As we enter 2016, here is a gentle reminder to make sure that you are taking care of yourself.  Take time to rejuvenate - it's important.  Set a goal of taking care of yourself, and it will help you be better at everything else you do. 

I know.  As I began my beauty journey, I realized how little time I take to make sure that I look and feel my best.  When I do take the time, it really changes my outlook.  My beauty journey has not just been about externals, its about the philosophy of being my best.  I encourage you to consider the overall impact of embarking on your personal beauty journey - and taking the time to take care of yourself.  It truly has made a big difference for me.  I am more confident.  I now really enjoy taking the time to dress well and make sure my makeup looks great, whereas before I just kept scurrying.  And I love the compliments from my husband, from family and friends.  It also has made me feel younger and more vital. 

I actually am going in to the Vitality Skin and Body medical spa in Scottsdale on the 30th.  I am planning on having Botox and Juvederm treatments to tackle wrinkles on my forehead and around my eyes.  Not only will I look great ringing in the New Year, but I will feel great as I enter 2016 with energy and enthusiasm, confident that I am doing everything I can to be the best I can. 

Enough about my journey.  I really encourage you to embark on your beauty journey in 2016.  You really will be so glad that you did.  I also want to remind you that thru December 31st, you can still purchase the Vitality Skin and Body gift cards at great discounted prices.  They are good for any service, and you can even use them on a special offer.   CLICK HERE to check out the gift cards.  Be sure to call and buy them before the year ends, and then enjoy the savings in 2016 for your beauty journey!

Happy New Year, and here's to a beauty filled 2016!

Isn't that a woman's prerogative?  Of course it is!  But I did promise to keep you updated on my beauty journey, so here's the scoop.   I went back in to Vitality Skin & Body medical spa in Scottsdale last Friday for my scheduled dermaplaning and facial.  After I chatted with my aesthetician a bit, we realized that we would not hit my goal for improving the look of my cheeks with the dermaplaning as much as using a filler in my cheeks would diminish the wrinkling. 

What I discovered is that the wrinkling in our cheeks below the jawbone is caused by loss of volume in your cheeks that causes your skin to start to sag.  And believe it or not, age related volume loss is also what causes the "apple" of your cheek to sag, even when you smile.  And what I didn't like is that it caused my skin below my cheekbones to wrinkle and also get an "orange peel" kind of texture, which I assume is probably what it looks like before it really starts to wrinkle!  Anyway, I was so excited to learn about this new kind of Juvederm that can provide contour and lift to cheeks for up to TWO years! WOW!

So, we tackled the area below my cheekbones using Juvederm Voluma.  Let me tell you, it was so easy.  I didn't need my face numbed because there is lidocaine in the syringe, so it was also a pretty fast treatment.  The only side effect I experienced was one tiny bruise at the injection site, and it was gone after three days and my cheeks look 100% better!  The vertical wrinkles are gone, and the "orange peel" texture is gone as well.  My skin is smoothed out underneath my cheekbones, and I can't tell you how happy I am with the results.  I also found out that it can be used under your eyes to smooth out the wrinkles and crinkles there.  I am planning to go back in after the holidays for another session of Juvederm Voluma to fill in some of the other areas that are wrinkling.  What a wonderful discovery!  And the fact that it lasts two years is really one of the best features of this treatment.

I'm so grateful that the medical professionals at Vitality Skin & Body medical spa really do take the time to listen.  If they hadn't, I would have had a different treatment which I am sure is wonderful but would not have delivered the results that I am so happy about today!  I really do think this is what sets this medical spa apart from other ones in the Phoenix and Scottsdale area, because I have been to several before finding them.  It really is the personal attention and the high quality care I receive - I know it is a medical professional working on my face, and I am now really confident that they are not just about "selling" me a treatment, they really do have my best interest and goals in mind, and give me honest input and feedback on what is best for me. 

So, we are just a couple of days before Christmas, and I know everyone is scrambling, but let me encourage you to take advantage of Vitality Skin & Body's holiday specials - and I think the best deal is the gift card.  It is discounted and will cover any treatment or service.  It is a great gift to yourself for after holidays, and also a great gift for those you love.  Just pick up the phone and order your gift cards - you do have the time to treat yourself and someone else with the holiday gift cards.  You can check out the gift cards, the savings options, and other holiday specials on the Specials page.  Be sure to pick up the phone and order them while they are still available!  480-203-3918.

And.... happy holidays to you and yours! I hope it is a wonderful time of celebration!

I promised I would share the results of my how my skin's holiday glow is going.  Well, I went in last Friday for my photofacial or IPL treatment.  I also had the red blotches treated, and over the course of this past week I have watched little speckles that look like coffee grounds have appeared on my decollete and face where my dark spots are.  I am told that this is the dark pigment coming to the surface that was causing the skin discoloration.  It has been interesting to watch the process progress, as the pigment works its way out and appears on different days in different places. 

I'm also told that the treatment will stimulate my own collagen production to gradually improve my skin texture and can eliminate fine wrinkles, and that the results are gradual over a period of weeks.  So far, what I can see is that the discoloration is coming to the surface and the dark spots are lightening. I'm grateful for the education, the expertise of the very professional skin care treatment,  the time the staff took at Vitality Skin & Body during my treatment, and I can't wait to see what my skin looks like when this process is completed! 

So, my next step is next week.  I have a dermaplaning treatment scheduled.  The skin treatment is non-invasive, and will exfoliate the surface layer of my skin to remove the skin and any remnants of the pigments that have come to the surface of my skin from the IPL or photofacial treatment. The procedure will also improve the tone and texture of my skin.

After the dermaplaning procedure, I will enjoy the benefits of the orange clove facial, one of the special holiday facials designed to help give your skin the holiday glow we all want.  The orange clove facial is packed with Vitamin C and the cloves scavenge for free radicals.  This particular facial has the benefit of anti-aging properties, so I am looking forward to my skin looking rejuvenated and moisturized after next Friday.

Don't forget that there are wonderful holiday specials going on now - I am certainly taking advantage of them!  The holiday gift card is a particularly good value, can be used for any promotion, and is a wonderful gift to pamper someone you love.  Be sure to check out the holiday specials here. 

And, I want to give a shout out to the medical staff at Vitality Skin and Body in Scottsdale to say thank you for how caring, professional, and yet personal they all are in the way they interact with their clients.  The high quality medical care and really personable staff set Vitality Skin and Body medical skin care clinic apart from other clinics in the Valley, and I have certainly been to a few!

Let's face it.  We have a LOT going on at the holidays!  Shopping, social events, family time - all on top of our normally busy schedules.  We battle stress, fatigue, and what winter in the desert does to our skin.  And we all want to look and feel our best, to have that healthy glow about us.

The desert climate already dries our skin out but during the winter it can feel even worse.  Plus, we often forget to stay as hydrated as we do in the hot summer months, and neglect our sunscreen.  Our skin dehydrates, magnifying our lines and wrinkles.  Be sure to stay hydrated and wear your sunscreen.  Use a quality skin moisturizing cream, not lotion, to lock in the moisture.
I have a REALLY busy schedule during the holidays, with work during the day that doesn't slow down, and a commitment  almost every night.  THIS year, I am getting a jumpstart on managing this busy season.  I am going to take care of myself, and I'm starting with my skincare.   I visited with the staff at Vitality Skin & Body in Scottsdale yesterday to talk about the skin care services that are offered to help me manage my schedule and still look great for all of my commitments, and here's my plan.

1)  I'm going to start with a photofacial treatment.  I have brown spots on my skin from so many years in the Arizona sun, and I don't want them to show up in all of those holiday photos. 

2) Next, there is a wonderful treatment called dermaplaning that resurfaces the skin by the dead skin cells and the "peach fuzz" that traps makeup, dirt, and oil.  It helps minimize the fine lines leaves the skin soft and refreshed.  It also helps your skin absorb the hydration that is coming next.

3) I'm going to DRENCH my skin with hydration, and there are some really nice holiday facial specials right now.  I'm going for the spiced cider facial, you can check out the different facials on the SPECIALS page.

4)  And finally, the girls have two shots that I am going to get - a B-12 energy shot, and a Fat Burner shot to keep my metabolism revved so that I don't gain weight on all of those holiday foods.  Don't forget that what sets Vitality Skin & Body apart is that they are a medical clinic offering skin care services, which means it is all very high quality and there are lots of skin care options that you might not ordinarily consider. 

After my spa day at Vitality Skin and Body, I'm going to have a bubble bath by candlelight, a wonderful glass of wine, and a few select dark chocolates while listening to soft music.  Then, I'm going to get EIGHT hours of sleep, wake up, and take charge of my holiday!   I wish you joy on your beauty journey, and encourage you to reach out to the staff at Vitality Skin and Body for your complimentary beauty consultation at 480.203.3918.