Shizuka New York Day Spa Blog

Shizuka New York Day Spa hopes you had a safe and fun Labor Day weekend.  Looking ahead to the the fall, facial peels are a great way to treat skin distressed from too much summer sun and sunscreen products.

Take 10% off these three great facial peels at our New York City day spa through October 11, 2009!

Lunchtime Chemical Peel ($150 $135)
“Crystal Peel” Microdermabrasion Treatment ($250 $225)
T-Zone Facial ($140 $126)

Learn more about these facial deals by taking a look at our spa newsletter.

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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.

A few weeks back the U.K.’s Daily Mail posted some not-so-posh photos of Posh Spice who had an acne breakout at the time.

Acne is a serious problem for many people.   Pimples and blackheads can be embarrassing even if you are not a celebrity on a magazine cover.  The Geisha Facial is an excellent facial treatment for all skin types, including acneic.  Also highly recommended for acne treatment are the Acne Facial with Intense Pulsed Light and the new T-Zone Facial.

Apparently Posh has been battling acne since her teenage years and has recently turned to Geisha Facials to treat acne:

Victoria has been regularly indulging in £100 Geisha Facials, using a paste made from nightingale droppings.

A friend told Closer magazine recently: ‘When Victoria was in Japan recently she was admiring the local women’s clear skin and discovered it was down to these facials.

‘She was intrigued and when she got back to the US she found that some New York beauty salons now offer the treatment.

‘She tried it and loved how great her skin looked.’

Hopefully Posh will get back on the Poo!

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Dear Shizuka,

Other than protecting my skin from the sun’s UV rays, do you have any other secrets for beautiful skin?

Yumiko

Dear Yumiko,

Thank you for posting our first question!  It’s true that sun protection is so important to keep your skin looking beautiful, especially during the summer.  Here is some other advice to keep your skin looking youthful and radiant:

• Hydrate Your Body, Hydrate Your Skin
  Never forget that so much of your body (including your skin) is water.  Drinking enough water is so important to maintaining a healthy body and also  keeping your skin healthy.  Use moderation when eating and drinking things that can dehydrate you such as salty foods, alcohol and coffee, and always choose water above processed soft drinks and juice products.
• Eat Well, Look Great
  Having a diet that is rich in vitamins and minerals makes you feel and look better and this also applies to your skin.  Raw vegetables and fruits carry so many of the necessary nutrients our bodies and skin need to perform at their best.
• Put Out Those Butts
  Smoking has many health risks, and among these it also causes the skin to age more rapidly.  Smoking can affect the levels of Vitamin C, collagen and blood flow in your skin that can result in increased fine lines and wrinkles.
• Remember that Skincare Should be Seasonal
  If you are using the same skincare routine all yearlong, you are not getting the most benefit from your efforts.  As the seasons change and temperature and humidity vary you also need to make small changes to your routine.  For example, a moisturizer that made your skin feel amazing all winter long might now leave you feeling a little oily or congested in the NYC summer, and you might want to search for a lighter one.   A good rule of thumb is to change your skincare routine when you change your wardrobe.  For more tips on this subject, please take a look at our post on seasonal skincare for the summer.
• Have a Facial Treatment
  Having a facial treatment with a licensed skin care professional is a great way to keep your skin clear and balanced.  At Shizuka New York Day Spa, our facial treatments such as the Classic Facial (50 minutes, $110) include many important steps such as a thorough examination and cleansing of the skin, exfoliation, pore cleansing, facial massage to stimulate circulation, and hydration.  Some of these steps are best left to a professional, and I recommend you come in and try a facial treatment here such as the Classic Facial or our new T-Zone Facial.

In case you can’t make it to the spa soon, here’s some quick advice on giving yourself an at-home DIY facial that I gave to Marie Claire magazine:

“For a rejuvenating facial, start by cleansing twice.  The first time removes surface debris; the second time deep-cleans skin.  Open your pores by placing a steaming hand towel on your face for a minute.  Next, exfoliate with an enzyme mask; rinse off with cold water to close pores.  Finally, smooth on a light moisturizer using upward strokes.”

Stay tuned for Part 2 of this post in which I will discuss my favorite anti-aging ingredients you should look for in skincare products, and keep the questions coming by posting a comment on this blog or emailing blog@shizukany.com.

Sincerely,
Shizuka Bernstein

Shizuka New York Day Spa is proud to introduce the T-Zone Facial, an acne treatment, just in time for summer.  As a special introductory offer, Shizuka is offering the T-Zone Facial, normally $140, at a $20 discount through Labor Day.

What is a t-zone?
T Zone is the nickname for a group of areas on the face that are most prone to acne breakouts and excess shine in people with oily and combination skin types.

If you look at your face in the mirror, draw an imaginary T that covers the forehead, nose and chin.  Many people have an excess of oil, whiteheads (pimples) and blackheads that are concentrated in these areas.

During the summer heat and humidity, these problems can often become more troublesome.

Shizuka New York Day Spa’s new T-Zone Facial acne treatment is the perfect summer remedy that combines cleansing using Shizuka’s all-natural products with a Lactic acid exfoliation and painless pore extractions focused on the t-zone area.

Lactic acid is highly effective at gently removing dead skin and debris while Shizuka’s pore extraction technique maximizes results while minimizing the squeezing, pinching and redness often associated with facial treatments.

The result is skin that is softer, smoother and clearer.

T-Zone Facial (60 minutes, $140 $120 through Labor Day, 09/07/2009)

Take a gander at this hilarious new radio talk show from The Three Tomatoes in which they discuss Botox, Michelle Pfeiffer and Shizuka New York Day Spa’s Bird Poop Facial:

In case you’re interested, you can also read PTA Mom’s original review of the Geisha Facial.

Watch the video that started all the Bird Poop Facial hype.

Here’s another very funny video in which Shizuka and an assistant perform Geisha Facials on Kathie Lee Gifford and Hoda Kotb of NBC’s Today Show.