Health Benefits of Pedicures

Health Benefits of Pedicures

Why do you think people feel so good after they get a pedicure from a licensed nail technician? It may surprise you that it isn’t just the polish color they picked and that’s the truth. If you ask twenty people after their pedicure service why they get a pedicure, most will tell you it is because they feel so great afterward.  There are so many health benefits and overall well being actions that take place during a pedicure that most people don’t even know about. And the cumulation of these things are why you feel so fantastic after your pedicure. 

The word pedicure is derived from the Latin words pedis which means “of the foot”, and cura, which means “care”. Foot care is a very important part of maintaining your health and well being. That is why it is especially important to see a licensed professional who is following state board patron protection and sanitation regulations to avoid injury during the service. One important Michigan law you should be aware of, it is not legal to use a Credo Blade or razor blade to remove calluses during a pedicure service. Doing so can cause bleeding and the release of blood born pathogens.

 What to Expect During a Pedicure

Women get the importance of a pedicure and many men are slowly, but surely understanding how important it is to their health. Many men shutter at the idea of a pedicure due to the fear of the unknown, but after getting a professional pedicure they look forward to the next one! So lets talk about what to expect. 

* A good pedicure service is a 45  min to 60 min service. You can get an express pedicure in 30 min but you don’t get all the  benefits. 

1. First you enter a private room where you sit in a reclining massage chair and slide your feet into an attached whirlpool tub. The tub is filled with hot water and an aromatherapy foot soak to soften the skin. The whirlpool bath improves circulation and helps reduce pain and swelling.
2. The cuticles are then softened with a cuticle treatment, the toenails are trimmed and filed and meticulous care is taken with the cuticles to remove excess buildup. 
3. A sea salt scrub is applied to the lower leg and gently massaged to remove dead skin cells and moisturize the skin. 
4. The most enjoyable part of the pedicure is the  foot and leg massage. Utilizing reflexology techniques, the massage is given to relax tense, hard working muscles. 
5. Finally, we clean up of the nail plate by removing all debris and oils left on the nail plate from the massage and prep the nail for polish application.

 Health Benefits of a Pedicure

So where are the health benefits you ask? 

1. Performing these steps insures removal of bacteria and germs around the nail plate. 
2. Eliminates foot odor and prevents ingrown toenails and infection. 
3. Exfoliation  encourages healthy skin cell renewal, prevents cracking and softens calluses.
4. Foot and leg massage utilizing reflexology techniques increases circulation, relaxes muscles and encourages healing in many parts of the body. 
5. You gain improved skin, muscles and joints and prevention of common foot problems and infections. Overall your body relaxes when your feet become pain free and the therapeutic benefits promote a happy mood. A professional pedicure has been shown to alleviate back, hip and joint pain!

We are seeing more and more men, mostly upon their wives request, and we are thrilled they are finally OVER feeling funny about getting their feet done! We are concerned about your health and guarantee your safety by following all patron protection rules and regulations including equipment and implements protocols. We recommend a monthly pedicure to keep your feet happy and healthy all year long! We look forward to seeing you soon!

Author: Lori Halloway

How to Choose the Right Nail Technician for the Best Acrylic Nail Application

I have always admired a beautiful set of nails. Even when I was a little girl I loved watching my mother file and polish her nails, she is one of the lucky ones with strong natural nails that grow like a weed. But many women, like myself, were not blessed with strong natural nails and are looking for the right Nail Technician to give them the perfect set of acrylic nails. I love acrylic nails. They give me instant gratification and longer, stronger perfectly symmetrical nails. It is my opinion that the best kind of acrylic nails are the ones you can not tell are acrylic! Acrylic nails should look like God put them there. I do not believe in the "one nail" fits all look you get from the "walk-in" chain nail salons. A great Nail Technician has to be able to properly mold and shape the acrylic on the nail plate so it looks like the nail grew right out of the nail bed! It has to have to proper shape, width, thickness and length. So when you are looking for the best Nail Technician for the best acrylic nail application make sure you are able to communicate with them and they understand exactly what you are looking for. Here are some other very important things to consider when choosing a salon or Nail Technician.

1. Make sure the salon has an establishment license. Little nail salons pop up all over the place and are soon shut down by the state because they are operating illegally. And if they are not operating legally the chances of having good hiring practices, reputable products and good sanitation measures are slim. 

2. Make sure your Nail Technician is licensed. It is very important that the person you choose has had the proper education in order to use the right techniques and patron protection protocols to keep you safe as a client. State law requires the license to be posted on the wall of the salon.

3. Make sure the salon is clean and demonstrates proper sanitation of implements and the work environment.  

4. Ask how many years of experience the Nail Technician has and how far in advance you need to book your appointment for your fill in order to get in when you need to. The busier the Nail Technician the better chance she is awesome at what she does.

5. Ask what brand of professional acrylic system she uses. You want to make sure she is using a reputable brand that does not contain MMA, Methyl Methacrylate. There are many professional lines on the market that are great like OPI, Creative Nail Design, NSI and Young Nails. Products that contain MMA have to be filed with an electric file or nail drill. The acrylic is so hard you can not file it with a regular nail file. Note: not all techs who use an electric file use products containing MMA. To read more about the dangers of MMA go to http://www.beautyweb.com/consumer_alert_mma.htm.

6. Last but not least the price. For an experienced, talented, licensed Nail Technician using a professional brand acrylic nail system the range for a full set of acrylic nails should be between $50 to $60 and the price for a fill from $25 to $35. A full set of nails done properly should take about 60 minutes to finish and a fill should take about 45 minutes. Products that contain MMA are 1/6 the cost of professional brands and salon using this dangerous chemical tend to charge less for the service. If your Nail Technician isn't spending the proper amount of time with you to make sure your nails are flawless and will last for two to three weeks it might be time to find another Nail Technician.

Voila Salon and Spa 

151 Keveling Drive

Saline, MI 48176

(734) 944-9363

Five Minute Makeup Tutorial Featuring Glominerals Makeup Line

Welcome to Five Minute Makeup. I am Lori Halloway owner of Voila Salon and Spa in Saline MI. Over the last 10 years I have heard from too many women that they stopped wearing makeup becuase it just took too long and they didn't have time.
I am going to tell you the simple items you need for everyday makeup, from Glominerals makeup line, and show you how to apply them to look your best in five minutes or less.

Please like our salon page on facebook if you enjoyed this tutorial, https://www.facebook.com/Voilasalonandspa. All the items are available on our online store at www.voila-salon-spa.com/OnlineStore. I hope everyone can find five minutes to look your best everyday.

Skincare Tips for Your 20's 30's 40's 50's 60's

Skin Care Tips for Your 60s

Guest Post by gloProfessional’s National Educator, Ami Shvartzman.

Your 60s can be lovely time for your skin because your hormones have finished fluctuating and your skin is becoming more stable. During this time it is particularly important to focus on tightening and skin rejuvenation. Here are some tips for aging gracefully with firmer, more radiant skin!

Quench Your Skin – The name of the game is moisture, moisture, moisture! As we age our estrogen levels drop and there is a slight decrease in oil production in our skin. Using a serum with hyaluronic acid will help plump fine lines and hydrate skin because Hyaluronic acid is a great hydrator and can hold up to 1,000 times its weight in water without being heavy. Try glotherapeutics Advanced B5 Hydration to boost that moisture!

Get your beauty sleep – Getting enough rest is an important part of skin’s health and vitality. Sleep not only helps rejuvenate both the body and spirit but also helps prevent puffiness and dark undereye circles and regulates metabolism. Make sure that you are getting at least 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep per night and your body will thank you!

Lip Service – Don’t forget to protect those sensitive lips! The skin on and around your face tends to be a bit more fragile during this time- especially your lips! For smooth, hydrated lips try the Exfoliating Lip Wand. The nourishing wax microcrystals in the Exfoliating Lip Wand melt on contact to deliver soft, smooth and hydrated lips.

Build a Barrier - Snag some of glotherapeutics’ Barrier Balm to soothe and heal extremely dry or dehydrated skin such as dry feet and cracked cuticles on your fingers.  

Tighten up and get rich – The breakdown of collagen and elastin is more prominent at this age. Focus on rich, emollient moisturizers with extra anti-aging and tightening additives to help repair skin. Try glotherapeutics’ Skin Firming Cream which contains ingredients to firm and hydrate your skin while preserving collagen and improving tone. 

Skin Care Tips for Your 50s

Guest Post by gloProfessional’s National Educator, Ami Shvartzman.

Women of a certain age… (or so the saying goes) are experiencing a time in their lives when they know who they are and are truly comfortable in their own skin. Unfortunately, the onset of menopause in our 50s can mean chaos for our skin. Things you may have noticed in your 40s (like fine lines, wrinkles and age spots) are now more pronounced. Hormonal changes tend to drop estrogen levels, causing our skin to become more sensitive which requires more attention. Don’t worry! There is still time to manage the aging process and fight back! Despite all of these changes you still have the power to keep your skin looking fresh and vital! Here are some tips to look fab in your fifties: 

Condition While You Clean – Keeping the skin clean is important at any age but gently cleansing the skin is especially important at this time. We suggest using a hydrating cleanser like glo therapeutics Conditioning Milk Cleanser which contains ingredients like Jojoba Oil, Shea Butter, Hyaluronic Acid and Rose Hip Seed Oil. This will help to treat and moisturize the skin while keeping it clean.  

Boost Collagen  – Due to hormonal changes during this time we also tend to lose collagen in the skin. This leads to sagging, loss of elasticity and deeper wrinkling. Both Vitamin C and Copper Peptides stimulate collagen synthesis in the skin. Vitamin C in particular also provides protection against UV damage, reduces redness and promotes wound healing. Try glo therapeutics Ultra 15% Vitamin C Serum which also contains fantastic anti-aging peptides to help repair the skin. glo therapeutics Peptide + Defense is also a wonderful option as a lightweight moisturizer that contains peptides and natural protectants to help improve skin’s function and elasticity.

Don’t Forget the Neck –The neck is an area we often forget to treat but is a vital part of keeping skin looking fresh and youthful. There are less sebaceous glands in the neck and thus less oil production in this area which leads to dehydrated skin. Don’t let neck wrinkles creep up on you! Give glo therapeutics Neck Firming Serum a try for daily maintenance. This wonder product actually contains ingredients to help treat, firm and hydrate the neck area and acts as a skin brightener to assist with age spots as well.

Lighten Up – This tends to be a time when age spots and hyperpigmentation start to darken at the surface. Help fight age spots by using a Hydroquinone (a powerful skin lightener) serum like glotherapeutics Triple Action Serum. This wonder product also contains Retinol to assist with cell turnover and helps to decrease inflammation as well as Glycolic acid to help improve pigmentation, texture and tone.

Get More Advanced – It’s time to bring in the big guns. Get the ultimate in anti-aging products with glotherapeutics Cyto- Luxe line! The Cyto-Luxe line was created to be best and most luxurious line for anti-aging on the market. Utilizing Phytostem Technology and cutting edge ingredients these products not only feel great but also have clinical proof to show that they make a difference in the fight against wrinkles.  Try glo therapeutics Cyto-Luxe Serum which smooths the appearance of wrinkles by promoting collagen, supporting the skin and softening expression lines.  Cyto-Luxe Serum works synergistically with Cyto – Luxe Cream to increase the production of Collagen and Hyaluronic Acid. Lastly,  Cyto- Luxe Eye Cream increases collagen and elastin to target expression lines and reduce dryness around your eyes.

Skin Care Tips for Your 40s

Guest Post by gloProfessional’s National Educator, Ami Shvartzman.

As women mature into their 40s they bring with them a certain wisdom and grace. While beautiful, this maturity can start to surface in our bodies in new ways.  During your 40s your body goes through profound hormonal changes which can have a major impact on your skin! Your skin may experience a greater loss of collagen and elastin, appear drier, thinner and more fragile and the lines and furrows around the face tend to get deeper. It’s also the time when dark spots and uneven tone really can start to surface. How can you help with all of these changes? Try the following tips!

1) Bump Up Your Daily Cleanser -
As at any age, cleansing your skin is your first step! Go beyond a basic cleanse and use glo therapeutics’ Hydrating Gel Cleanser which contains Lactic Acid to exfoliate dead skin cells and restores your complexion by hydrating and brightening the skin.

2) Combat Hyperpigmentation -
Skin pigment problems like sun spots and uneven tone become increasingly common in our 40’s. Products containing Hydroquinone can help cut down on any darkness or blotchiness in the skin. The glo therapeutics Lightening Serum is the perfect blend of 2% Hydroquinone, Lactic Kojic and Azelaic acids which aid in reducing pigmentation.  Vitamin C also aids in decreasing hyperpigmentation and is a great anti-inflammatory. It improves elasticity, helps build collagen and provides extra protection against UV damage. Try glo therapeutics Ultra 15% Vitamin C Serum which also includes cutting-edge peptides to assist with stimulating collagen synthesis.

3) Reconsider Your Skin Type –
Teens are not the only ones with acne! Oil production tends to slow down as we go through a number of hormonal changes in our 40’s. It’s important to note that breakouts may occur during this time of life due to changes in hormones. We suggest keeping glo therapeutics’ Renew Serum handy for a great Salicylic Acid acne spot treatment that also contains  Alpha Hydroxy Acid and Retinol.  Dry skin also becomes more common during this stage of life, even if you formerly were someone with oily skin. Advanced B5 hydration contains Hyaluronic Acid, which is a water binder, it holds and maintains up to 1,000 times its weight in water. It is a great hydrator without being heavy!
           
4) Treat Texture -
Using Retinol to help speed up that cell turnover rate is key! Retinol is an anti-aging ingredient derived from Vitamin A which encourages a younger and more radiant complexion by assisting with cell turnover and cell regeneration. Tretinol 0.5% is a powerful Retinol serum in a waterless base that helps prevent new wrinkles from forming while resurfacing and rejuvenating skin! Super Serum is another powerful all around anti-aging serum that contains a small amount of Retinol and several peptides to help to build the skin’s matrix. It’s the ultimate in anti-aging!        

5) Take Care of your eyes -
This is an extremely important time to take care of your eyes!  Your windows to the soul are a very delicate part of your body and you may notice fine lines and wrinkles beginning to form in this area. Help treat crow’s feet with glo therapeutics’ 7.5% Vitamin C Eye Gel. This product  uses the power of L-ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) to help reverse fine lines and help prevent darkening in the eye area. Top this with the ultimate in phyto stem technology, Cyto-luxe Eye Cream. This fantastic eye cream increases collagen and elastin, reduces dryness and targets any unwanted expression lines!   

Skin Care Tips for Your 30's

Guest Post by gloProfessional’s National Educator, Ami Shvartzman.

30 may well be the new 20 but looking like a 20 year old requires a bit more maintenance! Dull, dehydrated skin, fine lines and sun damage often start to appear in our 30’s and bad habits are usually the culprit. This is the time to fess up to your skin care sins and enhance your current skin care regimen.

Try the following:
1.       Clean, Exfoliate, Brighten - Cleansing is by far the most important step in skin care because clean skin is essential for healthy skin. Dull skin can make us look older than we actually are so actively combat dullness with an exfoliant like Daily Polishing Cleanser. This gentle powder cleanser and exfoliant  contains Sepiwhite (a lightening agent to help eliminate darkness in the skin) and it also travels wonderfully. Talk about a multitasker!

2.       Speed Up Cell Turnover - As we move into our 30’s our cell renewal rate tends to slow down. Exfoliating with ingredients like Alpha Hydroxy Acid and Retinol help remove dead skin cell layers which helps speed up skin renewal! Try a serum like Retinol CS - it’s a great combo of 3% Retinol, 5% Glycolic Acid (a wonderful alpha hydroxy acid) and several brighteners for an overall rejuvenating effect!

3.     Show Antioxidants Some Love - Antioxidants, or miracle workers as I like to call them, help repair and prevent damage to the skin. They also increase collagen production, promote healing and help to reduce fine lines and wrinkles. Try 15% Vitamin C to help protect the skin against sun damage, cell damage and to reduce discoloration.

4.       Gulp It Down - Drinking enough water is essential for the overall health of the body but is specifically important to the skin in our anti-aging quest. Drinking enough water gives our skin a fresh, radiant glow so give the largest organ in your body what it needs and drink at least 64 ounces per day!

5.       Nourish It - Not only is hydrating the skin internally by drinking enough water extremely important but it’s also important to hydrate it externally as well.  Since hydrated skin shows fewer signs of aging, we suggest increasing your use of moisturizers and hydrating serums. Applying a topical hydrator like B5 Hydration helps restore the skin’s suppleness with the perfect balance of nourishment and hydration.

6.       Protect and Strengthen Skin - Hopefully at this stage you are wearing sunscreen on a daily basis because we all know by now that  unprotected sun exposure will cause wrinkles!  Now is the time to bump it up a notch and reapply as needed throughout the day! Try SPF 40 Facial Moisturizer which contains physical blocks like zinc and iron oxides. It also has Shea Butter and Hyaluronic Acid to hydrate the skin and Copper Peptides for an anti-aging effect.

7.    Look Well Rested (Even If You’re Not) - Between your work schedule, keeping up with kids and traveling, your thirties can be one of the busiest times of your life!  It’s also a time when dark circles start to develop! Using products like Vital Eye Cream can help cut down on puffiness and dark under eye circles while hydrating the under eye area.

Skin Care Tips for Your 20's

Guest Post by gloProfessional’s National Educator, Ami Shvartzman.
 

Skin care in your twenties is all about prevention! Developing a good skin care routine as early as possible is a great way to set yourself up for a lifetime of beautiful skin.  Keep it simple and inexpensive by following these steps. Trust me… your 50 year old self will thank you!

1.       Keep it clean - Make sure to cleanse skin thoroughly and daily with a cleanser and tonic best suited for your skin type. Keeping skin clean prevents breakouts now and will help prevent large pores and scarring later on. For normal skin types I recommend our Purifying Gel Cleanser and Purifying Tonic.        

                  
2.       Exfoliate- Exfoliating is the best way to prevent build up and get skin on a regular regenerative cycle early on. Using a physical exfoliant like glo therapeutics’ Refresh Facial Polish is a great everyday scrub for removing debris and superficial skin cells. Using a retinol serum or a hydroxy acid serum like Renew Serum is also very beneficial for cell turnover and acne.

3.        Butt Out- Another biggie is to avoid smoking! Smoking is one of the leading causes of premature wrinkling (not to mention all of the other health concerns). Cigarettes emit free radicals and suck the moisture right out of your skin.

4.       Just Eat It- Believe it or not eating healthy and exercising can have a big impact on your skin. Developing a healthy eating and workout regimen while still in your twenties is extremely beneficial. 

5.       Skin Care Means Sun Care- Even though the sun might feel wonderful it is a major threat to your appearance and your health! Protect yourself against those damaging UV rays and your skin will thank you later. Remember to begin protecting your neck and hands as well! Oil Free SPF 40+ has the perfect amount of sun protection without feeling greasy or heavy.

6.       Hydrate and Treat Your Eye Area – The eyes are the windows to your soul so be sure to keep them from wrinkling prematurely. Use an eye cream and wear a pair of sunglasses while outside! Take the  time to hydrate, soothe and protect eyes from free radicals with Eye Restore.

Skincare Tips for Your 50's

Skin Care Tips for Your 50s

Guest Post by gloProfessional’s National Educator, Ami Shvartzman.

Women of a certain age… (or so the saying goes) are experiencing a time in their lives when they know who they are and are truly comfortable in their own skin. Unfortunately, the onset of menopause in our 50s can mean chaos for our skin. Things you may have noticed in your 40s (like fine lines, wrinkles and age spots) are now more pronounced. Hormonal changes tend to drop estrogen levels, causing our skin to become more sensitive which requires more attention. Don’t worry! There is still time to manage the aging process and fight back! Despite all of these changes you still have the power to keep your skin looking fresh and vital! Here are some tips to look fab in your fifties: 

Condition While You Clean – Keeping the skin clean is important at any age but gently cleansing the skin is especially important at this time. We suggest using a hydrating cleanser like glo therapeutics Conditioning Milk Cleanser which contains ingredients like Jojoba Oil, Shea Butter, Hyaluronic Acid and Rose Hip Seed Oil. This will help to treat and moisturize the skin while keeping it clean.  

Boost Collagen  – Due to hormonal changes during this time we also tend to lose collagen in the skin. This leads to sagging, loss of elasticity and deeper wrinkling. Both Vitamin C and Copper Peptides stimulate collagen synthesis in the skin. Vitamin C in particular also provides protection against UV damage, reduces redness and promotes wound healing. Try glo therapeutics Ultra 15% Vitamin C Serum which also contains fantastic anti-aging peptides to help repair the skin. glo therapeutics Peptide + Defense is also a wonderful option as a lightweight moisturizer that contains peptides and natural protectants to help improve skin’s function and elasticity.

Don’t Forget the Neck –The neck is an area we often forget to treat but is a vital part of keeping skin looking fresh and youthful. There are less sebaceous glands in the neck and thus less oil production in this area which leads to dehydrated skin. Don’t let neck wrinkles creep up on you! Give glo therapeutics Neck Firming Serum a try for daily maintenance. This wonder product actually contains ingredients to help treat, firm and hydrate the neck area and acts as a skin brightener to assist with age spots as well.

Lighten Up – This tends to be a time when age spots and hyperpigmentation start to darken at the surface. Help fight age spots by using a Hydroquinone (a powerful skin lightener) serum like glotherapeutics Triple Action Serum. This wonder product also contains Retinol to assist with cell turnover and helps to decrease inflammation as well as Glycolic acid to help improve pigmentation, texture and tone.

Get More Advanced – It’s time to bring in the big guns. Get the ultimate in anti-aging products with glotherapeutics Cyto- Luxe line! The Cyto-Luxe line was created to be best and most luxurious line for anti-aging on the market. Utilizing Phytostem Technology and cutting edge ingredients these products not only feel great but also have clinical proof to show that they make a difference in the fight against wrinkles.  Try glo therapeutics Cyto-Luxe Serum which smooths the appearance of wrinkles by promoting collagen, supporting the skin and softening expression lines.  Cyto-Luxe Serum works synergistically with Cyto – Luxe Cream to increase the production of Collagen and Hyaluronic Acid. Lastly,  Cyto- Luxe Eye Cream increases collagen and elastin to target expression lines and reduce dryness around your eyes.

February Glotherapeutics and Glominerals Product Spotlight

Wow, I can't believe it is already February! Glotherapeutics has been busy and has new awards and press mentions in New Beauty and Day Spa Magazine. Congratulations to them and thank you for all the wonderful products that we are in LOVE with! Lets start by checking out our new Product Spotlight. Product Spotlight will feature products that are beneficial and of course our favorites.

Product Spotlight 

glotherapeutics- This month, I have picked our glotherapeutics Ultra 15% Vitamin C Serum. This serum is an antioxidant powerhouse with a potent 15% vitamin C and blend of ingredients designed to promote DNA repair, UV defense, and the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. As we know, vitamin C is a multivitamin for your skin and is essential for all skin types and conditions. This serum in particular was tailored to deliver extra anti-aging benefits for a client who has either used lower strength vitamin C serums before and maybe has plateaued, or who's main concern is aging but realizes the importance of a powerful vitamin C booster. As always, vitamin C is to be used in the morning and counteracted with a retinol serum in the evening.

Let's look at the ingredients: 

Inyline is proven to diminish the appearance of wrinkles caused by facial expression.

Preventhelia is a tetrapeptide that protects against UV rays.

Longevicell is scientifically proven to diminish the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

L-Ascorbic Acid is the chirally correct form of Vitamin C, protects the skin from free radicals while promoting healthy collagen and skin brightness.

glominerals- February is the month to really get glowing! Whether your skin is dull from the dry, harsh weather or you want to add extra radiance for your Valentine's Day date, Sheer Tint Illuminator is the fool proof way to getting compliments on your complexion. I personally am obsessed with this product and have been getting SO many compliments on my skin since I started incorporating it daily. This product can be used alone as a primer (great for oily skin), mixed in with your favorite primer, mixed in with your liquid foundation, or even mixed in with your moisturizer! The glow is subtle... you won't need to worry about looking like a disco ball. :) My personal technique is to mix Sheer Tint Illuminator, my Sheer Tint Base natural, and a few drops of Satin II foundation. This gives me the perfect blend of medium coverage with a dewy finish. However way you choose to use it, you will love the way it makes your skin look fresh and glowing! 

 Here is the link to order, http://voila-salon-spa.com/OnlineStore/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=4_141