Shizuka New York Day Spa Blog

Okay, so we know it’s cold outside in NYC, and it’s hard to even imagine summer when it’s snowing, but now is actually the perfect time for Laser Hair Removal. Take 10% off all laser hair removal in our NYC spa through March 31st, 2010 when you mention this website.

Shizuka New York Day Spa uses intense pulsed light (IPL) to permanently reduce unwanted hair in as little as five minutes. Because IPL treatment can make the skin more sensitive to sunlight, it is best performed during the winter months when the sun is less strong and when we are less likely to be outdoors.

IPL laser hair removal is great for women who want to toss out their razors and achieve smooth and groomed underarms and bikini lines. It is also perfect for men who want to permanently remove excessive back hair, or who suffer from persistent ingrown hairs in the beard area.

Schedule an IPL laser hair removal appointment today by calling Shizuka New York Day Spa at 212.644.7400 or emailing contact@shizukany.com.

Celebrity facialist Shizuka Bernstein spoke with FoxNews.com recently about ‘manscaping’ and current trends in male grooming. Over the past few years, her spa, Shizuka New York Day Spa, has seen a steady growth in the demand for men’s beauty treatments, including men’s facials, manicures & pedicures, and hair removal treatments including laser hair removal, electrolysis and waxing. The following is an excerpt. Read the full ‘manscaping’ article here.

‘Manscaping’ – 3 Ways to Get Rid of Unwanted Hair

There was a time, back in the 1970s, when a hairy chest and a few gold chains were all the rage in men’s fashion.

But the birth of “metrosexuality” over the past decade has men striving for a “smoother” look, paving the way for a movement called “manscaping.”

Men have been going for men’s facials, manicures and pedicures — grooming procedures once limited to women. And one of the more recent trends involves the removal of unwanted hair, mostly on the chest and back.

Some men try shaving the unwanted hair off, but quickly tire of the daily requirements of shaving and soon head to the salon to seek out alternatives.

“Men have been coming in for facials for a while, but I would say it’s really the last 10 years that men have been doing hair removal,” said Shizuka Bernstein, owner of Shizuka New York Day Spa in Manhattan.

Read more…

Capture from the online video “How to Use Makeup for Men“

Okay, so we’ve previously dished about the new 21st Century metrosexual man and are 100% behind great grooming and skin care for men, but finding this was still a bit of a shocker.  For the couple that shares everything, introducing his and hers…unisex makeup?

Holly Doss Cosmetics has a new line of unisex foundations, bronzers, and for the more adventurous, eyebrow mascaras, “lipstix,” eye shadow, and even blush for men (and women) who want to look their absolute best. With product names such as “BECKHAM” and “JETER” you kind of can’t go wrong. Does Derek Jeter wear foundation? We’re not sure, but apparently a portion of the proceeds of JETER under-eye concealer go to his “Turn 2″ Foundation.

What do you think…is this going to be the hot new registry item for 2010?

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?

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!