Luxist visited the recently renovated Surrey Hotel and its beautiful new day spa, Spa at the Surrey, on Manhattan’s Upper East Side.
We sat down with Cheryl Jacobs, its Spa Director, who is a nationally acclaimed spa consultant, and discussed how people can create a spa-like sanctuary in their own home.
Jacobs told us how to create a relaxing and therapeutic bath. “The first thing people should buy are Epsom salts, which offer a variety of health benefits,” she says. Epsom salts (also known as magnesium sulfate) can help to relieve aching muscles and flush toxins out of the body.
Another item worth investing in are therapeutic level essential oils, which can be used in conjunction with Epsom salts. The best oils are those that are purest in form and have not had fragrances or other chemicals added.
“The trick about doing a bath at home is that the Epsom salts should be placed under the water as it is running,” says Jacobs. “But wait until the tub is filled and the water is no longer running before adding the therapeutic oils. The oils should then be smoothed out to get the real essence.”
Is there an extended-stay spa with a program that changed your life for the better? Is there a great spa that caters to men with unique programs or treatments? Which international spa is really worth traveling to, even if it is thousands of miles away from home? Is there a luxurious day spa that you believe is the best one around? Which spa do you think offers the best green practices while also offering luxurious surroundings and state-of-the-art treatments? If you can recommend the best spas around the world, we want to hear from you!
The Luxist Readers’ Choice Awards for Best in Spas will be awarded based on your nominations and voting. We’re currently seeking nominations for the best-of-breed in the following categories:
Best Day Spa
Best Green Spa
Best Extended-Stay Spa
Best International Spa Retreat
Best Men’s Spa
One nomination per category, please. Submissions can be filed until March 15, 2010. Winners will be announced on April 1, 2010.
The latest skincare craze has hit Neiman Marcus. Quasar Bio-Tech Inc. has announced that Neiman Marcus is sellingthe Baby Quasar. What’s the Baby Quasar? It’s a skincare device that uses red and infrared light to stimulate the human skin at the cellular level. The treatment is said to build new capillaries and improve the lymphatic system leading to younger, healthier looking skin. Promises include increased circulation, diminished age spots and acne reduction. The Baby Quasar uses four different wavelengths, between 600 and 1200 nm, both red and infrared, to stimulate maximum cellular activity.
Treatments take under a half an hour and the machine can be used three times a week in the beginning. The company says that acne and fine lines start to improve after an average of three to five treatments, with monthly to bi-monthly maintenance treatments thereafter. Many people have seen positive results. The red light for anti-aging is $399 while the blue light for acne sells for $349 at Neiman Marcus.
Finding the right balance between moisturized skin and greasy skin is a constant struggle, especially during the winter months. With most cremes, you have to pile it on in the morning at the risk of getting dry flaky skin, and then risk getting greasy skin come afternoon. Each winter season I find myself experimenting with a new routine of moisturizers to keep my face soft and yet not oily. It’s an ebb and flow between dry and greasy that makes me long for springtime skin with every cold city day.
Thankfully the kind folks at Kanebo Sensai recently sent me a preview sample from their brand new line the Sensai Hydrachange Series. Finally, I’ve nailed down my winter routine with two amazing products that create a balance of moisturizing and plumping. Through their breakthrough “Anti-Aging Hydration,” it’s a powerful combo to help improve your skin all year round.
Keep your fragrances, including perfumes, eau de parfum, colognes and eau de toilette away from heat. Most importantly, protect them from direct light, especially sunlight. “Light affects the chemical makeup of a fragrance and will change its color which affects the dynamics of how it combines,” he adds.
Don’t be too quick to throw away bottles of perfume that you think may be too old to use, if they have been stored properly over the years. “I have smelled scents that are 15 years old, some in bottles that hadn’t ever been open,” says Slatkin. “They hold pretty well, and don’t change character too much.”
Perfume, which is more concentrated, is very complex, less fragile and lasts longer than fragrances that have been diluted.
Is there an extended-stay spa with a program that changed your life for the better? Is there a great spa that caters to men with unique programs or treatments? Which international spa is really worth traveling to, even if it is thousands of miles away from home? Is there a luxurious day spa that you believe is the best one around? Which spa do you think offers the best green practices while also offering luxurious surroundings and state-of-the-art treatments? If you can recommend the best spas around the world, we want to hear from you!
The Luxist Readers’ Choice Awards for Best in Spas will be awarded based on your nominations and voting. We’re currently seeking nominations for the best-of-breed in the following categories:
Best Day Spa Best Green Spa Best Extended-Stay Spa Best International Spa Retreat Best Men’s Spa
One nomination per category, please. Submissions can be filed until March 15, 2010. Winners will be announced on April 1, 2010.
Over at Milk Studios, Frederic Fekkai called the shots backstage at Proenza Schouler. We’ve been missing our beach hair all winter long, so were thrilled to see the easy textured looks seen on the runway. Lead stylist Didier Malige created the stunning array of hairstyles inspired by the urban surfer girl, focusing on relaxed and easy waves. To get the look, prep hair with Fekkai Coiff Bouffant Lifting & Texturizing Spray Gel, and then spritz with Oceanique Tousled Wave spray. Once you’ve flipped your head a few times and lifted your roots with your fingers, finish with Magnifique Ultra-Light Finishing Creme to keep the ends silky and defined. Relying on Fekkai’s quality products, it’s sure to be healthier than saltwater on your tresses.
We gave you the lowdown on the latest collection from Susan Woo this season. To mirror the stunning clothes, the models wore a perfect makeup palette embodying spring. Backstage, Tina Turnbow, lead makeup artist for Tarte has created the flawless look.
For an effortless, fresh face, achieve the look in three steps: a dewy complexion, kohl-rimmed eyes, and natural lips. After applying your tinted moisturizer, sweep cheeks with cheek stain Dollface. For the smoky-eye look that works all day long, line your eyes with a kohl liner, and smudge with empasEYES waterproof shadow/liner in charcoal to add depth at the lash line. Curl lashes and add several coats of mascara, then brush brows in an upward motion. Finish with a swipe of new LipSurgence, a natural mint-flavored lip stain.
We had the opportunity to sample the LipSurgence in “amused,” a wonderfully bright fuschia shade. We can vouch that it adds just the right amount of color to your face without rubbing off on your wine glass.
Although Vancouver, BC is a three-hour drive from my home in Washington state, I venture up there every six weeks or so for hair care at Ian Daburn Salon and to indulge in one of my favorite day spas. Here are my top ten day spas (listed alphabetically) in the vibrant Canadian city of Vancouver. Divine, indeed!
Absolute Spa has two downtown locations: Century Plaza Hotel at 1015 Burrard St. and the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver at 900 W. Georgia St. Call 604-248-2772 for appointments at both. The spa at the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver is Vancouver’s “first spa for men,” and features a 75-minute Gentleman’s Facial ($125 CDN). But the spa is women friendly, too.
2. EvelineCharles Spa and Salon
EvelineCharles Spa and Salon, 1495 W. 11th, 604-678-566. This is a sleekly whitewashed second story haven located in the shopping-friendly South Granville Rise area. Get down and dirty with the Mud Slide ($245 CDN), a soothing treatment that includes a mud bath, mud wrap, massage and moisturizer. Mmmm!
3. Miraj Hammam Spa
Miraj Hammam Spa, 1495 W. 6th, 604-733-5151. Middle Eastern treatments are featured here, including the Hammam and Gommage, an exotic steam and exfoliation process, followed by a 30-minute massage ($125 CDN). Luxuriate afterwards In the Sultana Lounge with tea and sweet cakes.
4. Breathe Spa
Breathe Spa, 325 Howe St., Suite 501, 604-688-4769. This sanctuary is tucked away in the fifth floor of the Pacific Coast Building in the heart of the city. Indulge in the “Out of This World” package ($215 CDN) that includes a two-hour Breathe Facial followed by a two-hour Hot Stone Therapy Massage.
5. Skoah
Skoah, 1011 Hamilton Street, 604-642-0200. This is the spot to get the skinny on skin. Featuring its own product lines, the small menu of facials includes everything from a “quickie facial” ($30 CDN) to the more intense “face, peepers and pout” treatment ($100 CDN). Located in trendy Yaletown and just a few flip-flops away from the Opus Hotel, by far the hippest hotel in the ‘hood.
Looking to kick things up a notch this Valentine’s Day and really pull out all the stops as far as looking your glamorous and fabulous best? Opulence Lashes has a beautiful line of faux lashes that are sure to impress and will have you looking like something out of a fantasy photo shoot. The ‘Calliope’ design above features thick black lashes with a border of pretty diamante stones and two feathers projecting off the outer edge (they call it ‘wild west’ but I think it looks anything but). All the lashes are handmade and presented in a protective case. £125-£175
NOT SOAP, RADIO, a Greek beauty product company popular with celebs from Anna Kendrick to Penelope Cruz, has released a fabulous line of products we can use to pamper ourselves just like the stars.
I’m Not Here, I’m Really Walking the Red Carpet is a set of three items: Exfoliating Sugared Body Polish, Body Souffle Body Whipped Lotion, and Just Glow Dry Oil Perfume Spray in a series of “I’m Not Here, I’m Really …” collections. Fans of the black and red currant, rose and jasmine blend Red Carpet set include Reese Witherspoon, Jennifer Aniston and Courteney Cox among others. For $59, you can have the same set — and there’s free shipping on orders over $50, as well as free samples available.
Our question is, do they use them for walking the red carpet, or for nights when they wish they were? Other collections include:
I’m not here, I’m really meditating in a zen garden — lotus flower, cooling greens, ginger, melon
I’m not here, I’m really at the country club — Champagne sugar: lemon, bergamot, dew fruit, pineapple, gardenia
I’m not here, I’m really up at a mountain retreat — rhubarb, wild spearmint, jasmine, lily of the valley, vanilla
I’m not here, I’m really on holiday in Tuscany — tangerine, neroli, bergamot, lime, sweet tea
I’m not here, I’m really island hopping — coconut, lemongrass, vanilla, verbena, musk
I’m not here, I’m really on vacation in a quaint seaside village — nectarine blossom, honey, peach, black currant, green mandarin
Those all sound like better places to be than our humble bathtubs. Let Not Soap, Radio transport you.
Treating yourself to a day or week at the spa can be one of life’s most relaxing and rejuvenating experiences — good for both body and soul. A good spa should be staffed with knowledgeable and licensed staff that can answer all your questions and responsibly recommend treatments based on your individual needs, but it never hurts to educate yourself in advance and take charge of your own well being. In addition to understanding what some spas won’t tell you, it’s also important to understand how different spa treatments and therapies can affect your health.
We’ve all got our own versions of what love is and what it smells like. Heart of Gold, Ralph Lauren’s luxury-edition spray parfum offers his take on romance in a bottle continuing his Love fragrance line. The scent is unabashedly sweet. Described as an extravagant flororiental it has notes of warm amber, magnolia and orris root butter and with a dose of Bulgarian rose and ylang ylang. The fragrance has a sweet berry like opening and the scent that lingers is soft, floral and a bit traditional. This is not the scent of danger, sex or intrigue, it is a scent that suits Valentine’s Day in its unassuming, unabashedly feminine style. The 1.7 ounce eau de parfum spray sells for $90 in a golden metal heart-shaped bottle with Ralph Lauren’s signature along the bottle’s edge . The fragrance is available at Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue stores and just in time for Valentine’s Day. Saks Fifth Avenue will be offering engraving tomorrow.
First created back in 1875 by Henry Creed, Private Collection Tabarome has a rich history and has maintained a strong following over the years. Unfortunately production of the “warm, rich, clubby blend” is being permanently halted due to changes in the Earth’s climate and only poor quality natural ingredients being available. The last 50 bottles of the fragrance, previously part of the company President’s private collection, are being sold — 25 online via the website and 25 in the New York boutique on 67th St and Madison Ave.
Private Collection Tabarome has top notes of bergamot and citrus, middle notes of pepper, and base notes of sandalwood, ambergris, and pepper and comes in a caramel Italian leather wrapped spray can embossed with the CREED logo and etched with the company’s Paris address. $405
I was a fan of the previous Henri Bendel signature line (the rare mimosa was my favorite) so I’m curious about the new line from the luxury department store Henri Bendel. Last year Henri Bendel decided to stop selling clothing and focus on accessories and beauty products. The store has launched a new line of six signature scents with very tempting scent descriptions. Rose & Oud is described as girly but glam with strawberry leaves, violet, sugary pink jasmine and a balance of oud. Gardenia & Vanilla is a a subtle and soft scent that gently seduces with peach blossoms, lily of the valley, fresh gardenia, and vanilla. A little peppier is the Persian Lime & Pepper which has notes of Rio red grapefruit, bold black pepper and sweet-scented basil. Sunny citrus enlivens Orange Blossom & Jasmine which has sugary Clementine, tangy tangerine, and bouquets of Sumatra lily. Patcchouli fleur and lotus blossoms give Incense & Musk its exotic profile.Grapefruit & Vetiver is tangy and tart but balanced by cooling cypress and mellowed musk. All the scents sell for $65 for a 50 ml Eau de Parfum.
Whether you’re pulling off the sexy smoky eye look or just want your eye makeup to last longer, the secret is all in your technique. You don’t need to spend a lot of money to replicate a celebrity-inspired look, but you do need to apply powder to eyelids using certain color combinations and blend colors in just the right areas.
Get that runway-inspired look you crave with these essential tips for applying eye shadow from the country’s top makeup artists:
1. Apply eye shadow wet. Dab a layer of alcohol-free toner onto your lids before sweeping on your favorite shadow to increase the shadow’s staying power. The “trick is to mist the eye shadow, not drench it”, says celebrity makeup artist Elke Von Freudenberg.
2. Use shimmer powder to enhance the smoky eye look. Combine your dark brown or pewter shadow with gold or silver shimmer for the ultimate celebrity-inspired look. Celebrity makeup artist www.christopherdrummond.com/Christopher Drummond points out that the key to achieving beautiful and sexy, smoky eyes is to “keep the darker shades toward the outer crease and the shimmer highlights toward the inner crease of the eye”.
The newly renovated Four Seasons Los Angeles at Beverly Hills is offering a sexy massage for couples that could be the perfect way to give the object of your affections something you can share.
The Lover’s Duet Couples Massage is a 60 or 90 minute treatment in a private suite for two. Champagne elixirs infused with dark chocolate and passionfruit will be given to you in your rose petal-adorned room as romantic music plays, lulling you and your honey into sweet relaxation. At the end of your massage, you’ll be given bath salts and custom blended massage oil to take home.
If you’d like to know how to use that massage oil, you can have a 30 minute training session with one of the spa’s leading massage therapists (for an additional $105). Now that’s an everlasting Valentine’s Day gift ($380-$90 without the massage training).
But wait. From February 12-14, your Valentine’s Day indulgences can be even more comprehensive — The Everlasting Valentine’s Day package ($535) includes a cocktail and breakfast for two, accommodations, and a private meeting with custom perfume specialist Kedra Hart of Opus Oils’ Jitterbug Perfume Parlour. Couples will be guided on an “aromatic journey” and create their very own fragrance, which will be given to them in the form of a 2 oz Eau de Parfum spray and a travel sized roll-on (formula will be kept on file, refills available).
Even if you don’t normally splurge for Valentine’s Day, don’t you both deserve a little pampering? You could split the cost and get it for each other. Visit the website or call (310) 273-2222 to book an appointment.
Lafco New York has just the thing to help shopping mavens destress after a tough day of swiping the Amex — a new collection of eight candles named after the world’s most famous shopping streets. Appropriately named the Avenue Candle Collection, the collection comprises Canton Road, Ave Montaigne, Bloor Street, Madison Avenue, Via Condotti, Bond Street, Stoleschnikov, and Bahnhofstrasse. All boast 75 - 85 hours burn time from a clean-burning soy wax blend, and the hand-blown glass vessels are hand-dipped in platinum or gold. $48 each
Tired of your black laptop blending into the background? Then spice it up by getting one of Dell’s laptops festooned with a more personalized shade, courtesy of nail lacquer experts OPI. Now you can customize your Dell laptop (Mini, Inspiron, or Studio) with one of 26 OPI shades using the Dell Design Studio. Just perusing the names can be fun, never mind the color: “I’m Not Really a Waitress” (shown), “Green-wich Village,” “No Room for the Blues,” “Rosy Future,” and “A Grape Fit!” are just a few. View all the available colors.
Valentine’s Day tradition calls for flowers and chocolates but spa treatments incorporating sugar, chocolate and other sweets is another more modern option. A variety of spas and centers are offering very tempting options for extra luxurious pampering.
The Medical Spa at Nova in Ashburn, VA (just outside of D.C.) is featuring several exclusive spa packages for Valentine’s Day including the “scrumptious” Sweet & Savory Body Scrub Package ($90). Nova’s invigorating brown sugar body scrub includes Mediterranean lemon, mandarin, grapefruit, and lemon petigrain essential oils with brown sugar and a steam shower and sauna with chocolates and a rose on check out. The Girl’s Best Friend Package offers a merlot bath, spa lunch, glass of champagne, a diamond radiance facial and a box of chocolate and a rose all for $250.
Check out more sweet spa experiences in the gallery below.
Luxist visited the recently renovated Surrey Hotel and its beautiful new day spa, Spa at the Surrey, on Manhattan’s Upper East Side. 
How to Create a Home Sanctuary originally appeared on Luxist on Thu, 11 Mar 2010 09:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Finding the right balance between moisturized skin and greasy skin is a constant struggle, especially during the winter months. With most cremes, you have to pile it on in the morning at the risk of getting dry flaky skin, and then risk getting greasy skin come afternoon. Each winter season I find myself experimenting with a new routine of moisturizers to keep my face soft and yet not oily. It’s an ebb and flow between dry and greasy that makes me long for springtime skin with every cold city day. 
According to 
Over at Milk Studios, 
NOT SOAP, RADIO
Treating yourself to a day or week at the spa can be one of life’s most relaxing and rejuvenating experiences — good for both body and soul. A good spa should be staffed with knowledgeable and licensed staff that can answer all your questions and responsibly recommend treatments based on your individual needs, but it never hurts to educate yourself in advance and take charge of your own well being. In addition to understanding 
Whether you’re pulling off the sexy smoky eye look or just want your eye makeup to last longer, the secret is all in your technique. You don’t need to spend a lot of money to replicate a celebrity-inspired look, but you do need to apply powder to eyelids using certain color combinations and blend colors in just the right areas.
The newly renovated 
Lafco New York
