Saltridges - Lotions and Potions, Burlington

On a bright, sunny and extremely cold Saturday a few weeks ago, your intrepid Spa Travellers made a road trip to visit Saltridges, located in the scenic town of Burlington on Lake Ontario, about an hour's drive outside of Toronto. The main purpose of our trip was to buy Lipstick Queen lipsticks as, unfortunately, Lipstick Queen do not ship from their on-line store to Canada. Luckily for us, in our search for lipstick, we discovered this delightful shop filled with all manner of niche lines of make-up, perfume, body products, and home fragrance. The store sells only natural products which made us extremely happy and made it even more of a find.

Saltridges Lotions and Potions, Burlington

 

Our kind of store - Beauty with a Conscience 

Saltridges was started by two friends and product lovers, Deborah Lamarche and Nancy Salter. The store is beautifully laid out with chandeliers and products very tastefully arranged throughout the store. We had a guided tour of all the products by the two lovely ladies staffing the store, who were extremely informed on the products, where they were sourced, ingredients, background, etc. It was like having our own personal shoppers. It was better than kids in a candy store. It was your ultimate product lovers in a store filled with all manner of natural, hard to find products.  We really didn't know where to start first.  But when in doubt, perfume is always a good bet. And so we started with the natural perfumes.

 

A beautiful natural perfume by B-Essential, based on essential oils of patchouli, jasmine, woods, florals and ambers. Ummm, exquisite!

 

A selection of natural perfumes by D'Orsay, Paris.  I want one of each!

  

  

A beautiful potpourri from California made with dried roses and oranges.  Heaven.

Decorative compact mirrors with Swarovski crystals.

  

After sniffing our way through the perfumes, we then we moved on to the different product lines.

This fun line Doll Face is from California and aimed at a younger shopper.

  

Key Lime Coconut body scrubs

Love Fresh is a wonderful line of body products, containing no harmful ingredients, made in Canada.

We continued through the store oohing and ahhing, testing, and sniffing all the wonderful lines.  There were products from all over the world, Terre from Italy, based on glacial mud, Juara from Indonesia based on botanicals like rice, tamarind and candelnut oil.  There was Coola, a range of organic suncare products for body and face.  Belli for mothers to be and their babies, products formulated by a medical doctor. Lalicious body creams and scrubs.  There was a wonderful smelling hand sanitizer by Jao with lavender, eucalyptus and tea tree oils. There were Hourglass cosmetics, Geisha Ink from Japan, an entire section of men's products, a section of home fragrances and candles, and finally, last but not the least, we made our way to the display for Lipstick Queen.  By this time we were a little in overwhelm but we still managed to swatch Saint lipsticks, Sinner lipsticks, and Butterfly Ball, so many decisions to be made and so little time.


All good things must come to an end and after spending more than 2 hours in product heaven, it was time to pay for our [many] purchases and say our goodbyes.

Our purchases were packaged in tissue with gold cherubs and these stylish red bags, made from recycled products, which seemed to sum up the essence of Saltridges - beauty with a conscience.

If you would like to have as much fun as we had, contact Saltridges for directions by telephoning: 1-905-333-5959.

Nuxe Reve de Miel Foaming Bath and Shower Gel and Gentle Shampoo

I am enjoying using both these nourishing products from the Nuxe Reve de Miel range as a pick me up for the winter blahs.  As with all Nuxe products, they contain no parabens or chemical ingredients.   They are formulated using honey, lime blossom and plant oils. The Foaming Bath and Shower Gel smells wonderful and I use it for a relaxing bath or as a shower gel. Either way, it leaves my skin feeling nourished and softly scented.  The Reve de Miel Gentle Shampoo is a wonderful all purpose shampoo.  As my hair tends to be dry, I use it with the Huile Prodigieuse and put a little oil in my hair as a treatment followed by the shampoo, or if I am in a hurry, I use the shampoo first and use a little of the Huile Prodigieuse as a leave in treatment.    

I take both these products in smaller bottles to the gym and love using them in the shower after a work out. I use the Huile Prodigieuse for a hot oil treatment on my hair while I am in the sauna, and my hair turns out wonderfully silky and smooth.  Then I use a little of the Huile Prodigieuse as an all over body oil while my skin is still a little damp after my shower.  The oil sinks into my skin quickly and gets rid of the winter dryness.  So I leave the gym feeling refreshed as though I had been at the spa.

The Reve de Miel line is available with the rest of the Nuxe products at Shoppers Drug Mart and the Bay.

NUXE PARIS

I discovered Nuxe Paris for the first time last year and quickly fell in love with this wonderful brand. Consequently, it made my list of "Best Beauty Discoveries for 2009".  What drew me to the line was the fact that it was pure and natural, not tested on animals, and based on essential oils and plants. The line contains natural vital ingredients and contains no mineral oils, animal ingredients, and no harmful parabens or phenoxyethanol. (Rule of thumb: if you can't pronounce it, don't put it on your skin). Rather, Nuxe is based on nourishing plant oils such as Borage, Sweet Almond, Camellia, Hazelnut and Macadamia. These oils contain anti-aging and anti-inflammatory properties and moisturize, nourish and tone the skin naturally.  The products are also formulated with essential oils such as neroli, petigrain, orange and pine, that not only smell blissful but add healing and energizing properties, as well. 

 

 Nuxe Products

There are several ranges within the line, an extensive face care range targeted for different stages of skin care, from youth to anti-aging; Reve de Miel, a nourishing range based on honey; a range of body products, including toning and firming products; and a multi-purpose range that includes the multi purpose Huile Prodigeuse and a wonderful bronzing tint and powder.

Huile Prodigieuse

One of my must-have products that gets me through the winter is Huile Prodigieuse which is a multi-purpose dry oil.  A "dry" oil meaning one that is formulated with oils that sink into the skin quickly without leaving a heavy or greasy residue. It is a wonderful product to use on the face as a moisturizer, as a make-up base, a hair oil and a body oil.  I love the comforting feel of the oil as I use it all over my face on it's own or as a base under make-up.  With any residue on my hands, I run my fingers through my hair to give my hair some moisture before styling.  It is a morning ritual that I love and it helps me get the day started before facing the cold morning air and the commute to work.

Two other products that I love for the winter are the Reve du Miel lip balm and Ultra Comfortable Face Cream.  These products contain fir honey, acacia honey, shea butter and mango butter,  that nourish and protect and are especially good for sensitive skin, like mine. The lip balm is said to be tested "in cold Canadian winters" and going through long, cold, snowy winters in Toronto, puts any moisturizing product to the test.  The texture of the lip balm is like coating your lips with a spoon of honey  It sinks in immediately and leaves my lips soft and nourished. To get a gloss effect, I apply a light layer of the balm and then follow with lipstick.  This gives a wash of colour with a dewy finish. Another great beauty tip is to apply a thicker coat of lip balm, really massaging into the lips, and leave on overnight so the ingredients can really sink in and nourish the lips while you sleep.

Reve de Miel Lip Balm

Ultra Comfortable Face Cream

I love the texture of the Ultra Comfortable Face Cream.  It glides on like silk and leaves my face feeling nourished and moisturized. I use this as a nourishing night cream or over a few drops of Huile Prodigieuse in the day. The rich ingredients not only moisturize but also nourish the skin.

For me, the Nuxe Paris line is a real find as it combines quality ingredients sourced from nature together with the latest research.  It is truly a luxury line, at a very affordable price point. 

In Ontario, Nuxe Paris is sold at Shoppers Drug Mart and the Bay.  On line it is available through beautyhabit.com.

Yorkville School of Makeup and Esthetics - Part II - Body Treatments

George Brown Yorkville School of Makeup and Esthetics

After having such a fantastic time at the Yorkville School of Makeup and Esthetics enjoying facials, the Spa Travellers returned for a second time to have body treatments, during the student  clinic sessions. The full body treatment was given by the senior students and was 2 1/2 hours in duration, starting off with a salt glow scrub, body wrap using either clay or seaweed, followed by a full hour massage.  Normally a treatment of this type in a spa would cost upwards of $180.00.  The cost at George Brown - $40.00.     

More friends wanted to come along with us this time, but we found that not only was the evening session fully booked, but the entire class session was booked.  This is an extremely popular class with the public and at such an amazing price, you can see why.

Before beginning, we were again asked to list any allergies or health concerns that might conflict with the treatments.  The supervisor is very thorough in seeing that the appropriate treatments are used according to each individual's needs and skin type.

The treatments were given with dim lights and soft music playing in the background for a totally relaxing ambiance.  I was very happy to have Melissa for my student therapist once again, who had given me such a terrific facial in our previous visit.  All the students are extremely professional and thorough as they work, and before beginning the treatments, they check in with their clients to ensure that they are comfortable or if they have any questions.

The treatment starts off with a full body scrub using salt in a heavenly scented jojoba oil, following is a body mask using clay or algae, again scented with essential oils.  After the mask, you are  next cocooned under a foil blanket to allow the detoxifying effects of the products to work.  I was so relaxed, I found myself drifting off.  The body mask is next removed with warm towels, and  is followed by a wonderful and most professional relaxation massage that lasts a full hour.  Talk about bliss!  

The combination of salt glow and wrap help the body to detoxify and over the next few days I could really feel the effects, as I felt less bloated and lighter overall and a lot more energetic.  This is a great treatment to have during the Winter just to revive the circulation and pick up the metabolism.  I would recommend this type of treatment especially to help people kick start a diet and/or exercise program.  

The Yorkville boutique is one of the very few boutiques in Toronto that sell Paul and Joe cosmetics. We loved the cute cat packaging for the limited edition Winter collection.

Although this was just our second time at the school, students and staff are so friendly and welcoming that we felt like long time customers.  We will be back for pedicures next week so stay tuned!

George Brown College esthetic students

George Brown College - Yorkville School of Makeup and Esthetics - Part 1 - Facials

View of the boutique area and reception at the
George Brown College Yorkville School of Makeup and Esthetics

Recently the Spa Travellers visited the George Brown College Yorkville School of Makeup and Esthetics for student facials and what an educational and fun evening we had!

The school is a bright and modern state of the art facility, offering courses in esthetics, makeup and nails. They are located in the heart of Yorkville, in Toronto, and operate a charming boutique at street level with the classrooms and treatment rooms located on the lower level.   Depending on what module the students are studying in a particular session, treatments are available to the public, at a very reasonable cost. The treatments are given by the senior level students under the supervision of their instructor. 

Our adventure started when we phoned the school to inquire what was currently being offered;we were told facials, body treatments and pedicures.  So of course we wasted no time booking appointments for all three.

The tone of the school is very upbeat and friendly.  We filled out forms, listing any particular concerns and problems, then we were greeted by our students and their instructor, changed into a terry towel top and were ushered into the treatment room.  The room was very spacious and inviting with lovely soothing music playing in the background.  The instructor went over with us any medical concerns in a very thorough fashion to ensure that the products and treatment we would receive would not interfere with any medical protocols or potential allergies.

The treatment began with a pre-cleanse and then a cleanse done with a very gentle massage of the face and neck area.  Then came steaming, an ozone treatment, a made in heaven massage of the shoulders, neck and face that was one the best I have every had, following was a mask, then application of treatment products to various parts of the face.

The School uses the Dermalogica line of products, which is a very advanced line of products available globally at finer spas. Dermalogica has developed Face Mapping® skin analysis. Face Mapping® analysis is the process of analyzing the skin, zone-by-zone, to diagnose skin condition and prescribe subsequent products for optimum results. This can only be done by estheticians trained in this technique.

Dermalogica product display at the school

Our student estheticians were the very lovely Melissa and Theresa, who were friendly, gracious and extremely professional.  We learned after the treatment that this session was their debut!  We certainly would never have guessed from the confident and professional treatment that we had.

The boutique is stocked with a wide selection of products, Dermalogica as pictured above, Sothys Paris, Paul and Joe, LALicious and Barefoot Venus, plus Essie and Creative nail polish.  As an added bonus, when receiving a beauty treatment, you receive 20% off all product purchases.

Barefoot Venus Lip Fables

We picked up this body butter from LaLicious (review to follow).  The Island Guava scent is the most incredible scent. You want to spoon it up right from the jar. It actually says "Do Not Eat" on the label!

More body products from LaLicious.

Another made in heaven product the Vanilla Brown Sugar Scrub.

The school is located very close to Pusateri's, so there was nothing for it but to stop in for tea and cake to end our evening.

We had a great time at the School. The facial treatments were first class as were the products used.  To our readers, we would really recommend having a student treatment from a beauty school in your area. If you are on a budget, and who isn't these days, you can still treat yourself to a little luxury and well-deserved down time.

Casa Acoreana at Kensington Market - Toronto

The Spa Travellers recently went to the Portuguese owned shop, Case Acoreana.  This is a locally owned and operated shop which has been in business since 1962 in the heart of Kensington Market in downtown Toronto.  They only accept cash so be sure you break open your piggy bank before coming.  It is not much to see from the outside but it was hopping inside with customers shopping for good deals.  The walls were covered from floor to ceiling with all kinds of spices, coffee, candy and anything else you would normally find in a bulk food store.

The intention was to buy tea, which we did but we could not resist some of the other goodies surrounding the place.  We tried their Steel Cut Oats, which we heard so much about.

On top of our list was tea from the Metropolitan Tea Company which is served at the Drake Hotel. 

Casa Acoreana claims to have the best Earl Grey tea around which is served at Carol's Cheescake in Yorkville.  We came to try green sencha tea with the scent of rose and cherry and I also wanted the Blood Orange tea.  Both had scents which sent us to heaven.  We also bought Rooibos Orange blend, which is a herbal tisane from Africa.

We want to show you some of their coffee display.
 

To the right is some of their many loose leaf tea jars.
 

If you have a sweet tooth, you will not be disappointed!





 
As we went to have our items weighed, we were greeted with friendly customer service which made us understand why they are so popular.
 

We will be back again. We encourage you to buy bulk in your local community.

Until we sip again...

Please Support Relief for Haiti

Haiti is one of the poorest countries in the world and now the country has been almost destroyed by an earthquake.  Around the world people are rallying to help through telethons, special concerts, direct donations. Today at my workplace our manager who is an amazing baker brought in two very large containers of cookies and sold them to raise money for the Red Cross.  Within no time the cookies had vanished and a tidy sum had been raised to donate to the Haiti relief.

By clicking on the picture in the sidebar you will be taken directly to a Red Cross site where you can make an online donation.  Even $5.00 or $10.00 will add up in the long run.

To all our blogging friends, please add this widget to your template. It is available from Blogger Buzz as a widget and can be added to your template just by clicking and saving it into your template.

Help is coming to Haiti from around the world, but it is going to take a long time to rebuild, so every donation counts.

Thank you, spa readers!

Reflexology - An Overview

Dana giving reflexology treatment to Anna.

If the eyes are the window of the soul, then the feet must be the doorways to one's overall health and well being.  Reflexology is a relatively new healing modality, as it has more or less evolved into being in the mid twentieth century.  Its roots are derived from acupuncture which dates back roughly to 2500 B.C. in China.

In essence, the feet are mapped out to connect to different organs and systems within the body.  It is believed that by massaging, kneading, stroking and putting pressure on different points on the soles of the feet and toes that the practitioner can aid in releasing tension, toxins and to some degree sickness from the body.  It can also help the mind relax and create balance to systems in the body that are either under or overactive.  






A summary of the body's systems that are worked on are as follows:  nervous system, glandular system, sinuses, eyes and ears, muscular skeletal, respiratory, excretory system, digestive systems, lymphatic systems, and the circulatory system.

What will usually happen when you come for a treatment with a reflexologist is the practitioner will likely have you sit down across from them, or perhaps lie down and have you remove your shoes and socks.  They will then spray your feet with a cleansing and deodorizing spray which contains alcohol, essential oils and witch hazel.

After this, they will begin to apply gentle but firm pressure on the different pressure points that connect to different areas in the body.  As the patient, you may feel some minimal pressure on these points but often there will be one or two or more areas that the pressure is more sharp or painful. The therapist may also feel an area that is a bit uneven or built up.  They will take note of these areas, perhaps ask a few questions about your health history or diet and exercise patterns to find out more about what is going on.  They will return to some of the troubled areas once they've been through all the systems and work on them a little more until some of the pressure and tenderness subsides.  They may also give you a few suggestions to help improve the health in these areas.





You can get a reflexology treatment from a student at the Institute of Aromatherapy for $35.00 or $45.00 for a treatment with an advanced graduate student.

Information provided by Dana McGlynn, B.A.
Student at the Institute of Aromatherapy
You can make an appointment by calling 416-698-5850
Dana is available for appointments on Saturdays in the Toronto Beach area

If you would like to read more about reflexology, we suggest the following:

Stories the Feet Can Tell (1938) and Stories Feet Have Told (1945) published by Eunic Ingham

Reflex Zone Therapy of the Feet (1974) published by Hanne Marquardt

Reflexology Today - The Stimulation of the Body's Healing Forces Through Foot Massage published by Doreen Bayly

Tea Series: Chinese Tea Pots and Porcelain

There is one further consideration to be made when drinking a fine cup of tea and that is the tea pot and cup and saucer which you drink from.  Throughout all parts of Asia, several distinct styles developed.  I would like to introduce you to a few traditional tea pot styles and talk about the porcelain the Chinese are famous for. 

Below is a picture of our tea samples in class along with a gaiwan, which is a small, lidded cup and saucer used to brew loose leaf tea as a taste testing sampler.  Once brewed, there is a little cup stored inside which is taken out and used to drink the tea which has been poured off.  The tea leaves stay behind in the gaiwan.  This is still used in China today.

Yixing Teapot

Made from Zi Sha clay, found in the hilly southern area of the Yixian region.  The Yixing teapot is unique in that the inside is never glazed.  Each time the teapot is used, it absorbs some of the oil from the tea leaves.  These tea pots are meant for only one type of tea for each teapot.  The idea is that the more you use it, the less tea you will need.   The more expensive ones are signed by the artist and are usually red or brown in colour.   Perfect for Oolong teas.

 Would you recognize the style of a Japanese Tea Pot as seen below?  This style is also popular in Korea. They are distinguished by a right, long handled pot.  This tea pot is meant for brewing Japanese Sencha tea.

Very popular today is the cast iron tea pots which are perfect for keeping your tea hot, but be careful using with a delicate tea as the water can be too hot which is not good for some tea leaves.  If using with a delicate tea, pour water from the kettle that has been cooled slightly.  As a general rule, tea does not need to be brewed longer than three minutes.

Remember, when pouring a cup of tea for a guest, it is bad Feng Shui to point the spout towards your visitor.  The spout sends out hostile energy and can create misunderstandings and quarrels in relationships.  Also, never serve tea or coffee in chipped cups or serve drinks in chipped glasses.  The Chinese believe that chips and cracks cause bad luck in business.

Before airline jets, clipper cargo ships were used to export tea and porcelain to the Dutch, Spain, Singapore, South East Asia and other Europeon markets. Tea was originally sold to Europeans in clay vessels sealed with wax which were porous and contributed to loss in transport. Merchants changed packaging to wooden chests and finally to porcelain storage jars which increased tea sales as Europeans bought tea solely for the containers. The vases were made to emulate a female figure. Even back then, packaging was everything. The blue and white (mei piing) porcelain tea jars and five colour (wu cal) porcelain tea jars were sought after.

The Chinese blue and white porcelain is one of the all time famous creations which is blue colbalt under clear and glossy glaze. Occasionally they were octagonal shaped and some had gold gilt on the rims. These collections come in many designs and might include pagodas, river landscapes, houses, garden settings, European scenes, ducks, full moons, berries, gords, vines, various tendrils, deers, leaves, birds and lotus flowers. Most popular to the European trade was the famous "willow pattern".

Marine diver's search for shipwrecks looking to find time capsules on the ocean floor.  For the modern day collector, there is some opportunity to purchase pottery made during the Chinese Dynasties from these newly discovered treasures.  To view some ancient porcelain, check out the website below.

http://www.gotheborg.com/

Until next time we sip....