Indulge Yourself in your Home

Women wear so many different hats these days.  We are wives, mothers, daughters, friends, employees, entrepreneurs, caregivers and so much more.  With all those hats comes a busy schedule that doesn't allow much time for pampering ourselves.  It can be very difficult to fit in a trip to the spa for some much needed TLC and relaxation.  What if the spa could come to you?

Soulful Indulgence is a local company that specializes in the mobile spa experience.  They come to you and that means less time out of your schedule.  Do you have small children that still nap?  This is the perfect solution.  You can have a pedicure in your home while the kids are sleeping.  Add on a massage and it will be the most blissful naptime ever.

We were treated to a Spa-licious Pedicure with a Fabulous Feet add-on and it was divine.  Our feet have never felt to soft or looked so cute!  Soulful Indulgence owner, Michelle, has over a decade of experience as a Registered and Licensed Esthetican and her attention to detail is phenomenal.  She is also passionate about using only the best and most natural products possible.   Her body care line, Beauty Through Balance, contains sustainably harvested seaweed, her polish is formaldehyde-free and even her sterilizer solution is biodegradable.  She was "Green" before going Green was mainstream. 

Soulful Indulgence also offers Spa Parties in your home.  Get a group of girlfriends together for a night of fun and pampering.  Depending on the size of the party and the treatments, Soulful Indulgence will bring along more than one practitioner.

To book your treatment or spa party, call Soulful Indulgence at 604-542-8988.  You can also find them on Facebook and Twitter.

Posted under Makeup & Beauty • Beauty •

A Whole New Hair Removal World

Hair removal is a necessary part of personal grooming for both men and women.  Traditional methods include waxing, shaving and plucking.  What if there was another way? 

Body Sugaring is an ancient egyptian hair removal method that is incredibly effective.  While extremely popular in other parts of Canada, Body Sugaring is a new concept here in British Columbia.  Tammy Dupuis, owner of The Egyptian Body Sugar Co. in Abbotsford, is the only body sugaring technician that we could find in the Fraser Valley.

Tammy makes her own sugar which is a mixture of lemon, sugar and water and is slightly heated to resemble a sticky candy or caramel-like texture.  It is completely natural and chemical-free.  In fact, it is so pure you could eat it without concern - although we don't recommend it! 

Sugaring is similar to waxing, however there are some significant differences.  The sugar is applied in the opposite direction of hair growth and then pulled or flicked off in the direction of the hair growth.  Waxing is the opposite and because of this, waxing is a much more "violent" experience.  While sugaring still has some discomfort, we felt that it was no where near as painful.

Some of the other benefits of sugaring are that there is no sticky residue, no burning from wax that is too hot and it is a very quick process.  It is also very hygienic.  The sugar for your treatment is used on you and only you.  No double-dipping into a wax pot that has been used for other treatments.

While hair removal is typically something we associate with women, it is quickly becoming more and more popular with men for chest and back hair removal.

The Egyptian Body Sugar Co. is located inside En Vogue Hair Salon at #5-33575 Mayfair Ave., Abbotsford.  Give Tammy a call at 604-615-6867 and visit their Facebook Page and check out this video of the process.

Posted under Beauty •

Smooth as Silk

Exfoliation, moisturizer, Micro-derm Abrasion and facials.  Women are constantly seeking out ways rejuvenate their skin and achieve the youthful glow that comes with healthy skin. The choices seem endless and how do you know what really works?  Well, we found a great option.

The SilkPeel is a non-invasive procedure that uses Dermalinfusion technology.  This system combines exfoliation with deep delivery of skin-specific solutions directly to the skin's surface. The treatment is customized for each patient so whether you have acne prone skin, hyperpigmentation, photodamage, fine lines and wrinkles or redness, there is a solution for you.

We recently visited MD Cosmetic in Abbotsford to learn more and experience a treatment.  MD Cosmetic is the only Fraser Valley Medical Spa that offers the SilkPeel and the demand has been so large that they have just added a third machine to the practice.  All of their technicians are highly trained and our technician, Jamie, was so well-informed that we immediately felt at ease. 

The treatment begins with a facial cleanse to remove any dirt from the surface of the skin.  After a skin analysis, Jamie selected the intense moisturizer as our solution. All the work is accomplished with a hand-help, pen-like tool that both exfoliates and delivers the solution to the skin.  While we only had a couple of moments of slight discomfort, the treatment really doesn't hurt at all.  In fact it feels like a cat's tongue licking your face.  After the SilkPeel is finished, Jamie applied a Peptide Serum that was developed by MD Cosmetic owner Dr. Alibhai, along with a sunblock and moisturizer. 

The results were great.  We expected to see a bright red face after the treatment but that wasn't the case at all.  This treatment really has no down-time at all.  Our skin feels soft and smooth and it is glowing.  Even days later there is a noticeable difference.  The SilkPeel would be a great alternative to a traditional facial and at only $150, the price is affordable.

MD Cosmetic is located at #107-2051 McCallum Road.  Call them at 604-557-7777 or visit them online.

Posted under Beauty •

Wash. Blow. Go.

Wouldn't it be great to have your own personal hairstylist that would do your hair every day and before a special event?  While that concept is out of reach for most of us, we can still have a great hairstyle or blowout in about 30 minutes and for about $30.  So affordable.

Blo Dry Bar is a phenomenon that has been in Vancouver for a few years and they have come to Morgan Crossing in South Surrey.  Yah!!  Whether you book ahead of time or just walk-in, you will walk out with a professionally styled coif.  The Blo menu has seven styles to choose from ranging from a sleek, straight style to rocker chic to big, curly, event styles.

To complement the basic menu, Blo also carries a line of 100% human hair extensions and for only $250 you can buy the extension and have them installed and styled.  The Blo hair product line flies off the shelf.  The Aero Gel is the most popular as it is a gel-based spray that does not leave your hair crunchy.

In addition to In-Bar services, there is also Blo Bridal with special pricing for bridal parties and Blo On The Go where the team will come to your doorstep.  Fabulous!

Blo Blowdry Bar is located in Building E, Unit 118-15745 Croydon Drive in South Surrey.  It's in the brand new Morgan Crossing development right by the Winners.  Call them at 778.294.3334.

WIN A BLO BAR BLOWOUT

Morgan Crossing owners Jenny and Karen have graciously donated a Blo Blowout.  For a chance to win, simply post a comment on this editorial.  Draw will take place on Friday, April 30th.

Posted under Beauty •

Pretty Is as Pretty Does

There are oodles of lotions, creams and perfumes out there and sometimes it's hard to choose. Why not choose a product that makes you feel good and helps someone else.

That's exactly what happens when you purchase a Love & Toast hand creme, perfume or lip balm. A portion of every sale is donated to Regional Affiliates of Girls Inc., an organization that empowers and inspires girls to be the leaders of tomorrow.

Not only does this product do good for others, it's great for you too! It is paraben and phthalate free, has no artificial colours and the packing paper sources come from 100% annually renewable sources.

We love the vintage feel of the tube and the colourful designs just add to the fun experience. The fragrances are amazing. Mandarin Tea is our favourite but there is also Sugar Grapefruit, Honey Coconut and more.

We found Love and Toast at Belle Maison in Walnut Grove. Hand Cremes are $15.99, Perfume bottles $36.99 and purse-sized roll-on perfumes $16.99.

Posted under Beauty •