What percentage of Americans aren’t getting enough sleep? Would you believe it is a whopping 70%?  There really is something to that little saying about getting your beauty sleep! Not getting enough rest will take a toll on your looks and it may be so gradual that you won’t really see how dramatic it can be. Truly, getting too little sleep may slow collagen production and promote wrinkles.
So how can this be helped? Well, maybe you just need some advice about how to wind down, perk up in the morning and feel your best all day.
First off, let’s talk about how you go to sleep. It may be beneficial to snack yourself to sleep. No kidding! Eating a small carb-heavy snack with a little protein 1-2 hours before you catch some zzz’s will trigger your brain to produce the calming neurotransmitter serotonin. Try a rice cake with some peanut butter or ice cream with berries.
Another way to fall into a deeper, more restful sleep is by keeping cool at night.  It will signal your body to sleep more deeply! Try 68 degrees and see how it works. You should also avoid having blinking lights in the room when you fall asleep.  Your Blackberry, computer, tv, you name it.  The blinking lights can disrupt slumber. Also, if you have to wake to use the bathroom in the night, keep the light on a dimmer so you can turn it on very low.  Even a short exposure to the bright light of your bathroom in the night will lower levels of melatonin, making it more difficult to fall asleep.
What about mornings? You’ve rested and it feels so hard to get yourself out of bed now. Waking up is tough to do but try these tricks to see if one might work for you. You need to stop your habit of hitting snooze. The fragmented sleep before you wake up can leave you more groggy so you are setting yourself up for feeling more sleepy. Instead, place your alarm clock across the room so you are forced to get up and shut it off–and then stay UP!
Your body will appreciate hitting the gym in the morning.  Exercise will increase blood pressure and heart rate and activates the whole nervous system, which gives you a healthy boost in the morning. You should also pay close attention to what you eat and drink in the morning.  Down a couple of glasses of plain water as soon as the alarm goes off.  We all wake up dehydrated and every biochemical reaction relies on us having enough water–like our thinking processes and muscle contractions. One thing you want to avoid in the morning is carbohydrates like bagels.  After giving you a quick spike in blood-sugar levels, simple carbohydrates will leave you more sluggish than before. A better choice would be a protein shake or a piece of whole-grain toast with fruit or yogurt.
Java lovers? Ok, we’ve got one to make you smile here. Ingesting some caffeine in the morning will not only inhibit the body’s chemicals responsible for drowsiness but will also prompt the release of adrenaline, which increases blood flow to the muscles, speeds the heart rate and opens the lungs’ breathing tubes. An 8 ounce cup in the morning (about 50 mg of caffeine) is enough to kick-start most people. In fact, the best brew is a latte.  The proteins and carbohydrates in milk are ideal for fueling the brain and muscles.

So there you have it…put these to the test and let us know how it is working for you! Happy sleeping! 🙂

April is here, the grass is getting green and the trees are budding! This is such a rejuvenating time of year. Did anyone fool you good on April Fool’s Day?
We hope you made it out to shop for some of the latest trendy colors for spring.  Let’s continue with part 2 of our fashion trend update for spring.

• Anoraks: While you may not be familiar with this term, you likely know what they are already. They’re a super lightweight, casual cover-up that will give your look a sporty edge with lots of style. You’ll find them shiny or matte, long or short, and neutral or colored. Fabrications like nylon, polyester and acetate give them a particularly authentic active appearance.

•  Pink short suits: A blazer with shorts? Yep, that’s right. It may take the right person to pull off this look, but it definitely is on the trend list for spring!

• Peplum skirts, shirts, and dresses: These are defined by a short flared ruffle that sits at the natural waist. Show off your curves in this look! They do look best on more slender women, however. They can add bulk to the hips so if this is your problem area, maybe reconsider.

• Open shoulders: They make the entire outfit look relaxed and seductive.

• Wider shorts: We wore lots of shorts last season, but they just got wider this year!
• Futuristic prints: You’ll see a lot of strange, colorful prints out there this year, but floral prints are still very much a hot item, too.
• Boatneck shirts and dresses: This look shows off your feminine shoulder line. For formal occasions, designers offer more demure versions of this trend but for casual garments, neckline can go as deep as you wish.

• Hot pants: This trend will definitely motivate us to get working out if the thought of the quickly-approaching swimsuit season hasn’t already! It isn’t the first spring/summer we’ve seen these.  It doesn’t look like they are going away anytime soon.  If you prefer to hide your legs more in the summer, maxi dresses are still very trendy so you won’t have trouble finding full-length dresses! 🙂

If spider veins are keeping you from showing off your legs this spring/summer in the trendy fashions, stop in to learn more about treatment options! There are a couple of different ways to treat these unsightly veins and one is using a laser–so no injections at all! Sclerotherapy treatments happen to be on SPECIAL right now, as well. Take 15% off treatment packages now through April 30th! Helping you look and feel your best is our specialty.

DS

Wouldn’t it be awesome if every day was a good hair day? We spend a great deal of time every week with a blow dryer held to our head, fixing our locks.  It feels amazing when we know our style turned out just right but many days, we walk away feeling like we have wasted a lot of time and it still doesn’t look good.  I mean, it just falls flat about 5 minutes after you style it, doesn’t it? There may be some pointers that you could use if you struggle with this, too. We have listed some below for you:

• Start with wet hair. You can gently towel-dry so it’s not dripping wet, but don’t rub too hard (it’ll get tangled). For the smoothest, most long-lasting results, avoid “rough drying” — fluffing the hair with your hands while drying. While it saves time, it makes hair frizzy.
• Don’t use too much product. If your hair is fine or oily, it’ll become limp. Put a bit of product only the ends, if needed.
• This takes more time but is WORTH it.  Divide your hair in sections, and start in front because this area tends to dry the quickest. Using a round brush and plenty of tension, aim the blow-dryer at the roots and move it along the length of your hair to the ends. Heating the hair in the direction of the cuticle helps keep it smooth and fights frizz.
• For volume and height, hold each section up and in the opposite direction from the way you want it to lie. For extra bounce, pin each section up after drying to let it cool. This helps set the curl so your hair doesn’t go flat the minute you walk out of the bathroom.
• To make your blow-out last, spray your hair lightly and then leave it alone. Avoid brushing it out or running your fingers through it — this will break up the bounce and make it go limp. RESIST that temptation.  Just messing with your ‘do too much after you are done can leave it flat.  It is better to spray and go!