Reiki is a gentle and profoundly relaxing Japanese energy modality created by Dr. Mikao Usui in the late 19th century.  It is used to direct Chi or Qi (universal life energy) to and through an intended recipient for the purpose of creating energetic balance. Specific hand placements over the body send energy to assist the clearing of blockages or stagnation in the natural energy flow, which in turn promotes the body's own healing response and internal balance. Imbalances of energy are generally created by trauma, injury, illness, and/or emotional disturbances.

Studies have shown one of the primary effects of reiki is the activation of the parasympathetic nervous system that controls the rest and relaxation responses in the body. It's therapeutic qualities make it an excellent modality for anyone experiencing pain, stress, anxiety, depression, or chronic health conditions.

Reiki isn't affiliated with any religion so all belief systems can benefit from the modality. Unlike massage, reiki is performed over the clothes so there is no need to undress for treatment. For those who have an aversion to physical touch, hand placements can be used above the body instead. Many people feel an increase in peace, security and well-being during and after treatment. While reiki doesn't replace regular medical care, it is a wonderful complement to conventional practices to promote recovery, and support emotional and physical health.

On a personal note, I currently volunteer at the cancer center at St. Charles providing reiki to patients in treatment. All the people I've worked on have reported significant improvements in their levels of pain, anxiety and well-being after receiving reiki. It's been such a delight to become attuned to this modality and witness the incredible effects it creates. I'm so excited to start sharing it in the studio with the Central Oregon population.

To learn more about the fascinating clinical study results on reiki
read, "Reiki is Better Than Placebo and has Broad Potential as a Complimentary Health Therapy."

At the start of each year I choose a "word of the year" to base my intentions and goals around. This year I've chosen "healer" as my WOTY. I've been enchanted with all things related to self-care and natural healing for the majority of my life. My collection of unread alternative health books has grown so high that I would be nuts to ignore this calling to my soul any longer. So I started this month with an indulgent deep dive into my favorite method of self-care, hydrotherapy.

The Greek philosopher, Socrates, famously declared, "the way to health is to have an aromatic bath and scented massage every day." Now I probably know what you're thinking, "but it's not realistic to splurge on a massage every day!" And I'm here to tell you that bathing is the answer. This overlooked form of self-care can lower stress, improve the quality of sleep, decrease muscular and joint pain, improve breathing, circulation and heart health, elevate mood, burn calories, lower blood sugar and boost immune function.

If that's not enough reasons to send you jumping straight into your tub, you can supercharge it even more by adding handmade herbal infusions to your water for skin beautification/purification/re-texturization/hydration or whatever type of "ation" you need.

A perfect example of that is the Queen of Egypt herself, Cleopatra. She ritualistically bathed in goat's milk and honey for the natural smoothing and softening properties they delivered.  The legend of her beautiful skin has passed on from generation to generation, timelessly spanning from ancient Egypt to today. THAT is the power of bathing. That is Queen energy. That is self-care. That is attainable. So go ahead and treat yourself like royalty with a healing bath. I'll get you started with an easy Matcha Lavender recipe:

Supplies

• Lavender petals or powder
  
• Magnesium chloride flakes
  
• Himalayan salt
• Matcha powder
  
• Sea salt
  
• Mason jar
  

Leave some room at the top of the jar so that once all the ingredients are added, you can mix them together by shaking the jar vigorously.

Add a cup of your herbal salts to the water, grab your favorite beverage to sip on, throw on some inspirational tunes and enjoy your healing bath.

This is just a tip of the iceberg. There are so many powders, salts, milks, florals, clays, oils, etc you can blend to create just the perfect infusion. Let your imagination run wild with the possibilities.

Let's talk about migraines...

Many of my clients suffer from migraines. After one of them recently told me she uses a heating pad on the back of her neck when she gets one, I decided to explain why heat on the neck isn't the answer and what to do instead.

How do migraines begin? They actually begin with a constriction of blood flow to the brain. This phase usually lasts 2-4 hours and is when you may experience that notorious migraine "aura". That is followed by extreme dilation of blood vessels to the brain. So in essence, it's an excess of circulation, not lack of.

Blood flow is increased by heat. So if you're adding heat to already dilated blood vessels, you're actually making it more pronounced. The goal is to reduce the circulation to the head, not increase it. A good way to do that is by using a cold pack on the back of your neck or forehead. You simultaneously want to help redirect that excess of circulation by drawing it away from your head using heat on the lower body. You can do that by putting your feet in a hot water foot bath or take a hot water half bath (with just your lower body submerged) while keeping the cold pack on your neck or forehead.

I've decided to put together an informational packet on migraines and alternative methods that can help. You can request this packet at the studio when you come in if it's something you're interested in having.

This information is meant for educational purposes only. Migraines can be very debilitating so it's important to rule out any underlying pathologies with your doctor if it's something you struggle with.

With all the different exfoliants on the market it can be confusing to know which one is best for your skin type. This post is going to help break it down so you can choose your exfoliant like a skin care expert.

There are two main categories of exfoliants, physical exfoliants and chemical exfoliants. Physical exfoliants use manual particles such as almond shells, jojoba beads or oatmeal to exfoliate the skin. They only exfoliate the very top layer of visible skin. Chemical exfoliants use chemicals that can penetrate the skin's surface to target the deeper layers resulting in more profound effects.

The most common over the counter chemical exfoliants are alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) and beta hydroxy acids (BHAs) which will be the focus of this discussion. Here's a closer look at each of the most commonly used and which skin type they are best suited for.

Mandelic acid is an AHA from almonds and has the largest molecule of the AHAs, making it the gentlest and least irritating on the skin. This makes it an excellent option for those with sensitive or rosacea-prone skin, as well as for those with darker skin tones, who may be at a higher risk for developing hyperpigmentation from other exfoliants.

Lactic acid is an AHA from milk and has a medium-sized molecule that can penetrate deeper than mandelic acid but still be gentle enough for most skin types. It is especially effective at hydrating, brightening the skin and improving the skin’s barrier function. This makes it a good choice for those with dry, dull or dehydrated skin since it can help to improve the skin's moisture levels while also exfoliating.

Salicylic acid is a BHA from willow bark. It is oil-soluble, which makes it highly effective at penetrating deep into the pores to clear out excess oil and impurities. This makes it an excellent option for those with oily or acne-prone skin, as it can help to unclog pores, reduce the appearance of blackheads and  prevent breakouts.

Glycolic acid is from sugarcane and has the smallest molecular structure of all the AHAs. This makes it the most potent at penetrating the skin, providing a deep exfoliation, improving skin tone and texture and reducing the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles and hyperpigmentation. However, it can also be more irritating, so it's best suited for those with non-sensitive skin.

Hopefully this post will give you more confidence when selecting the best exfoliant for your skin type. And don't forget to use a daily sunscreen when using these exfoliants since they WILL increase your skin's sensitivity to the sun. Keep glowing...

Some of you may have heard all the hype around skin cycling and wonder, "What is this all about?" Well no more need to wonder because I'm here as your Esthetician to spill the tea. Skin cycling, which was named by Dermatologist, Dr. Whitney Bowe, is a four day cycle that's a very effective way to exfoliate the skin in a way that can help avoid the notorious irritation that can come from using exfoliants such as redness, flakiness and sensitivity (signs that you're disrupting the natural skin barrier). It can help greatly increase the glow of your skin, smooth the skin's texture, help reduce hyperpigmentation and diminish breakouts.  So without further ado, here is the breakdown of how to skin cycle.

NIGHT ONE, EXFOLIATE:
Wash, treat the skin with an exfoliant, then moisturize. The key here is to use a chemical exfoliant such as an AHA or BHA based exfoliant. There are a few main different types of AHA's and BHA's which are suitable for different skin types. They are mandelic acid, salicylic acid, lactic acid and glycolic acid. We'll do a deep dive on the different types of acids on another post.

NIGHT TWO, RETINOID:
Wash, treat the skin with a retinoid, then moisturize. If you have sensitive skin and find that the retinoid is causing flakiness or redness, you can "sandwich" the retinoid by using a first layer of moisturizer, then retinoid, then another application of moisturizer. You may only have to sandwich the retinol in certain areas such as the crows feet area below the eyes and the marionette lines beside the nose and mouth. Pro tip, apply the retinol to dry skin not damp. If you apply the retinol to damp skin it can increase the chances of sensitivity.

NIGHTS THREE AND FOUR, RECOVERY:
Wash, treat the skin with a supportive serum, then moisturize. A supportive serum will include ingredients that help support and repair the skin barrier with anti-oxidants such as vitamin C, niacinamide, resveratrol, ceramides or hyaluronic acid.

As you begin the skin cycling process, you may notice a period of purging if you are inclined to breakouts. The reason for this is because it's increasing the speed of which your skin cells shed which bring the breakouts under the skin to the surface faster.

Have you jumped on the trend of skin cycling? What have your results been? I'd love to hear how it's worked for everyone. If you want to try skin cycling but don't know what products to use, I'd love to recommend some for you. Just shoot me an email or a text and I'll give you my professional recommendations for your specific skin type.

Keep glowing...

I'm starting this month with gratitude to you. Thank you so much for supporting my small business over the years. It means so much to me to be able to work locally to support my family. Please take this opportunity to win a gift certificate for a massage on either my Facebook or Instagram page. You can enter on either contest post. A winner will be drawn on December 11th. Wishing you joy this holiday season and health into the new year.

We have partnered with some other fabulous businesses to bring you the first annual Twelve Days of Giving. From November 19th-26th you can enter to win 12 different drawings for prizes throughout the community:

Daybreak Spa Studio will have an entry stand under the carport starting on the 19th for those who want to drop by to enter. And everyone who is scheduled for appointments will be able to enter as well.

Good luck to everyone and thank you so much for being a community who supports local small businesses. We appreciate you and couldn't do this without you! Happy holidays.

Secondly, while most of you were getting ready for Super Bowl LII today, I spent the day taking a level 2 cupping class learning specific treatment techniques for common shoulder conditions such as:

• frozen shoulder
• impaired range of motion
• pain inside the shoulder joint
• tennis elbow
• shoulder pain accompanied by pins, needles, tingling, burning or numbness radiating down the arm and/or up into the neck

This is just the tip of the iceberg for me. In time I will become a resource in the community for cupping therapy. I'm thoroughly sold on the therapy for moving out stagnation from the body so new biochemistry has a chance to nourish affected areas. And even though the temporary marks cupping can leave on the skin look brutal, it doesn't feel brutal at all. In fact I nearly fell asleep while my partner was working on me.

To celebrate I will be holding an open house on Saturday December 16th from 11am to 2pm. There will be finger foods, complimentary $10 spa vouchers towards your next service, and a grand prize drawing. Come celebrate this milestone with me. Thank you all so much for supporting my little spa studio. You guys are the best!

I'll also be selling gift certificates at the open house so come on in, check out my spa, enjoy some snacks, and finish up your Christmas shopping.

Don't forget to take advantage of our gift certificate special this month. Stock up on certificates for loved ones or stock up for yourself. The more you give the more you save this month at Daybreak Spa Studio.

Wishing you joy and health through the holidays and through 2018.

XO,

​~Lorinda