Is Dr. David Cary Hansen from Skinsation on the Sunset Strip your dermatologist?? If so, you might want to check out this article, or if you live in the LA area, just turn on your local news.

“Hansen, who was arrested early Thursday, is accused of purchasing at least a dozen vials of Botulinum Type A from a company in Arizona in 2003 and 2004. The vials were marked “For Research Purposes Only,” according to prosecutors.” from LATimes.com

I would offer some sort of suggestion or something at this point, but with the economy going south, products being made in China and with who knows what, it’s kind of hard to tell what is going where. I really don’t know what to say. I’ve got friends who have been going to Dr. Hansen for botox with no bad results, I’ve got friends who have heard Dr. Marks uses faux-tox, I’ve got friends who have the BOMB breast augmentations from Dr. Jan Adams, and I have a friend who got scammed from NeoSkin. What is one to do? Hope for the best, I suppose. I mean it’s not like Dr. Hansen was offering bootleg botox at the nail shop, or a tire center – AND he is a medical doctor, a dermatologist at that! Want even more validation? Skinsation was even nominated for a MyFoxLA Hotlist!! Rick Dickert and Jillian wouldn’t send us to a shady Botox injector would they??? It’s a sad day when Good Day LA features back alley botox shops.

I’ve heard of cosmetic dental centers buying their Zoom! Teeth whitening machines off of ebay to offset the cost of the competition (remember when a Zoom! treatment used to cost $700 and now it’s less than $200) and I’ve heard of massage therapists being treated like sweat shop workers and double booking at Burke Williams in Sherman Oaks.

Again, I don’t really have any advice to offer at this point – I mean, do you just say forgetaboutit and just not go? Perhaps.

Ok, I thought I had experienced a pumpkin enzyme facial before at Burke WIlliams, but after THIS one at Cosmetic Creations, I know with my heart and soul that I have NEVER ever had one of these before.

Remember when I posted about the Murad Vitamin C Facial feeling like napalm?? Well, it has nothing on the Pumpkin Enzyme facial peel. God bless anyone who goes through that burning and dire experience…it is pure pain. Shannon, my esthetician did a nice job of working overtime by hand-fanning my face while the facial stayed on for the first few minutes to help the sting factor. It was much more effective than the lactic acid facial that I have been going to Lynn for over at Nail Forum, although definitely not as relaxing or enjoyable. The end product was pretty amazing – my face is still smooth at 1.5 weeks later, and I do see the difference!

I might have to get it done every other facial though, because it really is a pretty intensive experience. For about the same price as the Nail Forum facial, I suppose you have to decide whether you want an effective facial, or a relaxing one, as that is really the only difference. It’s good to have options within 5 minutes of the homestead!

This is my second time at PediSpa Northridge. Typically I go to Nail Forum in Porter Ranch, but I wanted something quick and easy with no waiting, plus I’ve been there for a pedicure before, so a manicure should be a shoe in too, que no?

So off to PediSpa. I selected the Milk and Honey manicure because they had a $5 off special. All together it was around $25 (including tip, the total ticket price came to $20). I’m not sure I will go back though. And here is why: My nails were not soaked. She quickly ran a scrub on my hands, not really massaging at all, just kind of slathering. After that, a rinse with a ceramic milk jug and pan was used to rinse off the scrub, which was a nice visual, but still, no nail soaking. Hot towels were put on my hands, and BOY were they HOT!

While my hands were wrapped in the burning towels, she cleaned up my cuticles by putting on some cuticle remover and nipping around. A quick buffing out was done to shape, and then she shoved a timer in my face saying ‘you get 5 minute massage starting now”. Hmm…ok. So she starts to mindlessless massage my hands with super cold lotion, and then wipe my nails off with rubbing alcohol, remove the towel, move to the other side (all while my timer is on) and put alcohol on my nails, do a quick mindless rub on my hands and then remove the towel and clean up. By this time, the timer goes off, and she grabs the towels and heads for the back. A quick polish later, and I am done – but the very next day, my polish is all chipped off! Major bummer. I guess next time, I will go back to my usual haunt, the Nail Forum.

And I’m still wondering where the whole ‘Milk and Honey’ description came in…at all? Or did I just pay for the copy on the brochure? THIS I would like an answer to…unless maybe it was simply a ‘Milk and Honey’ scented scrub that wasn’t really scrubbed on, or maybe the lotion was scented Milk and Honey? If you know, please, do tell!

On a positive note, the technician was very sweet and nice.

PediSpa Northridge
8980 Tampa Ave, Northridge, CA 91324
(818) 998-7826

Parissa has their blue oil that comes with their wax strips, and Aveda has theirs in a roller ball, but both are basic run of the mill Chamomile Oil which is said to hinder the growth of body hair. I’ve saved mine from Parissa, and have been using it after I shave my legs and after shower care, but besides ultra smooth skin, I haven’t noticed any hair growth hinderance. Aveda claims that theirs will “balance, restore and awaken” but I’m not too sure about that claim either. I’ll give it one more week and she what happens.

I went in last night to the Sunny Wellness Center on a whim and had a pretty good massage. What I liked about this particular session that I didn’t get last session, was an intense reflexology exercise which was more therapeudic than I would have thought. It wasn’t a super-great feeling session like my last one, but afterwards I felt super energized and flexible – so that outcome was pretty nice & unexpected!

I still believe that this is the absolute BEST $25 bucks and 1 hour out of your time you can ever invest in!

The website just launched with added extras (which usually means higher prices in the future IMO). you can also make your appointment online and download a coupon for $5 off, which makes your hour foot massage only $20 bucks.

Here’s a quicklist of info that you should know:
- Although it’s called Chinese Foot Massage, it is a full body massage.

- You will be in a room full of other people getting massages kind of like in the mall

- You stay fully clothed – no need to be freaked out about that

- It’s not a pedicure, so you can wear whatever shoes you currently are wearing. You do soak your feet in the beginning, but only for relaxation purposes.

- You might want to bring an ipod, as it is kind of noisy with other therapists smacking and working on other clients, plus some clients bring their kids, and you can hear the traffic right outside the door, so whenever someone walks in, they bring the outside in with them.

ok that’s all folks – enjoy it!

Dry Sauna 411:

- Dry saunas aide in cleansing, preventative & healing properties.
- Raises your metabolism
- Creates flexible blood vessels
- Clears complexion
- aides in eliminating anxiety & elements of depression
- 15 min is a good time allotment
- drink lots of water afterward, as well as cooling down before going outside.
- it is said that 1 sauna session equals to approximately 300 calories burned.
- Mind clarity & stress relief

25 Bucks, 1 hour chinese style foot massage is just right behind that door…the one with the neon OPEN sign right on Chatsworth in Granada Hills. I’ve been hearing major buzz on these mini-spas popping up all over town (there is one on nordoff & de soto, and on devonshire & mason) so of course, I had to go check it out, especially since the weekly money mailer pack has $5 off coupons, so you’re looking at 20 bucks for 1 hour.

Ok so, I found parking right outside the front door, and when you walk in, you have to hush it, because you step right into a room full of massage chairs, with people sitting in them and massage therapists crawling all over them. I kid you not…

I am immediately shuffled into a chair – and being that I travel now with my ipod and audio book, I was glad to hide behind the earbuds and not hear the weird silence that was overbearingly loud. My therapist came out with a hot bucket of plastic-lined herb infused water and put my feet in it to soak, while she reclined the chair and started working on my scalp & shoulders. By the time she she got down to my feet, they were super soft from whatever was in the water, and I got an amazing reflexology foot massage with some sort of thick salve that my feet seemed to drink in. AMAZING! She reclined the chair all the way down to a full laying down position and asked me to flip over. The chair even had the face cut-out thing – dud where did that come from?? A fabulous full back massage (btw you are totally clothed during this whole experience) and when I woke up, I was hoping that they used some sort of disinfection process after the chairs because I was drooling all over that chair – lol gross!!

Anyway – for 20 bucks, my feet feeling like velvet and all my muscles loosy-goosy, I will totally be making this a repeat spot! Fabulous!

Ok so the buzz word about town (at least here in Porter Ranch) is “Chinese Foot Massage” which is referring to the new herbal foot spa treatment that is at a few locations – which I intend on hunting down in the near future – for an hour for $20 bucks. What?? Must investigate!

Q: “Hey Sylvia! Was wondering if you could recommend a good spa day place in the valley. The Fiance’s birthday is coming up and I’d like to treat him to a full day spa experience. ”

A: my two favorites are burke williams on the pricier side – but the facilities are great -
http://www.burkewilliamsspa.com/

but surprisingly, the Valley Day Spa is an AWESOME korean style spa for a fraction of the price and you still get a really nice atmosphere even tho its in the middle of the valley and in a strip mall LOL.
http://www.valley-day-spa.com/home.htm

have a happy one!!
xo
syl

omg.

Something fishy is going on here…LOL omg I totally couldn’t help the uber-cheese factor in that line. But anyway, here’s the deal. As if people in Washington wasn’t stressed out enough, now a trend in the DC & Virginia area where fish eat old skin during your soak session pedicure.

Since you can’t get a good slough session these days due to totally gross public health sanctions, these Doctor Fish will gnaw off all your gross dead skin. Before the health department got involved, up to 8 clients at a time would soak their feet in a community type Fish Pool, some issues did arise: At times the fish would flock to the feet of an individual with a surplus of dead skin, leaving others with a dearth of fish, and if your paying 35 bucks for fish to eat your dead skin and all the fish are all over the gross person next to you with dead skin hanging off their feet – is that really fair?

Oh it gets better. John Ho, who runs the Yvonne Hair and Nails salon with his wife, Yvonne Le, said 5,000 people have taken the plunge so far.

In addition to offering pedicures, Ho hopes to establish a network of Doctor Fish Massage franchises and is evaluating a full-body fish treatment that, among other things, could treat psoriasis and other skin ailments. Now if that isn’t organic, I dunno what is.

Don’t forget that there are alot of nature’s beasts that offer alternative healing, umm, like the maggots that are used for infection, leeches for detoxing and Kirsty Alley’s favorite – tape worms for weight loss.. LOL. If you have gotten a Dr Fish pedicure, we would SO love to hear from you, because I don’t know anyone personally who could be convinced to give it a test run, for research purposes, of course!

Be a part of the progress…all you do is call your local clinic and make an appointment for a 1-hour massage session for the day of our Massage for the Cure event. Instead of paying us for the massage, 100% of your donation for the massage goes to benefit the local affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure.

Massage Envy works with local Komen affiliates so the majority of the money donated stays in your community, helping give back to our friends and neighbors. Locations from Atlanta, Houston, Miami, Phoenix and more – check the schedule for your city & eligible dates & relax towards a good cause!

Ok, so I have sort of gotten used to the rare minerals night treatment, but I’m feeling a bit more dry than usual. The SA at the boutique said that it would be a few days to overcome the dryness – and today is glycolic peel day so I’m sure there’s gonna be even more dryness over the next few days – good thing I don’t have any major plans over the next few days in case I start to peel like a snake

Ok so Dr. Marks had to go out of town so he postponed my second mesotherapy / lipodissolve treatment that I am undergoing for my double chin until mid-november. I had O take a pic of my side profile before the first treatment so that I could document the actual results, and the second is 2 weeks later. I’m not seeing too much of a difference yet, but then again I’ve had two people tell me that my face looks thinner, so I guess maybe its more obvious in the whole view rather than the side profile. I will take full front pics too- for comparison shots. Dr. Marks suggests 3-4 sessions to get the best results, spread over a series of 2 week intervals.