Spa Week is over, but the memories and benefits are everlasting! One of the greatest rewards for us is hearing about how Spa Week has touched your lives. We asked for your Spa Week stories, and this is the week you get to read the 5 winners, all who will receive $50 Spa Week Gift Cards to use for their next spa treatment.

Spa Week Story veteran winner, Madeline, has contributed (and won) once again!

I had been intrigued about the Catio Express non-surgical face lift at the Tribeca Spa of Tranquility for quite some time. Given that I’m a Spa Week regular at the spa (because they never fail to treat me like a princess there) and know that every service they offer always worked, I decided to give it a try. My aesthetician, Sara, started by giving me a basic cleansing, and then the fun began. I started feeling these vibrating sensations on parts of my face as Sara moved the equipment around. Even though I wouldn’t call it relaxing, it wasn’t uncomfortable at all (and I kept telling myself that it had gotta be better than going under the knife). After finishing the right side of my face, she gave me a mirror and I could see the puffiness under my eye was dramatically minimized, and my cheek was also fuller. She then proceeded to work on the other side, followed by a soothing mask and a quick shoulder massage. The shoulder and belly warmers were what I loved about this spa – their constant attention to details showed how they always strive to make sure the clients were pampered.

Forty five  minutes later, I walked to the front desk and bought 6 more facials to use for later. I guess that said enough about how happy I was with the results. My skin felt tighter, smoother, which you may get from any other facials, but the difference was that my face contour was also more flattering. It literally changed from a round face shape to a heart face shape (in a matter of 45 minutes!!!), and the sagging skin under the chin also disappeared.

Last but not the least, the services were impeccable. You don’t get pushed around just because it’s Spa Week and they’re busier than usual. You get the same service you always get even though you’re paying a discounted price. Everyone who works there is so courteous and attentive, and the spa always looks clean and elegant. And most importantly, you walk out of there feeling like a million bucks – even though you only spent $50 (in this case the Catio Express was $89 but it was worth every penny!).

Submitted by Madeleine Truax

Tribeca Spa of Tranquility

462 Greenwich Street
New York, NY 10013
212.226.4141

By Sarah Jenks

Beauty comes from the inside.. but it doesn’t have to stay there. So many women are waiting to buy new clothes, dress up and wear sexy underwear until they’ve lost “the weight.” But did you know that avoiding the beauty basics is actually causing you to keep the weight on?

If you’re walking around in sweat pants, or your old “fat jeans,” you are going to treat your body like an old frumpy, lump.  And that usually entails over-eating, skipping workouts and not taking care of ourselves.

If you want to lose weight and keep it off, you need to invest in your beauty NOW.  Not 10 pounds from now.  Here’s exactly what you need to do this week to break out of your fat frustration:

1.  Buy some new clothes: 1 pair of amazing jeans (try Levis), 3 blouses, a hot dress, a conservative dress, and a skirt.  You can also go wild on accessories like jewelry and scarves.  If you’re worried about wasting money, you can always, take the clothes in, or sell them later.  It may feel scary to draw some attention to your body by dressing like a hottie, but trust me, your body will thank you for finally paying attention to her.

2. Get a haircut. Something different and fun.  You would look great in side swept bangs.

3. Get ALL NEW UNDERWEAR! Click here to view my favorite brand and how 3 women lost weight just by changing their underwear.

4. Get up 20 minutes early every morning and blow dry your hair and put on makeup.  It will make you feel more awake than the extra sleep or a cup of coffee.

5. Wear heels. Just do it.

Want some extra credit? Learn how you can put all these things together and do this sneaky strategy for getting a quick fix for a flat relationship. Click here.

Sarah Jenks, founder of theBreathtakingBride.com, helps women fall in love with their bodies and lose weight through exploring the emotional reasons of why we eat. Sarah believes that you can talk about the benefits of broccoli until you are blue in the face, but real change won’t happen until we pull back the veil of fad diets and calorie counting to reveal the true cause of our over eating. Feeling lost about weight loss? Visit her website to download her free guide: “What to do if you feel fat, hopeless and ready to give up.”

It’s truly amazing what a talented makeup artist can do. He or she reaches into their bottomless makeup trunk, a beautiful mess of shadows, liners, primers, concealers, mascaras and lipsticks hitting every Pantone shade in existence, and in under an hour can turn you into a living, breathing masterpiece – that looks exactly like you, only hotter. Or softer. Or from another era.

Remember that recent report we covered on the importance of makeup in the workplace? It’s no secret that cosmetics play a role in our every day lives, the only secrets are how to achieve the precise look we so desire.

A few months ago I was invited to be on the panel of judges for Calling All Makeup Artists, a makeup showdown between six artists presented by YOUR NAME Professional Brands, 35-year-old industry leader in private label cosmetics for the salon and spa industry. As someone who has worked with many a makeup artist – from my days in editorial interning at VOGUE and Glamour, to the many beauty whizzes who have transformed me for events, on-camera appearances and weddings – I couldn’t wait to be on board to support.

Here’s how it worked: YOUR NAME sponsored six up-and-coming artists in a career-changing opportunity on October 3rd. They partook in a day-long photography makeup workshop led by renowned makeup artist David Maderich, during which each contestant was charged with creating an interpretation of YOUR NAME’s Spring 2012 collection. Each rendition was captured by acclaimed photographer Roberto Ligresti and handed over to a panel of beauty industry veterans – including yours truly! – to evaluate and select one lucky winner. The winner, yet to be announced, will be featured in the Spring 2012 YOUR NAME catalog which will be seen by over 12,000 beauty industry professionals.

THE JUDGES: Julie Keller, Editor-In-Chief, American Spa, Maggie Mulhern, Beauty and Fashion Director, Modern Salon, and me - Michelle Joni Lapidos, Director of Social Media & Editor of Spa Week Daily, SPA WEEK.

THE CONTESTANTS:

Devra Bader - Devra Bader Beauty Spa
Larry Chowning – About Face Designs
Jennifer Meletis – Lois Christy Salon
Monica Flor – Moka Cosmetics
Caty Flor – Moka Cosmetics
Zekira Kobas – Adam Broderick Salon

THE 6 FINAL IMAGES: After the glamorous showdown, I received the best final photo of each artist’s shoot, below. They haven’t yet revealed which photo is from which artist, and the winner is yet to be selected… so weigh in below! Which look do you love most? Scroll down to see all the looks, and at the bottom you’ll see who got my vote, and the super-fly reason why.

EDITORIAL WINNER – Jennifer Meletis of Lois Christie Salon:

BRAND WINNER – Monica Verduzco of MOKA Cosmetics:

My favorite? #6. The delicate rosiness in the cheeks, the sweet, glossy coral lip, and of course – the eye shadow. That look was obtained by taking a pair of carefully placed lacy panties and airbrushing eye shadow over them!

Check back soon to see who the winner is when it’s announced. (UPDATE: Winners have been announced – it was a tie! Check their Facebook page to see the vote count, and I also updated the tied winners above.)

Have a gorgeous (Halloween makeup-filled) weekend!

Halloween is here! The official kick-off to the season of feeling guilty for over-indulging in sugary sweets! Well, what if you could cancel out that guilt by indulging in sweets that are practicing fair trade, and simultaneously helping endangered species or protecting the environment? While you are out shopping for Halloween candy, think about giving back. Make the world a better place one trick-or-treater at a time… and by letting that chocolate melt slowly in your mouth. There are a handful of forward-thinking candy companies not only crafting delicious treats, but helping craft a better planet. Here are 5 charitable options for your sweet tooth:

sweetriot

All natural, antioxidant-rich, no dairy and gluten ingredients, kosher, pure cacao snacks made with fair trade ingredients. This celebrity favorite focuses its social responsibility in 3 key areas: their product, their people and their partnerships.

Angell

Their motto is “eat no evil” and that’s what they do with Fair Trade all organic products. They are members of 1% For the Planet, which means they donate 1% of gross sales (not profits) to local environmental organizations.

Endangered Species Chocolate

With playful names like “Bug Bites” these chocolates sweeten the deal by donating 10% of  their net profits to organizations that support species and habitat conservation efforts.

Fearless Chocolate

FEARLESS is a delicious good-for-you gourmet organic chocolate bar that uses certified organic,  100% Kosher, dairy-free, gluten-free, soy-free products. They donate 1% of their annual profits to change-making individuals and organizations suggested by their customers.

Surf Sweets

These organically-sweetened gummy candies and jelly beans are free of artificial colors and sweeteners. With a name like Surf Sweets, it makes sense that they’ve focused their efforts on protecting the ocean and are involved with The Ocean Project.