One of our fabulous estheticians, Debbie has some great holiday skin care advice for you:

“It’s all About that Face, no Trouble!

In light of the hustle and bustle of holiday shopping, shipping and schlepping, the holidays truly are the most wonderful time of year. Generosity abounds, goodwill towards mankind seems effortless. However as important as finding the perfect gift, so is allowing yourself the much needed time to refresh your skin and to give your face the attention it deserves!

Dehydration, dark circles, and tired stress lines are in part due to the hectic pace we keep. Constant indoor/outdoor temperature fluctuation wreaks havoc on your complexion. For your skin to look its best be sure to schedule the time for a professional facial. As your esthetician, we will assess your immediate needs and provide your FACIAL fix as well as help you with your long-term aging remedies. Be sure to drink more water during the winter months because the body works harder to stay warm and uses up its moisture reservoir. Also, consider a humidifier* in your bedroom as this will make a huge improvement on your skin’s moisture retention. Above all, be sure to use a high quality night cream… it’s the most important time for your skin to replenish and restore lost nutrients preparing for yet another day of holiday havoc! 🙂 “

*I use this humidifier and I love it. I definitely notice a difference since using it. Just make sure to clean your humidifier on a regular basis.

Debbie’s top choices for night time care:

• SKIN REGIMEN NIGHT RENEWER by Comfort Zone
• RENIGHT by Comfort Zone
• HYDRA PURE INTENSE MOISTURE CREAM by Dr. Dennis Gross

Click HERE to view our many facials and then call us to schedule your facial with Debbie or any of our other talented estheticians. I can tell you from experience, you will not be disappointed! My personal favorite is the Mega Peel Facial but your esthetician will help you decide which facial best fits your needs.

I would also recommend the Clarisonic (we carry a variety of colors). I LOVE it! My mom gave me the Clarisonic for Christmas one year and it is by far one of my most favorite gifts. I use it everyday and I love how much it has improved my skin. Feel free to ask Debbie or any of our other estheticians if you would like to learn more about the clarisonic or any of our other skin care products.

I made these really yummy cookies for Thanksgiving and more since then just to enjoy at home. I can’t say they were a huge hit with my T-Day crowd (I think the pies and other sweets upstaged them) but I love them. They’re not terribly sweet which I like. You can make them plain or dipped in chocolate. The chocolate adds the perfect amount of sweetness. The ingredients are so great, I’ll enjoy a plain one (or chocolate dipped depending on my mood) with breakfast.

Recipe: Easy Dark Chocolate-Dipped Pumpkin Cookies by Elizabeth Rider

Notes:

• This recipe really doesn’t make a lot. I doubled it
• Typically, I try to reduce the sugar in recipes. For a double batch, I used 4 tbsp maple syrup
• I had a LOT of chocolate left from 12 oz. chocolate for a double batch. I was able to use the leftover chocolate for the 2nd round of these cookies and still had some leftover. Next time, I will get 6oz. chocolate and that should be more than enough

Who’s making cookies? What kinds? Please let me know if you have a recipe I should try.

Speaking of sweets, if you missed the post on our FB page about sneaky sugar, check it out here. Yet another reason showing you how important it is to read your food labels carefully. Helping you navigate these sneaky encounters is one of the many benefits of having a Health Coach. As always, feel free to contact me with any sugar, label reading, or other health and wellness questions you might have. I enjoy hearing from you! Alyssa@www.amesalonandspa.com