Fuzzy spa robe heaven

If spa is your religion and you are a loyal disciple, repeat after me: Spa-llelujah! Last week I had a heavenly spa experience… in a church. Well actually, it was at Bangz Salon & Wellness Spa, located in what used to be a church. Nestled along a pretty little street in Monclair, NJ with a mix of fabulous shops and delicious-looking bistros, you would never guess that the Gothic-style church in the middle of the block has been transformed from a house of worship to a sanctuary of beauty and wellness. With two extravagant floors dedicated to hair care and cosmetics, you would never even know that an expansive, decedent spa is tucked away on the bottom floor, far away from the humming of blow-dryers and the distractions of everyday life.

With just a quick elevator ride, I was escorted to the impressive, private spa, decked out with all of the lavish amenities you could hope for in a spa experience: a calming waterfall, luxe locker rooms, a plush spa robe, comfy slippers and a soothing waiting lounge with a couch that cradled my body like a warm hug from grandma. I was that relaxed and I hadn’t even had my treatments yet!
After a few sips of green tea, my esthetician, Ashley, guided me to the treatment room (that smelled of mind-numbing lavender) to begin my 45 Min Be Quick Express Facial with EyeZone and Facial Booster treatment. Ashley and I instantly hit it off. She was attentive, friendly and knowledgeable, giving me expert advice on any and all of my skincare concerns. Most importantly, her touch was flawless. Her hand techniques were soothing enough to lull me to sleep but strong enough to give me the feeling that I was getting a deep, clinical clean.

Towards the end of the service, Ashley applied a moisturizing mask and she stepped out of the treatment room for a few moments (giving the mask time to work, and me time to drift off into nirvana). When, she came back, I started to ask her a question about the ingredients of the mask (is this lemongrass?) and to no surprise of mine, my voice had literally changed to what I like to call “morning voice.” The quiet, soft voice of ultimate euphoria that you experience after a much-needed night’s sleep. I mentioned this to Ashley and she said her clients get it all the time, especially after she leaves the room. Ashley said she makes it a practice to leave the room, if only for 3 or 4 minutes, to give the client a chance to completely and totally relax, without having to worry about what the esthetician is doing or if they are meeting some imagined expectations of being a good client. It allows them to just relax in the moment and reap the mind-body benefits of the total spa experience.
With immediate and long term results (my skin was glowing, hydrated, dewy and for the next few weeks my makeup went on smoother and easier), Ashley’s facial was definitely a spa-ligious experience. Not to mention, I was so relaxed, I could hardly speak (and that’s saying a lot for me)! If you’re in need of a similar, spiritual spa experience than look no further than Bangz Salon and Spa.

Bangz Salon & Wellness Spa
23 South Fullerton Avenue
Montclair, NJ 07042
973.746.8426
www.bangz.net

$50 Spa Week Treatments:

• 45 Min Be Quick Express Facial with EyeZone and Facial Booster
• 50 Min Spa Sampler, including 25 Min Massage, Organic Back Masque, Scalp Massage and Warm Stone Foot Massage
• 90 Min Energizing Foot and Leg Treatment, including b Well Pedicure and b Well Manicure

Disclosure: This treatment was comped for editorial consideration.

Things on your spring to-do list: clean, hide your winter clothes in the basement, buy new sandals, clean again, win a beauty makeover. American Laser Center, Spa Week’s Exclusive Skincare Sponsor and the nation’s largest and leading provider of laser-based skincare services, is giving you a chance to prance into the season looking rejuvenated. Your winter self won’t even recognize the new you. The winner will get to choose from one of three packages, each valued up to $6,100.

Have you ever said you would be healthier if you were a celebrity and could pay a professional to help you? Well here’s your pro. Actually, here are four. It’s always easier to take steps in the right direction when you have someone showing you the way; this is the foundation of all the Challenges we’ve been doing here at Spa Week Daily. In honor of Spa Week Spring 2012 and our mission to spread health and wellness to the masses, we’ve joined forces with four celebrity-status wellness experts to help you get and stay healthy from the inside out with Spa Week’s Spa & Wellness Challenge. It’s a battle to the health! (There’s nothing wrong with a little healthy competition.)

From now until April 30 our experts are competing for your health! They want YOU on their team. They want YOU to take THEIR challenge based on their signature wellness philosophy for a better, happier and healthier life. There are four different teams so you can pick the one that you most identify with. The Nutrition team is being led by TODAY Show Nutritionist Joy Bauer, the Fitness Team is being coached by The Biggest Loser trainer, Dolvett Quince, the Yoga Team is finding zen with famous yogi Elena Brower, and award-winning dermatologist Dr. Michelle Copeland is after the health of your skin on the Skincare Team. All you have to do to join The Spa & Wellness Challenge is pick a team based on each expert’s challenge (we know, it’s a tough choice!). Then upload a picture + caption that represents you taking on your expert’s challenge. Let’s work together to get healthy together!

Here’s the best part: the team member with the most votes from each team wins a $1,000 Spa & Wellness Gift Card by Spa Week! Now, let’s meet our Team Captains:

Joy Bauer’s Nutrition Team

Challenge: Eat your veggies before dinner.

Wellness Philosophy: Start dinner each night with a vegetable first course. Enjoy a salad with low-cal dressing, a broth-based veggie soup, or a handful of baby carrots, sugar snap peas or cherry tomatoes. You’ll get fuller faster on the good stuff and also be more aware of what you’re eating the rest of the meal when you eat your veggies first.

Dolvett’s Fitness Team

Challenge: Excersice during the commercials.

Wellness Philosophy: Dolvett’s fitness mantra is “no excuses.” Even if you’re a couch potato or a homebody, there’s no reason not to get your blood pumping. While you tune in to watch your favorite show, exercise one body part during each commercial break until the show comes back. Aim to do 10 or more repetitions per body part during each commercial break.

Meet Dolvett: An IFFA and ISSA certified trainer, Dolvett Quince developed his company, Body Sculptor Inc., to help people transform their mind, body and soul. His regimen focuses on weight loss, nutrition, strength training and cardiovascular exercise and his style and reputation for success have attracted the attention of professional athletes and celebrities alike. Dolvett can currently be seen on NBC’s hit “The Biggest Loser,” now in its 13th season. In 2004, he opened his first Body Sculptor Fitness Studio in Atlanta and has built it into the city’s premiere health and fitness center. Dolvett’s business attracts such clients as Janet Jackson, Baltimore Ravens tight end Daniel Wilcox, actor Michael Jai White and many more. Additionally, world-wide pop sensation Justin Bieber hired Dolvett to train him on his latest tour. He also developed the renowned “Me and My Chair Workout” DVD, a low-impact, high-intensity 30-minute workout system that helps users tone up and slim down while using only a household chair as equipment. He currently splits his time between Los Angeles and Atlanta. Learn more about Dolvett on his website, www.bodysculptorinc.com, follow him on Facebook and Twitter.

Elena’s Yoga Team

Challenge: Meditate for 5 minutes a day.

Wellness Philosophy: Meditation is about cultivating more alertness and better listening, so you can be a better parent, partner, sibling, friend, employee, and overall person. Elena recommends just to sit and simply watch your breathing rise and fall. If you sense tightness somewhere in your body, breathe there. Science has proven it time and time again: meditation positively affects your health and quality of life.

Meet Elena: Jonah’s mama, founder and co-owner of Virayoga, Elena Brower has been teaching yoga for 14+ years. She trained to teach with Cyndi Lee, then began studying Anusara® yoga with John Friend. After ten years of study with Douglas Brooks and Hugo Cory, and recent in-depth study with the Handel Group™, Elena’s teaching offers the practices of yoga as a way to approach our world with reverence and gratitude. Her classes are a masterful, candid blend of artful alignment and attention cues; pure empowerment for your body, mind and heart. She has been honoured to travel all over to offer larger-scale experiences of yoga, but Elena’s true passion is shifting awareness within the smallest interactions; one family, one household at a time. She holds Reiki Levels I/II Certification and practices Pranic Healing. She loves collaborative teaching and has taught alongside many notable colleagues. She’s been featured on major networks and is the voice for Deepak Chopra’s video game LEELA. Elena is also the Executive Producer of the series of short films ON MEDITATION. Along with her own Art of Attention writings, Elena contributes to the Huffington Post and many popular blogs. Elena’s recently developed an essential oil blend called GIVE that benefits Women For Women International, with another scent in the works. Learn more at www.virayoga.com and follow her on Facebook and Twitter.

Dr. Copeland’s Skincare Team

Challenge: Wear SPF every day.

Wellness Philosophy: Dr. Copeland’s skincare philosophy stems from her very own Beautiful Skin Workout, which highlights five simple steps to beautiful skin in six weeks. Sun protection is the most important step you can take to improve skin. UVA and UVB rays are skin’s number one enemy and sun block should be worn every day on at least the face and hands. Dr. Copeland’s five-step Beautiful Skin Workout steps are: Cleanse, Tone, Exfoliate, Activate, Moisturize and Protect.

Meet Dr. Copeland: World-renowned, Harvard-trained plastic surgeon, biochemist, and best-selling author, Dr. Michelle Copeland is an Assistant Professor of Clinical Surgery at the Mount Sinai Medical School, a fellow of the American College of Surgeons, and a member of the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, the American Society of Plastic Surgery and Reconstructive Surgery and the American College of Maxillofacial Surgeons. She is a member of the Society for the Advancement of Women’s Health Research, advising Congress on health issues affecting women. She has been profiled in the New York Times, Vanity Fair, the NBC Today Show, The View, Good Morning America and the CBS Morning Show. She is the author of Change Your Looks, Change Your Life, a guide to “quick fixes” and solutions for looking younger, feeling healthier and living better. Her latest book The Beautiful Skin Workout, demonstrates how to erase 90% of skin flaws in six to eight weeks. Dr. Copeland is the first and only woman biochemist and plastic surgeon to develop a full range of skin care and ground-breaking anti-aging products. She personally develops and tests all of her products and uses only the purest ingredients and cutting-edge technology. Many celebrities demand her products, which are now available to everyone. Learn more at www.drcopeland.com, on her blog, follow her on Facebook and Twitter.

We get a lot of questions from our spa-ers. And I’ve noticed a theme the past few days regarding skin woes: How can you rid your face of skin imperfections? These haphazards of the face include pesky blemishes from acne past, dark spots from sun damage (beaching for 9 hours seemed like a good idea at the time) and the normal wear and tear that comes with that whole “getting older” thing. So let’s get to it and nip the blemish in the face this Spa Week. Here are the three best treatments you should do to buff, peel and flash off  flaws. We’ve included some of the $50 spa treatments that you can sign up for now to get the job done. More where those came from on spaweek.com. Face off!

Option 1: Microdermabrasion

The lowdown:

Microdermabrasion is sometimes coined the “instant facelift.” It is a painless and non-invasive procedure with little recovery time. (And by recovery we mean for swelling and redness to fade.) Microdermabrasion is a broad term for the application of tiny rough grains to buff away the surface layer of skin. All of the action in microdermabrasion takes place on the stratum corneum (this is your face’s protective shield). When you remove or break up this layer, the ever-so-smart body signals this as a mild injury and the troops rush in to replace the lost skin cells with new and healthy ones. Out with the old and in with the new!

The benefits:

With the often unattractive stratum corneum gone, the skin’s surface is improved. The newer skin cells look and feel smoother. Skin’s imperfections, like sun damage, blemishes and fine lines, are removed. Also, without that barrier medicinal creams and lotions are more effective because the thirsty lower skin layers can soak up the active ingredients.

The $50 treatments:

• 50 Min Serum Infusing HydraSweep Microdermabrasion at Epi Center MedSpa in San Francisco, CA
• 60 Min Microdermabrasion with Intensive Deep Cleansing Facial at Essential Skin Care Day Spa – 14th Street in New York, NY
• Microdermabrasion Treatment at VITAHL Medical Aesthetics in Denver, CO
• 50 Min Diamond Microdermabrasion Facial with Organic Oxygen Mask and Lip Plumping Leaf at  Water Holistic Skincare in Seattle, WA
• 60 Min Microdermabrasion with Oxygen Treatment at Skin Care by Klara in Scottsdale, AZ

Option 2: Chemical Peels

The lowdown:

While most chemicals we use are to clean or are something with warnings, Glycolic, salicylic and lactic are types of acids that are commonly used on the face as chemical peels. During the treatment, the specific chemical is applied to small areas on the skin. These applications produce a controlled wound (sounds scarier than it is!), enabling new skin to appear. After the treatment, a reaction similar to a sunburn occurs (the severity depends on the type of peel). The new skin will show it’s face once the skin blisters and peels. Just make sure to plan accordingly so you can bring you’re A-face to that special occasion. The post chemical peel look doesn’t photograph well.

The benefits:

The new and regenerated skin will have an improved texture and tone than the old skin. Glycolic acid exfoliates the skin and is a great anti-aging treatment. Salicylic acid improves the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, blemishes and scarring. And the more friendly lactic peel is gentler and is good for first time users or people with sensitive skin. But don’t be afraid of the chemical peel; the pain is worth the gain.

The $50 treatments:

• Mild Chemical Peel at Flawless MedSpa in Stoneham, MA
• Alpha Hydroxy Fruit Acid Peel at at George Bacchus Salon and Spa in Potomac, MD
• Choice of Customized Peel: “Peel Away the Years” Facial Peel, Enzyme Fusion Peel, Youth Surge Glycolic Acid Peel, Lactic Acid Peel for Pre-Mature Skin or Salicylic Acid Peel for Acne Prone Oily Skin at Lazur La Vie in Nyack, NY
• 50 Min Lunchtime Chemical Peel with Discounted Upgraded Option at Princeton Center for Plastic Surgery & Medi Spa in Princeton, NJ
• Choice of Customized Chemical Peel with Hand and Neck Massage: Salicylic, Glycolic, Lactic Acid at The International Skin Care Institute in Scottsdale, AZ

Option 3: Photo Facials

The lowdown:

Try the new wave of light waves. There are two types of photo facials with different results and different pain tolerance requirements. An IPL (intense pulsed light) treatment is a photo facial that delivers a bright blast of light at very high energy levels through a hand-held device. Warning: these can be painful. On the other end of the pain spectrum, LED (light-emitting diode) photo facials are painless, cool and relaxing. Make sure you choose the light that’s right for you.

The benefits:

The extreme light of IPL’s yields extreme results. The IPL photo facial is the better chose for treating brown spots, broken capillaries, spider veins, and facial redness. LED photo facials are a good choice for people who want to boost collagen or treat acne. Your skin will look better in a flash! (May require a series of flashes for best results.)

The $50 treatments:

• Complexion Brightening IPL Laser Fotofacial at Anatomy Day Spa in  San Diego, CA
• IPL FotoFacial at Blue Medi Spa in Sherman Oaks, CA
• Omni Lux Photofacial at L’Essentiel Spa in Belmont, MA
• IPL Photorejuvenation for Face, Neck, Chest or Hands at Dr. Q Cosmetics in Decatur, GA
• Photo Facial at multiple Laser Cosmetica locations in New York – Read more and watch the Laser Cosmetica Photo Facial Video

Need an at-home hold-over till Spa Week? This FYSY (fix your skin yourself) skin lightening cream recipe will do your face good. Combine the juice of one lemon with one tablespoon of honey and one teaspoon of powdered milk. Heat the mixture up and stir until milk is dissolved. When cool, apply liberally to your face and neck, leaving it on for 20 minutes before rinsing off. Use daily for a month for a lightened and conditioned glow!

Do you remember that square cardboard toy, usually featured in the check-out line of the Toys “R” Us, with the bald guy’s face on it? You know, the toy where you used the little red magnetic pen tied to a string to drag metal shavings around to give the face a creep mustache, uni-brow or caveman beard. It’s called Wooly Willy and yes, when I tried The Black Pearl Facial at Euro Laser Services in Rye, NY, we looked like twins. Not only did we look identical, but I also experienced a powerful (and “so crazy”) magnetic force on my face, similar to the one I’m sure Willy has felt for the past 20 some-odd years, also known as a G Mask or Gravity Mask. Yes, you heard right, during the facial, The Black Pearl Mud Mask is removed not by water or muslin cloth, but by magnet!

More on the magnets below, but first, let me backtrack. On entering the spa, nestled among bustling shops and restaurants, I was warmly greeted by Euro Laser’s director and owner of over 13 years, Liz DiBartolo. After a quick tour, I ventured into the treatment room and nestled into the heated blankets of the treatment bed (and, per the usual, took some silly pictures with my instant-eye-lifting headband, below) as I waited for Wendy DeGiacomo, my esthetician to check in on me.

After a few short moments, Wendy came in and we got down to business. She explained to me in detail about benefits of the mineral-rich The Black Pearl Facial (featured in the video), which includes a number of different cleansing and purifying steps with a handful of treasured Sea of Spa products in the Black Pearl line. The product line includes ingredients such as seaweed extract, pearl powder, manganese, originating from Israel’s Dead Sea.
And now for the most impressive part of this facial: the Black Pearl Gravity Black Mud Prestige G Mask. It’s a gravity mask, which means the mask is applied like any other mask, but it’s removed with a magnet.
The force of the magnet hovering over my face, removing the mask, was one of the most bizarre and oddly soothing facial experiences I’ve ever had. In the video, you can see Wendy hold the magnet a few centimeters above my skin to remove the mask (and me exclaim, how “crazy” it is… because well, it was crazy!).
The invisible, painless power of the magnet removed not only the mask, but a lot of the dirt, oil and debris from my pores, leaving my skin soft, smooth and hydrated.

After a hot towel treatment and a serious neck and shoulder rub, Wendy applied a moisturizer and lip balm with SPF to protect my skin sensitive skin. When I left, my skin was left refreshed, hydrated and it appeared as though my pores were visibly smaller. I was very pleased with the results of this facial. Especially because the experience of removing the mask, to quote my mesmerized Wooly Willy self, really was “so cool.”

A special thanks to the Euro Laser staff

If you want to experience the hidden treasure that is Euro Laser Spa and their Black Pearl Facial, book the treatment during Spa Week, April 16th-22nd, for just $50.

Euro Laser Services
20 Purdy Avenue, Suite 1
Rye, NY 10580
www.eurolaserservices.com
914.921.3265

Spa Week $50 Services:

• Choice of 50 Min Brand New Exclusive Black Pearl Facial or 50 Min Award Winning Retin-A Facial with Collagen Mask
• Choice of 50 Min Deep Tissue Full Body Massage or 50 Min Reflexology Foot Massage
• Choice of Laser Hair Removal for Full Bikini, Underarms, Sideburns, Upper Lip, Chin, Front or Back of Neck or IPL Treatment for Hands for Brown Sun/Age Spots for 5 Spots or Less