Want to avoid premature aging & wrinkling & skin cancers? CHECK OUT:
Just in time for a little outdoor fun over Memorial Day weekend, EWG’s 4th annual sunscreen guide is now available online. Our advice? The best sunscreen is a hat and a shirt. No chemicals to absorb through the skin, no questions about whether they work. But when you can’t go that route (happens to all of us), it only makes sense to… pick the safest, most effective products out there.
Want to avoid premature aging & wrinkling & skin cancers? CHECK OUT:
Just in time for a little outdoor fun over Memorial Day weekend, EWG’s 4th annual sunscreen guide is now available online. Our advice? The best sunscreen is a hat and a shirt. No chemicals to absorb through the skin, no questions about whether they work. But when you can’t go that route (happens to all of us), it only makes sense to… pick the safest, most effective products out there.
by Courtney Long
“Why should I take care of myself? I thought I was supposed to put everyone else’s needs first. And isn’t self-care selfish?”
Self-care is an often misunderstood concept. Taking care of yourself does not mean neglecting everyone else in your life. And BIG NEWS-self-care has nothing to do with being selfish or a “bad” person. Self-care is as essential to life as breathing.
Before I continue, let me clarify how I define self-care. Self-care involves addressing your own basic needs, such as food, water, shelter, sleep, money to live on, etc. It also involves addressing some of your higher needs such as health, love, sense of belonging, etc. Self-care even involves addressing your wants and passions, including hobbies and the activities that make your heart sing and truly bring you joy. It means being nice to yourself. Treating yourself with love and respect. For some people-particularly those in caregiving roles or with demanding schedules-finding 15 minutes a day of peace and quiet to themselves is a loving act of self-care.
Simply stated, self-care involves whatever it takes to make you feel energized, happy, balanced and at ease in this world. For me, self-care involves getting a really good night’s rest…Eating nutritious, energizing foods…Getting in some movement, because my body loves to move….Filling my life with positive people….Having time daily for spirituality…Having fun by dancing, listening to great music, hiking in the mountains, being in the beauty of nature…It also means thinking positive thoughts and talking kindly to myself…which also means that when my inner critic shows up, I get to gently tell her she has the rest of the day off…
Whatever self-care means to you, it is IMPORTANT. Not just important, but VITAL. Vital to your well-being, your enjoyment of life, and your SURVIVAL! If you do not take care of yourself, you will not survive. If you do not feed yourself-physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually-you will starve to death. Lack of self-care leads to a great deal of stress for our minds, bodies and spirits. And unfortunately, a majority of chronic and acute illnesses are linked to high levels of stress. In some ways, neglecting your own self-care is like slowly-or even quickly-ending your life.
Why else might you want to take good care of yourself? Well, if you are a caring person and responsible for the care of family members or others…you cannot give what you don’t have. If you are not healthy, energized and balanced yourself, how can you possibly expect to tend to someone else’s healthy, energy and happiness? If you give, and give and give, and never receive-from others or from yourself-you are left with nothing. Completely void, without anything left to give. I am sure many of you can relate to how that void feels-in your body, mind, and spirit.
My favorite analogy here is a bucket. If your bucket is empty, you have nothing left to give. The more full your bucket, the more you have to give. Life is a constant process of pouring from your bucket, and refilling-giving and receiving. How do you refill your bucket? With self-care, self-love, self-nurturing…by doing all those things that bring you balance and joy. Self-care is the supply of water that will fill your bucket and allow you to continue giving and loving.
I am not suggesting that you engage in so much self-care that you forget everyone else. That would not be good either. I am suggesting a good balance of self-care and care for others.
And one final thought…Self-care is NOT selfish. It is self-preserving. It makes your life flow a LOT smoother. The happier and more balanced you are, the happier and more balanced others around you can be. Taking good care of yourself is actually the most loving thing you can do for others.
So there you have it! 100% certified, bona fide PERMISSION to take good care of YOU. Should anyone try to give you a guilt trip, have them read this article-or send them to me.
I’d love to hear your thoughts! Leave me a comment or e-mail me at Courtney@CaringforYourSpirit.com!
About the Author:
Courtney Long, MSW, LC, CHt is a Transformational Life Coach and Certified Hypnotherapist, trained at the award winning Southwest Institute of Healing Arts in Tempe, AZ. She obtained her Masters Degree in Social Work and Bachelors Degree in Psychology from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, MI. She is based in Phoenix, AZ yet serves clients worldwide. Courtney’s company, Caring for Your Spirit, LLC supports and inspires caring adults to love and nurture themselves. With compassion and an uplifting, refreshing perspective, Courtney teaches caring adults the importance of self-care, provides vital self-care tools, and empowers her clients to live the fulfilling life of balance, health, happiness and energy that they deserve. Courtney draws on her experience as a Wellness Coach in a corporate setting and as a Geriatric Social Worker for Adult Day Health Centers. Courtney has created & facilitated empowering caregiver support groups and for 10+ years has professionally supported caregivers, seniors and caring adults in obtaining their personal wellness goals and making their own well-being top priority.
Courtney leads empowering workshops & teleclasses. She is a powerful speaker, a member of the Alzheimer’s Association Speaker’s Bureau, and a recognized expert on stress reduction and self-care.
This is my fav makeup line! all long all day strong! LOVE IT! SO enjoy the awesome vid!
Are you a product worshiping junkie? Who doesn’t enjoy a luxurious, invigorating shower/bath using lotions & potions of all kinds, deodorant that helps us smell clean & fresh, hair products for shiny hair and manageability – unless you are blessed by the hair goddesses. That’s even before serums moisturizers & makeup ever kiss our face.
Let’s face it unless you’re using the purest products made on Earth, then you’re most likely absorbing a barrage of health deterring & disease causing chemicals in the effort to look and feel gorgeous.
Here are some of the very scary facts about the average number of chemicals found in everyday beauty products, including some of the worst offenders:
| Product | Chemicals | Most worrying chemicals & some of their effects |
| Shampoo: | 15 | Sodium Lauryl Sulphate; Tetrasodium and Propbylene Glycol – possible eye damage |
| Eye Shadow: | 26 | Polythylene terephthalate – linked to cancer |
| Lipstick: | 33 | Polymenthyl methacrylate – also linked to cancer |
| Nail Varnish: | 31 | Phthalates – linked to fertility issues and problems in developing babies |
| Perfume: | 250 | Benzaldehyde – linked to kidney damage |
| Fake Tan: | 22 | Ethyl/Methyl/Propylparabens – possible hormonal disruption |
| Hairspray: | 11 | Octinoxate, Isophthalates – possible hormonal disruption, linked to change in cell structure |
| Blusher: | 16 | Ethyl/Methyl/Propylparabens – possible hormonal disruptions |
| Foundation: | 24 | Polymethyl methacrylates – possibly disrupts immune system, linked to cancer |
| Deodorant: | 15 | Isopropyl Myristate, ‘Parfum’ – possible respiratory problems |
| Body Lotion: | 32 | Methyl/Propylparabens, Polyethylene Glycol, also found in oven cleaners – possible hormonal disruption |
After adding this all up, you realized that post toilette that was supposed to cleanse you of waste, dirt and environmental toxins, you could be adding up to 475 toxic chemicals to your body! Remember, everything you use, you absorb everything through your skin.. That’s after just one shower/bath.
Most of us apply all kinds of products throughout the day, and wash it all off at the end of the day, and then reapply them all over again. Sadly enough, many of the absorbed, potentially toxic chemicals aren’t flushed out of the body, so they build up daily and as the years pass, compromise your health.
Here is a quick an easy way to pamper yourself with out leaving your home!! Really easy to make & you probably have most of the ingredients already!
Welcome Spring With a DIY Citrus Skin Glow Scrub – Spamagazine.com
Since the days of Cleopatra milk has been used in skin care! & there was something too it too! It softens lightens & strengthens the skin! Wanna know more!
Why You Should Use Milk in Your Skincare Routine – Spamagazine.com
Sublime Aesthetics was founded by MarMon, in order to satisfy a growing demand for customized professional skin care services.
Bringing extensive training and education to the skin care industry, with a background in paramedical aesthetics nutrition & natural heath care, MarMon is a Licensed Clinical Aesthetician, Educator, Nutritional Consultant, & Makeup Artist. She is also a member of Associated Bodywork & Massage Professionals.
Using a preventive approach to health and beauty care, she conducts seminars and workshops throughout Georgia, South Florida & now New York for clients & professionals in the health & beauty industry. Emphasis is placed on dispelling the many myths surrounding effective skin care & incorporating healthy diet & lifestyle choices in our daily living.
RELAX, REFRESH, RENEW
CONCERNING HOME CARE
Proper home care is a necessity for maintenance between facials & prevention of premature aging & problem conditions. The beneficial effects of a facial treatment can be greatly compromised & progress delayed by using inappropriate products at home.
The skin is the largest organ of the body & needs proper nourishment regularly like any other part of the body. Basic skin products are recommended during the day for hydration & sun protection.
Cosmeceutical products are recommended at night to perform anti-aging work in the deeper layers of the skin while the body is resting, repairing & regenerating itself. Basic skin care products include cleansers, toners, moisturizers, masks, gentle exfoliating scrubs, eye creams, eye makeup removers, & sunscreens for the face. Cosmeceuticals are a cross between basic cosmetics & pharmaceutical ingredients.
In recent years, innovative research has given us this group of products available to aestheticians & physicians, facilitating more dramatic changes in skin condition than basic skincare. These include Alpha Hydroxy Acids (specifically Glycolic Acid), topical Vitamin C Serum, Retinol Creams, Oxygen Creams, Vitamin K cream for inflamed capillaries, products for Rosacea, Acne & problematic skin. Serums that contain a high percentage of active ingredients can exfoliate at a deeper level, stimulate collagen fiber production, deeply hydrate skin & repair damaged tissue.
These are sold only to licensed professionals who are able to monitor your progress & make changes when necessary to achieve results far greater than any product one could purchase over the counter.
FOR YOUR INFORMATION
Ask me anything about skincare products makeup treatments or waxing & I’ll get you started in the right direction
AS AN AESTHETICIAN, THESE ARE SOME OF THE FACIAL SERVICES I PERFORM:
European Facial – A skin care treatment which includes deep cleansing, steam, exfoliation and professional massage of the face, shoulders and chest area which nourishes and refines the skin. This is followed by a custom masque that nourishes the skin.
Hydration Facial– Enzymes and hylauronic acids promote superior hydration of stressed skin cells. A crème masque and essential oils are applied to re-hydrate and revitalize the skin.
Gentleman’s Facial – A wonderful cleansing facial designed to address a man’s skincare concerns including anti-aging, ingrown hairs, razor irritation or pore congestion and eye wrinkles.
French Aroma Facial – This traditional French aromatherapy facial is carried out using very precise and specific techniques that stimulate circulation and improve blood flow so the skin is deeply nourished. In addition it improves muscle tone, counteracting the effects of tension and strain. It increases lymphatic drainage by clearing waste and fluid from the tissues which can give a congested and lifeless appearance to the skin. It is a real “work out” for the face using an essential oil blend and masque chosen to suit the particular skin type. The treatment is tailored to revitalize and refresh each skin type. A course of treatments is particularly beneficial for skins that are older, prematurely aged or lacking tonicity.
CollaVitaMin Facial – This facial makes use of a multi-phase technique of exfoliation, steam, deep pore cleansing, lymphatic drainage massage and paraffin masque over liquid nutrients, called serums, which are used for quick penetration into the skin. This is an effective preventative treatment against harmful environmental damage, wrinkles and dark circles. Recommended for all skin types
Acne Facial – This corrective facial is specifically for deep-pore cleansing, gently extracting impurities from the skin and eliminating bacteria that can cause acne. A purifying mask and moisturizer is applied to restore skin to a fresh radiant state.
Teen Facial – During a time of constant change, bring balance to your skin. Seriously effective and unlike any other teen facial, your needs will be properly addressed whether you have dry, sensitive, combination or blemished skin, all while being taught techniques to use at home! Experience fast, visible results for a clear complexion and a luminous, even skin tone!
Add-On Ala Carte Services
Eye Contour – eye exfoliation masque and an eye hydration masque.
Lip Treatment – a lip exfoliation masque and a lip plumping masque
Tinting
Lash and brow tinting provides dramatic results by improving dull or unnoticeable brows and lashes. Results lasting approximately four weeks and can be easily maintained with a simple touch-up appointment. Lash and brow tinting adds a nice, final touch to waxing, facials and chemical peels
Dermaplaning -mechanical exfoliation of the skin that removes dead surface skin cells and unsightly facial hair, as well as, giving the skin a much smoother texture and appearance.
Clinical Chemical Peels – Designed to smooth out rough, dry, or sun damaged skin, reduce acne, reduce fine lines, increase collagen production, and even out hyper pigmented skin. We offer a variety of chemical peels using glycolic acid, salicylic acid, or lactic acid, based on the specific needs of your skin
Face & Full Body Waxing
