Bath and Body Shop Talk

Massage tips from the bath and body shop blog

Many bath and body shops around the country have professional massage therapists in their work flow. If you haven’t yet tried a professional massage, I highly recommend you do!

That said, you can have a better massage experience if there is good communication with your therapist. Here are a few things to keep in mind to enable that communication.

1) How much pressure is comfortable?

People are unique in the amount of pressure they feel is comfortable. It is generally best to start with a medium pressure and go lighter or deeper depending on what you feel is comfortable.

Keep in mind that if you don’t get a massage very often, a deep massage can feel great at the time, but your muscles can stiffen up the next day. It is a good idea to go with a light pressure massage if you don’t get one very often.

2) Ask yourself “Do I simply want to relax and escape stress?”

Sometimes we don’t want to think or make decisions, it can be stressful in itself! If this is the case, simply choose an “entry level” massage package and allow the massage therapist to direct the session.

When you call for your appointment, ask what service is most popular and let the receptionist or therapist give you a recommendation.

3) Have I had any injuries or illnesses that could affect the massage?

Any professional massage business should have you fill out intake forms to indicate past and present injuries or health concerns. It’s a good idea to let your therapist know your illness or injury verbally, in addition to writing it on the form.

If you’re unsure about whether an injury or past illness can affect a massage, call and ask beforehand. Often times, a therapist can make slight adjustments to the treatment to accommodate this, which will allow you to have a better experience.

Once you find a bath and body shop or massage therapist you like, stick with them. Having a consistent therapist is a good idea because they can get to know your unique needs.

Aromatherapy in Bath and Body Shops

Bath and Body Shops are known for carrying an assortment of aromatherapy products. Aromatherapy is another excellent means of relaxation and relief from stress. Here is an interesting article published in August, 2007 that talks about aromatherapy and it’s effects on the Central Nervous System.

According to this article, Dr. Alan Huch, a neurologist and psychiatrist claims that, “Smell acts directly on the brain, like a drug.” Basically, smells from aromatherapy reach our limbic system (area in the brain) which has a direct effect on our moods.

Aromatherapy products are generally safe to use but should be diluted with water or other “carrier oils”. Although allergic reactions are rare, it is a good idea to test a small amount of the aromatherapy essential oil on the skin to see if they have any reaction.

In addition to finding aromatherapy products in bath and body shops, you can also make your own at home if you know some of the basics. For an excellent home guide to aromatherapy, click here.

Source article by Bakhru Krishan Bakhru published August 18, 2007 at AmericanChronical.com

Bath and body shops that carry products with Seaweed

Products with seaweed can be found in many of todays top bath and body shops. Everything from face washes to shampoos contain a little seaweed in their list of ingredients. These products are easy to find and usually available in your local drugstores.

Seaweed has been known throughout the ages to provide great nourishment to the skin. Natural amino acids, sulfur and iodine are found in seaweed that are said to have a stimulating, cleansing and overall rejuvenating effect on the skin.

Stephanie Allmon at the Chicago Tribune wrote an article published on August 8, 2007 on seaweed-infused products that have recently hit the market. Here is a list of these new product.

• Bliss Serious Seaweed Cellulite Soap - Claims that seaweed helps fight and keep cellulite under control.
• Bumble & Bumble Seaweed Conditioner - Seaweed is used to add shine and softening to the hair.
• Spa Aquatique Purifying Seaweed Serum - Reducing excess sebum or oil secretion in the skin.
• The Body Shop’s Seaweed Purifying Facial Cleanser - Uses seaweed to control oil without drying out the skin.
• Freeman Sea Kelp Moisture Shampoo - Helps hydrate and nourish the hair
• Sue Devitt Triple Seaweed Gel Foundation - Skin Foundation that is oil free.
• Red Water Anti-cellulite Gel - Claims to rejuvenate the skin and help prevent cellulite.

Though many of todays top bath and body shops carry products with seaweed, you don’t have to look hard to find them. Several of the above listed products can be found in your local drugstore or bath and body shop!

Chicago Tribune Article

Bath and Body shops & Organic Skincare

There are many Bath and Body shops with organic skincare products available. Millions of people around the globe put a lot of thought into what they are putting on their skin. Therefore, it is worthwhile to ask ourselves how these products will not only effect us, but how will they effect our environment in the next 20 years.

Dailymail.co.uk recently published a list of several things we can do to improve ourselves while improving our environment. Here is the breakdown.

1. Live an organic lifestyle - Buy organic foods and other organic products. It doesn’t have to be expensive, there are plenty of natural bath and body products out there that are low priced and even work better than the expensive products.

2. Change your everyday products - Swap out the disposable products you use with non disposable. Use a muslin flannel instead of cleansing wipes and it will not only work better, but save the environment as well.

3. Look at the Label - Is it cruelty free? You can check with the compassionate shopping guide to confirm this. Also check to see that natural ingredients appear toward the top of the list.

Simon Golding, biochemical engineer and founder of www.mypure.co.uk states that:

“Ingredients must be listed according to the INCI (International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients). This means that some wonderful natural ingredients may appear under their chemical name.”

“Try to remember the chemical names for the common natural ingredients.”

“For example, vitamin E can be listed as Tocopherol.”

4. Use less products - Organic products tend to have a broad range of uses.

For example, founder of Essential Care organic products Abi Weeds states that “With a good organic range, the ingredients are gentle, so you shouldn’t need separate eye and face creams.”

5. Support the farmers - Organic farmers worldwide have taken an interest in environmentally sound practices for cultivating crops. You can help support their efforts by buying organic products.

To sum up, Since our bodies and our environment go hand in hand, it is a good idea to keep some of the above tips in mind when we use and purchase bath and bodywork products.

Read the Daily Mail Article