In our fast-paced lives, managing to pencil in the recommended seven to nine hours of sleep can feel like a tall order. And even though we’ve made the time for some shut-eye, there are days when we wake up feeling groggy and unrested. That’s because we often skip steps to optimize our beauty sleep. There are a lot of strategies on ways to achieve your best rest, so we’re here to simplify. Here are our top four tips to unlock your most peaceful slumber.
It’s high time the great outdoors are recognized as a luxurious break from our busy day-to-day lives. According to WGSN, hiking will replace yoga as the “it” fitness tool, allowing us to disconnect from the hustle and reconnect with ourselves. Boasting benefits like increased creativity and a lowered risk of depression, this nature-forward activity is increasingly becoming a necessity for balance in our fast-paced, screen-dominated world.
If you’ve ever read the beauty routines of models and celebrities, surely you’ve been sung the praises of drinking enough water. Still, quenching that thirst is incredibly important for your overall wellness — it’s not just a beauty hack. It seems everyone has a lot to say about said topic, but our resident milk + honey experts are sharing hydration perspectives on two fronts: skincare and the wellness of your body.
Out with the old and in with the new. Exfoliating removes dead skin cells to reveal renewed skin and allows your moisturizers and skincare products to do their job. The catch? Exfoliation strategies differ when it comes to the skin on your face and the skin on your body. Today, two experts are sharing their insight on the topic of exfoliation.
Throughout the week, we delved into strategies to remove literal toxins from our physical space. Today, we’re shifting our focus to decluttering our mind. We firmly believe it begins with a grateful heart.
Think of a time your heart swelled with gratitude. Perhaps it was a holiday memory with your family, while reading your child a bedtime story, or opening a letter you received from a good friend. That full-heart feeling is something you can cultivate on a day-to-day basis by taking the time to focus on gratitude. When you’re full of gratitude, it is all consuming and leaves little room for stressors, sadness, jealousy, or any other negative feeling. Start thinking of gratitude as a tool that can be used to clear our minds of those toxic thoughts and harmful stressors. It can be used to maintain control over ourselves, even in stressful or difficult situations. In fact, studies have found when feeling grateful, people experience increased self-control.
There are many ways to incorporate gratitude into daily life – we recommend trying a few strategies to see what works for you.
Capturing a moment of gratitude is inspiring in the moment, but it also creates a document of positive memories. It can be rewarding to capture written gratitude first thing in the AM – before turning to iPhones and emails. Here are a two of our favorite journals
Moleskine – the perfect morning companion for your moment of gratitude
One-Sketch-A-Day Visual Journal – for those who prefer to sketch their gratitude
When it comes to gratitude for others, we simply don’t share or express it often enough. Handwritten letters or notes to others are an effective, and often contagious, way to spread gratitude. These tokens say “I appreciate you enough to pause and take time out of my busy day to think about how important you are in my life.” Dedicate a few minutes each week to some quality time with your favorite stationary. Your loved ones will appreciate it, and your mind will too.
If you are anything like us, you spend a lot of time resetting passwords because you routinely forget one of the 1,500 passwords we must remember to navigate our modern lives. Transform this mundane and frustrating task to one that reminds us to be grateful. Try incorporating something you are grateful for in your next password reset. It can serve as a reminder to pause – even for a second – to focus on the positive aspects of your life.
Share your own gratitude note with the #BeeGrateful hashtag to join our always-positive online conversation.
Mother Nature reveals how vital it is for cleansing and releasing in order to rebuild. Throughout the month of January, we’re focusing on cleansing our bodies, minds, and environments of the toxins that inhibit or disrupt our natural rhythms. From everyday cleaning products to the paint on your walls, there are often ingredients at arm’s reach that have the potential to do harm. Today we are focused on easy and approachable ways to minimize exposure to toxic chemicals.
Here is a list of ingredients we always try avoid in any products we use at our spa or when formulating our own body care products:
Parabens
What is it? A type of preservative used to avoid growth of bacteria and mold.
Why eliminate? They are endocrine (hormone) disruptors – aka chemicals that can interfere with your body’s development, as well as cause disturbances in the immune and nervous system function.
Found in: Shampoo, cleansers, body wash, body lotion, foundation, skincare products, and more.
Sulfates
What is it? An added detergent that creates a lather to cleanse away dirt and oil.
Why eliminate? Sulfates can strip your hair of their natural oils, leaving your locks feeling rough, dry, and brittle.
Found in: Shampoos, conditioners, body washes, toothpastes, detanglers, and more.
Phthalates
What is it? A type of plasticizing chemicals that make products pliable and help fragrances to stick to skin.
Why eliminate? Phthalates are also endocrine disruptors and may cause reproductive effects such as birth defects.
Found in: Synthetic fragrances, nail polish, hairspray, and plastic materials.
Aluminum
What is it? Aluminum is added to antiperspirants to plug pores and prevent sweat.
Why eliminate? Sweating is an important part of your body’s detoxification process.
Found in: Mainly deodorants
Artificial Dyes + Fragrances
What is it? An unnatural, engineered color or scent
Why eliminate? These dyes and scents may contain stock chemical ingredients, including endocrine disruptors and allergens.
Found in: All cosmetic categories
– Nature has provided many botanical alternatives that do not sacrifice efficacy. –
Detoxify your beauty and personal care routine by utilizing Environmental Working Group’s website. They have a list of consumer products and brands they’ve verified using their testing framework. The EWG audits each ingredient and product based on its green rating. It’s an eye-opening resource for identifying actionable changes you can make for you and your family.
First of all, ensure you are always minimizing exposure to any cleaning products with the use of gloves. Next, check your products against the EWP and consider swapping them out for homemade and natural alternatives. We recommend the book THE NATURALLY CLEAN HOME by Karyn Siegel-Maier as a great resource for natural recipes.
Ordinary paints contain heavy metals, formaldehyde, and other ingredients that release toxins directly into the air you breathe each and every day. While it typically costs a bit more, investing in low-VOC or VOC-free paint is an investment your health.
Think twice before plugging that diffuser into your wall. Instead, seek out candles and home fragrances that use essential oils and all-natural, plant-based ingredients. Burn plants, not toxins.
What are your favorite tips to detoxify daily life? Join in the conversation on our Instagram.
In 2018 we are focusing on helping you RENEW through a holistic approach of reconnecting with your natural self. Rather than worrying about resolutions too stressful to keep, we’re here to champion simple and approachable ideas to CLEANSE your body of toxins, RECONNECT with your mind, body, & environment, and NURTURE a conscious lifestyle for a lifetime. While we hope our day spas continue to provide a delicious respite from your busy lives, we want to help you incorporate the restorative experiences of our spa into your daily life in 2018, leaving you feeling whole, happy, and renewed.
MONTH 1 | JANUARY — IT’S TIME FOR A DEEP CLEAN
Mother Nature reveals how vital it is for cleansing and releasing in order to rebuild. Throughout the month of January, we’re focusing on cleansing our bodies, minds, and environments of the toxins that inhibit or disrupt our natural rhythms.
MONTH 2 | FEBRUARY — RECONNECT WITH THE REAL YOU
After minimizing the exposure to toxins, February is about simple and approachable ways to elevate your mind, body, and environment to maximize your health and happiness, the true foundation of beauty.
MONTH 3 | MARCH — NURTURE YOURSELF ALWAYS
Knowledge is indeed power, but the real results come from practical applications of what you’ve learned that you can sustain throughout the year. That’s why Month 3 is all about nurturing you by creating grounding rituals, routines, and habits that promote wholeness, wellness, and rejuvenation all year long.
We know what you’re thinking. What could possibly make a massage even better? We have the answer: a massage with enhancements. Each enhancement will take your massage to the next level by addressing a specific intention.
Our back scrub or foot scrub doesn’t add much time to your reservation, but it makes the experience extra special. The added exfoliation is also great for circulation and removing dead skin.
We recommend giving Body Brushing a try. It feels interesting and invigorating. The process helps to prevent cellulite, stimulate circulation, and lymphatic drainage. The best part? You keep the brush and take it home with you. Dry brushing at home can become a simulating ritual, similar to drinking a cup of coffee in the morning.
Our Warm Oil Scalp and Neck massage is the perfect wintertime treat. This enhancement adds an extra 15 minutes to your experience, as your therapist drizzles warm oil down your head and neck before performing a scalp massage. Make sure you have time to enjoy the steam shower after this enhancement. This icing on the cake with this enhancement: the oils are incredibly hydrating for your hair.
The Ultimate Massage package includes full body brushing, a 90-minute massage, as well as the Warm Oil Scalp and Neck massage. It’s just as luxurious as it sounds–we promise.
Still curious about our enhancements?
Our team of licensed massage therapists is incredibly talented and well-rounded. We always recommend asking your therapist what they specialize in–you never know what interesting skills they bring to the table. When it comes to massage styles, it can be intimidating to know where to start. That’s why we’re starting with the basics. Read on for five common styles explained, debunked, and broken down.
Let’s start with the basics. Swedish massages are relaxation-based and focus on tension relief. Think flowy, longer stokes. This style will also be customized to your pressure preferences. The goal of Swedish massage is to set your body to homeostasis a.k.a. your body’s center, home base.
For more focused, therapeutic work, ask your therapist about Deep Tissue. You might benefit from this style if you have concentrated, specific issues you’d like to remedy. A common misconception about Deep Tissue is that the style must be very firm and intense. In fact, our therapists can use the therapeutic benefits of Deep Tissue without using hard or firm pressure.
Have you ever woken up on the wrong side of the bed? Ever walk away from a situation just feeling kinda bleh? Do you ever feel an ominous weirdness you just can’t shake? That’s how you know it’s time to try Reiki. It’s a type of subtle therapy using light touch that can help with insomnia, anxiety, digestive issues, relaxation, and even PTSD. It activates your chakras (or energy centers) to help calibrate your energetic field. Science has shown we all have electromagnetic fields around us, and a Reiki therapist can help realign your said field.
At milk + honey, there is still massage incorporated – its partially Signature Massage and partially Reiki. You can even customize the ratio to your preference.
Note that only select therapists offer Reiki. Please call ahead or email [email protected] for more info.
At milk + honey, we only offer Pre-Natal Massage after your first trimester. We offer a unique bolstering system that can be adjusted to your baby bump to allow the prone position (lying on your stomach.) Of course, you can always lie on your side if that better suits your comfort level. We offer a cold pack during the massage and touching of the abdomen is optional.
Ready to stretch? Sports Massages lengthen tissues and change fascia. They’re great for pre or post-workout, of course. If you’re active, training for a marathon or 5k, or working through a sports injury, this is your go-to. Don’t be fooled, though — this massage is really for anyone looking to increase flexibility. If you sit at a desk all day, this style would also be helpful for you.
Take it home:
Looking to relieve and relax your muscles, but can’t make it into the spa? Here are two at-home steps you can take. First, try our Muscle Soak, formulated with Eucalyptus, Arnica, Rosemary, Sweet Marjoram to soothe aches and pains. Next, follow up with a small amount of our powerful Arnica Balm to soothe targeted muscles and joints. Not as good as a massage, but a close second best.
Still unsure? That’s okay.
“milk + honey is unique because the consultation process allows us to identify what the you need. Book the time and know that your therapist is going to guide you.”
-LaLa, Licensed Massage Therapist, milk + honey 2nd Street District
As we enter National Massage Week, we find ourselves smack dab in the middle of a revolution. From wellness blogs to countless Instagram experts, we’re being encouraged to prioritize ourselves more than ever. Without a doubt, massage is one key piece to a well-rounded wellness puzzle. In fact, massage has many lesser known benefits. Scroll on to learn a handful of massage benefits.
It’s no secret that massages are a stress reliever, but there’s actual science to prove it. In fact, studies show that massage boosts your serotonin by as much as 30 percent. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that reduces depression and regulates anxiety.
Emotional balance, check. Physical balance, also check. Massage can help improve stability and balance — especially for older folks. A study suggests massage may produce physiological changes that contribute to improved balance.
Yep, seriously. Lowered blood pressure results have been reported lasting up to 72 hours after massage therapy. This particular test was conducted using Swedish style massage.
Okay, yes — it’s common for some to fall asleep on the massage table. But even outside of the spa, there is research that indicates massage improves sleep for adults.
Sports Massages are wonderful for increasing range of motion and speeding recovery in athletic-related injuries.
Ready for your next massage?
