Brooke Moinet

We’re nearing the end of winter, yet the heat is still blasting on the inside. Therefore, chances are you are battling dry, chapped lips.  It is important to keep your lips protected in harsh climates, because the skin on your lips is considered a type of membrane and is much more susceptible to drying out and becoming chapped.

If you are currently suffering from chapped lips, take a washcloth in the shower with you and gently exfoliate off the dead skin. After the shower apply a penetrating lip balm, such as Burtsbees with peppermint oil (my favorite, it feels so yummy), or Burtsbees with pomegranateoil, they even have a medicated lip balm specifically designed for severely chapped lips. Stay away from chap-sticks that just coat the lips with a petroleum base. Stick with natural based lip balms, some of what is on your lips does go into your mouth, and the last thing you want to put into your body is unnatural chemicals. Yuck!

Lastly, keep the lip balm with you wherever you go to touch up at the fist sign of dryness.

What I am craving right now is a serious exfoliation of my face. Now, I am a huge advocate for daily exfoliation with scrubs, and or acids but, every now and then I need to make an appointment and get a Microdermabrasion or Chemical Peel. 

Although, the kits available today for at home microdermabrasion are wonderful, they don’t quite get as deep as a MDA at a clinical spa. Microdermabrasion machines combine suction with mechanical exfoliation. This stimulates blood circulation and removes the top layers of dead skin, enabling your skin cells to renew themselves.

Chemical peels come in many different strengths, and types, and should be discussed with your esthetician as to which is best suited for your skin type. In most cases chemical peels go a bit deeper than microdermabrasion, in cell exfoliation. Also, depending on the strength of the peel you can create a combination package of MDA’s and Chemical peels, rotating as close to a week apart, to achieve more noticeable results. 

What is even better about going in and leaving with smooth, clear skin, is that these treatments cost the same or less than traditional facials. And there is no guessing as to whether or not the facial you just received actually did anything, it’s guaranteed.  So, check it out next time your skin is feeling drab and needs a pick me up.

I understand there can be confusion when it comes to tipping in the salon/spa. My belief has always been to tip a solid 20 percent to the stylist. Depending on how much work the assistant does, tip no less than five to ten dollars, especially if the assistant does more than shampoo your hair.

It is not customary to tip salon owners who also perform services. Some actually refuse tipping, yet I have known salon owners who gladly accept tips. The reason for not tipping a salon owner is because the owner receives the payment for services rendered in full, as opposed to stylists working within the salon who only get a percentage. Whether or not you tip your stylist who also owns the salon is up to you. If you love your style there is nothing wrong with showing appreciation with a tip, if accepted. Also, there is no need to feel guilty about not tipping your stylist who also happens to own the salon. 

Tipping doesn’t get thrown out the window when it comes to going to the spa either. So, please don’t forget to pay gratitude to your facialist, brow specialist, makeup artist, masseuse, waxer, and nail tech.