What is the difference between a regular & deluxe manicure?

Both treatments include a trim, file and shape, a soak in chlorine-free filtered water, cuticle work and a relaxing hand and forearm massage and application of hand cream. The difference is that the Deluxe Manicure includes the additional application of nail polish.

Types of polishes

With a deluxe manicure, you have the option of different types of nail polish, each with its own benefits. I also have regular nail polish should you prefer that.

Vinylux Nail Polish: I would highly recommend the Vinylux nail polishes. These polishes are quick drying and long-lasting, they are described as “polishes that defy time”.

Sparitual Nail Polish: This vegan colour range contains fewer nasty chemicals, which help you if you have discoloured or weak nails by nourishing the nails and promoting strong healthy nail growth. The Sparitual Gold Range polishes is a flexible polish which means it doesn’t crack or chip as much. This gives double the wear of other normal polishes.

Care for our hands

Whether you choose to have polish or not it is really important to protect your hands from the ravages of everyday life.

I recommend using a nourishing hand cream every day (ideally at night)

Also, a great habit to get into is wearing gloves whenever you need to have your hands in water and when doing gardening.

This sounds really obvious, but it can make a huge difference.

Another really useful tip is to regularly apply an SPF sun protective cream/lotion to the back of your hands before going outside. The skin on the back of your hands can be a real giveaway to the amount of UV you have been exposed to and can be very aging. I would suggest at least an SPF 30 product.

As well as hand care, caring for your cuticles is just as important. Cuticles are the skin around the base of the nails that can also grow up the nail). Depending on the dryness of your skin, some people need regular application of cuticle remover and a gentle pushing down of the cuticle.

If you do have dry skin, I would recommend taking flax or fish oil supplements. I take flax oil and find it really helps with the overall dryness of my skin. Both flax and fish oil contain omega 3 oil which is vital for all our cells to function correctly.

Thin and brittle nails are also a problem for many people, again diet and supplements can help. Some medications can make your nails weak and if you have been unwell, the condition of your nails may suffer too.

Just be aware of the damage that Acrylic, Gel and/or other nail treatments may have on your nails too. Due to the filing of the nails before the application of the artificial nail, the natural nail can become very weak and soft when the artificial nails are removed. Also, moisture can get under the artificial nail and encourage fungal infections in your natural nail. These infections do need treating as they can spread and become unsightly and very annoying.

Don’t get me wrong, Acrylics and Gel nails can look fantastic, especially for a special occasion but you do have to be aware of their drawbacks, especially for long-term use.

Just little things can make a positive contribution to how you feel about yourself without spending a fortune which is what it’s all about!

A facial is a relaxing and soothing treatment for the face and upper chest (décolletage) area and may include a host of additional treatments and products depending on the needs of the client over and above the classic procedure which I describe here.

Pamper You uses the luxurious Trilogy skin care products for facials as they are full of natural goodness and made in New Zealand!

See www.trilogyproducts.com

Your Facial Treatment

1. The cream cleanser gently cleans away impurities and make-up very effectively with the added goodness of evening primrose oil, almond oil, jojoba and carrot oils to soothe and gently nourish.

2. The hydrating mist toner (my all-time favourite toner) is scented with rose, geranium and lavender essential oils. This toner is a must for a really hot summer day (or hot flush), just close your eyes and spray it over your face for instant cooling, refreshed and revitalised skin.

3. The facial exfoliant gently removes the dead skin cells on the surface of your face with active honey enzymes, camellia oil and jojoba micro-spheres resulting in soft, clearer skin.

4. The facial massage (with Trilogy pure plant Body oil) is a mix of sweet almond, apricot and rosehip oils. The massage nourishes the skin, improves texture and muscle tone, encourages cellular regeneration and improves lymphatic drainage.

5. The Trilogy purifying mask with witch hazel, rose geranium, organic rosehip oil and kaolin clay to draw out impurities leaving your skin smooth and clear. While the mask is on you can have a relaxing arm and hand massage.

6. Organic rosehip oil is applied around the eyes and vital moisturising cream is applied to the face.

A brow shape (wax and tweeze) is included in the facial if required.

You may want to have a facial for a special occasion or work it into your monthly schedule. Whatever you decide your face will thank you for it and you will feel relaxed and rejuvenated!

Why Tint Lashes and Brows?

For beautiful lashes and brows, tinting is a very effective way of enhancing the appearance of the eyes and accentuating one of our best features.

Tinting is a great alternative to using mascara for those who may be allergic to it or for those of you that engage in sports, particularly swimming where mascara can smudge and run or if you are on holiday and you don’t want to be bothered about applying mascara.

Tinting is effective and particularly noticeable on blonde and light lashes and brows. Even dark lashes look longer and fuller when they are tinted as they tend to be lighter on the ends.

Some ladies have very little brows and this is a good treatment to do for them. It gives them positive definition, that frames their face and means they don’t have to use a brow pencil.

How long will a tint last?

Normally brow and lash tints last 3-4 weeks.

What colours does Pamper You have?

I have black, blue/black, and brown for lashes, and black, brown, and pewter for brows.

How long will it take?

A lash tint takes about 20 minutes. The tint takes 10 minutes to cure, a brow tint takes a shorter time.

What do I have to do?

You just have to be able to lie still and relax your eyes, keeping them shut for the whole time. (Most people love the chance to take 10 minutes out of their day!)

Ideally, it is best to arrive with no eye make-up on, but if you do I can remove it before we do the treatment.

What if I get a reaction to the tint?

It is very uncommon to get a reaction to the tinting solution.

However, it is possible that you may. If you have never had a tint before and would like to try one, you may want to come in a get a patch test which will indicate whether you are likely to have a negative reaction.

Also, it is possible to have reactions even though you have been having tinting for years.

If you are having a tint and you experience stinging/reaction I would immediately wash off the solution and there would be no cost to you.

Come and enjoy time out and relax whilst you experience your regular tint or if you haven’t tried the treatment before.

What is involved in a Pedicure?

A pedicure is more than just cutting your toenails! It is one of the most effective and affordable treatments that you can have at Pamper You. It makes a huge difference to your feet and how they feel. So much so that they will thank you for taking the time out to pamper them and you will wonder why you hadn’t indulged them before!

The whole process of sitting down and resting your feet, and having them worked on is very relaxing, refreshing and rejuvenating and you will benefit from this time out from your busy day with a cuppa.

I will take you through the procedure that I do at Pamper You so that you will know what is involved and the benefits.

Our procedure:

1. The pedicure starts with a wonderful foot soak in filtered chlorine-free water with essential oil of lavender and Epsom salts. Epsom salts (magnesium sulphate) is very good at relaxing the muscles and softening the water.
2. We then wash the feet with a scrub and work on one foot at a time leaving the other to soak.
3. I take off old nail polish if needs be, then cut or trim the nails, file and work on cuticles.
4. Followed by rubbing away rough dead skin on the heels and repeating this procedure with the other foot.
5. The foot massage is next, which is very therapeutic and soothing, helping keep them flexible, getting the circulation going and moisturising them with the massage wax.
6. I then apply a foot cream and nail polish if you wish.

I have many colours of polish to choose from including colours in the Creative Nails Vinylux weekly polish range, and new Nourishing Vegan colours from SPARITUAL which help to moisturise and revitalise the nails. These are a good alternative for when you get yellowing and dehydrated nails and they contain far fewer chemicals. As a result, our SPARITUAL nail polishes are a healthier alternative to ordinary polishes.

You will leave with feet that feel relaxed, soft and look beautiful!

Why Spray Tan?

These days it is possible to look fabulous without damaging your skin in the sun with the assistance of a spray tan. It could be a wedding, high school formal/ball, birthday party or holiday (or just because you want that gorgeous warm glow of tanned skin!).

If you come in for a spray tan, you can either have a full body tan, or just legs, shoulders and arms. Most of my customers tend to get full-body spray tans, but this is entirely up to you.

What’s in the Spray tanning solution and how does it work?

The spray tanning solution contains DHA which is a colourless, natural active ingredient that reacts with the amino acids and keratin protein of the epidermis (outer layer) of the skin to create an instant, artificial and healthy-looking tan.

The solution is:

• alcohol-free
• fragrance-free
• dries quickly
• and fades evenly after approximately 4-5 days

Pamper You currently uses Black Magic Vibe Evolution 2, 4 or 6-hour tanning solution. This is a gorgeous solution that is brown based, giving a dark natural-looking colour. With the Vibe, the longer it is left on the darker it develops. Even for a 2-hour turnaround, you get a great colour. I have tried it and love it!

Preparation for a Spray Tan

To get the most from your Spray Tan I would recommend the following:

• To exfoliate with an exfoliation mitt or loofah in the shower to get rid of old dead skin
• Ensure your waxing and shaving are completed the day before your Spray tan (make an appointment with Pamper You) as this gives the pores a chance to recover. Otherwise, there is a chance the solution will get into them and brown dots may appear
• Make sure you don’t wear antiperspirant when you come for your tan as your underarms can go green when you have the tanning solution applied
• Have make-up and moisturiser-free skin prior to tanning
• We have disposable G strings to wear for your spray tan for your convenience, or you can wear your togs if you want traditional “lines” to show. For the ladies, you are welcome to have a naked tan if you so wish to. For men, we require undies or togs to be worn, please
• I suggest you bring dark clothes to wear after your spray tan, this is so the tan doesn’t rub off onto your clothes. I would also recommend wearing loose-fitting clothes if possible as tight clothes can often rub the tan off. However, there is no need to worry about your clothes as the solution does come off easily in the wash

After Care

To make your tan last I would recommend:

• Waiting up to 6 hours (or less for a lighter tan) for the tan to fully develop before having a shower
• Do not swim or bathe, and avoid activities causing you to sweat heavily for 6 hours after your tan
• Use a good moisturiser (I recommend one with DHA) after every shower to stop your skin drying out and thus your precious tan flaking off
• Don’t exfoliate or use abrasive products after tan application

How long will my Spray Tan last?

A Spray tan will probably last 4-5 days before you notice it wearing off, but as mentioned in the After Care paragraph, it will last longer if you use a moisturiser after showering every day.

And lastly, just ENJOY the luxury of gorgeous looking skin. There is nothing that gives you instant gratification like a spray tan. It’s almost magical!

Why do we wax?

The never-ending search for silky smooth, hair-free skin (which is a must for many men and women!) means waxing continues to be a popular method of hair removal. This is despite other methods like laser and electrolysis both of which have their place in many Beauty Therapy clinics.

Wax comes in two main forms (both of which are hot!):

• One is “hot wax” which is applied to the skin and when set it is pulled off. This type of wax is mainly used for eyebrows, facial, underarms, bikini and Brazilian waxing.
• The other type of wax is “strip wax” which is applied from a cartridge or spatula and then a strip of either calico fabric or gauze is put over the wax and then removed taking the hairs with it. This type of waxing is great for larger areas like legs, arms, backs and chests.

The benefits of waxing

Getting rid of those pesky hairs is a popular and great reason to come get a wax.

Upper lip and chin waxes keep skin smooth giving confidence in one’s appearance; knowing you are looking your best!

For most people, over the months and years, regrowth is softer and tapered (so regular waxing is worth the investment!)

You will also feel more confident having tidy waxed brows as they will frame your face and enhance your eyes.

Will it hurt?

Well, basically it does hurt, but only a little!

The pain that waxing causes can depend on many things, including someone’s pain threshold, length of hair (longer hair can be more painful) and time of the month. If you think of it like having a sticking plaster removed, waxing is much the same.

Some clients find that taking pain medication before their appointments can help.

How often do I need to have waxing?

Most clients come every 4-5 weeks to ensure that regrowth is not too long, which as mentioned above can be more painful. But trying to wax hair that is too short is often not very successful, so ideally hair needs to be about one centimetre.

So if you have never had waxing and you are wondering if it’s for you, or if you have any queries give me a call.

Sunbox Light Therapy

Beat low moods due to dull weather and sunless days, otherwise known as “Seasonal Affective Disorder”. This disorder is more common in the winter but can occur year-round.

Pamper You is pleased to announce the trial of a new service called the Sunbox. It is a special light unit that has the frequencies that occur in natural daylight which can help stimulate melatonin production, and alleviate these lower moods, just by sitting next to the Sunbox for 30 minutes to an hour a few times a week could make a difference to your mood.

The Sunbox has the UVA and UVB rays filtered out for skin and eye safety and a diffuser covering the bulbs.

The Sunbox is suitable for all ages and genders

It works through the stimulating effect that full spectrum light has on the pineal gland stimulating the production of melatonin emulating or mimicking the effects of full sunlight.

Lesley Kenton (international writer on health issues) says that these Sunboxes can be useful in helping women suffering from PMS-pre menstrual stress and hormonal health after menopause.

The Sunbox is recommended by Dr Antonio Fernando Senior lecturer at the Department of Psychological Medicine, Faculty of Medical and Health Services Auckland.

For further reading about SAD try “winter Blues” by Norman E Rosenthal MD and information at www.sunbox.co.nz

We would like to think that the time you spend beside the Sunbox is “time out” for you to relax while you soak up the light and have a beauty treatment at the same time, or just make yourself comfortable with a cuppa and a magazine, or even bring your knitting!

Other treatments which have a very beneficial effect are eyebrow shaping, and nose and ear hair removal. Just basic grooming can make you look like you care and really tidy up your face and appearance.

First impressions really count in all areas of life, and if you look well groomed your appearance won’t go unnoticed.

Other treatments that have a good effect and feel great are a manicure where your nails are cut and filed and your cuticles are trimmed/pushed back and your hands are massaged finishing off with hand cream to soften your tired rough skin.

If you are a guy that stands all day and does not give his feet a second thought, well think again as a Pedicure could be just the treatment your feet are needing.

A relaxing soak in a bowl of hot water with Epsom salts and lavender oil, then a scrub and nail cut and file, followed by cuticle treatment, rough heel skin removed and then a massage and foot balm applied.

Don’t feel embarrassed! your feet will thank you for it and you will wonder why you left it so long.

Perhaps you are going on holiday, getting married, going to a dance and don’t want to look pale and lily white? Well, how about a Spray Tan. Pamper You uses and promotes “Vibe Evolution” by Black Magic.

So go on Guys, be adventurous and invest in your appearance, your body will love you for it and so will your lady!

Beauty treatments are not confined to any age. The important thing is to do what you can and have a treatment that suits your needs and makes you feel relaxed, rejuvenated and better about yourself.

I have quite a number of older clients coming in for treatments such as facials, brow shapes, facial waxing, tinting, manicures and pedicures. For example, many people for whatever reason cannot cut their own toenails and as long as you have no issues regarding thick or fungal nails or you need specialised treatment (in that case you would then need a podiatrist) I can help.

The salon has easy flat access and there are no stairs to navigate. If you need to, you can park just outside, so there isn’t a big walk.

The door is also wide enough for a wheelchair or walker frame.

Age need not be a barrier, so please feel welcome to give me a call to discuss any treatment you would like to try.