beauty

Gifts from  the Heart

It's February and the stores are filled with pink hearts and everything that can even remotely be connected with St. Valentine's Day. There are ways, though, that we can avoid the commercial pressure and still enjoy the romantic side of this season.

If you are far away from the one you want to be near, send a special gift package. Pick a CD with music you both enjoy, a packet of dried rose petals for the bathtub along with some fragrant bath salts, and a vanilla aromatherapy candle to complete the ambiance.

Or wrap an organic body lotion and rosehip herb tea in a cute hand towel. Make a gift card on the front with a photo of a special time you spent together. Enclose a phone card with a message to call.

Men like special gifts too, so don't think this is just a female fixation.  Remember, as well, that you don't have to wait for Valentine's Day to remember someone you love. Send a gift any time of the year just because you want to; it will make their day!

Get to Know a Spa

When new spas open they often offer introductory specials or "get-to-know-us" days. Some also offer free mini-treatments allowing prospective clients to experience the spa. They both offer an opportunity for you to walk around the spa, meet the estheticians, and evaluate the quality of the treatments. On your rounds, check the standard of hygiene. Do they sterilize their equipment after each client?

Before your tour, check the spa's brochure; they may offer treatments you are not familiar with such as hot stone massage, lymphatic massage, or sea salt exfoliation massage. Ask questions about the benefits of each treatment compared to a regular massage. The same applies to manicures and pedicures. You may pay double for a hot stone pedicure when a foot massage and nail trimming was what you really wanted.

Since some spas have their own lines of lotions and spa products, ask for a tester to sample and ask questions about the ingredients in the products.

Don't forget to check out the treatments specifically designed for men. You may find some ideas for that so hard-to-buy-for executive in your life. Your visit may also give you tips on how you can improve your home spa treatments and possibly an idea or two for your own gift wish list.