Baby, it’s cold outside!!

The first snow of the season is gently falling outside my window right now. I’m cozy and warm, inside my house, but soon will venture out in the chilly morning air. When the weather changes, it’s time to change your skin care routine to adapt to the environment. Cooler weather outside means drier skin, and dehydration due to indoor heating. Protection is key to maintaining your moisture levels during the winter months.

If you have an esthetician who knows your skin, you can make an appointment to assess your skin care regimen. He or she will adjust your routine to nourish and protect your skin during the winter season. This is a great time to treat your skin with a skin lightener such as Dermesse with Hydroquinone, to reverse the sun damage from the summer sun. It’s also a great time to use a serum under your moisturizer (Dermesse 10% Vitamin C serum is a great one!)

A must have beauty essential for the winter season is Aquaphor from Eucerin. You can get it over the counter at a drug store and it’s great for chapped lips, rough scaly elbows, or to protect those rosy cheeks when you’re out playing in the snow!

If you are unsure how to adapt your skin care regimen for the chilly winter months, give us a call at 245-6484 to schedule an appointment for a complimentary skin care consult.

Dear Light Touch Customer:

Words can not express the sadness I feel that you’re favorite spa, the Light Touch has closed. When I heard they were closing, and that the customers were not allowed to redeem their gift cards for the service that was paid for, I realized the unfairness of this and offered to accept the gift cards at our charming spa in Anchorage. There are a few things I would like for you to know. First and foremost, we are not being compensated by the Light Touch for the gift cards. We are doing this as a service to the customers and as a gesture of goodwill to the community. The last thing I want is for customers to think that all spas are going to rip you off. So we are willing to do the service without payment to create lifelong spa customers that will be as loyal to us as they were to their former spa. There are just a few things I’d like to ask of you in return.

• Please let us know you will be using a lt gc when you book your appointment.
• Please be generous to the person giving your service. She is working for her hourly wage, without commision, as a courtesy so your needs will be met.
• Please be patient, we can only do so many complimentary appointments each week, so you may have to wait a few weeks to get in to see us. We will accept the gc’s through June, 2010, so there’s plenty of time!
• Please be honest-we have no way to check your gift card’s balance, so if you have a gc over 100.00, please bring proof of purchase.
• Please use the entire card at your visit, no cash or credit will be given, and you can not use your card toward gratuities.
• My last request is that you choose to purchase any future gift certificates from us! We make it very easy with Instant gift certificates that you can create, purchase, print and e-mail immediately.

Happy holidays- we look forward to meeting you soon!

Instant Gift Certificate

Serenity Spa Website

You’re really doing this? Are you getting paid for it? No? Are you crazy, why would you do that!?

After offering to accept the gift cards of a local spa that was suddenly closing it’s doors, much of my week consisted of conversations sounding something like this:

“Hi, I just saw on television that you were going to be accepting Light Touch gift cards after they close, is this true?”  ”Yes, ma’am, it’s true.” “Really? My daughter just bought this for me in October and when I heard they were closing, I tried to make an appointment to use it and they wouldn’t let me. When I heard you were willing to take the gift cards, I didn’t believe it. Thank you so much! That is the nicest thing!! I guess now I have a new spa, when can I make an appointment?”

Trust me, there were times after I made the decision I wondered if I really was crazy!  What on earth have I gotten myself into? After all the positive feedback from everyone and seeing the benefit to my business, I know I ‘m really crazy like a fox. This is one of the best business decisions I’ve ever made. I knew that The Light Touch, who were in business for 28 years, had a very loyal customer base. By giving the customer more than they bargained for, we are creating goodwill that will last a very long time. I just knew that if I could get those customers through my doors, I could earn their  business.

My bread and butter is the regular customer. We have folks that have been coming to Serenity since it opened 6 years ago, and a handful that have stayed with me for over 25 years!  The value of a long-term customer is worth far more than the time we’ll put in giving a complimentary service. Are we getting paid for the gift cards? No, we’re not. But my staff and I are willing to forgo our commission on the service in order to earn the repeat business of the customer. We are confident that the service you receive will wow you, and by earning your trust we’ll earn your business. Then when you decide to treat a friend or loved one to a spa experience, you can purchase one of our gift cards with the confidence that we will not only be here to fulfill their service, but it will be the best darn spa experience they’ve ever had!

Here’s the fine print:

Small spa with big heart offers to accept Light Touch Gift cards after they close their doors on November 14. Serenity Spa in Anchorage has offered to honor The Light Touch Gift cards until June 2010. Up to 10 cards will be accepted each week for services including facials, massage, manicures, pedicures, microdermabrasion, glycolic peels and waxing. Unfortunately, we can not accept expired gift cards or unused packages. However, we will send a coupon for a 1/2 price service to any former Light Touch customer that signs up for our e-mails at Please call 245-6484 to schedule an appointment.

Join our Mailing List and get a 1/2 off coupon!

Can massage improve your golf game?

  Want to hear a great story? I have a client who has been having regular massage for 25 or so years. Her husband had never had a massage with me before and called out of the blue one Friday afternoon. “I’ve hurt my back” he said. “Anything you can do?” “We can give it a shot” I told him. “Come in at 3, and I’ll see what I can do.”
  He came limping in at the appointed time and explained that he had bent over to pick something up and it just “went out”. He had been like this for a few days. He was in a lot of pain, and was scheduled to play in a golf tournament the next day. “What will you do if you can’t play?” I asked. “Forfeit and lose a lot of money” he said. “Can you help?”   “Hmm” I said, “well, backs are funny, It depends if the pain is caused by a muscle strain or “pinched” nerve. Let’s give it a try, It will either work or it won’t”

  I learned a long time ago not to gaurantee you can fix something. Sometimes massage can give immediate relief. By stopping the spasm in the muscle and reducing inflammation, a muscle strain will feel better quickly. Unfortunately, the symptoms can be the same in a more extensive injury, such as a herniated disk, that will require medical treatment from a chiropractor or even a nuerosurgeon if there is severe nerve impingement. Massage is quicker, less invasive and less expensive, so it’s worth a try before moving on to medical intervention.
  I took him to the massage room, asked him to undress down to undershorts and climb under the sheets. I went to wash my hands, came back and after giving 30 minutes of deep tissue work he was able to get up and stand upright for the first time in days. “How does it feel?” I asked when he came out to the reception area. “Better, but still not 100%”. “Go home and ice it”, I told him, “and if it isn’t better in a few days, call your doctor” I gave him a stretching routine and suggested that regular massage and a stretching routine would not only prevent a recurrence, but could help his golf game. He looked at me skeptically and said “Sure, thanks”. “Good luck, hope you get to play tomorrow”, I said and I went back to work wondering if I had helped him at all.
  A few weeks later, his wife Lucy came in for her regular appointment. “How’s John’s back, Lucy? Did he get to play in the tournament?” She smiled and told me that he felt better the same evening and played a practice round. The next day he not only played in the tournament, but his team came in third place, winning a boatload of money! “So the massage helped, huh?” I asked. “John will never admit it, but yes, if he hadn’t come to you for a massage, he could not have played in that tournament.” Men! Anyone with a husband understands, Im sure! Bottom line is, if you put your back through an unnatural act such as a golf swing on a regular basis, you owe it to yourself to take care of it with a regular stretching routine and regular massage therapy. Call for a consultation at 245-6484 or book an online appointment here…  http://serenity-the-spa-in.genbook.com

Have you ever felt that no matter what you do, it isn’t enough?

Have you ever felt that no matter what you do, it isn’t enough? I think we’ve all felt that sense of frustration that we didn’t have enough of something. Time, money, energy, stuff. Sometimes the responsibilities of life weigh heavily on our shoulders, and the burden can be more than we can bear. As a massage therapist, it’s my job to tune in to what your needs are on the day that you visit me. I try to put my own needs aside and take the time to really listen to what your body or your heart is in need of at that particular moment. Often, by the time you step in to my office, you are so depleted physically and/or emotionally, that you aren’t even aware of what you need, you just know that something hurts. Sometimes it’s the body, sometimes it’s the mind, but it can also be the soul.

Just yesterday I was blessed with some feedback from a few customers who shared how something I said affected them in a positive way. One customer has 6 children. She had been feeling as if she were always running in circles and was never caught up. During her previous session I was given the words she needed to hear:

“You have enough power and love to do all you need to do, just use your heart and not your mind or your body to do all the work….”

She said those few simple words lifted her and gave her strength. So much strength that she used those words to pass on inspiration to another friend who was also uplifted. She thanked me for helping her and her friend at a time they needed it most. To be honest, I didn’t remember exactly what I had said, but I do remember being very present with her, listening to her, feeling compassion and giving reassurance that she was OK just the way she is.

Another client shared that she reads every word of my e-mails and how much she loved them. She said I was “creating good karma” by sharing with my customers. I am so grateful to these women for sharing their experience and letting me know I made a difference in their lives. You may not know which of the interactions with others today will make an impact on someone. But I want you to know this, if you open your heart in every situation you find yourself in today, and you choose the path of love and understanding, your life and those you touch will be blessed. These ladies decided to “pay it forward” when they found peace in something another said or did. Open your heart and see what gifts are in store for you today!

It is Beginning To Feel a Lot Like Winter!

Temperatures are dropping and time has rolled back an hour here in Kentucky. We all know what that means! Old Man Frost is just around the corner! Are you feeling the chill already? Chapped, red fingers and lips? Cold and numb toes? Doesn’t sound fun or stress relieving does it? Why is it that this time of year seems so hectic? Are we rushing around trying to fit too many things in the shorter daylight hours we are allowed? Of course, when we feel time’s constraints, the first thing to get marked off the list is the time we set aside for ourselves…I know, I do it too.
If we want to stress-less we must remember the importance of me time. Don’t worry, it is not selfish to take a few moments for yourself! How are we supposed to take care of everyone else, if we do not take care of ourselves? So, has life got you down? Need a moment to refocus?
Drop by Serenity Spa in Louisville and treat yourself to a relaxing massage, on a cozy warm, heated massage table, followed by a Customized facial complete with warm towels on the face and hand treatment with heated mitts. You will leave relaxed, beautiful and warm, inside and out.

Don’t forget, a gift certificate for a Serenity Spa massage makes a great Holiday gift!
Take time for you, you beautiful soul, you!
~Denise

Last weeks facial Winners!

Congratualtions to Jessica Hall, a facebook commmentor, and Shelley, a blog commentor! You have won our free facials for last week! Please contact me at Serenity Spa to arrange your prize.

Congratulations, you beautiful souls!
~ Denise
Serenity Spa
502-245-6484

Here a Germ, There a Germ, Everywhere a Big Germ!

Here a Germ, There a Germ, Everywhere a Big Germ!

 

Everywhere we go, we are cautioned to wash or faces and our hands. Most doctors’ offices, here in Louisville and across the country, have those bottles of hand sanitizer. We see them in the local Kentucky schools and hospitals as well. If you are like me, you even have a bottle or two in your handbag.  I am totally for disinfecting and protecting my family, but those little bottles of sanitizer are wreaking havoc with my skin.

It never fails, just after I clean my hands, I reach for the bottle of lotion. I am sure most of us do. However, have you thought of how many times you use that little bottle and forget to use your hand crème? How many times after this, do you reach up to touch your face? I know I do it.

Stop and consider what that life preserving cleaner is made from.  This is off the front of the little bottle that I personally carry in my purse.

“Instant hand sanitzier with a unique blend of ethyl alcohol (62%) and moisturizers.”

62% ethyl alcohol! Can you imagine how drying that is to our skin? And let’s face it, with the wfall and winter weather we have here in Kentucky, who needs the extra damage?

Therefore, my stress-less tip for today is to Moisturize. Make it a daily habit. Apply in the morning and in the afternoon. For an extra treat for your skin, come down to the Serenity Spa and have a facial. Your skin will thank you!

So stay warm and keep your skin nourished, you beautiful soul, you!

~Denise

A Facial can be a Zen Experience?

A Facial can be a Zen Experience?

Sure it can!  Look at this way… a facial is the sloughing off of the old and beginning with the new. Let’s look at this  parable:

Once upon a time, two Zen monks were walking along a mountain trail; they reached a stream and met a lady who wanted to cross to the other side.

The older monk volunteered to carry her on his back. After they got to the other side, she got off, thanked the monk and they parted.

Throughout the rest of the journey, there was complete silence as both monks kept walking…finally the younger monk could not stand it anymore, and asked “Master, I thought we are not supposed to have body contact with the opposite sex?”

The older monk turned and gave a surprised look and said, “I have already let her go after we crossed the stream, why are you still carrying her?”

We have to learn to let go of the past and move on with the future. In this way a Serenity Spa facial is an exercise in being Zen. By letting go of the cares of the day and relaxing during a facial, we are being like the older monk in the story.

Don’t forget…we are still giving away two facials from Serenity Spa this week. Be sure to comment here or on our Facebook page to enter for a chance to win a free Serenity Spa Facial!

Challenge Your Body to Stress-Less

When is the last time you really challenged yourself? I’m asking because I have recently started a workout routine that has challenged me beyond what I thought I was capable of, and the rewards have been much more than the effort I put in.

 

This morning I bench pressed 75 pounds!! I did squats with 90 pounds!! When I started 6 weeks ago, I could barely lift the 40 pound bar. When you consistently challenge your body, increasing the resistance, you quickly become stronger. The rewards for me have been incredible-more energy and stamina, better fitting clothes, improvement in mood, and a general feeling of,  ”Wow, I can do anything I set my mind to if I just show up and put forth the effort!”

 

I also encourage you to challenge you body to stress less by giving it what it needs to relax. A Serenity Spa facial is just the thing. However, if you just get aside 20 minutes for yourself, you will be surprised at the difference it makes in your stress levels.

So come on, join me in challenging ourselves to stress-less!

Event: Boot camp with Joe Lively

What: Class

Start Time: Tuesday, November 3 at 6:30pm

End Time: Thursday, December 17 at 7:30pm

Where: 2401 Stanley Gault Pkwy, Louisville, KY

To see more details and RSVP, follow the link below:

http://www.facebook.com/n/?event.php&eid=156400900818&mid=14129c3G5af319bb108eG1a9c5fG7

 

I would like to give a big congratulations to last weeks Serenity Spa facial winners:

Katie Erwin Wirth And Vicki Brabrandt

Please call me at the Serenity Spa or email me at serenityspa@insightbb.com to claim your prize.

Dont forget,  We are giving away two free Serenity Spa facials this week! Be sure and leave a comment here or on our Facebook page for a chance to win!

Challenge yourself and stress-less you beautiful soul, you!

~Denise