Shizuka New York Day Spa Blog

Women didn’t always feel the need to shave, wax, and laser hair removal away their underarm hair and, even though your grandmother probably never heard of such a thing, Brazilian waxes could be “the prevailing look for most women these days” according to a recent Allure blog post.  Men’s grooming is also going places that were probably unimaginable a mere decade or two ago, and men of all sorts are shaving, waxing, and plucking away.

Metrosexuals and übersexuals such as David Beckham (pictured above) have told men it’s okay to look pretty, and shows like Queer Eye for the Straight Guy have assured men that fortifying their hair with products will not strip them of their masculinity.

A new campaign from Gillette also aims to push the male grooming envelope with the catchphrase, “sweaters are meant to be worn, not grown.”  Take a look at the hilarious instructional video:

Here at Shizuka New York Day Spa we can attest that men are definitely becoming more image conscious and are partaking in men’s facials, manicures, and pedicures with increasing enthusiasm, in addition to the traditional chest and back waxes.

What do you think?  Is metrosexual grooming a huge advance for ‘mankind,’ or should we just let men be men?

In case you need yet another reason to eat your veggies like mom always told you to, Penn State University has recently found that compounds found in green vegetables such as broccoli and cabbage, when combined with selenium, could be a potent drug to fight melanoma.

So far, the new skin cancer treatment has only been tested on lab mice, but researchers speculate that the new drug could be effectively delivered to humans intravenously, or as an additive in sunscreen products.

Source: Penn State Live

Federal officials in Washington State indicted three beauty salon proprieters this week for administering phony Botox and for trying to bribe an officer to overlook an unauthorized laser device.

In the first instance, Xin “Faith” He of Natural Beauty in Bellvue, WA told clients she was injecting Botox and the hyaluronic acid dermal filler Restylane when in fact she was injecting counterfeit substances. Her actions led to at least two reported negative reactions since 2004 that required a dermatologist’s or plastic surgeon’s care.  One victim (pictured above), who wished to remain anonymous, remarked, “My face looked like Frankenstein’s.”

In the second case, the two owners of Crystal Nails in Burien are charged with offering an official an $800 bribe to overlook a dangerous and unapproved radiation-emitting laser treatment they had imported.

In the quest for beauty, always be cautious.  Botox is a safe and effective treatment that should only be administered by a licensed doctor, and preferably one who specializes in the face (such as Dr. Silich at Shizuka New York Medical Spa).  Beware of cheap Botox knockoffs.  Botox is an FDA approved substance manufactured in the US by Allergan.  In addition, laser facial treatments should only be performed by highly trained skin care technicians.  Don’t be afraid to ask your aesthetician questions about the treatment and equipment they are using.

If you have questions about Botox Cosmetic or laser facial rejuvenation, please feel free to schedule a free consultation with Shizuka, or email your question to blog@shizukany.com.

Source: Seattle Times
Photo Source: KOMO News

Short for Light Emitting Diodes, LED facials are becoming increasingly popular these days in the skincare and spa industries because they provide excellent facial rejuvenation and anti-aging results in a gentle and convenient process appropriate for all skin types. So what exactly does LED treatment do?

Light emitting diodes are all around us in alarm clocks, traffic lights and Times Square billboards alike.  However, the LEDs in skincare treatments such as Shizuka New York Day Spa’s GentleWaves Facial ($150, 30 min) are specially coded to emit light that encourages the skin to rejuvenate itself.  Similar to photosynthesis in plants, photomodulation helps to stimulate cellular renewal and stimulate collagen formation without pain or injury to the skin.

An FDA-approved procedure, GentleWaves facial treatment gradually diminishes the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and can also reduce inflammation and irritation after procedures such as photo facials, facial peels and microdermabrasion.  The perfect add-on to any Shizuka New York Day Spa facial, GentleWaves treatment is $80 with any of our facials.  GentleWaves is also popular as a non-invasive alternative to injectables such as Botox, Juvederm and Restylane.

For more information about GentleWaves treatment at Shizuka Day Spa in NYC, please call 212.644.7400 or email contact@shizukany.com.

Uh-oh!  It looks like years of excessive sun, drinking, and smoking can catch up to even the most beautiful among us!

British supermodel Kate Moss learned this the hard way when she saw pictures of a recent St. Tropez vacation posted online.  35-year-old Kate was shocked to see that her skin had seriously aged.

According to a Daily Mail source:

“Kate didn’t like seeing pictures of the state of her skin while she was on holiday. She knows it’s down to her lifestyle, so she is deciding to try a particular health plan to help regain a fresh look.”

As a result of seeing her deep forehead wrinkles, crow’s feet, and blemishes, Kate has decided to turn over a new leaf and lead a healthier lifestyle by cutting down on the drinking and smoking, revising her diet, and upping her water intake.

These are all great steps and we applaud Kate.  As we’ve stated in previous posts, excessive sun exposure, drinking and smoking can be serious skin-agers.  It’s so important to remember that our lifestyles directly affect the way we look on the outside.  Exposure to the sun’s UV rays leads to wrinkles, sun damage, and potentially skin cancer (also take a look at this post on tanorexia). Too much drinking can dehydrate the body and affect the quality of our regenerative sleep. Smoking robs the body and skin of essential Vitamin C and can also lead to hyperpigmentation and wrinkles.

For anyone feeling like Kate, we recommend microdermabrasion or chemical peeling procedures to even out the skin texture and Botox Cosmetic at our New York City Medical Spa to smooth forehead wrinkles and crow’s feet in addition to leading a healthier lifestyle.

Source: Daily Mail

A recent study suggests that burning paraffin wax candles (the most commonly found type) may actually have negative health implications.

In addition to their heat, light and fragrance, paraffin wax candles also release harmful carcinogens and air pollutants, the study indicates.

According to researcher Amid Hamidi , Ph.D., “An occasional paraffin candle and its emissions will not likely affect you, but lighting many paraffin candles every day for years or lighting them frequently in an un-ventilated bathroom around a tub, for example, may cause problems.”  Hamidi also suggested that certain people believed to suffer from indoor allergy or respiratory problems may in fact be victims of candle air pollution.

Candle lovers should not give up all hope because soy and beeswax candles are said to be safer, although sometimes more expensive.

The moral of the story? Always read the label, and ventilate any rooms where candles are burning.

Source: Science Daily

Apparently director Quentin Tarantino made a big exception to his rule of no actors sleeping on the set for Brad Pitt while they were filming Inglourious Basterds.  The notoriously unwielding Tarantino supposedly allowed Pitt his beauty sleep because “Brad has a big family [six children and partner Angelina Jolie] and sleeping at work is the only chance he gets.”  Brad’s cat naps raise the question: “Does beauty sleep really work?” because something is obviously working or the multiple “Sexiest Man Alive” awardee.

There are many claims out there that sleep increases cell turnover in the skin, repairs its barrier and even stimulates collagen formation.  Others contend that this process could be ongoing and not limited to deep sleep, and while there is some contention over whether or not sleep can truly stave off wrinkles, no one denies that sleep is vital to the health of the body.  Sleep is the body’s time to renew itself and rejuvenate.  Lack of sleep can lead to many problems in waking hours such as physical exhaustion, irritability, memory loss, and impairment of the immune system. From a cosmetic standpoint, we are all familiar with that puffy appearance, especially under the eyes, that can result from a late night out.

Perhaps “beauty sleep” is a slight misnomer. In addition to sleeping for our beauty, let’s all make sure to make time to sleep for our health and beauty!

Spa Week has recently announced an impressive $1000 gift card giveaway contest.  In addition to the grand prize, they will also be giving away five $100 gift cards to lucky entrants.

Fall Spa Week will be October 12-18, 2009 in New York City, with full details of participating spas and treatments available on the Spa Week website on September 11th. Spa Week in certain states, including California, will take place September 14-20.

To enter the Spa Week online gift card sweepstakes, visit this link through October 31, 2009. FYI, you have to refer 5 friends.

Stay tuned to the Shizuka New York Day Spa Blog for more information about New York Spa Week to come in following weeks and posts.

Beneath all that makeup celebrity skin is sometimes a disaster and other times a revelation. Here are our top picks for flawless celebrity skin in a special 5-part post:

#1 – Anne Hathaway

As our number one pick for celebs with flawless skin, Anne Hathaway has truly amazing skin. In this high definition age, she always displays a clear, even and healthy complexion that is unrivaled in the industry.

Anne obviously follows the rules of beautiful skin and most definitely limits her sun exposure and stays away from tanning beds as evidenced by her perfect porcelain skin that would rival that of a geisha.  However, she did have a funny spray-on tan incident in her recent picture Bride Wars (see left).

We look forward to seeing more of Anne and her flawless skin in the future and are waiting in great anticipation for her next role as the ‘White Queen’ in Tim Burton’s adaptation of Alice in Wonderland (opening March 5, 2010), also starring Johhny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter.

If you have any favorite celebs that you think we’ve left out, please feel free to leave a comment or email blog@shizukany.com.

L: Anne Hathaway as the ‘White Queen’ in Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland (2010)
R: Click to view the movie trailer

Beneath all that makeup celebrity skin is sometimes a disaster and other times a revelation.  Here are our top picks for flawless celebrity skin in a special 5-part post:

#2 – Halle Berry

Halle Berry is known for her impressive acting skills (which won her an Academy Award in 2001 for Monster’s Ball) coupled with her stunning natural beauty.  We have always appreciated her smooth, soft skin and virtually pore-less complexion both as comic book icon and Bond girl.

Stay tuned for our #1 pick in tomorrows blog post!

Beneath all that makeup celebrity skin is sometimes a disaster and other times a revelation.  Here are our top picks for flawless celebrity skin in a special 5-part post:

#3 – Angelina Jolie

As a mother of six, humanitarian, United Nations goodwill ambassador, and award-winning actress Angelina Jolie surely has her plate full.  However, she still manages to look effortlessly radiant whether she is on the red carpet, searching for lost treasure, or for a lost son as in her recent Academy Award nominated performance in Changeling.

Beneath all that makeup celebrity skin is sometimes a disaster and other times a revelation.  Here are our top picks for flawless celebrity skin in a special 5-part post:

#4: Jennifer Aniston

It’s hard to believe that the first Friends episode premiered nearly 15 years ago because it looks like Jen has not aged a day since her times at Central Perk (we all certainly want to know what her beauty secrets are!).  Always sporting a natural or neutral look, Jen’s skin is flawless whether on the red carpet or on the street (above) as she was seen this past week in New York City.

Apparently Jen’s next movie Pumas is about 30-something women who go after younger men. With her youthful complexion Jen should have no problem pulling that one off!

Beneath all that makeup celebrity skin is sometimes a disaster and other times a revelation.  Here are our top picks for flawless celebrity skin in a special 5-part post:

#5 – Meryl Streep

Meryl Streep’s skin has always been flawless and at age 60 she proves that beauty is truly timeless. A red carpet regular, her natural beauty has been under the international spotlight for decades.

Meryl Streep’s soft and refined skin always photographs well whether she is a bohemian hotel-owner, a nun in full habit, a devilishly cold fashionista, or a culinary icon as in her upcoming movie Julie and Julia.

What could be more dramatic than cosmetic surgery voyeurism?  Apparently this is the concept behind Oxygen‘s new reality tv show, ‘Addicted to Beauty’ which premiered on Tuesday.

Set in a La Jolla, CA medical spa called Changes Plastic Surgery, ATB shows that rich housewives of New York City and Orange County aren’t the only ones entitled to nip, tuck and inject Botox. They’re also not the only ones with drama.

As the New York Daily News describes it, “this workplace has more nasty conflicts than “The Office,” “30 Rock” and “Ugly Betty” put together.”

We are especially fond of the redhead, back and center in this promotional photo, who happens to be the owner of Changes.  She is quoted on Addicted to Beauty‘s official website:

How do you count procedures? Do you count botox as procedure, restylane, laser resurfacing or just going under the knife? I’ve had tons of Botox and the other non-surgical procedures. I go in every six months or more if needed for these non-surgical procedures. For the surgical procedures, I’ve had more than 5 and less than 10.

Addicted to Beauty airs Tuesdays at 10pm on Oxygen.

Do Pore Strips Really Work?

Pore strips have become increasingly popular in the United States over the past decade, and have been popular in Japan even longer.  The thought of pulling out all your blackheads in a single swipe with a pore strip is definitely appealing, and it can be rather interesting or disgusting, depending on your point of view, to see those blackheads lined up after you use a pore strip.

Pore strips can sometimes be useful as part of an at-home skincare regimen.  However, when overused and misused, they also have the potential to do more harm than good.  Many brands of pore strips are currently available in supermarkets, drug stores, and wherever skin care products are sold.  In general, pore strips use an adhesive to grab onto blackheads.  When the pore strip is removed, it pulls the blackheads out of the pores, similar to the way waxing pulls out unwanted hair.

Potential Problems with Pore Strips

Because of the adhesive nature of pore strips, they tend to leave the skin very sensitive.  If overused, this can lead to irritation.  Those with sensitive skin and acne should not use pore strips because they may aggravate the skin conditions already present.

When a pore strip pulls out blackheads it leaves the pores wide open and easy to fill with more dirt, oil and bacteria.  If nothing is done to sterilize and close the pores this can lead to irritation, acne breakouts, and gaping pores.

How to Use Pore Strips

If you choose to use pore strips, please use them sparingly—once every two weeks at most.  Make sure that you cleanse your skin beforehand with a cleanser appropriate for your skin type.  After you apply and remove the pore strip, be sure to follow with a good toner (try Shizuka NY’s Skin Freshener) that will act as an astringent and also help to close your pores.  Don’t forget to finish with a light oil-free moisturizer (dry, dead skin cells will create new blackheads).

Keep in mind that a facial treatment is always the best solution.  A professional aesthetician is best equipped to remove blackheads in a safe and sanitary way with the least chance for irritation or infection.

Recommended Skin Care Products for Blackheads and Pores

Shizuka NY Skincare Multi HA Daily Pads (60 Pads, $27.00)
Shizuka NY Skincare MinaPore Touchstick ($32.00)

The cucumber, an age old spa cliche, is possibly on its way to a comeback, although not in the way you might think.  A new U.K. study found that certain fruits and vegetables may hydrate the body twice as effectively as a glass of water.  The minerals, sugars and hydrating salts in these raw foods work in a similar way to hydrating sports drinks according to researchers at the University of Aberdeen who concluded that eating foods such as watermelon, cucumbers, papaya and celery could hydrate people better than sports drinks and even water itself.

Watermelons are 92 percent water in addition to being rich in rehydration salts calcium, magnesium, potassium and sodium, and also Vitamin C, beta carotene and lycopene which can help protect the body from UV radiation.

Cucumbers can produce twice the amount of hydration as plain water due to their 96 percent water makeup and mineral balance.

Body hydration is essential to maintaining healthy and youthful skin.  Moisturizing products can only go so far if you are not hydrating from the inside-out as well as outside-in.  Next time you think about putting cucumber slices on your eyes, you may want to consider eating them instead.

More information at the Daily Mail Online.

As the perfect mini-getaway from NYC, or before you head out to the beach this summer try one of Shizuka NY’s Mini Spa Package specials good through Labor Day, September 7, 2009.

Classic Facial + Eyelash Tinting or Eyebrow Tinting $150 $132

Classic Facial + Eyelash Perm $200 $176

Classic Facial + 50 Minute Swedish Massage $215 $189.20

Don’t forget that the T-Zone Facial is also on special through Labor Day.