Happy New Year!

We all hope you had a lovely holiday season and that this new year will hold nothing buy joy for you. If one of your New Year's resolutions had to do with de-stressing and taking better care of yourself we're here to help you. Whether it's a pedicure, a massage, a soak or a wrap you'll be setting your own standard for self-care by acting on your resolution now. See you soon.

Happy Holidays!

It's a very busy time for us these days with everyone wanting to look their best for Christmas and of course those last minute dashes for gift certificates. Just a reminder that we'll be closing at 4:00 on Christmas Eve so if you want a Gift Certificate for your special someone make sure you drop in before that. Meanwhile I'll let Charlie speak for me and wish you all peace and love in the New Year and the very best Christmas celebration.

Finding time

Time has been flying by with a few new projects on the go which goes some way to explaining why it's been such a long time between posts. One of those projects is the design of our new website. We've been working long and hard to come up with a site that is visually stunning and packed with all the information you want and need. We're hoping the new site will be unveiled in early January but I've learned to be patient as all works in progress that are worthwhile take time. Until the new site is live we'll continue posting to this blog. Next time I'll tell you about Christmas nails and what you can find at the spa when it comes to last minute Christmas shopping. For now all of us at Ocean Palm Spa, along with our mascot Charlie, wish you a very happy holiday season.

A funny thing happened on the way to the spa....

I have to laugh at the way life takes us in strange directions sometimes. Last weekend I found myself overseeing a few Ocean Palm staff members working their beauty and massage magic on clients right smack in the middle of a pig roast!! Sure it was a little surreal but you'll do everything you can when it comes to helping kids with cancer and the event at the RC Grillhouse in Sidney raised money for Cops for Cancer, a cause we're always proud to support. Thanks to everyone who made this event happen, particularly Ocean Palm's Jacky for her extraordinary efforts. And keep your eyes open - you never know where we'll pop up next!

Hard as nails

If I had a dollar for every time a woman has said "I don't bother getting manicures because they never look good after the first day" I'd be a very rich woman by now. I know what they're talking about because my nails are subjected to a punishing workout every day at the spa. So I was intrigued to hear about OPI's new product, Axxium gels. Axxium acts as an invisible layer of protection for your nails and I can attest to the strength of these nails. I've worn the gels for more than two weeks now without a single chip or smudge. It would normally be rare for me to keep my nail polish looking this bright, shiny and fabulous for more than a day or two. I predict this product will revolutionize manicures. By the way, this fall's hot manicure look calls for short cut nails, polished to a dark shine.

Staying tan and lovely

One of the hardest parts of heading back to work after enjoying fun in the sun is watching our glowing tans fade away so I have a few tips on how to maintain a fresh, healthy sunkissed glow. Self tanning lotions are always easy but using a good quality product is key. I'm going to make my usual plug for the importance of exfoliation in getting the best effect from your self tanner. Have a warm shower or bath and exfoliate and then apply the tanner while your skin is warm. Apply in long even strokes and I recommend a tinted tanner so you can see where you're applying it, being careful around elbows, knees, hairline and eyebrows. Most importantly remember to wash your hands thoroughly. If you it hard to apply self tanner evenly we can always do this treatment for you at the spa.

Long dry days of summer

As summer draws to a close it's time to take stock of the state of your skin. We've enjoyed a lot of long sunny days this year but they take a toll. To rehydrate and remineralize your skin try an epsom salt bath which will improve your skin's hydration and tone. I've written about the importance of exfoliating in this blog before and again this is the time to use a dry body brush before your bath or good exfoliant in the shower. As always use a good moisturizing lotion to replenish lost lipids. Don't forget to drink lots of water which is good for your body as well as your skin.

From our guest book:

Thank you Lesley! I had believed there was no treatment for all the "bumps"
around my eyes. Thanks to your treatments, they are now on the decline and I can
see my face looking younger. Thank you for making my first spa visit so
positive!