Bonjour, Mes Amis!
Let’s keep up our trend from earlier, and start today off with another word, one that we all know just a little too well: stress. Just thinking that word can trigger a little anxiety, can’t it? Remembering the tight feeling in your stomach and shoulders, not being able to sit still, feeling your mind racing and wondering how much longer you can hang on and keep up with your own thoughts; not a very fun feeling, is it?
As much as we’d all like to imagine that we are Super Woman, it’s very easy to feel overwhelmed, either by too many little things on your to do list, or one big tension point in your life. I am here to first of all remind you that you are not alone! Stress is something that anyone and everyone can relate to. Stress can reek havoc on your mental state, and on the health of your body and skin; acne is not just a teenage phenomenon, and stress can also exaggerate symptoms of rosacea, eczema and psoriasis. Most of us are very familiar with how our bodies react to stress, so let’s talk about some stress-relief tactics, oui?
Take A Deep Breath
At first this might seem silly, but I can personally testify that taking a minute or two to just stop and breathe properly works absolute wonders. To breathe ‘properly’ you’ll want to start by dropping your shoulders ( we hold a lot of tension in our shoulders!). Then, making sure your tummy and not your chest moves when you inhale, take a deep breath over a slow count of five. Then hold that breath for three, and expel it again over a count of five. Do this for a minute or two, and you’ll be able to feel your heart rate and thoughts slow down, too. This is a great in-the-middle-of-something relaxation technique, and I find that it works great when you pair it with a mantra of your preference; as you breathe, think (slowly!) to yourself, “I am confident, I am capable, I can do anything I set my mind to.”
Exercise
Sound familiar? Not to drag this up again, but getting your heart rate up can decrease your cortisol levels, which is a key stress hormone, as well as release more endorphins into your system, which elevate your mood and help keep that stress in check! Getting up early might not feel great, but working out some of that negative energy can give you the positive start to your day that you need!
Attitude is Everything
I know you already know this, mes amis, but a friendly reminder never hurt. Going into a stressful day with a positive mental attitude can make all the difference in the world. And I firmly believe (and I hope you do too!) that every single one of us deserves to have the best possible day, everyday! So put a smile on your face in the morning, even if you may not feel like it; studies have shown that just activating the facial muscles used in a smile releases endorphins, as well!
Come see us at A French Touch!
It’s never to late to celebrate your body and get some hard-earned relaxation time in! Many of you know how fabulous our facials are, but let me take a moment to describe the body treatments we offer to keep all of your skin feeling refreshed and healthy.
- Aroma Slim Wrap: This is our fabulous Sothys-inspired body treatment that I told you about last week! If you’d like to review, click here to see it again!
- Iris Litchi Body Escape: SOTHYS calls this “A refreshing and energizing treatment made with a combination of Litchi fruit and the Iris flower, creating a unique sensorial escape experience for all of the senses.” Imagine a fruity, flowery, gentle full body exfoliation, to leave your skin feeling youthful and revitalized, followed by a massage with more of SOTHYS’ delicious modelling syrup, to help your skin retain that youthful look and shape.
- Sunless Glow Treatment: This Jan Marini-inspired treatment is a true celebration of summer! As you know, the safest tan you can get comes in a bottle, so why not make an afternoon of it? You’ve earned not only some relaxation, but a pretty. sun-kissed glow to carry into Fall! This body treatment also starts with a total body exfoliation with Jan Marini’s Bioglycolic scrub, to smooth and refresh your skin. Then, we perform a full body application of Jan Marini’s Self Tanner, enhanced with glycolic acid to hold the color, in a soothing massage, and even get those hard-to-reach places that are difficult to cover on your own, like the upper back and middle of the back, so you leave with an even, natural glow.
Purifying Back Facial: Your back also holds a great deal of tension when you’re stressed, so why not show it some love? This body treatment, also using Jan Marini, starts off with a deep cleansing with Clean Zyme, followed by a gentle resurfacing with Bioglycolic Resurfacing Body Scrub. Top off your hour in heaven with a massage using SOTHYS botanical elixirs that will leave you and your skin feeling soothed, refreshed and generally wonderful.- 60 or 90 Minute Massage: Denise is our massage therapist at A French Touch, and I would strongly encourage you to experience her 25 years of expertise, if you’re feeling stressed. Massage can loosen the muscles, improve blood flow, lower blood pressure, and give you the hour of peace you need to refresh and face the world again.
While a little stress can keep us alert, too much over an extended period of time is harmful to your skin and your body. Remember, mes amis, that you deserve to not live under that sort of pressure! Show yourself some love by taking a little time to relax, to smile, to breathe deeply and remember that you are worth the time.
Bisous,
