I don’t know how she does it!

The importance of “me time” and taking care of yourself is greater now more than ever! Especially for mothers! Yes that means all you stay-at-home-moms, working moms, moms of one, moms of six…all of you! No matter what your lifestyle entails, you are still a mom, which personally, we think is the most difficult job of all!

According to Daily Mail,Mothers get on average 17 minutes of “me time” per day! Yes! 17! Amongst the cooking, the cleaning, the lunch packing, the carpooling, the teaching, the nurturing, the listening, mothers manage to find a mere 17 minutes to reward themselves…leaving everyone saying…”I don’t know how she does it!”

After a study of 2000 mothers featured on Daily Mail, it was found that nearly 3 quarters of the women felt they lived their lives entirely for other people and that even in moments by themselves, they felt like they could never truly relax.

Well isn’t this just the saddest news ever?

The importance of relaxation is crucial to living a healthy and happy life, however, the women who teach us how to be happy and healthy, are the ones that are neglecting to do just that! Dr Shalini Anant, a clinical psychologist, stated “If you ignore yourself for a long time, it can actually take a toll on your mental as well as physical health”. Life is too short and precious (especially when you have children) to be careless with your health. People have this misconception that if they want to be healthy, all they have to do is exercise regularly and maintain a balanced diet. Yes, those are crucial aspects of living a healthy lifestyle, however, life is too fragile to stop just there. Stress can lead to countless short term and long term health problems, including but not limited to, depression, heart disease, sleep loss, obesity, skin conditions and autoimmune diseases. The crazy part is, this can all be avoided! Managing your stress through healthy avenues can add years to your life, something that mothers constantly forget.

Moms out there, it is imperative that you set out time each day for yourself, so you can relax and embrace the joys in life. We all have busy schedules, which is why there are many simple and easy tasks we can do each day to relax. Develop hobbies, read a book, catch up on your favourite television show, go for a hike, meditate, try yoga, pamper yourself (our favourite!)…the list is endless.

Just like the wise flight attendant always says…”Place your oxygen mask on yourself before you help others”.

It’s not selfish to take care of yourself…its necessary!

And don’t forget….

 

Spa Etiquette for Men

Written by: Kim Assar, Spa Operations Manager, eforea: spa at Hilton

It has been widely discussed and statistically proven that men are enjoying spa services more frequently than ever before. One of the most common spa treatments is massage therapy, but we also see an increase in men taking care of their skin, and not surprisingly, larger skincare brands are capitalizing on this and directly marketing to men.

If you’re a man who is interested in spa treatments, whether massage, skin care or hair grooming, there is a way to making a spa experience less intimidating and “feminine.”

Simply, you need to know “how to spa” – here are some basics:

Booking: 

• You know what you want – just ask for it!
• Specify the type of treatment and the time – If it’s your first time, just book what you know, a massage, so you can get to know the space better.
• Ask questions about parking, and what amenities are available (for example, a reading lounge, steam room, sauna, fitness center) so you can decide if you want to stay for a while, or be in and out.
• Be prepared to hold the booking with a credit card.
• Do not be shy to request a male or female therapist, if available.

Arrival:

• Check in 15 minutes early to complete the intake form – required so the therapist can cater the service to your specific health and needs.
• If you want to relax or use the amenities, check-in earlier.
• Put all mobile devices on silent – better yet, put all distractions away and enjoy yourself!

Experience:

• Change in the treatment room: undress to your comfort level, or use the robe provided. Some spas carry slippers that are appropriate sizes for a man’s feet.
• If you’re having a massage, the therapist will instruct you to undress and get beneath the covers and sheets on the massage table. He or she will knock before reentering the room to ensure your privacy.
• Spas typically are not noisy, so you need not worry about overhearing a lot of “female talk.” Avoid Saturdays to minimize the chance that you will be amidst a bridal group or girl’s day. Or, try the Man Cave at eforea: spa at Hilton – designed for the discrete male spa-goer to enjoy a full range of services in the privacy of one treatment room.

THE BLOWOUT

Women can spend hours upon hours trying to achieve the Perfect Blowout. We buy the ’round brush’ and the fancy hair dryer, yet we still can’t manage to recreate that effortless look the stylist did for us! We read an interesting article on that discussed whether it is worth spending money at the salon for a blowout. Here is the link:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/01/blowouts-price-photos_n_4023597.html

Long story short, the final verdict was: Yes it’s worth it! After the time and money you spend trying to mimic that of a professional, you end up feeling disappointed with a less than spectacular hair-do!

Now that we know it’s not the easiest DIY, you might find yourself in your favourite stylist’s chair, being asked “What look do you want to go for today?” With all the different hair trends, and options we have these days, its hair to choose just one! Here we have made it simple, and chose our 3 favorite blowouts!

1. The Kate

If you want to go for an effortless, yet chic look, then Kate Middleton’s hair-do is for you! With the understated bouncy curls centralized at her ends, she is able to look put together and polished, while still being simple and classic. This look is perfect an interview, work, or a first date!

2. The Jen

Yep. She’s still got it! Jennifer Aniston has become famous for her signature hairstyles ever since “The Rachel” and continues to prove that she has the best hair in Hollywood! Jen is a seasoned pro at rocking the ‘laid back look’ with her long tousled layers. This style is the perfect day look, or even great when you’re meeting friends at your favourite bar!

3. The Beyonce

Beyonce is known for her glamour and bombshell appearance, and her hair always reflects just that – GLAMOUR! Whether she is grocery shopping, or on stage singing “Single Ladies”, Beyonce always looks like she just stepped out on a red carpet! Voluptuous waves, and loads of body, make this hairstyle perfect for a night on the town!

Depending on where you’re going and what type of look you want to achieve, there are many different hairstyles for you to consider! At eforea we listen to exactly what you want, and we can work together to create the next “Insert your name here”!

How to Take the #Selfie of the Summer!

Whether we like it or not, the age of the “Selfie” is upon us and the only way to deal with this is to jump on the band wagon and let those pearly whites shine!

There is just one problem…taking a selfie is easier said than done. How do you avoid that atrocious double chin? The shadow cast across your face? The photo-bomber in the back? Fortunately, we are here to walk you through it, and help you master the art of taking a #selfie!

Step 1: Look Presentable. The last thing you want to do is take a selfie and you have food in your teeth. So quickly look in the mirror and see what you are working with. You might even need to do a little brow grooming, or touch up your make up, because lets face it…the camera sees everything.

Step 2: Lighting.Lighting is very important. You want to make sure you are in a well lit area, preferably natural light. So stand near a window, or better yet, get outside (its summer remember!) and snap that shot. Having a lot of light on your face will eliminate any shadows, so try and have the light directly on your face, not coming from the left and not coming from the right…half your face may be missing…

Step 3: Your Angle.Knowing your angles is key to taking the perfect selfie. There is nothing worse than having your double chin taking up half the shot. Make sure the camera is angled slightly higher than your face, that way your chin will be hidden and no one needs to know how big it (secretly) is.

Step 4: The Filter. This is the best part! The part when you can put some fancy magic on your selfie and make yourself look like a tanned, glowing goddess. There are tons of filters out there to chose from, just play around with them until you find one that goes BAM..I LOOK GOOD!

Step 5: Have Fun. Please don’t forget, you are just taking a selfie. You are not curing world hunger. Don’t put so much pressure on yourself to look amazing, and just be who you are! Look into that camera and say CHEESE!!