Massage Your Feet for Healthier Skin...

Could reflexology be the answer to your skincare woes? With its much-acknowledged body benefits, reflexology is often hailed as a holistic wonder. But could the alternative medicine heal your skincare woes as well as healing your body?

Skin is, after all, the largest organ in the human body and acts as a protection from the elements.

So, how exactly does reflexology work? And can it offer a fabulously glowing complexion?

In short, the answer is probably. The natural healing process is based on the principle that there are reflexes in the feet, hands and ears, which correspond to every part, gland and organ of the body.

Through application of pressure on these, the feet being the main area of application, reflexology relieves tension, improves circulation and helps promote the natural function of the related areas of the body.

It can help to correct imbalances within the body and can be particularly beneficial for people who suffer with skin conditions such as eczema, psoriasis, acne, dermatitis, and rosacea to name a few.

One of the main reasons it seems to work is because it can help detoxify the skin, through manipulating pressure points in the feet that help the kidneys and other organs function optimally.

The lymphatic system also benefits, and this is a key part of getting rid of toxins that may accumulate in our bodies.

So, there you have it, the glowing skin you dream of could be just a foot massage away!

Source Xpose Entertainment - Reflexology Beauty

Friday Feature - Hot New Trends in Wellness & Spa World

The International Spa Association (ISPA) recently held their annual convention in New York. At the convention, several new spa trends and services were spotted including parties at the spa, treatments for stressed and time-pressed consumers, cross-cultural traditions, and a whole lot of purple – from lavender-scented treatments to mauve colored nail polish! Here's a recap of some of the latest and greatest:

Sparty - Growing in popularity are events called 'spartys' that are booked in the spa space – for weddings, corporate events, etc. At a Sparty, invited guests get spa services either in groups or individually, then gathered back for lunch, cocktails, or hor d'ouvres. Definetely a fun and relaxing way to spend time with friends, family, or collegues!

Cross Cultural Techniques - In order to turn off the stress reponse, many massage therapists are turning to techniques acquired from other cultures including Thai Naga Massage, Middle Eastern Bathing & Exfoliating, and Aboriginal Massage that incorporates listening to didgeridoo music while the therapist shakes a rain stick and applies smooth, hot black basalt stones to the body.

Speed Spa - In a hurry? A new facial treatment called Hydra- Facial, available in 2,000 spas nationwide, offers five procedures in 15 minutes. There's also a quick-dry and waterproof nail polish mani and treatment and a experience that teaches insomniacs to relearn how to fall asleep through relaxation, aromatherapy, a soak and massage.

The Power of Purple - Purple is popular not only for color but as a concept. New trends include violet clay masks, massage with violet-infused oil, lavender aromatherapy and "chromatherapy" (color therapy with purple tones), elderberry facial, lavender foot scrub, and mauve colored nail polish with glitter.

All in all, The International Spa Association's annual look at the industry by the numbers found a slight uptick in 2011, with $13.4 billion in revenue and 156 million spa visits, a more than 4 percent increase from 2010, according to an analysis by PricewaterhouseCoopers of information provided by 1,000 destination and day spas in the United States.

The number of full-time employees in the industry is up, as well, by 9 percent, though part-time and contract employees declined slightly, as did the number of spa locations.

Good news for all of us in the wellness, massage, spa, industries!:)

*Source "Trends Swirl Up in the Spa World" Beth Harpaz AP

Freaky Friday Spa Treatment - Detoxification with Leeches

Well here's a unique spa treatment that really "SUCKS"!:) Today's featured Scandle Freaky Friday Spa Treatment is a leech treatment where for a mere $600 you can get whatever ails you sucked out.

Who would pay to have something like this done to them?  Well, how about actress Demi Moore who in an interview with David Letterman in 2008 said that her beauty regimen included going to an Austrian spa where she had leeches applied to her body as a detoxification measure.  Moore said, "You watch it swell up on your blood, watching it get fatter and fatter -- then when it's super drunk on your blood it just kind of rolls over like it's stumbling out of the bar."

So, what do you say...yay or nay to this medival method of detoxification?