I’m a twitterin’!
Remember the awesome massage I had a few weeks back? The spa, though it has been open about two months, is having its grand opening tonight with lots of treats, including wine, cocktails, spa experiences, giveaways, discounts, and more. Stop by and check it out!
Have you ever had a massage that started with a foot wash?
And then you got to pick your own aromatherapy scents?
And then your masseuse really applied pressure … I mean REALLY got in there … and it felt awesome?
Cuz that’s what happened to me on a recent visit to newly-opened Hiatus Day Spa. It’s tucked into an unassuming storefront in the Gables on 5th, but once inside it’s pure spa experience. Small, clean locker rooms stocked with robes and shoes, a lounge-y waiting room with cucumber water, tea, hershey’s kisses, and the latest magazines, and industrial-chic concrete-floored treatment rooms.
Christopher Demers was my masseuse, and he was phenomenal. Really dug into my sore, tight muscles and helped alleviate some lower back pain I’ve been having from the snowboarding injury last winter. It. was. awesome.
I’m in the locker room afterward changing back into my clothes and another guest asks me how my treatment was. I raved about Christopher and she said, “Oh, he’s awesome. I’ve followed him from spa to spa for seven years, I’m so glad he’s downtown now.”
Seven years.
That’s a good massage.
Hiatus is still running their Founder’s specials through January, where you can buy a Founding H-Circle membership for $49/month. Sign up for a year and enjoy one Essential Service each month in exchange for your membership fee.
With the stress of the holidays, you deserve a little pampering. Since you might be too busy worrying about others to worry about yourself, here’s a rundown of the latest spa news so you can snag a quick refresh for yourself, and maybe a gift card for someone on your list …
Award-winning day spa Hiatus Spa + Retreat celebrates its grand opening in Austin with a Founding Membership in its membership program, the H-Circle, which locks in $49 per month spa services for life. This introductory offer is only available now through February 14, 2011.
How awesome is a $49 spa treatment a month? It’ll force you to go and is cheap! H-Circle members can enjoy a different signature “Essential Service” every month, including: Hiatus Massage, Hiatus Facial, Body Glow, Revitalizing Body Wrap, or a Mani-Pedi Retreat. Plus, Founding Membership offers unlimited spa services at significantly discounted H-Circle member pricing. A one-time initiation fee of $29 applies. Perfect for you and as a gift!
hiatusspa.com / Gables 5th Street Commons, 1611 West 5th Street, Ste 155
Staying in tune with Travasaa’s signature musical massage treatments, the Double Trouble couples massage is inspired by Stevie Ray Vaughan, a Texas icon whose band was called Double Trouble. The treatment is composed of rhythmic movements that are choreographed to Stevie’s blues music. Reflecting the blues influence, the treatment features Blue Cypress, Agave and Sandalwood ingredients, a schematic blues-themed decor and guests receive a distinctive takeaway gift. (Cost $135 per person for a 50-minute session)
The new exclusive men’s What Ale’s You (apostrophe abuse but that’s how they spell it) spa package features an 80-minute Energetic Edge massage (intensive sports massage therapy for active athletes) followed by a Peppermint Zenergy foot treatment, completed with an refreshing, organic Texas ale of choice. (Cost is $265, including gratuities with tax additional, for a 2 hour treatment)
All of Travaasa Austin’s spa offerings: travaasa.com/austin/#/travaasa-spa-overview
San Saba Spa at Lakeway Resort and Spa has three new seasonal spa treatments:
Pumpkin Oatmeal Body Scrub: Natural apricot seeds gently scrub away dead skin cells while vitamin-rich pumpkin and oatmeal nourish the skin and work together to build up natural defense barriers. Botanical oils and extracts remind the senses of autumn delight. $210 for 100 minutes
Peppermint Mocha Scrub: the peppermint mocha body polish and white chocolate soufflé wrap includes the healing properties of chocolate with the gentle exfoliating peppermint mocha scrub to smooth and soften. A stress reducing and moisturizing White Chocolate Soufflé wrap rounds out this delightful treatment. $222 for 95 minutes
Spiced Stone Hot Massage: Using the traditional holiday spices of Cinnamon, Nutmeg, and Vanilla combined with warm polished river stones, therapists will soothe, balance and restore you thisholiday season. $192 for 80 minutes
I went to a tacky sweater party this weekend sans tacky sweater, so I knew I had to do something big to compensate. Out came the ever-useful gold pants and gold blazer, and with the addition of an art deco necklace worn as a headband, I was a smashing Christmas tree topper.
You can use any necklace as a headband in a cheap, temporary way. All you have to do is cut a thin elastic, tie each end of the elastic to each end of the clasp, and voila! Headband!
This works better with shorter necklaces so the elastic is tighter, but you could experiment with looping and doubling over long necklaces.
So easy!
When you get an email with that subject line, you know it’s gonna be good. I know my life has changed since reading The Beauty Department Tutorial on doing your own blowout (truth: that nozzle attachment IS the difference), so I can enthusiastically recommend getting yourself to a session to learn how to do a blowout!
Luckily, blowout salon blo is hosting a night of complimentary hair consults, unit testers (limited), and raffle with 15% off select tools and products. Nibbles, bevvies, and catwalk-quality hair guaranteed.
Check it out Thursday, November 17 from 6-8pm. 1611 west fifth street, suite 145
I get unbelievable amounts of compliments on my JewelMint earrings. I literally have NEVER worn these and NOT been complimented on them.
These new babies just arrived in the mail and I’m certain they will receive much love too:
And so you can get in on the goodness, I have a new discount code for thisislifeinaustin&aspen readers—especially commenter Amanda! I have two things for you to do before Halloween (October 31, um duh?), the first for you, the second for breast cancer.
BeautyMint members will take Nerida’s online Skin Care Consultation to identify their skin type and concerns so BeautyMint can personalize the right system to each member’s needs. The line will feature products ranging from an Ultra Replenishing Serum to an Ultimate Eye Treatment.
… and you’ve heard a ShoeMint is in the works with Rachel Bilson? Stay tuned for the inside scoop on the exploding ______Mint family!
OK, not really. Late Fashion Week news of the beauty variety … while the shows at Lincoln Center were in full swing, SkinMedica participated in the GBK Styling Lounge across the street at the Empire Hotel (gawd I want to go there and channel Chuck Bass) where celebs Lindsay Lohan (Mean Girls was on TV the other night … oh the days!), Kirstie Alley (she’s teeny now), America’s Next Top Model judge Jay Alexander, American Idol judge Kara DioGuardi and several Real Housewives stopped by for treatments and products.
I am now at least as famous as Phaedra Parks from Real Housewives of Atlanta...
To make me feel just a smidge like a celeb, SkinMedica sent me two of their award-winning products, the Vitamin C+E Complex and the TNS Lip Plump System. The Vitamin C+E Complex is the closest thing I’ve found to the Paula’s Choice serum I’m obsessed with. C+E Complex is an antioxidant serum featuring a concentrated cocktail of 15% stabilized Vitamin C and Vitamin E to work together to provide amazing anti-aging benefits to the skin. It improves skin tone, texture, and increased firmness to reduce the appearance of wrinkles. It also protects against UV and free radical damage. For me, the most important thing is that it feels like silk on skin. It’s also weightless, so you can use it under sunscreen/makeup/whatever and not feel at all clogged. Love it. ($95)
The TNS Lip Plump System was more terrifying … I have pretty full lips already, so I’ve never been concerned much with them—I don’t even own lipstick. But the TNS Lip Plump system is not actually scary, and is pretty sweet in the end. It features two tubes, a renewal formula and a plumping gloss. The renewal formula (that improves lip texture and shape by rejuvenating and stimulating collagen spheres, while smoothing out the fine lines around the lips) is super moisturizing, so that’s really nice in the dry mountain air! ($55 for both).
SkinMedica products are only sold in professional dermatologist offices, which can be found on SkinMedica.com.
No, these products do not fall under the “clean” beauty guidelines I am so fond of. I don’t mind stepping out of that zone to try something and then if I like it, for exceptional products—I still use Paula’s Choice cleanser almost daily. Read the ingredients, know the possible side effects, and decide for yourself!
It’s not quite Movember yet, but according to recent statistics, many men are embracing the mo’ and other facial hair throughout the year. A full 62 percent of guys sport facial hair sometime in a year. Lucky for guys, Wahl, the industry leader in barber tools, will dispatch its giant barbershop and team of experts to the Old Pecan Street Festival September 24-25 as part of a nationwide ”Face the Day” tour to help guys put their best face forward.
Wahl will set up a 30-foot mobile barbershop to give guys FREE facial hair grooming and tips. Guys can also enter a national search for the best facial hair in the country. Plus, looking good supports a good cause: for every trim, Wahl will donate $1 to Movember, a non-profit organization that provides funding for Live Strong, Prostate Cancer Foundation, and Movember Foundation.
Get a free man mo’ on the streets of Austin this weekend.
I’ve pinned it, tweeted it, and now am blogging it. I am officially obsessed with the glitter french manicure. It’s Rich Bitch nails with an edge—what’s not to love?
PritiNYC Polish in Coronation + SoEasy Stripe Rite in Silver Glitter … hot. May also try again with thicker tips, perhaps a slow fade of glitter?
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