Amazing photo team The Nichols just posted some amazing wedding photos to their dazzling portfolio. Hair for the bride was done by SALON by milk + honey. Click here to see more of this beautiful couple.
On Saturday, March 12, SALON by milk + honey, provided hair and makeup for our amazing neighbor DuO’s Style Off. Sara, Melissa, Deidre and Clarissa all contributed to this amazing event.
Here are some photos from the event:
SALON by milk + honey will be participating in our neighbor DuO’s style off on Saturday March 12, helping with hair and makeup. This fun fashion show and style competition will feature live still modeling from 3-4pm and then a style off from 5-6pm. We can’t promise that “Blue Steel” will be whipped out during the competition, but we’re certain that everyone will have a great time since there will be a DJ and free margaritas!
Our friends at Tribeza interviewed our very own Jessica Murray about how to look great on your wedding day. A sample:
Q: What are the benefits of using natural products?
A: It is essential that we use ingredients that promote the health of our clients and employees rather than endanger it. I’m sure that you’ve walked into many salons where the odor of chemical is so strong that your eyes burn. That’s not who we are. We try to carry product lines that avoid toxic chemicals whenever possible. Some of the chemicals that we avoid are cheap detergents such as sodium lauryl sulfates, hormone (estrogen) mimics such as parabens, and ammonia.
Read more here.
SALON by milk + honey will be participating in the Tribeza Wedding Day event on Sunday, February 27. We’ll be consulting brides to be about bridal hair, our onsite wedding services, and wedding spa packages.
See the attached flyer for more information about the event.
Often spas promote massage as a way to lose weight and while it is not definitively true, there may be some indirect correlations.
Receiving a massage does not burn calories (but giving a massage does!), remedy cellulite, or take the place of exercise and a healthy diet. It does, however, increase muscle tone and the integrity of the skin. More importantly, massage lowers cortisol, a stress hormone which is often responsible for weight gain. When cortisol levels are high, the body has a difficult time resting and digesting and this stress mode causes weight gain.
Massage can also decrease water retention in the body by wringing toxins and excess fluids out of the muscles, slating them for elimination. Adrenal glands and kidneys get a jump start and move waste materials more quickly through the body. As circulation improves, skin appears healthier and smoother.
Even if no pounds are lost, massage sets the body up for the best conditions of optimal health and positive results show from the inside out.
Have you ever wondered why you are told to drink extra water after a massage?
Your therapist is not honing a nurturing instinct or lecturing you on good health. When your muscles are manipulated during a massage waste materials and other toxins are released from the muscles and into the bloodstream. Just like when you exercise, massage, especially deep tissue or sports massage, dehydrates muscles and removes electrolytes. In order to help your kidneys and liver process and flush out these toxins, it is important to drink extra water. Water will help prevent unnecessary soreness, possible nausea, pain, and an overall sluggish feeling. Your body is happy to get rid of all the “junk” it has been storing but you need to help it along with extra H2O. Keeping your muscles hydrated regularly helps keep the tissue supple and healthy reducing tension and spasm.
How does drinking water after, and even before a massage, help prevent these symptoms? These answers lie in your body’s physiology.
Why are these toxins building up in the first place?
As your muscles activate for everyday function they produce waste that gets removed by the circulatory and lymphatic system (Be sure to check out our lymphatic massage to help keep your lymphatic system in top shape). Tight or knotted muscles can constrict, reducing blood flow to the area. This constriction inhibits your body’s ability to flush out waste and toxins, and causes them to build up in your muscles. Drinking water after massages helps to break up these pockets of toxins and remove them from your body. But what exactly are these toxins?
What toxins are released during a massage?
It’s often mentioned how water helps flush toxins out of your body, but what exactly are these toxins?
The primary toxin associated with muscle soreness and fatigue is lactic acid. Lactic acid is a byproduct of anaerobic respiration, so when your cells need energy but there is no oxygen to produce it, they take this alternative route to produce what they need. It is the quick and dirty way to fuel your body, as it is not as efficient as aerobic respiration (using oxygen), and it produces the lactic acid byproduct which needs to be processed by your liver. As we mentioned before, the constriction of your muscles can reduce circulation, leading to less oxygen being available to your muscles. This can produce a negative feedback loop where your tighter muscles are producing more lactic acid, with no way to remove it. The presence of lactic acid in your muscles has been proven to cause water to flow out of your muscles, leaving them dehydrated and increasing your blood pressure.
Lactic acid isn’t the only toxin that can build up in your muscles. Salts (electrolytes) and phosphates, processed in the kidneys, and nitrates like ammonia, processed by the liver, can also build up in your muscles. Massages can help break up these pockets of toxins allowing your body to flush them out and send them for processing in their respective organs. You don’t want to overload your organs with a rush of toxins to process, that’s why you want to drink extra water after your massage. Drinking more water after a massage will help dilute the concentration of these toxins, making it easier for your body to process without overloading your organs.
What happens if you don’t drink water after a massage?
The simple answer is you might experience pain, fatigue, and what is commonly called the DOMS, or Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness, after your massage. Here are some symptoms you may experience.
- Reduced range of motion due to pain and stiffness
- Muscles tender to touch
- Muscle fatigue
- Short-term loss of muscle strength
- Swelling in affected muscles
DOMS are typically experienced after high-intensity exercise, which can cause micro tears in your muscles. Your body responds to this by sending blood flow and nutrients to the area to heal, which in turn helps your muscles grow. Massages can lead to these same microtears, leading to similar symptoms. These symptoms usually appear 12 to 24 hours after your workout or massage. Drinking water after your massage will help your body heal faster and ease these symptoms, but how much water is the right amount?
How Much Water Should You Drink After a Massage?
There is debate about the actual amount of water that is considered the right amount. A good way to know you are hydrated is to make a point to drink your 8 glasses a day and if your urine is clear then, you are hydrated. If you are already a pro at staying hydrated, then go ahead and tack on an extra 3-4 glasses of water after a massage. Every body is different s
o you might have to test it out and see how much is enough for you. If the day after a massage you are stiff, feeling pain or fatigue, add on a couple more glasses the next go around. We would even reco
mmend drinking extra water before your massage, as hydrated muscles are easier to manipulate and work than dehydrated ones. Hydrate properly, and you will find your body feeling renewed and rejuvenated. You can sip it milk + honey style by adding cut citrus or cucumber to your glass.
Book an appointment today!
Cleanse your muscles of their toxins today at your local milk + honey spa. With our signature massages such as our deep tissue, swedish, or sports massages, and more options depending on your body’s needs! Schedule your appointment today!
We all know the benefits of receiving a massage, less stress, decreased pain, strengthened immune system, and the list goes on, but few people know that massage is mutually beneficial, helping the giver as well. No, giving a massage does not offer exactly the same satisfaction as having warm oil knead away your aches and pains, but it has greater affects than meet the eye.
Dr. Tiffany Field, director of the Touch Research Institute in Miami, found that when parents of 20 children with leukemia gave their children a daily massage for one month, not only did the children’s health improve but the parents were less depressed and their white blood cell counts increased. In another study she found that elders who spent three weeks massaging infants had a decrease in stress hormones, less anxiety and depression, began more social activities, and went to the doctor fewer times.
Clearly the benefits of touch are not a one way street. Even petting a dog has been shown to lower blood pressure. People don’t pet their animals to just to give a pet a massage, they do it because it is relaxing and makes them feel good.
Another anomale is known as the “helper’s high”, a term coined by Arthur Brooks, author of “Who Really Cares: The Surprising Truth About Compassionate Conservatism.” Brooks asserts that when we do a charitable act for someone else, our endorphin levels rise, causing feelings of elation in the body. We get these same endorphins when we exercise, but the difference with the “helper’s high” is that simply mentally recalling the kind act, even hours after the fact, can cause another flow of endorphins. About helping others Brooks states, “There’s evidence that it helps people with their asthma, in cardiovascular disease, weight loss, and insomnia.”
By helping a loved one feel better through therapeutic touch, the giver is going to get back a borage of benefits. So next time your partner wants a back rub, you might enjoy knowing that you too are becoming healthier and happier. You can smile to yourself as your white blood cells multiply, your cortisol levels drop, and your partner thinks your are the most generous person in the world.
We even offer massage lessons here at milk + honey as part of our Massage 101 service.
We asksed hair therapist Sara M for some tips on how do transition your look from Fall to Winter.
It’s easy to update your look from Fall to Winter. When tempuratures drop, haircolor should stay warm with dark chocolate brunettes, deep mohogany reds, and golden blondes. By adding richness to your color, it will not only enhance your skintone, but add intense shine to dull locks.
Schedule your appointment today with SALON by milk + honey so we can customize the perfect color to compliment your look and spice up your hair this holiday season! And be sure to ask for Sara!
If you’re new to SALON by milk + honey, check out this great promotion.
This treat is better than Jelly of the Month club. By the number of gift certificates that we sell for Backrub 101, this treatment is clearly an all-time favorite.
Bring your partner to milk + honey and you’ll both learn how to give a relaxing back and neck massage. With just a few massage techniques, you can be a massage master to your loved one. After you each receive a 30-minute massage lesson, practicing on your partner, you will both receive a one-hour Lux Massage in our couples’ room. Buy gift certificate
So, if you are looking for an anniversary gift, Christmas present, or a birthday present that is out-of-the-ordinary this might be the treat for you! It’s also a great way to get someone who has never experienced a massage before to come into the spa.
