SpaCast

British spa and skincare brand claims to be able to rejuvenate skin in a jiffy

If you think a 30-minute facial sounds suspicious, join the club. Such skin pampering sessions are meant to treat your skin to a number of rejuvenating treatments, as well as allow you a blissful hour or so of doing absolutely nothing. So can one that takes half the time be effective?  British skincare brand Elemis certainly thinks so. In fact, it claims that it offers all the crucial bits minus the fuss so that clients can nip in for a quick fix and then get on with their busy lives.

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Are DIY facials bad for you?

With the recent burst of sunshine, we're all starting to think about spring-cleaning everything from our homes to our skin. And, with less disposable income around, when it comes to the latter, we're more likely to be relying on DIY versions rather than paying a professional - especially as many high-tech treatments once exclusive to spas and salons are now available in home kit formats.

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The challenge of ‘Eco’ demands on spas

On an indulgent eco spa break, it’s only natural that you would want to leave the worries of the world behind. But what if the term “eco” doesn’t live up to expectations?   Your luxury paradise may recycle waste into fuel or use water from ancient boreholes, but hot showers and piles of fluffy towels are two energy-guzzling eco-crimes that spas commit daily.

“If you define ‘green’ as being carbon-free, then no business on earth is [green],” says Patrick Wahlberg, sustainability and project manager for Raison d’Etre, a leading spa management and development company that has set up more than 50 spas worldwide. “The label is often used where it’s not warranted. We’re really talking about shades of green.”

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Forget pricey Eco-Resorts — here come the Chains

In the lodging world, green has gone mainstream. Once chided for being wasteful, the big hotel chains are now constantly trying to one-up each other with smart eco-design upgrades and stringent water and energy conservation policies.  The number of properties trying to become LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified, the most recognized standard for building sustainability, is also on the rise: Applications to the U.S. Green Building Council for the award spiked by 550 percent between 2006 and 2008.  

More than 500 hotels could soon earn the label; until four years ago, only one had the designation.

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Boy, we sure hope so: Spas Add Years to Your Life

Did you know that April 16th is National Stress Awareness Day? Coincidence that it falls the day after taxes are due? I don't know, but spas can help. ISPA's research shows that the No. 1 reason people go to the spa is to relax and relieve or reduce stress.   Dealing with your stress today can help prevent stress-related illnesses (heart disease, stroke, depression) tomorrow. "There's quite a bit you can learn at a spa to help reduce stress," said Dr. Brent Bauer, director of the Complementary and Integrative Medicine Program at Mayo Clinic. "Things like meditation, acupuncture, massage and guided imagery - the right answer is to find what fits for you and incorporate it on a regular basis."

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Danger at Your Local Salon: From Botox to manicures, make sure your beauty treatments are safe.

Most of us aren’t aware of the potentially ugly side of manicures, pedicures, Botox injections, haircuts, or waxing. “We assume that if a salon is operating it must be safe, but that’s not true,” says Shelley Sekula-Gibbs, M.D., a clinical assistant professor of dermatology at Baylor College of Medicine, who has studied salon infections and salon safety. “There’s lots to worry about, including poorly trained technicians and dirty or illegal instruments.”

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Ban on Feet-Nibbling Fish Leaves Nail Salons on the Hook

Cosmetology regulators insist fish pedicures are unsanitary. At least 14 states, including Texas and Florida, have outlawed them. Virginia doesn't see a problem. Ohio permitted fish pedicures after a review, and other states haven't yet made up their minds. The world of foot care, meanwhile, has been plunged into a piscine uproar. Salon owners who bought fish and tanks before the bans were imposed in their states are fuming.

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Fish Pedicures Banned in Florida

Though a novelty to some spa goers, others, including the Florida Board of Cosmetology, consider fish pedicures unhygienic.  The Board announced a ban on the practice early this week, placing Florida on a growing list of states that have rejected the spa procedure.

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Spa fitness goes to the high seas

The days of returning home from a cruise with 10 pounds of all-you-can-eat buffet around your waist are over. Major cruise lines have upped the fitness ante on ships with state-of-the-art gym facilities, wellness programs and spas that will help you stick to your workout routine and maybe even help you discover a new one.   Carnival's initiative, "Spa Carnival," features some of the largest and most elaborate health clubs at sea including the 21,000-square-foot Cloud 9 Spa on their new Carnival Splendor and the 23,750-square-foot spa on the Carnival Dream set to debut in September 2009.

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They suggested Spa Rehab and she said "yes, yes yes"

Amy Winehouse is so determined to reverse some of the damage drugs and drink have done to her body, she has shelled out a whopping $10,000 on beauty treatments while on holiday in St Lucia.  The Rehab singer has been on the Caribbean island since early December, staying in the exclusive Le Sport spa hotel.  And millionaire Amy, 25, has been spending every day in the hotel's skin clinic or spa.

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