The Little Luxury: Kanshi Instantly Refreshing Foot Spray

Relationship status: Boot Buddies

How we met: After work I try to make it over to the gym to blow off some steam. Usually I slip off my leather boots and right into my sneaks – but the other day I noticed that my feet and ankles were a little swollen and, I am ashamed to say, a little smelly.  Not like your dad’s-work-boots-stinky, but more like I-wear-these-boots-everyday-stinky. I told a friend about my embarrassing observation and she recommended I find a foot spray that could freshen up my footsies in between work and the gym. That’s when I found Kanshi’s Instantly Refreshing Foot Spray.

To use: Hold the bottle 10-12 inches away from your foot. Give the nozzle a quick pump and spritz two-three times on the top and bottom. Let air dry.

How it works: After a good misting, my feet felt instantly revitalized and ready for my gym session. The refreshing formula is infused with triple mint to instantly perk up your pieds (that’s feet, in French). And, it has Horse Chestnut extract that helps to improve circulation. No more swollen feet!

Best of all… It ALSO has Lemon Myrtle that provides natural anti-microbial benefits. So feel free to spritz on your feet before you take your shoes off.

It might just be me but… I like to spritz a bit in my shoe to fight any lingering odors in my sneaks/boots plus the anti-microbial affect makes me feel better about myself and my shoes.

What’s more… It’s only $10! Hello stocking-stuffer (Get it?…stockings…feet…).

It might just be me (again) but… I tried spritzing this on my face as an impromptu toner, and I really liked the way it felt! It helped to set my mineral make-up too and it totally assisted in relieving my mini morning hangover when I misted it on my face to cool my hot, dehydrated skin after a long night out.

Hot Stone Scale (1-6): 6

This Little Luxury Report was brought to you by: Stephanie Cavataro

The Little Luxury: Repêchage Relaxation Stay-cation Gift Package (includes Sea Spa Mineral Bath Salts and 60 Eye Rescue Pads)

Relationship status: Bath Buddies

Nickname: Holiday Hangover Cure

Get in the mood: Sprinkle a generous amount of Mediterranean bath salt in your tub of warm water and slip into your own personal oasis. Pluck two Rescue Pads out of the convenient screw-cap jar and gently place them over your eyes. Sit back, relax and drift off into peaceful rejuvenation.

The moment I fell in love: The instant I closed my eyes and the second my tootsies hit the water.

How it works: The soothing little bath crystals contain the moisturizing power of seven essential oils to help revive your skin: Lavender, Grapefruit, Peppermint, Spearmint, Cucumber, Rosewood, and Mandarin Orange. These ingredients fight body acne and dermatitis, promote the tightening of your skin, fight inflammation and ease soreness. The plush eye pads are saturated with seaweed to replenish moisture and fight puffiness along with green and black teas that are rich in natural anti-oxidant polyphenols that act as powerful free radical fighters to promote anti-aging benefits.

Does it do what it says it’ll do? Yes! After a long night of high, high heel-clad partying and too much eggnog, just escape to your salt bath with your eye pads in tow and before you know it, you’ll be ready to do it all over again tomorrow night.

The thing you’ll love most: The smell… The aromatherapy blend of the essential oils from the bath salts and the light, fresh fragrance of the cooling eye pads will delight your senses and relax your mind.

Why it’s worth the splurge: Usually costing around $70 when purchased separately, this full-size gift set is a steal at just $55.

It’s the perfect gift because: It comes in a sleek plastic blue gift box and is adorned with an festive holiday bow – no wrapping needed!

You could be here: 

Hot Stone Scale (1-6): 6

This Little Luxury Report was brought to you by: Stephanie Cavataro

Disclosure

Confession: This is my beauty dresser.

Sure, I’ve told you that part of my job means being inundated with cremes, serums, toners, makeup, oxygen in gel form, etc… but I never did claim to keep them neat! Admittedly, from time to time, things get out of control and it looks as though Allure Magazine has exploded on my dresser.

However, that is not the point of this blog post.  The point is, you’ll notice a beaming ray of organized yellow sunshine on the bottom left hand corner, otherwise known as the Elizabeth Grant Vitamin C Hydra-Moist line. It’s the set of products that has emerged from the depths of my dresser top to the highly coveted forefront, and with good reason. I’ve been using this product line every day lately, and my been skin’s la-la-loving me for it! THE CLOSE UP:

It came in this sweet faux-pony hair pouch that I use ALL the time now:

And here’s what it looks like as as a basic set, in excellent lighting (get the whole thing for $59):

My morning and evening routine as of late has included a number of these products: The Hydrating Cleanser, the Concentrated Serum, the All Day Cream, the Eye Radiance, the Illuminating Eye Pads, a few others here and there… and my skin has been obeying, radiating and illuminating like the tubes say. It’s the kind of vibrancy that makes me feel comfortable going without makeup. The products absorb quickly, contain just the right amount of fragrance, and are also quite convenient for traveling. They’ve helped smooth my skin, minimize the appearance of blemishes, and all in all, make me look much like that ray of happy brightness amidst my scary-looking dresser top.

In the yellow spirit… here’s my EG Vitamin C-doused self on the subway:

And rocking the eye pads before a wedding (nevermind the teeth whitening tray and collagen lip plumping strip…):

Just like Vitamin C in a tall glass of OJ helps cure colds and stave off illness, it also has a similar effect when it comes to repairing and preventing skin damage. How does C do it all! Here, Elizabeth Grant’s Beauty Director and VP of Global Direction, Margot Grant Witz, shares:

6 Skin-Enhancing Benefits of Vitamin C:

1. Clears up hyperpigmentation, brightening and lightening your skin.
2. Reverses the effects of sun exposure and sun damages.
3. Blocks pollution, free radicals and other environmental gunk floating around.
4. Most women by age 25 have accumulated enough sun damage to create freckles and dark spots that can easily be reduced with Vitamin C treatments.
5. Even if you’re a religious sunscreen addict, you may suffer from uneven skin tone that can be evened out with Vitamin C treatments.
6. Re-energizes tired, ruddy, problem skin back to life.

Browse through Elizabeth Grant’s Vitamin C products and treat yourself to a helping of the stuff!

And just in case you’d never take a recommendation from someone whose counter top looks like the above, I JUST moved… check out the new home for my stash in the bathroom! So neat, so clean, so logical! Yes, I do feel slightly more civilized now.

P.S. If you’re wondering where my EG products went – that’d be my bedroom. ;)

Stuffed to the brim with stuffing? Us too! Now that you have put down the fork and pledged to forgive yourself of your turkey transgressions, put your Thanksgiving leftovers to good use with these three homemade spa treatments made from all that stuff packed into of your remaining matching Tupperware. A few DIY spa recipes and a nice, well-balanced non-turkey meal will definitely help you feel happier and healthier.

De-puff Under Eye Circles with Potato Slice Soothers

Why: According to dermatologist Dr. Frederic Brandt (featured on LiveStrong.com), ”A chemical found in the potato called catecholase helps lighten skin.” It is found abundantly in potatoes and is commonly used in cosmetics to lighten skin. Refrigerated or frozen potato slices will act like mini ice packs to help reduce the bruised effect of under eye circles.

Ingredients

• Raw potato

Directions

1. Refrigerate whole potato overnight (freeze if preferred)
2. Cut 2 slices or, if you prefer, 5 to 10 very thin slices, several for each eye. Either method works
3. Spritz eye area with water
4. Lying down, place the potato slices on your eyelids and leave in place for at least 10 minutes for best results.

Recipe: Care2

2. Fight Acne with a Cinnamon and Nutmeg Masque

Why: Cinnamon is not only good for you when added to your plate once a day for two weeks; it is also great for your skin topically. Nutmeg has anti-inflammatory qualities so it helps to calm flare-ups as well as reduce redness of acne scars. Cinnamon is a natural exfoliant as well and it’s also known for its antiseptic qualities. Combined with moisturizing honey, it serves to calm your screaming skin.

Ingredients

• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 tsp honey

Directions

1. Combine into a thick paste
2. Apply to your face for half an hour and then rinse off with warm water
3. Moisturize as per usual afterwards

Recipe: Viva Women

3. Smooth Skin with a Cranberry Body Scrub

Why: Cranberries are chock-full of anti-oxidants that fight free radicals that can age the skin. They are help improve blood flow and contain Phytochemicals that benefit body tissue structures and promote new cell growth and rejuvenation. Plus, they smell great and you can make a tasty Cranberry Lip Gloss, too!

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp avocado oil
• 2 tbsp raw sugar
• 2 tbsp honey
• 1 tsp orange peel
• 2 tbsp canned cranberries

Directions

1. Combine mixture completely.
2. Apply to your skin with a wash cloth or luffa.
3. Gently scrub your face and then rinse with warm water

Recipe: Planet Green

By Shelby Jones, ISPA

Late August and early September means only one thing to many people – time to head back to school. We all know that anxious feeling of soaking up every last second of summer. The anticipation of a new adventure comes with the dread of shorter days, colder nights and an increased workload. It can seriously bum you out, and it can actually affect the way your skin behaves.

Whether you’re hitting the books or not, you want to look good doing it. It’s the perfect time of year to get a tune up in the form of a facial. Your skin can do weird things as the seasons change. If you’re oily you can dry out, and if you have sensitive skin, allergies usually flare up in the fall and added stress can cause breakouts.

To prevent acne, dry patches and slick T-zones, do your homework and find a spa that allows you to book time with an esthetician for some “schooling”. Booking blocks of time instead of a specific treatment is actually pretty common. It’s a guaranteed way to get the most customized spa experience possible. Your esthetician will ask you questions about how your skin behaves, how it reacts to certain ingredients and what kind of diet and lifestyle you maintain. All of these questions will help them formulate a facial and a routine that is tailored for your face.

During your treatment it’s your time to ask any and all skin-related questions you might have in order to educate yourself about how to care for your skin. You’ll be able to take the spa experience home with you and come back to the spa for an occasional facial to help maintain your progress. Visiting the spa will turn into your own personal infomercial just like the old NBC Saturday morning The More You Know PSAs.

If you want to learn more about different spa treatments visit ISPA’s spa glossary at experienceispa.com.

Shelby Jones is based in Lexington, KY at the ISPA headquarters, Spa Week’s exclusive trade partner. She has worked as ISPA’s Public Relations Manager for five years where she connects with top media outlets to promote ISPA members and the spa lifestyle. To get in touch with Shelby please email her or follow @ISPADoYou on Twitter. If you’re in the spa industry, we encourage you to become a member of ISPA; weekly e-mails with pointers like these are just one small part of the package to help you succeed!