Tag Archive for: manicures Aurora

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New Year, New Habits

good habits a perfect pinky aurora spa

Another year is upon us. And for some, we are facing the “new year, new you” mentality with trepidation. Getting back into a routine after the crazy schedule of the holiday season can definitely be daunting. We, as humans, are naturally creatures of habit. If we can form some good ones then we can hopefully maintain them for the duration of our life. Let’s form some good habits together by learning what steps we need to take to achieve our best self!

Exercise

Lack of exercise can contribute to many diseases and issues. So it’s extremely important to get active everyday. Not only does regular exercise improve brain function and help our mood, it allows us to stave off many chronic illnesses. Something as simple as a 30-minute brisk walk can hugely reduce the risk of heart disease, diabetes and many forms of cancer. Partnered with a healthy diet, exercise can also help maintain a healthy weight and reduce the risk of obesity, which is dramatically affecting our world today. So get moving!

Healthy Diet

We all know that a balanced diet includes a good amount of vegetables, fruit, whole grains and protein like lean meats and nuts. But it’s hard to be good all the time, especially over the holidays. Now that the holidays have wrapped up for another year, it’s time to create a good diet for ourselves, limiting refined sugars and saturated fats. Minimizing these types of foods is necessary to maintain optimal health and keep excess calories at bay.

Sleep

Your body needs rest just as much as it needs good food and exercise. A solid 7 to 9 hours per night should keep you mentally alert and ready to exercise. Rest can also be achieved through other methods throughout the day. Take a few minutes and do some deep breathing, meditate, or even take a hot bath with an essential oil like lavender to promote relaxation. Poor sleep is linked to weight gain, hormone fluctuation, poor mood, and chronic conditions like heart disease and diabetes. So unplug those devices, turn off the TV and head to bed.

Hydration

Put down that soda, and grab a bottle of water instead. Water contributes to the proper function of our organs and tissues and maintenance of bodily functions. Our muscles receive essential nutrients from water, helping us to move efficiently. Water aids in digestion, especially helping those suffering from constipation, IBS, or other abdominal issues. Water flushes toxins from our body, and is the best defense against wrinkles and the aging process of our skin. Seriously, it’s literally a life-saver!

Joy

Honestly, enjoy your life! Surround yourself with positivity. We all need and enjoy the support of friends and family. Contentment gives you a good night sleep, which in turn gives you a positive outlook on your day and attracts people to you. Socialization helps with depression, anxiety and stress. For some, it can be difficult to find joy, but you must remember that your mind and emotional state are so tremendously important in helping you achieve your goals and feeling good.

Hopefully these steps will guide you to be your best you. In addition to these tips, an annual physical with your doctor is always a good idea to make sure you are at your most optimal performance. Remember to spend time with those you love, those who make you laugh, and those who support you and your life! Happiest of New Year’s to you!

We welcome your questions and feedback. You can connect with us via email or telephone. And don’t forgot to follow us on Facebook and Instagram for the latest trends and special offers!

Til next time,

Phyllis

 

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The Fragrance of Good Health

Essential Oils the Fragrance of Good Health, A Perfect Pinky, Aurora, Newmarket, York Region

Aromatherapy has been practiced by humanity for thousands of years. Ancient Egyptians used many fragrant plants, such as lavender, in many of their cosmetics and ceremonial rituals, like the embalming process. The ancient Greeks used cypress oil to ease diarrhea, while people in India in 500 CE used sandalwood for their exorcism rites, as well as for healing arrow wounds. The word divided means; fragrance (aroma) and encouragement of good health (therapy).

Many scents, or essential oils, appear in our cosmetics, cleaning products and in our salons today. The oils are extracted from various parts of plants (i.e. roots, leaves, flowers), predominantly through a process called distillation. Steam passes over the parts of the plant through a still, then into a condenser where the oil produced is separated from the water. Finally, the oil, or essence of the plant, is poured into a small bottle.

One of the beneficial and most relaxing ways to experience the wonderful scents in our salon is by having an aromatic pedicure. Adding an essential oil to the pedicure bath waters is a perfect way to create a calming or invigorating experience, depending on which scent is chosen.

Just Some of the Aromatics We Use

Tea Tree

An extremely medicinal oil, tea tree oil, carries loads of benefits, and falls under the category of an invigorating aroma. Tea tree helps fight bacterial and fungal infections, like athlete’s foot and nail bed infections, and can ease mild inflammatory condition, such as sinusitis. It also is useful for chronic anxiety, and poor concentration. Tea tree oil is added to many soaps, shampoos and cosmetics for this reason.

Peppermint

Ingesting peppermint candy or drinking peppermint tea can be useful for various digestive system ailments. Breathing this essential oil in is just as helpful. Peppermint can relieve nausea, stress-triggered diarrhea and vomiting. It has also proven to be an effective stimulant, able to improve memory, poor concentration and mental fatigue. And it helps with hangovers!

Eucalyptus

Eucalyptus is yet another “anti-everything” essential oil. It has anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial and antifungal properties. It is highly effective for treating various types of wounds like cuts, acne or boils. And breathing it in can relieve congestion, mental exhaustion and boost energy.

Citrus

Lemongrass and orange are both uplifting, fresh scents. Lemongrass oil not only increases mental awareness and concentration, it also relieves anxiety, irritability and feelings of stress. And as a natural detoxifier, when used in teas, lemongrass can flush toxins throughout your digestive tract. Sweet orange is not only uplifting, it simultaneously calms and relaxes as well. A natural mood enhancer, orange is used as an anti-depressant, because of its worry-reducing properties. It is also beneficial in relaxing muscular and nervous spasms, relieving inflammation and easing pain.

Aromatherapy, as you can see, is beneficial in various forms. From relieving stress, to promoting mental clarity, or calming physical inflammation, essential oils are just that, essential. Here at Perfect Pinky we welcome you to experience these essential oils during your pedicure pampering time with us!

We welcome your questions and feedback. You can connect with us via email or telephone.  Don`t forgot to follow us on Facebook and Instagram for the latest trends and special offers!

Til next time,

Phyllis

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Home Remedies for Combatting Under Eye Puffiness

combatting under eye puffiness - facials mani pedi aurora a perfect pinky salon and spa

Under eye puffiness plagues us all at one time or another.  Did you know that the skin directly under our eyes is ten times thinner than the skin on the rest of our face?  Therefore, if it appears swollen and puffy, it may be trying to tell us something.  Water retention due to diet, allergies and even hereditary reasons may all play their role in the battle of puffy peepers!  While medical intervention may be involved in alleviating the problem if it’s due to allergens or genetics, we can help ourselves in reducing under eye puffiness by various other methods.

Here are a few ideas for combatting under eye puffiness:

Cold Compress

There are quite a wide range of materials that provide puffy eye relief.  Cucumber slices or raw potato slices, for instance, contain anti-oxidants and flavonoids. These aid in reducing swelling and irritation.

What to do: Apply cold to eyes for 30 minutes to feel the benefits.  Caffeinated tea, such as green or black, contain tannins which aid in restricting blood vessels surrounding produces and stimulate blood circulation.  Non-caffeinated teas contain anti-inflammatory properties.  Chamomile tea in particular, is known to treat ailments throughout the body, as well as relieve tired, puffy eyes.  Steep the bags you choose in hot water, cool them, then place over eyes for 15 to 30 minutes for rejuvenated eyes.

Diet

Salt creates water retention, not only with our eyes but throughout our body.  This puffiness can be prevented by limiting our salt intake, drinking lots of water daily, limiting or eliminating alcohol and eating foods rich in collagen.  Many fruits contain collagen such as cucumber and watermelon.  These fruits are powerful re-hydrators as they have a high-water content and contain collagen-boosting silica.  There are also vegetables and proteins that provide this important ingredient such as bell peppers and fish.

Sleep and Stress

A bad night’s sleep can lead to puffy eyes. And many times, a bad night’s sleep is due to stress that accumulates throughout our day and life.  One of the best ways to combat stress is to exercise 3 to 5 times a week, or perhaps daily, like a 30 minute walk.  Exercise helps produce endorphins which is our brain’s feel good chemical.  When we feel good, our stress level lessens and you get more of a sense of calm, thus providing a better sleep and less puffy eyes.

As previously stated, medical intervention is always an option if you feel your puffy eyes just don’t respond favourably to any of these home remedies.  Fortunately, by changing some habits and dietary issues, we should be able to help reduce the puff!

We welcome your questions and feedback. You can connect with us via email or telephone.  Don`t forgot to follow us on Facebook and Instagram for the latest trends and special offers!

Til next time,

Phyllis

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Negative Effects of Sugar on Our Skin

negative effects of sugar on our skin

Not only does sugar affect our waistlines but it can also have a negative impact on our skin.  Refined sugar is the type of sugar we are consuming when eating products like donuts or candy, sodas, or many pre-packaged food.  These types of foods can cause many issues in our bodies such as digestive problems, joint pain and problem skin.  If you want youthful, glowing and clear skin, discover the negative effects of sugar on our skin.

Inflammation

Refined sugar wreaks havoc throughout our body.  Acidic foods cause inflammation in our body and since sugar is highly acidic, it is one of the worst to consume.  When you eat sugar, your blood sugar level fluctuates quite drastically causing inflammation.  This inflammation stimulates the activity of our oil glands which leads to acneic breakouts.

If you need something sweet, it is best to try a complex carbohydrate like fruits and vegetables.  They break down slower in the body thus avoiding the surge and plunge of blood sugar levels.

Dehydration

Sugar is a dehydrating product that causes the skin to look dull and sallow.  It sucks the water from your cells which leads to the appearance of under eye circles and mild swelling of the skin.  Eliminating sugar and increasing your water intake is best for alleviating these problems.

Wrinkles

Dehydration causes wrinkles as well.  Sugar attacks collagen and elastin, which are the duo that naturally keep our skin wrinkle free.  This attack is a process known as glycation.  Glycation not only causes wrinkles to appear but can also cause a condition known as hirsutism, which is excessive hair growth throughout the body. It can also cause dark spots or patches on the neck.

Using creams and cleansers as a cure for any of these issues will not work.  You need to take care of your body from the inside out first and foremost.  A proper and balanced diet, getting enough sleep and exercise, and staying properly hydrated every day are the best things we can do to allow us to have beautiful skin and optimum health.

After you’ve been working on your self-care, why not try one of our amazing facials to really make your skin glow?

We welcome your questions and feedback. You can connect with us via email or telephone.  Don`t forgot to follow us on Facebook and Instagram for the latest trends and special offers!

Til next time,

Phyllis

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