# Friday, April 08, 2011
Michael's Salon and Spa invites you to freshen up your look for Spring by giving 15% off ALL Jane Iredale and Dr. Dennis Gross MD Skincare products - through the end of this month!


Jane Iredale Mineral Makeup

One product from Jane Iredale that is great for a lighter spring look is the Dream Tint Moisturizer. It moisturizes your skin while providing light coverage that you can wear alone or as a base under Jane's mineral powders. It contains SPF 15 to protect your skin from damaging UV rays. Jane Iredale features a variety of products that contain SPF to protect your skin - this is very important as you spend more time in the sun on nice spring days.



We are offering 15% off the ENTIRE LINE of Jane Iredale products!

New from Dr. Dennis Gross - Alpha Beta Glow Pads

You love the at-home Alpha Beta Hydroxy Peels by MD Skincare, but have you tried the NEW Alpha Beta Glow Pads? This amazing product has been featured in many magazines this spring - Elle even gave it a 2011 Genius Award!



What makes the Glow Pads so great? It is the ONLY anti-aging, exfoliating sunless tanner that contains active Vitamin D. The Glow Pads provide smoother, healthier skin and natural radiance year-round.

Benefits of the Alpha Beta Glow Pads:
  • Exfoliation + Self-Tanning in One
  • Anti-Aging with AHAs & Potent Antioxidants
  • Streak-free Application with Micro-encapsulated DHA
These are only two featured products of this sale, but ALL Jane Iredale and MD Skincare products are 15% OFF through April 30, 2011.

What is your favorite spring skincare product?


4/8/2011 3:30 PM Eastern Daylight Time  #    Disclaimer  |  Comments [0]  |  Trackback
# Tuesday, April 06, 2010
This week's How To video is a little different. First, we're showing a spa treatment instead of a hairstyle. Paula is demonstrating what the MD Express peel is. Many people are confused and don't know exactly what a chemical peel is - an episode of Sex and the City comes to mind. Paula shows you exactly what to expect - it's a quick and easy treatment that makes a big difference! Also, you can use this video for follow-up at home with the MD Skincare Alpha/Beta Daily Face Peel. Use the same strokes around the face that Paula uses on Mary to exfoliate your skin and leave it fresh and luminous!

An MD Alpha/Beta peel is a recommended treatment for several skin disorders, including acne, rosacea, hyper pigmentation, fine lines and more.


I asked Mary how her skin felt a few hours after the treatment, and she said "it feels really clean - comparable to how your mouth feels clean and fresh after going to the dentist."

To follow up at home, Paula recommends using the All-In-One Facial Cleanser with Toner at morning and night to wash your face. At night, follow with the Daily Face Peel Two-step system, and finish with a good moisturizer.


As always, please let us know what you think. If there is a beauty technique you would like to see featured, give us some feedback! Leave a comment here on our blog, or on Facebook or Twitter.
4/6/2010 10:49 AM Eastern Daylight Time  #    Disclaimer  |  Comments [0]  |  Trackback
# Friday, April 02, 2010
The spa at Michael's is great for a relaxing treat, but spa treatments should be part of a regular beauty routine, not only for special occasions. Through the month of April, we are featuring special offers to re-introduce you to some of the services offered by our spa professionals.



Axxium Manicure
Do you get frustrated when your nail polish chips a few days after a manicure? OPI has developed a new gel lacquer system called Axxium that makes your polish last and last. The polish instantly cures under a UV light - no more being careful reaching into your purse or putting on your coat after getting your nails painted!

An Axxium manicure can last several weeks, depending on how much you work with your hands. Mary, a designer at Michael's says her Axxium manicures usually last about a week, but she has her hands in water and chemicals all day long. I sit at a desk and my Axxium manicure didn't chip for three weeks! For more information on Axxium, check out this previous blog post all about it.
MD Express Peel
MD Express Peel is a microexfoliation treatment that removes unwanted cellular debris from the surface of the skin, resulting in a smoother, firmer and more luminous complexion. It helps treat enlarged pores and gently calms redness with soothing botanicals. Results are significant, noticeable and immediate. An MD Express Peel is a results-oriented treatment, so if you're looking for relaxation, please check out our other facial options.

Alpha/Beta peels are especially helpful for those with problem skin - acne, rosacea, scarring, sun damage, aging - all of these can be minimized with an MD peel. For more information, check out our previous blog posts, or visit the MD Skincare website. Also, check back to our blog next week - we will feature a video with Paula demonstrating the MD Alpha/Beta peel.
UPDATE: Click here to view the MD Alpha/Beta video
Manicure & Pedicure
I'm sure most people are familiar with manicures and pedicures - but do you realize what having poorly treated hands and feet says about you? At best, it says you can't be bothered by little details. Sure, not everyone can afford to get weekly manicures and pedicures, but the nail technicians at Michael's can give you a good foundation that can be kept up with a little at home maintenance.

Manicures and pedicures are more than just polish applications - it's about maintaining the health and appearance of your nails. Your cuticles will be trimmed and neatened, hands and feet moisturized, feet buffed and exfoliated, and nails neatly shaped. A manicure is a must-have before a job interview, and you need a pedicure before you wear your strappy sandals this season :)
The spa at Michael's has many other services including massage, spray tan, waxing, and eyelash extensions. Check out all of our spa treatments on our website at michaelssalon.com/spa

4/2/2010 2:30 PM Eastern Standard Time  #    Disclaimer  |  Comments [0]  |  Trackback
# Friday, October 16, 2009

With the cold weather already here and winter fast approaching, the estheticians at Michael’s Salon and Spa want to remind you that winter requires some extra TLC for your skin. The dry air combined with indoor heat can wreak havoc on your skin. Here are some products available at Michael’s to help you combat cold weather dry skin:

For your face:
• MD Skincare’s Alpha Beta Daily Face Peel is a very popular product at Michael’s. It instantly helps firm skin and eliminate dullness. The daily peel helps treat enlarged pores and gently calms redness with soothing botanicals. It’s a great way to begin your skincare routine each morning – and it’s an easy 2-step process. Follow up with a moisturizer from MD Skincare’s Hydra-Pure line.

For your body:
• If your skin is already dry, exfoliating is important to remove flaky skin. Skin, An Apothecary has a line of Sugar and Salt Scrubs that will moisturize your skin while getting rid of unsightly flakes. It comes in a variety of scents and is made from all-natural ingredients. You’ll also be supporting a local business because Skin, An Apothecary is located here in Dayton, Ohio. After exfoliating, the Soy Body Whip is a fluffy body cream that gives dry dull skin a hydrated glow. It blends Vitamin C, soy and coconut oils to restore a healthy moisture balance in your skin.

For your hands:
• Dermalogica’s Multivitamin Hand and Nail Treatment is great for keeping your hands soft through the winter. It is an intense, non-greasy treatment that conditions dry, rough hands while helping to reduce nail splitting and peeling. Pro-Vitamin B5, soothing algae extract, licorice extract, Vitamins C, A and E, ginkgo biloba, and grape seed all combine in this improved formula to make your hands silky smooth!

For your feet:
• Don’t forget about your feet just because you’re not wearing sandals! Try Cucumber Heel Therapy by Creative Spa to combat dry calloused heels. You might need to use a foot file first, and then generously apply the cucumber lotion. For extra relief, apply at bedtime and slip on cotton socks.

For your skin:
• Want to keep your summer glow all year long? Norvell Amber Sun’s Sunless Mousse delivers naturally dark color in a foaming, bronzing formula that is easy to use and won’t leave streaks! Afraid to do-it-yourself? Michael’s offers spray tanning by Norvell.

Just remember that the most important thing for your skin in cold weather is to moisturize, moisturize, moisturize! It is easier to prevent dry skin than to treat skin that is dry, cracked or calloused.

For more information on the products mentioned, come in to Michael’s Salon and Spa. We’re open Mon-Fri 8-8, Sat 9-4, and Sun 12-6.
10/16/2009 12:11 PM Eastern Daylight Time  #    Disclaimer  |  Comments [0]  |  Trackback
# Friday, February 06, 2009

As women we are always looking for tips on how to age beautifully. Let's face it, we all want to look our best and most importantly look younger. www.Oprah.com shared five sured fired ways to slow time without going under the knife or using a needle. The top two tips are things Michael's Salon and Spa can help you with. At Michael's we offer Dr. Dennis Gross alpha/beta chemical peel service and MD Skincare retail products in our spa. And of course getting a great haircut and color always makes you feel wonderful.  

Number 1 -Protect Your Skin

First stop: the office of dermatologist Dennis Gross, MD, where his luminous assistant, Magda, applies an exfoliating alpha hydroxy acid peel to my face and neck. When the (unlined) doctor enters the room, he explains that the change in pH level in the skin created by just one acid peel can generate collagen, the key to skin that ages well. "Collagen is the skin's structural fiber," he says. "As we get older, it breaks down, creating lines and large pores." What speeds up the degeneration? Sun exposure. "The absolute worst thing you can do is sit in the sun," he says. Sun exposure causes up to 90 percent of wrinkles, dark spots, and sagging. "It can take 10 years to see the effects, so people don't make the connection between a golden tan now and visible damage later," he says. "But by wearing broad-spectrum sunscreen and using topical treatments with as many proven collagen-producing ingredients as possible—including retinol and antioxidants, such as green tea extract and vitamin C—even a person who spent years recklessly sunbathing can make a turnaround."
 
(Be sure to ask one of Michael's Salon and Spa's professional estheticians about the Alpha/Beta peel at your next visit).

Number 2 - Getting a Good Haircut and Color

Did you know that a good haircut can make your face look firmer? "Side-swept bangs soften the lines on your forehead, and growing your hair a few inches below the chin takes attention away from sagging," says New York City stylist Eva Scrivo. Hormone changes accompanying menopause can cause hair to become thinner and more brittle, so Scrivo recommends emollient shampoos and soft, gentle brushes. You can also bulk up thinning hair with highlighting; the hydrogen peroxide in bleaching agents swells the hair shaft, making it look thicker, says hair and scalp specialist David Kingsley, PhD.

For the fair-skinned, going a little lighter is probably a good idea. "Dark hair can make your features look severe," says Sharon Dorram-Krause, head colorist at the John Frieda Salon in New York City. Are you comfortable going gray? "Weave in silver or buttery highlights or darker lowlights to deepen color and prevent your salt-and-pepper from looking ashy," says Dorram-Krause. Paul Labrecque, owner of the eponymous salon and spa, has only one hard-and-fast rule: "The most important thing as you get older is to wear a hairstyle that's not blown into place but moves."
 

Number 3 - Turn On Your Brights

Over time teeth may yellow from smoking, plaque accumulation, and coffee, tea, and red wine stains. In an ultraviolet whitening procedure, a dentist applies a peroxide gel to your teeth and then activates it with a UV ray. Because high concentrations of peroxide suck calcium from your teeth, making them more porous and thus prone to stains, your dentist can apply a remineralizing gloss, which adds back calcium and prevents discoloration.

Number 4 - Sleep Deeply

"Skin cells turn over more quickly when you sleep," says Jeanine Downie, MD, director of Image Dermatology in Montclair, New Jersey, and coauthor of Beautiful Skin of Color. "If you don't get enough sleep, your skin won't renew itself and will start looking dull—especially as you age, when cell turnover is slowing down." Skin temperature also rises when you sleep, allowing topical treatments to penetrate the skin more effectively than they do during the day. And there's the common badge of fatigue: dark circles. While puffiness is determined by genetics, shadows are often aggravated by lack of sleep, which can cause some blood to seep from the tiny capillaries beneath the thin skin under your eyes.

Number 5 -Straighten Up

"You need to maintain bone strength for good posture," says Lesley Fein, MD, director of the Women's Health Program at the Princeton Longevity Center in New Jersey. You lose .5 to 1 percent of your bone density every year after you turn 40, and that rate can increase to 3 to 7 percent after menopause. Calcium and vitamin D help mitigate the loss, though. In one study, postmenopausal women who took 1,000 milligrams of calcium daily lowered their rate of bone loss by almost half.

2/6/2009 11:00 AM Eastern Standard Time  #    Disclaimer  |  Comments [0]  |  Trackback