic to the sun), waterfalls, cool/hot tubs and showers that are an experience in and of themselves! Children under the age of 12 are not allowed. There is an outdoor terrace for sunbathing for those looking to catch some rays in the peace and quite of the spa. The beds in the Secret Garden are awesome and completely adjustable. They are filled with the rhythms of the soothing spa iPod/music that is attached to each bed, with earphones. Honestly I could have slept there all day! 

• Refreshments. At first glance this doesn’t look like much but honestly if you didn’t want to order up something special from the very nice menu of spa cuisine you could make it through your day easily with the goodies they have available on this little snack area. Fruits, nuts, dried berries, juices, coffee, teas, and fruit infused waters are everywhere on every level. We even found the cookie room on the 3rd floor! Yes cookies and tea! Who needs lunch, really? 

• The Finishing Touch. As you can see my mother is looking very sad that our day is over but my review is not. The end of the day the experience just gets better. The showers are stocked with shampoo, conditioner, body wash, shaving cream, lotion, disposable razors and of course towels and washcloths. Then you go into the salon area and you have blowdryers, flat irons, curling irons, hairspray, deodorant, mouthwash, mints, disposable brushes with mirrors attached, hair gel and lighted makeup mirrors.  It was really so sad to leave... :(

So this is my first of many spa reviews. I will be checking out other spas here in Reno and offering up my recommendations. I highly recommend this spa to anyone! Go try it out! 

If you have been to a spa here in Reno that you thought was over the top I would love to hear about it. 

Please leave a comment below and let me know what your recommendations are. 

I really think I could be a spa reviewer full time. 

Do you think there is such a job? 

Pedicures and a Give-away!

Most of us think of a pedicure as a simple process of applying fresh polish to those tacky toes. But there is actually a purpose to this process that is often understated. The health and protection of your feet and skin need to be kept in mind as you prepare your tootsies for this season. Whether you are a do it yourself at home pedi or a salon maven, these are the tips to keep in mind for a season of toe baring bliss!

1. Use a pumice stone.Walking around in our flip flops all summer does a number on your feet. It dries your feet out causing that lovely sandpaper feeling on your heels after only a couple of weeks. For some it will eventually lead to cracked and bleeding heels. The best way to combat this occurrence is to use a pumice stone on your heels. Sand them gently every day in your shower to keep the build up from occurring.  
2. Protect your heels. If you can sleep at least half the night with a pair of aloe socks on, your heels will love you for it! Cover your feet and especially your heels with a thick coat of body butter and put your socks on before bed. 
3. Clean up the cuticle. Push back the cuticles with a fresh orange-wood stick or a metal cuticle pusher only after they have been soaking or when you get out of the shower first thing. The skin will be soft and easy to push back. Be very careful in doing this that you don’t end up breaking the skin. This will prevent your cuticle from getting overgrown and peeling away.
4. Trim the nails. Toenails are very susceptible to becoming ingrown if you do not tend to them. By keeping the nails at a shorter length but not too short you will decrease your chance of creating an environment for painful, ingrown nails.  
5. Be salon savvy. Play it safe when you go to a salon for a pedicure. Watch to see how thorough the pedicure spa is being cleaned. I prefer it when the salon runs bleach or some other EPA sterilizer through a short cycle with the jets on between clients. But many will not take the time to do this. Ask or watch to be sure.
6. Save the shave. If you are not sure about sterilization of the foot spa, don’t shave your legs right before a pedicure. Bacteria can live in the pipes. Your skin is a strong barrier that keeps bacteria out. Shaving creates microscopic cuts on your legs. Shave after the pedi or do it at least 2-3 days before. 
7. Massage. Need I say more? The one thing you can’t really get at home if you are the DIY type, is the relaxing massage that you can get at the salon. The massage helps to move the fluids around, preventing cankles or fluid build up in the legs. And we all know that massage is a wonderful stress reducer. 

Enjoy your season of sandals and sand! Hope you get time to head to Tahoe and enjoy the lake with pretty new toes sometime soon. I know I plan to! Have a great week. 

Thanks for stopping by the blog. 

Leave a comment for a chance to win a free pedicure! 

Mini Escapes

Spring break is over and the tax man has been paid, so it seems all that we have to look forward to is longer days (yeah!!), and yard work. Well, all work and no play makes for a sad Jack and a pitiful Jill. There is no time left in the schedule to get away and enjoy long weekends for awhile yet, but you need to think of a way to refresh yourself. Here are some solutions that may help you through a mundane work week, which you can do on your lunch hour. Pampering services done in less than sixty minutes. 

Think of them as little mini escapes...

• Blow out: Letting someone else do the work for you can make you feel valued and special. Especially if you have thick curly hair or you have a meeting later that you would like to look stunning for. 
• Manicure: A basic manicure will take approximately 30 minutes, leaving you time to eat and read a chapter in your novel. Going back to work with pretty patties makes anyone feel pampered.
• Massage: No undressing, no oily mess to deal with. You can get a 10, 15, or 20 minute neck and shoulder massage that will leave you feeling great for the rest of the day. 
• Mini Facial: Get a 30-minute facial. Hydration facials can be done quickly by avoiding the eye area. With a quick application of tinted BB cream and a touch of blusher, you will go back to work glowing.
• Quick Style: Come in with clean dry hair and have your stylist whip up something fun. Try a messy bun or a low swung bun with a braid twisted into it. Here is a link to my favorite quick styles to try.
• Sunless Tan: Weekends of shorts or capris coming up and those legs have not seen daylight in months? Spray tan is the ticket. Pacific Tan even has a coupon out for buy 2 sessions-get one free!  
• Waxing: Get an eyebrow, leg, lip or bikini wax on your lunch hour and save yourself the extra running around on the weekend trying to fit it all in. Now there is an invigorating way to spend your afternoon. 

I hope you find a few ways to give yourself some R&R this month. And while you are doing so, remember that Mother’s Day is on May 12th and any or all of these would make a great gift for that woman who takes care of everyone else all the time!

Thank you for stopping by my blog. 

Happy Spring!

It is looking like it may stick around this time! 

Michon :)

Be Beautiful Valentine!

As we approach this Hallmark card occasion,  I thought I would share a couple of fun things to do, whether you are single or in a relationship, that are beautiful and easy to do! Pick and choose as many as you like from the list below to create a week long celebration without breaking the bank!

1. Say Something Sweet: Lotion your hands lightly and then write on the mirror of your bathroom. When your sweetie gets out of the shower and the room is all steamy, your declaration of love will be visible! Send a series of texts throughout the day with all of the things you love about them. Put post-it notes on the car steering wheel, in their lunchbox, in his gym bag, in her purse. At the end of the day they will come home to greet you knowing they are loved and appreciated.
2. Feed Them Something Delicious: There are a lot of ways to let your food do the talking. Here is a short list of ideas I like to do on my Pinterest Valentine Board. Don’t have time to cook? Nothing says I love you like having someone treat you to dinner and giving you the night off from cooking and cleaning. If you decide not to stay in and cook up something special, I found this list of all of the local specials including pricing. I would imagine you should call for reservations today if you haven’t gotten to that yet this week! ;)
3. Do Something Sexy: For the ladies, check out this blog post for the best possible lipstick you can wear on Valentine's Day. Don’t leave that lipstick all over his face and shirt! He will thank you for this one, I promise! For the gentlemen, spray a little cologne on when you get home and freshen up a bit after work, then go put your hand to her face and tell her she is beautiful. 
4. Touch them: Whether you are planning your Valentine's surprise for a significant other, children, or grandchildren, we all respond to touch. An impromptu scalp and shoulder massage from behind while he is at the computer. A foot rub for your little kids as they are reading before bed. Everyone appreciates a good old fashion back rub. Not into touching anyone right now? A gift certificate for a massage is a fabulous gift for anyone! 
5. Be Beautiful: Take a care package down to Tent City for a homeless person. Brand new warm socks or gloves filled with Valentine treats and maybe a little cash. Pay for the person behind you in the Starbucks drive-through. Write a letter or a thank you note to someone that has made a difference in your life. Donate to one of your favorite local charities this week. Local charities typically have much lower overhead administrative costs so more of your money goes directly to the recipients. Charitable donations drop off severely after the holidays. You all know my favorite local charity Northern Nevada Children’s Cancer Foundation. (just one suggestion). 

We pretty much covered the five senses here plus the heart with that last one. I hope you all have a fabulous Valentine’s Day! Please share this post with all of your friends that are looking for last minute Valentine's ideas and leave me a comment with your favorite ideas for making life sweeter this time of year. I would love to see what you like to do.  

Thank you for stopping by.

Michon :)

Cabin Fever

Do you get that overwhelming feeling of wanting to 'break out' this time of year? The warmer weather we have had over the last couple of days seems to make it even worse. Many of my clients start to get anxious and decide they need a change. Some come in with some pretty drastic changes in mind for their hair, but, is it the right move for you? When you look at the big picture of where you want your hair to be by summer you need to take a few things into consideration before you let someone get carried away at the mixing bowl or with the scissors.

1. Maintenance. How often do you want to be seeing your stylist in order to keep the style looking fresh? The longer your hair is, the easier it is to go a little longer between haircuts. Short hair cuts really do self destruct in 4-6 weeks. Hair grows a 1/4 inch per month. This can be the difference between a spunky, sassy style with “tude”, to a limp overgrown look that is mediocre. Give some serious thought before chopping off too much and then spending the rest of your winter months bluer than you might have been. 
2. There’s an app for that! There are several fun apps available for your smart phones that may help you decide on a new style or color. Simply take a picture of yourself with your phone and then import your picture into the app and shop around. Fun way to “see yourself” with a new look before taking the plunge and being too surprised. Here is a short list of ones I found available for your iphone or droid. Hairstyle Lite, Magic Mirror, Fun and Fashion, Smart Hairstyle and one for your computer if you are not a phone junky like some of us, InStyle Makeover.
3. Coloring. This is a great time of year for low lights. You are still out of the sun most of the time this time of year so it is easier to maintain the rich lowlights you can achieve with a low peroxide, conditioning color that will fade much less this time of year. By summer it will have naturally lifted enough so you won’t have trouble when you want to lighten it again for summer. A nice subtle change that won’t fry your hair. 
4. Deep conditioning treatment with a trim. This is a great way to breath new life into your hair. It is amazing what just a quarter to an eighth of an inch can do to make your hair feel so much better. Add to that, a deep conditioning treatment and you have a new do that is sleek, shiny, polished feeling and will last you a couple of months through the rest of this deep freeze. 
5. Take baby steps. If you are contemplating making a drastic change talk to your stylist about making the changes over several appointments. Take a picture with you and consider their recommendations. Drastic changes done too quickly can be disastrous! Just see what January Jones (the Mad Man movie star) has to say about her impulsive style change and her hair falling out in clumps! 

The way you feel about your hair is very closely connected to your mood. When your hair looks good you feel good. Beware! Remember, you will have to live with this drastic change for months to come. However, if you are of the mind set that “it is only hair” by all means have fun! What else is there to do on these long days but spend time in the salon mixing it up a bit! :)

Thanks for subscribing to my weekly tip blog. 

Please feel free to leave me a comment below and let me know what your favorite strategies for keeping the winter blues at bay this time of year. And if you have any questions or ideas you would like to hear me work on please let me know. Please share this tip with any of your friends that are contemplating big hair decisions! 

Thank you again, 

Have a great week! 

Michon :)

This post has been published in the Galena Times Newspaper/ Spring Edition 2013