Are You Addicted to Sugar??

Guilty as charged!!!!

I remember being a child & spending summers at my grandparents' pool.  The minute we got there, the first place I would go was her pantry because my grandma was known for her strong sweet tooth (and so am I).  

She always had the BEST sweets in her house and it was free-range!  

I always loved when I got an invite to a birthday party, because I knew there would be cookies, cake, and/or ice cream (not the actual party itself).

Sugar is one of the most addictive substances in our food and it's in almost EVERY food we eat.  And it's highly addictive - its proven to be more addictive than Cocaine!

Americans consume 150 pounds of of sugar each year! The average adult will consume about 22 tsp of sugar daily, while the average child consumes 32 tsp daily!!!

If you have kids, it's always nice to "treat" them with something sweet.  Even going to mom's groups or parties, there are always bowls of candy or some kind of dessert put out to pick on after a few glasses of wine (also high in sugar).

Two reasons why is sugar so bad:

1) Too much sugar irritates blood vessels and creates inflammation and damages the skin.  This damage leads to puffiness, redness, excessive oiliness or dryness.  Too much sugar also increases our blood sugar levels and causes them to spike quickly.  This rapid spike causes the collagen & elastin in our skin (which is known to keep the skin taught and youthful).  This prevents the collagen & elastin from properly repairing themselves and over time, leads to aging.

2) It causes Glycation!  Glycation occurs when sugar binds to proteins in the skin.  It collapses to form wrinkles and dry skin.

Eating a sugar free diet isn't the answer either, because our bodies still get sugar from breads, pastas, rice & other starches we consume.  Sugar is also in ALL processed foods in some form and not necessarily listed as sugar.

There are at least 61 different names for Sugar listed on food labels, some of the most common ones are Sucrose, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Barley Malt, Dextrose, Maltose & Rice Syrup.

Manufacturers aren't REQUIRED by the FDA to list total amount of sugar on their labels, which means that we don't know how much extra sugar is coming from fruit, grain or milk sources.


What can we do about eliminating Sugar??

1) Eat more Grass-fed proteins, Beans, & Good fats like Avocados and Coconut Oil and read food labels when buying processed foods.

2) Eliminate foods such as sweets, high fructose corn syrup, soda, breads, pastas, rice, and even alcohol.



Any questions, please email me samanthaspagirl@yahoo.com - I LOVE to help!

Facials aren't just a Luxury anymore

Do you remember being little and watching your grandmother sit with that green mask on & cucumbers on her eyes?? Or better yet, put on that shiny mask she would then peel off??

Yes, because my grandma was one of those women and I remember watching her and being so in awe of how cool she looked & couldn't wait to try it!

I also remember watching movies as a child and every time the "wealthy" mother would get a facial, she would lay with a white or green mask on, cucumbers on her eyes, and a glass of champagne!  

At the time, facials looked so luxurious and seemed that it was only something the rich and famous were able to do.

Even though more and more spas are popping up with Facials being the main focus, many of us still have that thought process about Facials = Luxury!

From an Esthetician's point-of-view, I'd like to change that misperception.

When I was in beauty school, I learned all about pampering and how to give a GREAT European Facial, complete with a full facial & neck massage.

Fast forward to now and the European facial is hardly ever promoted or even given anymore.

Clients are searching for results and want instant gratification, which is why Chemical Peels, Microdermabrasion and Laser services have become so popular.

Unfortunately, these treatments cause the skin to become inflamed by removing too much of the skin's delicate barrier.  Inflammation as we all know is swelling.  When you inflame the skin, it swells and that is exactly why Chemical peels, microdermabrasion and most "spa-like" exfoliation treatment is so popular - INSTANT GRATIFICATION!

So now what??

What I'm seeing now from fellow Estheticians, Trade magazines and the Media, is that the majority of us are suffering from some sort of skin condition that makes us uncomfortable and have to wear makeup to "hide" our not-so-perfect skin.

We are seeking Facials that not only relax us but TREAT our skin!  This is where going to an experienced Esthetician comes in...

6 years ago, when I opened my own Spa, I took the time to read, research, and find out exactly what it is clients want NOW.

The answer = RESULTS!!!

There is a way to get a great facial and get results too!  As a client, YOU are the one who has to be 100% on board.  We have the training, education and knowledge to help guide you, adjust products and utilize our tools.  But it is up to YOU to follow through and stick with your regimen.

We are able to help you with Acne and re-hydrate dry skin or  treat Acne, Melasma and control oil all in one treatment.

My biggest piece of advice, is to do your research on your Esthetician.  Go online, check out the spa's website and schedule a consultation with your Esthetician to get a feel for her personality and her recommendations for your skin.

Ask questions and bring in your current home-care so she knows EXACTLY what you're doing at home.  Unless we see your skin and your current products, we can't figure out exactly what's going on or why certain things aren't working for you.

Even though Facials are now results-driven, doesn't mean they're not relaxing.  You get both!!  But instead of the entire facial being all about massage, a portion is because we want those active ingredients to get into the skin and we can't do that without a great facial massage!

Please reach out to me with questions: samanthaspagirl@yahoo.com - I LOVE to help!

Please check out my website: www.skindeepIL.com