Experience | Sabai Thai Spa Calm and Glow Spa Package

Gifted service

While I used to think that facials and massages were only for special occasions, once I started having a more stable income, I realized that spa treatments were both a mental and physical therapy session for me. They reset my body and help me to recharge to survive another work week or give my skin its glow again! A few weeks ago, I was invited to experience the Calm and Glow Spa Package at the newest Sabai Thai Spa location in Metrotown and I could not say no!

EXPERIENCE | Visiting Steveston and My Much Cooler Momma!

As some of you know, I took a staycation last week to celebrate my birthday on Canada Day and do some major cleanup of the Beauty Room. I also had a crown done which made me very grumpy as even today my gums are still sore from the procedure. In addition to all of the things I HAD to do, I also decided it was time for my husband and I to take a day out in Steveston, Richmond which is where TV show "Once Upon a Time" and the new Power Rangers movie were shot (FYI!). I don't often visit Richmond as I despise driving in the area and by transit, Steveston is exactly 1.5 hours of Seabus, Skytrain and Bus. It's a trek, but we had one goal in mind and that was to finally visit my mom's store - Steve's Board & Apparel Shop! 

EXPERIENCE | The La Prairie White Caviar Facial Treatment

I greatly treasure my time off and when I had three precious days all to myself this past long weekend I was careful to make sure I didn't fill them up with too many things to do. My husband and I don't share many days off together so it was really a treat to see him for three consecutive days. I am a total homebody and generally prefer to stay home and blog, clean and cuddle up with my furbabies, but I made an exception last Saturday when I trekked out (hubby came too!) to Holt Renfrew in downtown Vancouver for a La Prairie White Caviar Facial Treatment!

Treatment was complimentary and provided by La Prairie and Holt Renfrew. All opinions are my own.

HAIR | I'm So Blue

I am an Aveda Vancouver Ambassador. All treatments are complimentary.

It feels like forever ago since I decided to colour my hair dark blue, but it has been another harrowing hair experience I can tell you that! Going this shade of blue has probably been the easiest to maintain out of the blonde, oilslick and blue/green. With blonde, I eventually looked brassy, oilslick was probably next easiest to maintain as my hair didn't look awful at the end of 8 weeks, blue/green was probably the worst as the green turned muddy even with colour protecting shampoos and treatments.

After much Instagramming and Pinteresting, my Hair God JT, from Civello Robson, and I decided that a darker blue would look great at the beginning and at the end of the summer and we were right! It's actually looking fairly tame now, but allow me to take you on my hair story starting with the very first day at the salon!

EXPERIENCE | AVEDA Session #7 Even More Blonde!"

I am an Aveda Vancouver Ambassador. All treatments are complimentary.

My last appointment with Aveda was early this summer where I asked to go a little more blonde. As much as I enjoyed the darker hair, summer was all about being glowy and going a little bit more blonde was something I was craving. I also thought I would share my last experience with you because next month I will be a different colour...multiple perhaps...you only live once, right?

EXPERIENCE | Miraj Hammam Spa by Caudalie The Cocoon Body Wrap

Cocoon body wrap was complimentary in exchange for my honest review.

I never would have thought to find myself back in Toronto after my last visit in August of last year because it really is quite a journey from Vancouver though we all talk about the trek like it's just a trip to the grocery store. Many of you know that I was in #The6ix for GenBeauty and lemme tell ya, I booked that flight so fast and spontaneously that I felt like a crazy person. I DON'T like to fly, but the thought of meeting so many of my favourite Toronto bloggers and PR peeps was enough for me to haul my Vancouver ass out there!

EXPERIENCE | Aveda Canada Revisited - Getting Highlights and Going "Ash Blond"

At the end of July, I announced that I had become an Aveda Institute Vancouver Ambassador which, in all honesty, is something I feel more comfortable doing as going blond has given me a whole new appreciation for hair care. Between my skin and hair care regimes, I probably appear somewhat vain because I seem to spending immeasurable amounts of time on just the top part of my body! What I can truly say though is that having hair I love has made me feel so much more confident. Yes, inner beauty is more important, but this post is all about the HAIR.

After having a haircut and styling session last month (read all about it here!),I decided it was time to let Aveda do something about my summer blond that was getting a little too orange for me. I was greeted by the lovely Amy who got me settled and all cozy with a very FAT September issue of Vogue and a cup of Aveda's herbal tea. Amy then asked me a simple question,"What do you love and what do you dislike about your hair right now?" The answer was easy. I wanted the orange and brassiness taken out and possibly a darker hue for the Fall season. What I loved? I loved the length of my hair and the way the balayage was growing in so what Amy and I decided on was to tone the blond and add some low lights to give my hair some "refinement". 

EXPERIENCE | Aveda Canada Institute Tour, Haircut & Review in Photos

Earlier this month I was invited to be an Aveda Institute Vancouver Ambassador which I did not hesitate to say “yes” to as I have been a long time user of their Rosemary Mint Shampoo and the “shampure” scent of the Hand Relief Moisturizing Hand Cream is just to DIE FOR. The first order of business was a hair appointment and tour of the Aveda Institute in Vancouver located on Water Street in the ever eclectic Gastown in downtown Vancouver. It is tourist season so this area was bustling with activity on the day of my appointment. For those unfamiliar with the Gastown area, this is the City’s oldest neighbourhood and has been designated a national historic site. There are loads of fun eats, treats and little boutiques that both visitors and locals enjoy regularly throughout the year.

EXPERIENCE | Lumiere Skin Health & Wellness Centre SilkPeel & Luminix LED Light Therapy Facial Review

I should begin by saying that my first experience at Lumiere Skin Health & Wellness Centre is not for the novice facial goer as I ended up changing my treatment during the consultation to something more “adventurous”. Located in the historic Rogers Building on Granville Street, I have passed this building numerous times to get to Trees coffee shop and never took note of the merchants in this building!

Lumiere is fairly new to the neighbourhood and offers some very unique treatments in the form of European style facials using German brand BABOR products and facial techniques. I had never heard of BABOR before, but it is quite well-known in Europe and was founded by German biochemist Dr. Michael Babor (history). The products felt very “sciencey” with plenty of active ingredients and awards featured, but I should mention that I did not have access to a full ingredients list nor was there one on the website. The price range of BABOR products is fairly reasonable with Skinovage moisturizers ranging from $72-$80.

Lumiere offers everything from specialized facials to the more “advanced” SilkPeel and LED light therapy treatments as well as massage and wax services. You can pretty much come in here a total mess and leave feeling and looking like a million bucks since makeup touch ups are complimentary. If you’re the kind of person who loves having a SilkPeel or “lunchtime facial”, definitely look into the Lumiere membership program starting at $59/month. There are varying membership levels based on the types of services you’d like to get, but the entry level guarantees you a 30 minute facial and aromatherapy back massage every month which sounds like a pretty good deal to me!  

 
If you are a new client, a consultation will be done to address your current skin needs and what you would like to achieve in terms of results. I found my consultation with Marvice to be very personalized and even came with an aromatherapy recommendation. It felt like two gals just sitting down with some tea talkin’ all about skin!

EXPERIENCE | Miraj Hammam Spa–Hammam, Gommage, Seaweed Detox Treatment

It’s a new year, so time to experience something new. Situated on the corner of West 6th and Granville Street in Vancouver is the unassuming Miraj Hammam Spa. Residing in this location for 15 years, I have gone past it numerous times on the drive to UBC, but of course never thought to go in. Thinking back, as a student the stress level is so high that a spa day would have been the best medicine! I was first invited to experience the hammam and gommage and loved it so much that I went back the next week for a January special called the “Fresh Start Seaweed Detox” which included the hammam and gommage plus a full body seaweed clay mask and massage.