Hot Stone Massage

Let me start by saying, there is no way to fully give credit to the wonderful relaxing feeling this massage provided, but let me try to explain to you, just how lovely it felt.
Margo really set the stage for a relaxing massage. the lights were low, if not off, and a few candles were flickering. there was some peaceful music playing in the background and the temperature in the room was very warm. she started the massage on the back of my legs. she used a warm oil and massaged my calves and feet. then she took the flat hot stones and put them in the palm of her hand and massaged with the stones. the oil helped the stones just glide over the skin. when she was finished massaging my feet, she took small flat stones and placed them between each toe, then wrapped my feet up in the blanket. after massaging my entire leg, she moved up to my back and arms, with the same hot stone & oil technique. how long did this take? i have to confess, i dozed off. it was sooo completely relaxing that i fell into a light sleep. the hot stones were just so soothing on my muscles. this type of massage isn't a deep tissue massage, where they are working on specific muscles which can be slightly abrazive, but more of a gliding feeling, with the intense heat.
once Margo had worked all the way up to my fingertips and upper back, she had me turn onto my back, and she started the whole massage over again, but this time on the front of my legs.
i can not express enough just how wonderful this felt. i was, and i mean this with all my heart, nearly in tears as i laid there thinking to myself "WHAT can i do to convince EVERYONE that this is a massage that they NEED and DESERVE!" I was thinking of ways i could contact every husband i know and tell him he HAD to purchase one of these massages for his wife! what a perfect gift of spa treatment!
side note:
one of the things i talked to Margo about was how it felt for me to be having such a luxurious treatment, and consequently how hard her hands and fingers have to work to make this such a wonderful feeling. it always makes me feel kinda sad when i get these kinds of treatments that require such intense patience, strength and agility from the ladies. i told Margo "On one hand i want to send EVERYONE to you, on the other hand i feel bad that your hands would be so tired at the end of the day!" she reassured me that it would be a WoNdErFuL thing if i encouraged everyone to come and get a hot stone massage.
once she had massaged my arms, all the way to my fingertips, she placed the hot stone in my palm and then closed my fingers over it, and tucked my hands to my side. then she worked her way all the way up to my neck, continued the massage on my face, my head and even my ear lobes.
the entire massage was almost 2 hours. when i got up, i was completely relaxed. my hair was a mess, from her massaging my scalp, so i recommend you do this when you can just go home afterwards.
please if you decide to treat yourself to a Hot Stone Massage, leave me a comment and tell me how your experience was!

photos courtesy of photobucket.com

Body Exfoliation with Slimming wrap $85

one of the services that i have been anxiously awaiting was the Body Exfoliation wrap. I scheduled this one intentionally right before i went on vacation. Ciara did the treatment on me. i had the choice between a "Slimming Mask" or a "Deep Moisturizing". i easily chose the "Slimming Mask". Ciara said that this kind of mask is typically a "Series" treatment, and that most likely i wouldn't see any slimming effects after just one session. but i was willing to take a chance!

She started the treatment by exfoliating my legs with a sugar scrub. the sugar scrub dissolves quicker than a salt scrub, but the sugars are also supposed to help with the moisturizing. then she used hot towels to wipe all the exfoliation product off. then she put the blueberry with paprika mask on my legs and wrapped them in plastic, similar to saran wrap. she exfoliated my stomach, chest and arms next. then she put the blueberry mask on the rest of my body and then wrapped my entire body in the plastic wrap. then she put the body blanket over me and wrapped me up. I layed there for a few minutes before she began the unraveling process. Ciara finished the service by putting a moisturizing Stone Crop product all over. my skin felt brand new and incredibly supple. She recommended i drink 50-100 ounces of water a day over the next few days and eliminate coffee and soda to help with the removal of toxins. She also recommended that i moisturize deeply twice a day for the next two days.

This service was absolutely relaxing, and i think would be a perfect thing to have done in the winter, when skin feels so dry, or before a prom, weddding or any other event when you might be exposing your skin. my skin feels wonderful!

For someone who wants to have JUST the exfoliation process, without the slimming or intense moisture mask, it would be $65 rather than $85.

I highly recommend every woman to ask for an "Exfoliation Body Wrap" for christmas or their birthday gift!

1/2 Hour Swedish Massage & 1/2 Hour Deep Tissue Massage $40 ea.

Monday i had the pleasure of a 1/2 hour swedish massage with Sandra at Misbehaven. from start to finish it was a very pleasant and relaxing experience. low lights, soft music set the stage. the massage started with me laying on my back and the first thing Sandra did was put a Stone Crop facial product on her hands and began the soft massage on my face. it was just enough pressure to be very relaxing. the scent of the stone crop product was lovely. one thing that really stuck out to me was the pressure she put on my cheekbones. it seemed to open up my sinuses. the soft pressure allowed me to breath clearly, where as i usually feel slightly stuffed up. the focus of the massage was my head, neck arms and back. i was worried that when i left the massage i would be greasy feeling, but the oils that she massaged with did not leave me feeling oily. i would recommend a 1/2 hour swedish massage for anyone who just wants a quick relaxing massage, not too much pressure, just very relaxing.

Thursday i went for my deep tissue massage with Margo. this massage focuses on the upper body, and even more specifically, wherever you may have issues or tension. i tend to hold my tension in my upper body. my shoulders are tight, and i have a nagging (feels like a pinched nerve) around my right shoulder blade. the room was low light and again, relaxing music in the background and a chocolate on the pillow, which i enjoyed right away. this massage began with me laying on my stomach, and the Margo massaging my back. she used all kinds of pressure and movements on my back and neck. it was a much more intense massage. i won't say it was painful, but i also say it took some effort on my part to relax, since the type of massage was so deep that it kinda hurt. ok, so i said it. i did kinda hurt at times. Margo asked me several times if the pressure was too intense, but since i knew that she was aware of where my tension was, and those were the areas where the pressure was so intense, i told her to continue with the amount of pressure she was putting. she massaged my back, neck, arms and scalp. then i flipped to my back and she did an upper chest & neck massage, as well as a my face, scalp and even my ears. again her pressure was pretty intense, but a little more relaxing then the massage on my back and shoulders.
i opted for the additional $10 paraffin wax treatment on my feet, so before Margo started the front side massage, she put my feet in footie bags that had hot paraffin in them. then she put my feet into a sock of sorts and velcro'd them shut around my calves. my feet sat in the paraffin during the entire 2nd half of my massage. the foot soak was wonderful.

as soon as the massage was over, i noticed that i felt stuffed up. Margo greeted me after the massage with a glass of water. about an hour later i had quite an intense headache. i ended up not feeling so hot that evening, feeling even a tad nauseated and opted to go to bed early since i wasn't feeling all that good. this morning when i was on a walk with a friend, i told her about my deep tissue massage, and she said that those symptoms of nausea, headache, etc., are very common from deep tissue massages. the intense massage releases toxins from the body. she also said that one way to avoid those symptoms is to drink lots of water after the massage. other than the glass Margo gave me, i did not drink any more water that day. i didn't do any research to confirm what my friend said, but it would make sense as to why i didn't feel good shortly after my massage.

this morning when i woke up i noticed that my shoulder muscles are sore from the deep pressure. the nagging pain in my right shoulder blade is not bothering me though, so that is a relief. next time i will try hydrating myself after my massage.

Henna $35

Sandy at Misbehaven did the Henna on my chest. it only lasted a couple days, but i loved it while it was there. by the 3rd day, it was faded out just enough to look kinda like splotchy patches, and with my freckles, it just kinda blended. Sandy told me before the whole process that henna doesn't last as long on the chest because of the skin being thinner there. it lasts longest on hands, arms, feet & legs.
there is all kinds of tradition that go along with henna, for example the bride to be will have her feet and legs henna'd before her wedding, and the more detailed and intricate the design, and the higher up her leg, the more patience she must have. also, her husband to be's initials will be hidden somewhere in the design and it isn't until he finds his initials that the wedding can be consummated. an ice breaker for sure, since they may not have ever had a chance to talk, prior to the wedding. but the most intriguing tradition is that after the bride and groom are wed, the sisters and his mother will stay with them and do all the chores, cooking, cleaning, etc., until her henna is completely gone. Hence the care and attention to preserving the henna, such as putting olive oil on it, and covering it will vaseline before bathing, to help preserve it.
Sandy started by drawing the peacock design on my chest, and then filling in the details. she finished with dusting it with green, teal and blue glitter dust, then filled in the circles on the feathers with jewels. the adornment is just a way to make the henna, which is like a brown looking toothpaste consistency, look pretty while it is setting on your skin. i had the henna applied at 2:30 in the afternoon, and then had to wear a strapless top to keep the area free of anything that could rub the henna off. that evening before bed, i put olive oil on the henna and let it just soak in for a bit, before wiping it off. i used a little warm water to try and get the excess glitter and oil off my chest. at that point, the stain was very faint, almost unnoticeable, but by the next morning it had turned to a darker brown shade. by day 3 it was, like i mentioned earlier, it was not really obvious that i had a henna on my chest, and looked more like splotchy skin. the henna was almost the color of my freckles so i think that is another reason it didn't show up very much.
i had several people who saw the henna the first day, with the dusted glitter comment how gorgeous it was.
i think for $35 it's well worth the experience. i know i will have it done again. next time i am going to have my feet done with an intricate design. put on a pair of flip flops and you look like you have the most beautiful slippers on.

Follow-up on Spray Tan

it's been 8 days since my spray tan and i still have color. it has faded slightly, but in a very even pattern. it's not blotchy at all. i thought by this time i would be needing to exfoliate it but it still looks very nice.

Everybody loves a bargain, right??

Try something new at Misbehaven!! Now is the best time to try a new spa or salon service, they'll give you 20% off any service you havent tried before. Give them a call to schedule your appointment, 526-4585. they'd love for you to be their guest!

Spray Tan $25

i woke up this morning with my tan. it was darker than normal because not only had the color set in, but i still had the temporary color that Megan initially sprayed on me. once i showered, the color is fairly mild. i was hoping i wouldn't look like i had a fake tan, and i don't. i don't think the photo shows the little bit of color as well as it should, because even though it is very subtle, i can definitely tell i have a sun-kissed face. i did notice that the dry "age spots" on my skin, absorbed the color more than other spots. i don't know how i could have avoided that. i have a spot above my lip that my dermatologist has frozen off several times, and that particular spot is darker than the rest of my face. also, on my chest there are several spots that absorbed more color, where the DNA of my skin has changed from sun damage. my face is a little lighter than my chest, but i think if it were any darker, i would feel conspicuous, especially since i don't normally have much color.
Megan chose a golden color for my skin, which i think compliments my hair color very well. Megan recommended that i moisturize daily to help lengthen the life of the tan. i actually put on shorts today, since my legs have color. that is a rare thing for me. i like having a tan.

Spray Tan

"before"

"various shades of tan"

spray booth




Today i went and had a spray tan. Megan informed me to exfoliate beforehand and apply moisturizer. you can wear whatever you like in the spray booth; it all depends on the amount of lines/amount of tan you want.
i pinned my hair up and put a plastic hair net on. once inside the booth, megan sprayed me with the mostly organic tanning solution. she sprayed the front of me first, then the left side, my back side, then my right side. she then did the detailed spraying, like around my hands, feet, my face & neck.
between sections she dryed my skin off with a blower. when she was finished, she gave me the dryer to dry myself off for 2 minutes. when i left, my skin was still tacky. it has been about 45 minutes since my spray, and already my skin feels much less "tacky". megan recommended that i don't rinse the spray off until the morning when i shower. she recommends waiting about 7 hours. the initial spray has color in it, so when i left the salon, i already looked like i had a tan. the color or pigmentation of my skin will darken over the next couple of hours. by the end of the day, i will probably be ridiculously dark, but once i rinse off the spray solution, only my darkened skin will show; the temporary spray will be washed off.
one thing is certain, i would not be able to go outside in this heat with the spray solution on me. the sweating would make me streaky. i purposely planned this spray on a day that i knew i would not be out in the sun after.
someone who is following my blog asked me yesterday what service i had coming next. i told her i was getting the spray tan, and that i was sooo excited to have some color. she said "don't you think it will look odd, with your "tan" being solid color, since normally people have lighter spots, like their stomachs, or inside of arms, etc.?" it made me think that maybe i should wear a t-shirt and get a farmer's tan. that would be more realistic. haha.
so in answer to her question, "Yes, it seems to be a very even colored tan, but my arms which already had some color, are still darker than the rest of my body.
i took a picture of my face before the spray tan, and i will take another one tomorrow to compare.

Enzyme Peels (follow up)

i am a little disappointed in myself, as far as the enzyme peels go. they are supposed to be done in a series of 6 treatments, 1 a week, with each one progressively stronger than the previous. the first two i had on schedule, then took a two week break because of my cold sore, had the 3rd treatment, then went on vacation for a week. i am going to schedule my last two enzyme peels and then will blog about my final results. if the results aren't as thorough as they should be, it's because of my inconsistency with getting in and having them done.
with that being said, i am taking much better care of my skin, and i really love the Eminence daily skin products that i have been using. i have found a deep interest in the skin care field. i think if i wasn't doing photography, i could see myself going to school for skin care. it's such a fascinating thing, so many products, and i just want to learn about them all, and be able to tell people about them and show them how they can benefit.
the two photos that i posted are from my very first facial in February, and after my last treatment.

Enzyme Peel (series of 6) #3

i just had my 3rd Enzyme peel. i had to reschedule the last two appointments because i spent a weekend in the sun, the weekend before, and ended up with peeling skin and a huge cold sore on my lip. Megan said that she could not give me an enzyme treatment, because it could spread the cold sore germ around my face. no thanks!
she started today with a cleanser, then the peel, and followed with a masque, eye cream, a serum and moisturizer.
it was a quick appointment, but very relaxing. i could have fallen asleep during the treatment today. my skin looks lovely.
i talked to Megan about my sunburn issue. the day i got the burn, i had applied a 30 spf moisturizer, and then twice during the day spritzed myself with 70 spf. Megan said that i should be reapplying spf every 2 hours, so clearly i did not re-apply often enough.

Enzyme Peel (series of 6)

(i have to apologize for the poor photographs...but it's not easy taking pictures with my eyes closed)


i started the 6 series of Enzyme Peels. At the end of The enzynme series my skin will be more refined and smoothed. Hyperpigmentation should be lightened and reduced. Collegen will be boosted, my skin will feel firm and plumped. Wrinkle depth will be reduced and fine lines faded.
now why wouldn't Everyone have this done?? Megan mentioned that i may not have as much peeling as expected, because i just finished the LED and Microdermabrasion sessions. the Enzyme Peel starts out with the first two sessions mild, and then next two pick up in intensity, and so on until the last session. it's possible that i will have some peeling then.
today i had my 2nd peel and my skin feels wonderful. it looks healthy. today i didn't wear any makeup except Eminence Bronzer and i am reallllly pleased. i told Megan that i wish i had a lot of money, because i would gift my girlfriends the microdermabrasion and enzyme peels to show them just how fresh and wonderful their skin would look and feel. maybe when i win the lotto, when i start buying lotto tickets.

Make-up

After Make-up

Well i completed my microdermabrasion and finished the week with a make-up consult from Ciara. she started by putting Bare Minerals (BM) Prime Time Eyelid Primer ($18) on my eyelids. this is to help my eyeshadow from creasing. then she applied BM Fairly Medium Foundation ($25) all over my face to even out the splotchiness. It was a light coverage powder foundation that will allow my freckles to show and once it has been on my face for a bit, it blends in and turns from a powder to more of liquid coverage. next was BM Chenille Eyeshadow ($13) for below my brow. BM Cashmere Eyeshadow ($13) went on my eyelid. then she took the Chenille and blended it all. for my brows, which are very light and kinda get lost on my face, she put BM Brow Kit Auburn ($32). she started at the outer edge of my brows and moved inward. i used to think that mascara made the biggest impact on me, but now i think it is the brows. adding just a little color and filling them in a bit just framed my face nicely. she dusted my face with Eminence Mocha Berry Bronzer ($36) to give it a little sun kissed tan look and then applied Eminence Chai Berry Glow Illuminator ($36) on my cheeks. I noticed that with the powder blush my pores showed up a bit more, so i also ended up purchasing BM Prime Time Foundation Primer ($21) to apply before my foundation. i purchased a Eminence Powder Brush ($14) and a BM Precision Liner Brush ($12) to apply my powder eyeshadow.
Once Ciara applied a neutral gloss on my lips, she applied a little mascara and then spritzed my face with a Toner that was to "Set" my make-up.
the make-up looked very natural to me, even though i am not used to wearing much. i was not completely convinced i liked how the foundation covered but decided to try it for a couple of days. in the end, i decided that i would rather wear a tinted moisturizer with just minimal coverage, and so i returned the foundation and the primer. i am still trying to perfect the eyeshadows. i think i have the eyebrow shading down.
i really thought that i might walk out feeling like "WOW...i look so much better with make-up, but truly, i am so used to seeing myself without it, that i think i prefer just a sun kissed face, mascara and brow shadow. i am going to keep trying with the eyeshadow. maybe once i get the hang of it, i will be hooked.

Microdermabrasion ($525 for 6 treatments) & LED #6 ($395 for 6)

last week i had my last microdermabrasion treatment. my skin looks much healthier. i don't seem to be aware of the wrinkles that were, prior to the treatments, annoying me. i was trying to "accept" them, but it really is nice to feel like i might have just bought myself a little more time. the microdermabrasion was a painful process, but like i told Megan, i'd probably keep doing it anyhow, just because i love how my skin feels afterwards. the facials that go along with the treatments are so wonderful.
Today was going to be my 1st of 6 Enzyme peels, but they had to reschedule me, so we are not going to start them until next week.
Megan said the enzyme peels would not affect my skin in any way that would change my makeup colors so we are going to go ahead with that.
i dont currently have any make-up, and my skin tone is completely different than when i started all the treatments. prior to them, i was spray tanning also, so my skin looks completely different. it is much fairer. my original make-up appointment was supposed to be two weeks ago, but it was rescheduled. i was a little disappointed since i do not have any spf foundation and i was going to be out in the sun a lot this past weekend. Megan noticed last week that i had a little sun damage. i was out shooting again all this weekend and again got quite a bit of sun. i am sure she will notice the effects.

Microdermabrasion ($525 for 6 treatments) & LED #5 ($395 for 6)

Well, i'm nearing the end of my microdermabrasion sessions. thursday is my last treatment. I love how my skin feels. prior to the treatments, i was not feeling happy with my skin, the tone, the texture, it felt old, creppy and lifeless. along with the treatments, i have been faithfully using Eminence cleanser, serum, moisturizer, eye cream, anti aging lip balm, and masking several times a week. i have had positive feedback from people who don't know i am going through this process, asking "what do you do to your skin to make it look so healthy?" or "your skin looks so nice". it's hard for me to see dramatic results, and over time, you kind of forget what the old skin looked like, but what i do know is that i used to not be happy with my skin, and now i love it! my wrinkles around my eyes are definitely minimized. i am not afraid of growing old gracefully, and i recognize the fact that i love laugh lines and smile lines on others, and i am not afraid to have them myself, but what i DONT want is drab, lifeless skin. the treatments have brought my skin to life, taught me discipline in maintaining the healthy glow, and just an overall realization of what the effects of every day life can do to your skin. i have always known that i need to drink more water, but having these treatments, and listening to Megan describe the differences in my skin from week to week, pointing out the dehydration on my forehead, etc,...not even knowing that i was really low on my water intake, was a real eye opener. i think one of the best things a person can do for their skin is drink lots of water.
the microdermabrasions became more uncomfortable each week, as the intensity increased, but just knowing what it was doing for my skin, made it worth it.
last week i had to miss my appointment, due to a pinched nerve. i woke up in quite a bit of pain and knew i could not tolerate the pain of the microdermabrasion on top of it. it will be two weeks lapse between my 5th and 6th treatments, and they recommend you keep them around a week apart, but it just couldn't be helped.
next week, after my skin has settled down from the last microdermabrasion, i will have my makeup consult. i am currently using the Chai Berry Bronzer, lightly dusted on my face and it just makes me look sun kissed. i could almost use it in place of foundation, but i need the foundation for the spf factor.

Pedicure (Pedi-Pal) $45

My lovely friend Kate.

my lovely friend Kate has been reading my blog and she sent me a text the other day asking what my next service was going to be at Misbehaven Spa & Salon, and could she do it with me? we tossed around several ideas and decided to do the pedi-pal together.

as i have mentioned in the past i don't usually take them up on the snacks, coffee, cookies, etc. but i had decided that since Kate was going to be with me, she should enjoy those treats.
now the treats are always there on the back counter, everything you can imagine...dried fruit, milano cookies, tully's espresso, nuts, and on and on. i have never been served those treats, just the usual "can i get you anything?" but i see them every time i walk by, and i assume they are for the clients. so i grabbed a plate and put two of everything on it, walked back our private pedicure room to meet up with Kate who had already started her pedicure, and there she was with a plate of goodies her pedicurist brought her. i felt like a piggy with a plate topped with double goodies. exactly why i don't like to partake. it's just all around awkward. my suggestion is they should just take every one of their clients a small plate with just a taste of everything on it. i bet most people would enjoy it, but "asked", most people would be polite and say "no thank you i am fine". it's what we are raised to say.

ok, now that i got that off my chest, i'll move on. the pedicure started with a cleansing of the feet in a foot bath soak, then Angela, my pedicurist pushed back all the cuticle on my toes, trimmed the excess cuticle, exfoliated my feet, put a foot masque on them, and gave me a wonderful foot and leg massage. i decided to go with a dark wild blue. my toes have been in hibernation for a long time and i thought they should come out with a bang! Kate opted for a bright red since her and Phil's band "The B Side" had a gig that weekend and she was going to wear her cute sandals. i told her she should kick her sandles off, rest her pretty feet on the bottom rung of the stool, with her guitar in hand, singing a tune, thumping her foot to the beat.

The room we had the pedicures in was very warm, and they had fans on to try and cool it off, but i was sweating the whole time. Kate forgot to bring open toed shoes for after the pedicure so they gave her a really cute pair of flip flops to wear home. (note to self...forget your open toed sandals next time). haha.

the service was wonderful. my feel look 10 years younger!

i don't mean to sound like i am complaining in my blogs, it's just that since i am "analyzing" my experiences, i feel it only appropriate to mention my side notes.

it was so fun having a friend to do this service with me. If i could i'd take a friend along with me to EVERY service. it's a great time to catch up.

although, i have to say, i've spent the last 6 weeks visiting with Megan while she's doing the LED and Microdermabrasion and i feel as though we have become friends, and i look forward to following up on our conversations each week.

LED Treatment (6th one)$395 for 6 sessions and 3rd Microdermabrasion

i am really noticing the difference in my skin. it has a healthy glow, looks alive, supple, and my fine wrinkles are minimal. i have been doing two different masques each week. i put them on and sit in the steam room. i also use the serum, eye cream (both day and night creams), the moisturizer and the vitamin c powder (that lightens the sun spots). i have not noticed the spots lightening up but the other products have been working very well.
as i have mentioned in previous blogs, the gym has become my "spa". i work out, then spend just about as much time in the Women's Center, steam-bathing, masqueing, and preparing my face for the day.
this was my last LED treatment. I had 6 all together. it was followed by my 3rd Microdermabrasion. i have to say the micro appts are very rewarding because you actually feel the change taking place...in the form of pain, i must add. but it's nice to know that something is happening and you know the saying "no pain no gain", right?
the microdermabrasion is like a mini sandblasting on your face. the machine pumps out mini crystals and then sucks them back into the tube. Megan covered my entire face with it. the last two treatments did not phase me at all. they were rather relaxing. she said that there are several things that can attribute to this heightened sense of feeling. one; being dehydrated. and it was true, i had had not water that day and in fact had drank very little the day before.
two; stress. yep! i had a stressful morning and so was already a little on edge. i was wincing from the pain. i wasn't crying, but i could feel tears occasionally streaming down my face. i kept giggling because i just didn't know what to do with the pain and didn't want to cry out. OUCH! Megan was so great. she understood how i was feeling and was very sympathetic. it was a friendly reminder to drink more water and well as far as the stress goes, to avoid it. yeah right.
after the micro treatment, my face was replenished with a masque and then finished with moisturizer. it felt as though i had a wind burn on my face. that sensitive feeling lasted about 24 hours. i did not have any peeling, but that is because i have had the LED treatments, and weekly masques, so most of the dead skin cells are already off my face.
although the treatment was painful, i am looking forward to my next treatment. they are dramatic treatments, but with dramatic results.
just one more reason to reduce the stress in your life, and drink more water!

Gellish $43 (includes $28 manicure)

it's been 3 days since i got my gellish manicure and they still look brand new. i'm hooked. Rachael first gave me a dry manicure. she said if she were to give me a wet manicure and soak my nails, the gellish does not adhere as well. she started by filing my nails, then pushed back the cuticles, trimmed them, then applied the base coat of gellish. i put my fingers under an LED light for 10 seconds to partially cure the gellish. she wiped my nails to remove any excess gellish then applied the color gellish and let it cure for 30 seconds. i chose a neutral color, as i don't typically like color on my fingernails. she applied a 2nd coat of color, cured for 30 seconds then a top coat and cured for 30 seconds. Rachael recommended i come in anywhere from 10 days to 2 weeks to have them reapplied. i would go in, have them removed, have a dry manicure and the gellish process again. my nails look lovely and i like the feel of them. if it were in my budget i would most definitely consider having them permanently. maybe even try a little color.

Lip and Eyebrow Wax

I had my eyebrows and upper lip waxed the other day. I've had my eyebrows waxed many times, but this was a first for my upper lip. my initial thought was that my upper lip did not need to be waxed, but then i thought of the times i have seen someone that does in fact need to wax their lip, and so i thought "maybe i need to and i don't know it". i did have peach fuzz on my upper lip after all.
Kael put the wax on my upper lip on one side, laid the strip of paper over it, pressed it on then ripped it off. it wasn't too painful. then she went right to the other side of my mouth. she repeated the same thing. it appears as tho nothing was removed. my lip looks the same and there is still peach fuzz. i am not sure if the peach fuzz was supposed to come off or maybe waxing doesn't remove it because it's so short. initially my lip was swollen and my lip felt numb for about a week. i definitely did not like that feeling. i also broke out with pimples on my upper lip the following day. lovely. every day i woke up to a couple more pimples. at one point i think i had about 12 small pimples over my lip. i never even had that bad of breakouts during high school. all in all i realize i was right, that i do not need to wax my lip.
the eyebrow waxing went well. i have waxed them enough times that they don't grow back as full as i wish they would, so i asked Kael not to remove any of the brows, just to wax the baby peach fuzz above and below my brows. she applied the wax and strips and removed them just like she did on my lip. virtually no pain involved. i love how it just cleaned up the little baby blond hairs. my eyeshadow always looks smoother once i wax the lids.

Follow-up on Hair Color

Well it has been a couple weeks since i had my hair colored. the color was gorgeous to start, but as the weeks have passed, the semi permanent color has faded off my honey-colored highlights, and they now look kinda yellow/blonde. with my skin being fair and pinkish, my hair looks kinda brassy. the roots are dark, and the ends are much lighter. it looks to me like i put sun-in on it and let it lighten up in the sun. when i first went in to have my hair colored, i wanted to be a lighter shade over-all, but after talking to the girls, we decided that if i went lighter, it would require more maintenance than i am up to. but now looking back, i realize that if i want the color to be lighter, and more of a honey/caramel color, then i am going to have to bite the bullet and get permanent color and i am also going to have to step it up and maintain the color. as much as i'd love to wake up to beautiful me, and put as little effort as possible into my looks, the fact is staring me in the face. i am going to have to do more than i usually do, to achieve the look i want.
i think i'll call Keah and ask her what she thinks.

Full Leg Wax $60

After weeks of growing out the hair on my legs (ewww, i know...tmi) i finally went in for my leg waxing appointment. it's not uncommon for me to not shave my thighs, but to not shave the bottom half of my legs, for 4 weeks, is unheard of. even if i am not going to be in shorts, i just feel prettier when my legs are smooth. for this reason, having my legs waxed seemed like a good fit for me. the hair on my legs is blond, so even though you couldn't really see it, i felt like a monster, and missed wearing my skirts.
the first thing Kael did before waxing was wipe my legs down with an antiseptic (at least that's what i think it was), then she powdered my legs. she said that helped her see the hair better. she had this handy tool that looked like a deodorant stick, and she rolled the warm wax on my leg, the same way you would apply deodorant, a section at a time. the process was quick; roll, roll, roll...cover the waxed area with a strip of thin cloth, press it against my leg then RIIIIIP! OUCH!
now, i have a high pain tolerance, i know that. and even with that knowledge, i thought i'd take some sort of pain killer; ibuprofen, aceteminophen, one or the other...but i couldn't remember which one you take for pain, so i didn't take any. i figured it couldn't be all that bad anyhow, a quick rip of the strip and it would be done. right? well, it hurt. especially on the shin area and around my ankle area. not a lot of meat there! once she pulled the strip off, she would go back over the area, getting the hairs that didn't pull out. she started with the shin of my left leg, then moved to the right leg. it was stinging a lot, but i was trying to be strong. i sat up to video tape the right leg and we both noticed that the leg she just finished was welting up. all the pores were red and raised like little blisters. i know that redheads and fair skinned people have more sensitive skin, so i mentioned that to her. she said she had waxed people with fair skin/red hair before, but had never seen this kind of reaction. just to be on the safe side, Kael had Megan come in take a look. Megan explained that the bulb on the bottom of the hair is larger on redheads, and when you pull the hair out of the follicle, it really irritates the follicles. hence the swollen looking little blisters. my follicles were just really upset. Kael finished the front/top/bottom of my legs, then put several ointments that had calming properties on my legs. then i flipped over onto my tummy so she could wax the back side of my legs. the back side was not painful at all and it went quickly. Kael explained that there might be some wax residue still on my legs, but that it would come off in the shower. she also gave me some calming ointment to take home and put on my legs after the shower for the next couple days. it was also to help prevent ingrown hair, which is a common result of having legs waxed.
My results: the swelling in my legs was gone within two hours, and there was no stinging left either. there is still quite a bit of hair on my legs, but when i spoke to one of the girls at the salon about it, she explained that hair grows in cycles, and that in order to get all the hair, and all the cycles waxed, you really need to have it done several times. a little dissapointing to me because it was just painful enough that i don't believe i will ever go have it done again, and i was pretty excited about not having to shave for a couple weeks. but with so much hair still there, i really do need to shave in order to wear skirts.
shaving may be a time consuming pain, but it's painless, and for that reason i will continue shave my legs, use Nair once in a while and just live with it.

me, in years to come...i hope.

Jakob & Grandma Billie



i went to see my grandma Billie today. Since I've started this blog about MeMisbehaven i have been thinking about how my skin will age and wondering how taking care of my skin will affect my aging process. i noticed that my grandma has really pretty skin. i wish i would have asked her what her facial regimen over the years has been. i'll ask her next time i see her. i took a picture of her today and i thought it would be fun to do a side by side of both her and i. i'd like to think that the photo of her is my "after" photo when i am her age, 89. my grandma has Glaucoma and has lost most of her sight. i told her how pretty she looked today and she said she wished she could have seen the photo.
in July of 2006 i sat down with her and we started filling out the book "Grandma Remembers". we finished it today. my grandma is a lady of few words, so the information that i got out of her is a treasure. a lot of the questions she didn't have an answer for and several times she said "you'll have to ask your mother about that one". so Mom, if your reading this...it looks like i am going to have to sit down with you now, and fill out YouR book. (:

Before & During (2nd Series)

if you'd like to see the first 5 "Before & During" photos, scroll through my previous blogs.

Microdermabrasion ($525 for 6 treatments) & LED #3 ($395 for 6)

My skin has been feeling great lately. definitely more hydrated. i have been using my masque in the steam room at least twice a week, drinking more water (still not enough), and using the Eminence Guava & Bamboo Age-Defying Moisturizer. Today i had my 3rd LED treatment, but we started it off with my 1st Microdermabrasion.
the first step was the pre-cleanse with Dermalogica the second step was the Stone Crop Gel Wash and the Clairsonic brush. then she used the AHA Paprika (professional, not purchasable) exfoliant. it smells wonderful and has a bit of a sting. the fourth step was the Microdermabrasion with an 8.9 intensity. the highest intensity is 15. Megan went over my entire face slowly with the little crystals scrubbing away. it kinda stung in certain spots, like around my temples and eye area, but otherwise it just had a gritty scrubbing feeling. i had goggles on so that the flying crystals wouldn't get into my eyes. after wiping all the crystals off my face the fifth step was putting Eight Greens Youth Serum (for lifting and hormonally-imbalanced skin types) (WHAT?..hormonally-imbalanced??? ugh), Green Tea & Guava Serum (firming and lifting) and Strawberry Rhubarb Hyaluronic Serum with Licorice Lightening Booster & Acai Booster, all mixed into one. yummy. you really can't imagine how good it all smells. the sixth step was my 3rd LED treatment. it consisted of 30 minutes going over my entire face, and 10 minutes focusing around the eye area. once that was finished, the seventh step was the Calm Skin Arnica Masque layered with the Firm Skin Acai Masque. while the masque was absorbing into my skin, she gave me a mini massage of my chest, upper arms and shoulders. the last step, the eighth step was the Apricot Calendula Nourishing Cream. the Calendula has healing and soothing properties, and after all my face went through, it felt wonderful. How am i ever going to go on in my life without having a weekly facial? maybe i should go from salon to salon, rating them? ha.
here are some photos from the treatment. as i have said in former blogs, i am taking the photos myself, sometimes with my eyes closed, so i really have no idea if i am in focus or even aimed properly. i also included a before and after shot. i think the very first before shot i ever took and then the very last shot will be more dramatic than posting the "during" before and after, but i am going to post them anyhow.
my next blog will be about having my legs waxed. ouch? tune in to see!