Defy Facial at Naturopathica Spa & Healing Center

I have been a fan of Naturopathica products for years and was so excited to finally indulge in one of their spa services. As much as I wanted to go with one of their massages, I opted for the Defy Facial since I really wanted to experience several of the Naturopathica skincare products on my face.

The 60-minute Defy Facial includes HydroFacial technology (for exfoliation and painless extractions) combined with firming LED followed by a cooling jade stone mask to bring down any redness. This facial treatment combats fine lines and stimulates collagen with ingredients such as Vitamin C, Retinol, and Alpha Hydroxy Acids. I do appreciate that this facial also extended to the décolleté area and included a mini massage. 

I didn't experience any redness, just immediately refreshed, hydrated and glowing skin! The changing room has amazing lighting so you can really see the difference in your skin right after. There's also a nice relaxing lounge area to enjoy before or after your treatment. 

Here's a look at the products used on my skin:

• Oat Cleansing Facial Polish
• Manuka Honey Cleansing Balm
• Sweet Cherry Brightening Enzyme Peel
• Vitamin C15 Wrinkle Remedy Serum
• Manuka Honey Whipped Oil
• Lavender & Manuka Honey Balancing Mist
• Sweet Cherry Conditioning Lip Butter

I truly love all the Naturopathica products so it's hard to pick any favorites. Their products are moisturizing and leave my skin looking radiant, and they also smell amazing! I love the Manuka Honey, Sweet Cherry and Lavender & Manuka scents!

A special thanks to my aesthetician Carol, who was absolutely amazing! She really took her time to give my skin the attention it needed. I highly recommend you ask for Carol if you book a facial at the Naturopathica Spa & Healing Center in Chelsea, at 127 West 26th Street in NYC. Be sure to check out their spa menu!

Many thanks Naturopathica! Next time I can't wait to experience one of the massages!

- Kim Weling

NAD IV Therapy at Fild Studio in NYC

Photo credit: Fild Studio

I recently received a NAD (Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide) IV Therapy treatment at the newly opened Fild Studio in NYC. This treatment specializes in anti-aging and hydration and can stimulate cell regeneration in your body. Dr. Randa Jaffar effortlessly and painlessly inserted the IV and then sat down with me during my treatment to answer any questions I may have. My IV drip took approximately one hour and then I was on my way! I felt an immediate difference, feeling hydrated, refreshed and energized. I recommend using the bathroom before the treatment and anticipate running to the bathroom more frequently for the next 1-2 days due to the increase in fluids that the drip provides. If you are constantly dehydrated, it may be a good idea for you to regularly get a NAD IV Therapy treatment on a regular basis, as Fild Studio accepts HSA for NAD IV Therapy.

As for the space itself, Fild Studio, located at 457 Broome Street in SoHo is really inviting and makes me feel like I'm at a lounge. I love the modern decor, with a bar / sitting area as well as a sofa and table seating passed the treatment rooms. There was also a mirror in my treatment room and a larger mirror by the entrance so you can take selfies during your treatment and after! 

NAD IV Therapy is just one of the treatments Dr. Jaffar offers at Fild Studio. Other treatments include Botox for upper (11 lines, forehead and crow's feet) and lower (lip, chin, TMJ and bunny lines) face, Botox for the neck, underarm Botox (makes you stop sweating for about 3 months, very popular around summertime), fillers (frown lines, undereye, cheeks, chin), laser facials such as radio frequency miicroneedling for skin resurfacing, tightening and fine lines, C02 laser for the top layer of the skin and gives you a glow and PRP, platelet-rich plasma (draw your blood, take out the platelets and inject it into your skin or joints for repairing/healing).

If you are interested in checking out Fild Studio, list me as a referral and instantly get $50 off your treatment!

Thank you again to Dr. Jaffar and Fild Studio for my NAD IV Therapy!

Photo credit: Fild Studio

Photo credit: Fild Studio

Photo credit: Fild Studio

- Kim Weling

Moxi by Sciton Laser Treatment Review

A few months ago I received a Moxi by Sciton laser treatment session and wanted to share my experience. Moxi is a non-ablative fractional laser, penetrating down into the top two layers of the skin without damaging and heating the tissue below the skin. The treatment removes dead skin layers, unwanted pigmentation and textural abnormalities.

To prep for my procedure, Lidocaine was applied to numb my face. This needed to be applied 15-30 minutes before my procedure to ensure my face was fully numb. After 20 minutes, I carefully and thoroughly washed my face.

The actual treatment was only about 15 minutes long and I really didn't feel any discomfort. As the laser moved around on my skin, it felt like static electricity but also soothing at the same time. Right after my treatment, my face wasn't red but that first night it felt like I got sunburn. I was instructed to stay out of direct sunlight the next couple of days and to make sure I wear sunscreen. Over the course of the week, my skin had started to peel and become extremely dry, with some minor breakouts. It was 7-10 days before my skin was back to normal and feeling fully moisturized.

The treatment in my opinion was a success. My skin was brighter and smoother and my skin tone was more even. Since I have healthy skin, it was recommended I only do this treatment once a year, although depending on the condition of the skin, this treatment is usually recommended 3-4 times per year (or once a quarter).

The Sciton Moxi laser treatment is suitable for all skin tones and has very little down time and also isn't intense as other lasers like Fraxel. The cost per session ranges from $500-$750. I was extremely happy with the results and would recommend this treatment and would also do it again. 

Thank you to the Sciton team for treatment, and to Theraderm for providing me with skincare products to use afterwards, including the OPC Reparative Serum, which helps reduce redness and provides protection against sun damage. 

- Kim Weling

Simple Things To Do To Increase Your Happiness

In life, we are given two choices each day: make the most out of every situation that is thrown your way, or decide to be overwhelmed with each situation & focus on the negatives. Now, life does not come with a manual and every emotion is valid. However, even when you have a bad moment or day, you can start fresh again, to make the next moments much better! How do you do that? The best and easiest way to start is by focusing on simple things to do to increase your happiness. Life is short and I believe that we need to make every minute of it count. What can you do today to improve your overall happiness? Here are some simple things that you could incorporate: 

Make sure you are taking care of yourself

Before anything else, you absolutely need to prioritize your health and wellness: both your physical health and your mental health. It can feel necessary to keep up with the fast-paced nature of how the world operates now, but doing so will cause you to get burnt out very quickly. Instead, approaching each day with a slower mindset that allows you to put your needs first, will benefit you and your happiness greatly. Wake up each morning and focus on what your body and mind need, to take on the day with ease. Sunshine? Coffee? A nutritious breakfast? 30 minutes of exercise? A shower? Figure out how to fit it into your daily schedule! I understand that life gets busy and that it can be challenging to fit everything into each day, but prioritizing what your body wants and needs will help you get everything else done throughout the day, instead of feeling majorly sluggish and burnt out once that first cup of coffee wears off.

Get sunshine

How many of you sit in front of a computer all day long? Getting outside to soak up the sun and fresh air is very, very important. The sun especially has a huge impact on your happiness and health, too. Think about it: do you feel happier sitting inside, or when the sun brings warmth to your body and when you can feel the crisp wind on your face? Personally, I feel so much better when I am outside regularly. Even if this means just taking a break from work to stretch my legs and get some sun. Huge bonus if you can take your work outside! 

Downsize

Do you ever feel like you have too much and it is weighing you down? This looks different for each person, but maybe it is too many things, too large of a home, or too many things on your schedule. If this sounds familiar, consider downsizing. Get rid of things that you don’t need, in order to make more room in your life for fun and growth. Buy a smaller home that is not taking all of your money and that you do not need. Figure out what it is that you need, and only keep that - the things that bring you joy and happiness. If you do decide to downsize, it will be an undertaking, but it will also be so worth it. Get help along the way and use services to help make the process easier. Consider it Moving can help if you do not want to tackle a move on your own. They help with residential moving and Commercial Office Moving Long Island, too.

Photo by Krystal Pratt

Exercise

Moving your body is a sure way to improve your mood and overall happiness. Need a simple thing to do to increase your happiness? Here you go! Find time to exercise. This can mean a one-hour weight lifting session, or it can mean taking a walk, jogging in the park, jumping on a trampoline, or taking a 30-minute yoga and stretching class. As long as you are moving your body in a way that makes you feel good, that is all that matters!

Make sure you have a job that you like

Doing something that you love (work-wise) makes such a huge difference when it comes to your overall happiness levels. Most people spend so much of their time at work and around co-workers, and it truly does affect how you are as a person. If you do not have a job that you like right now, find a way to improve your work situation, no matter if it is finding a new job, or addressing whatever is holding you back at your current position (if possible). Life is too short to spend 8+ hours each day at a job that you dread.

Consider therapy

Therapy is a pretty taboo topic with a lot of people, but having someone to talk to who isn’t connected to a situation can help you see your situation(s) from an outside point of view. It allows you to really dive deep and work on improving yourself and your happiness, which is a great thing. If you are struggling with depression, anxiety, your relationship, or anything in between, you might want to at least consider going to therapy! You never know - it might just make a huge, great difference in your life.

Thank you to MoversBoost. MoversBoost offers a list of the best moving software for relocation movers in America.

IV Vitamin Therapy Session at Drip Medi Spa

Are you familiar with IV vitamin therapy? I'm here to break it down for you! I recently booked an IV vitamin therapy session at Drip Medi Spa (2011 Lemoine Avenue, #201), Fort Lee, NJ and couldn't wait to share my experience, as I know several people who were considering trying this out. 

For my visit, I made my way to the Drip Lounge, where you can choose your spot for the next 45-6o minutes. As I got comfortable, Sarah, Lead Nurse Injector & Manager, created a special 'IV Cocktail' with really high doses of Vitamin C and Zinc to ramp up your immune system, B Vitamins - B12, B-Complex, B5, B6 for lots of energy, Magnesium for your muscles and Tri-amino acids for brain function and stimulation. This mix of vitamins was just what I needed!

Before injecting my 'IV Cocktail' into my IV bag to start my drip, Sarah painlessly hooked me up to the IV with just a little needle prick. I can tell you right now I cringe at the sight of needles, and always look away whether it's a shot of getting my blood drawn. I was pleasantly surprised at what an easy experience this was. Sarah had also previously worked in an ER which explains how she did this so effortlessly and immediately put me at ease.

Once my drip started, I was all set with water and and a large TV screen to watch Netflix (in which I finally started watching Love is Blind - highly recommend)! I did get a fruity pebbles taste in my mouth from the drip (perfectly normal) and I just continued to take sips of water during my session. My drip session was about 50-55 minutes long, and it was very relaxing, just as if I was watching TV at home. Towards the last 10 minutes of my drip I started to feel like I really needed to use the bathroom, and I ran to there as soon as my session was done. A few tips: wear a short sleeve or sleeveless top, or long sleeves that you can easily roll up and use the bathroom before your session starts because you will definitely need to use it after. Also, make sure you are close to a bathroom for the rest of the afternoon, as I was peeing every 15-30 minutes. 

How did the IV vitamin therapy make me feel? So this was my second session I've ever experienced, with my first experience at a fashion week lounge two years ago. That first time I tried it, I felt energized right away. This time I felt vitalized gradually within the next few hours. I really found this session to be effective for me because I am always dehydrated and immediately felt rehydrated after my session. I also do not get a lot of sleep (usually 4-5 hours per night) which combined with stress takes a toll on my immune system. I had very low level energy before my session and afterwards I felt like I had gotten all the rest and vitamins I needed to tackle the rest of the week, and the travel show I had attended that afternoon. This revitalized and energized feeling lasts about 7-10 days, and really kept me focused on staying hydrated as I wanted to keep the momentum going as long as possible. 

Drip Medi Spa also has various 'IV Cocktails' on their drip vitamin therapy menu, including Elevate, Fuel, Beauty and Reset. There may be many reasons why you would seek out IV vitamin therapy - maybe you are like me where you don't get enough sleep or drink enough water, or you may not regularly take vitamins, or you feel like your getting sick and just need that extra immunity boost. 

I want to thank Nena Kallopoulos, Owner and Lead Medical Provider, and the entire Drip Medi Spa staff for having me and making my IV vitamin therapy session a great and relaxing experience. I felt very welcomed, and appreciated all the care throughout my session. The team also kept checking on me to see if I needed anything and to make sure I was feeling okay. I would love to go back to Drip Medi Spa for a future session and IV vitamin therapy is definitely something I would recommend trying. I hadn't thought about it at the time but if this is something that is covered through FSA or HSA benefits that would be great news!

Drip Medi Spa also has cosmetic, facial and beauty treatments available. You can learn more about them at dripmedispa.com. Checkout my iv vitamin therapy session reel here. 

- Kim Weling

5 Ways to Change Your Life Around

How many of you are stuck in the grind? The constant to-do list and the never-ending circle of waking up early, going to work, coming home to make dinner, and then doing it all over again? Are the weekends too short and do you feel like you can never catch up on stress and sleep? I know how you feel. If you feel like this, it’s time to change up your life and intentionally make it better! Here are 5 ways to change your life around for the better:

Put an emphasis on your wellness

Life doesn’t slow down for us and unfortunately, we are not getting any younger. While this is not a bad thing, it also means that how we treat our body throughout the years, is going to directly translate into how we feel now and in the future, as well. When you were younger, you probably did not care much about your health and wellness at all. That’s okay and pretty normal for the average person. The good news? You have the ability to change it - to change how you take care of your body now, so that you can start feeling better and continue feeling great for years to come. When it comes to health and wellness, I truly believe that preventative care is more affordable, better for you, and it keeps you feeling as great as you possibly can for years to come.

If you want to change your life around, start with your wellness. There are so many things that you can do to improve your health and wellness - and a lot of things are free! Drink more water, start walking around the block or in a park, meet up with friends and talk, garden, add more vegetables into your diet, switch to higher quality protein, and more. These are just a few ideas - you figure out what you can do individually to put an emphasis on your health and wellness.

Choose to see the good

You have a choice every single day - to focus on the good, or to focus on the negatives in your life. While focusing on the negatives might be easier, what does it really do, other than make you feel down? Does it benefit you at all, to focus on the negative? No, I don’t think so. You have to try to focus on the good - even in the worst of situations. It’s called the glass half full perspective and it makes a huge difference in your mood, your overall happiness and life, and in the people around you, as well.

Take a risk

One of the best ways to change your life around? Take a risk - even a big one. Sometimes, changing your life around means getting out of your comfort zone, which can be tough, but also so good for you. And keep in mind: you don’t have to do it alone. Have friends and family members there to support you, or if you need extra help, hire it out. For example, if your “risk” is moving to new city, like moving from NJ to NY, hire help. Trust me - you’ll be glad you did not tackle it alone. There are plenty of great moving companies out there that can take the stress off your plate. Bluebell Relocation Services is one that focuses on NJ to NY moving, but they also do so much more like packing services, moving within each city, commercial moving, fragile item moving, and more.

Taking a risk - no matter what it is - has the potential to be life changing, in a GREAT way! Get out of your comfort zone and push yourself to do great things, that will make you happier.

Evaluate how you are spending your time

This is a big one - evaluate how you are spending your time. In the scheme of things, our lives go by in a blink of an eye. Do you want to spend hours each day in a daze, scrolling through your Instagram, or would you prefer to spend it with your friends and family, doing the things you love? I don’t know about you, but I want to make the most out of each day. If you feel the same way, consider evaluating your time. A good starting place is your phone: there is a way to see exactly how many minutes or hours you are on it each day, and it even breaks it down into what apps you are using. You could also keep a running list of how your day and time is spent. Do this for a week or two and then go over it and see what you can do to use your time more wisely + improve your happiness. Every person will be different and maybe TV time is one of your biggest priorities. If so, make sure you are getting that in! But, if you are someone who values more connection with family and friends, or outdoor time, evaluate your time and then see how you can add even more of that connection in.

Love the people you are around

This is another big one: love the people you are around hard. So many people have to learn this the hard way, but if you haven’t learned this lesson in life yet, hear me out. There is no guarantee of tomorrow. I know that we are all so busy and life gets the best of us sometimes, but your people (and yourself) should come above everything else. Live life with no regrets and love your people hard. 

Life Time Athletic at Sky's Summer Solstice Event

On the eve of Summer Solstice, June 20th, I enjoyed a rooftop yoga class at Life Time Athletic at Sky at 605 W. 42nd Street. It was the perfect way to celebrate the start of summer! Following the yoga class, we enjoyed signature cocktails, food and film screening of Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story on the SkyDeck. It truly felt like a staycation right in the city. The view of the city was absolutely gorgeous and it was incredibly relaxing to sit poolside after the yoga class. I would definitely love to explore more of this luxury health club. 

- Kim Weling

Organic Spa Magazine's 2017 Experience Wellness & Travel Media Event

Organic Spa Magazine's 2017 Experience Wellness & Travel Media Event took place on April 17th, 2017 at the Conrad Hotel in NYC. Guests enjoyed a media luncheon, symposium of beauty, wellness and travel, and latest products from top brands. 

Checkout the highlights from this year's event, including KPS Essentials, Aura Cacia, Fire Cider, NeoCell, Meadowood Napa Valley, Columbia Skincare, MyChelle Dermaceuticals, Nubian Heritage, Pura Botanica, J.R. Watkins, and Boiron. 

This was the first time I was introduced to KPS Essentials, and I was blown away by their skincare line. My skin was beyond glowing after my facial, which products included the Brightening Cream Cleanser, Probiotic Toner, Renū Face Cream, Renū C + Serum, Antioxidant Repair Serum and Vitamin C Lip Treatment. KPS Essentials products are formulated with food-grade, gluten free, 100% organic ingredients.

Aura Cacia is my go-to for creating DIY bodycare, and has now launched Home Care Essential Oil Blends for creating home cleaning products. The four blends include Down to Earth, Keep It Fresh, Main Squeeze, and Petal Power.

I definitely need to get myself one of Aura Cacia's USB Essential Oil Diffusers

Fire Cider Apple Cider Vinegar & Honey Tonic

NeoCell presented media guests with Collagen Sriracha Deviled Eggs, Almond Strawberry Collagen Cupcakes, and Mango Coconut Chia Pudding.

NeoCell's products include Biotin Bursts and new Ceramides Skin Hydrator

Meadowood Napa Valley showcased luxurious products from the Meadowood Collection, also used for spa treatments at the Meadowood Spa.

Columbia Skincare showcased their Probiotic Milk Cleanser, Probiotic Concentrate and Probiotic Complex.

MyChelle Dermaceuticals introduced their new launches, including the Quick Clean Micellar Water cleanser, Sun Shield Liquid Tint SPF 50, and Perfect C™ Pro Serum

Nubian Heritage African Black Soap Collection

Pura Botanica

J.R. Watkins

Jet Lag Relief pellets and Coldcalm tablets are new from Boiron

- Kim Weling

"Get Ready for the Holidays" Fitness Series with Exhale Spa at B Collection by Bobeau Pop Up

B COLLECTION BY BOBEAU, EXHALE SPA, HOLLIE WATMAN, BOBBLE AND REBLL WILL BE HOSTING A “GET READY FOR THE HOLIDAYS” FITNESS SERIES TO GET YOU FIT AND READY FOR THE HOLIDAYS WITH FREE FITNESS CLASSES TAKING PLACE AT THE POP UP SHOP’S MEATPACKING LOCATION. A YOGA CLASS WILL BE HELD ON SATURDAY, DECEMBER 10TH – TAUGHT BY A TOP EXHALE INSTRUCTOR. PREVIEW HOLLIE WATMAN’S LATEST ATHLEISURE WEAR COLLECTION AND COOL DOWN AFTER WITH TREATS FROM REBBL AND A BOBBLE WATER STATION. SPACE IS LIMITED.

WHERE: B COLLECTION BY BOBEAU HOLIDAY CO-OP POP-UP SHOP

410 W 14TH STREET / NYC 10014

WHEN: SATURDAY, DECEMBER 10TH, 2016 @ 3:00PM – YOGA CLASS

RSVP: RACHEL@FOXGREENBERG.COM

Recap: ABC Carpet & Home Fall 2016 Beauty Wellness Wisdom Event

Stephanie Wang of The Alchemist's Kitchen

On Saturday, October 15th, I attended the ABC Carpet & Home fall Beauty Wellness Wisdom event at 888 Broadway at 19th Street. This event is the perfect way to focus on yourself for the day, by sitting in on morning discussions, learning about green beauty brands, and indulging in afternoon spa treatments and wellness experiences. 

The event, which is held both in the spring and the fall, is $80 to attend, and is well worth the cost since the $80 you pay for the ticket serves as a gift card you can use on the day of the event, towards apothecary, skincare, makeup and books.

It's important to get there as soon as the event opens at 9am to sign up for afternoon treatments, private sessions and master classes, which fill up quickly. Each treatment is approximately 15 minutes long, and there is no limit to how many treatments you sign up for. 

After sign-ups, the morning began with an opening meditation with Deepak Chopra, followed by a series of morning talks: 

- Fall star forecast with Spiritual Astrologer Demitra Vassiliadis

 - Goop's Beauty Editor Jean Godfrey-June + Cherry Bombe's Editor Kerry Diamond

- Stephanie Wang on the origin of The Alchemist's Kitchen + tonic tastings

- Attuned Beauty + Conscious Confidence with Fern Olivia Langham founder of Ajai Alchemy

- The Beauty of Wellness with Yuri Dhara, Self-Discovery Teacher & founder of State Of Self

- Jason Wacob, CEO of MindBodyGreen with Lauren Berlingeri 

- Plant Medicine + The Wise Woman Tradition with Téana David

Check out the afternoon beauty and wellness highlights below. Aside from scheduled treatments, there was plenty of time to stop by each brand and sample products on your own. When it comes to skin care and beauty products, I appreciate being able to test out products before I buy them, and meeting with the founders and experts of the brands also makes for a better shopping experience. ABC Carpet & Home executes such an amazing event twice a year, and it just keeps getting bigger and better!

Goop's Beauty Editor Jean Godfrey-June + Cherry Bombe's Editor Kerry Diamond

ABC Bloom flower arranging

Tracie Martyn LotuSculpt Eyepad treatments - during the treatment you are able to test the eyepad on one eye, in which you can see a notable difference in just 10 minutes, followed by an introduction to Tracie Martyn's skin care line, including a cleanser, toner, serum and cream.

Rawpothecary juice sampling

Rawpothecary sampling of Defend Me  immune support and Restore Me inflammation support shots

Lov Organic tea sampling

Moon Juice sampling

Incausa smudging

JINsoon mini-manicures with the Dandizette Collection in five fall shades

Intelligent Nutrients hand treatments

Sampling of mango juice mixed with Intelligent Nutrients Intellimune Antioxidant Super Seed Oil Complex (antioxidant-omega super-supplement) + Intellimune Antioxidant Super Seed Powder Complex (beauty nutraceutical)

FaceLove Fitness offered a mini version of their FaceLove treatment, which includes a head, neck & shoulder release, muscle rolling with tools, face exercises, muscle toning massage and a closing ritual acupressure, stretch & chilled jade rollers. This type of treatment erases visible stress, cultivates a radiant glow, releases mood boosting endorphins and softens lines. This is something I would definitely love to try a full treatment of. There were nerves in my face I never knew existed, as there were unique ways to exercise/stretch my face. 

Malaya Organics mini hand massages

Erbaviva mini hand massages

Goop one-on-one beauty consultations

Indie Lee mini-facials

Ajai Alchemy

The Moon Deck session - tarot cards & oracle guidebook

Yarok hair styling

Yarok did a fabulous as always, adding loose waves to my hair

EiR NYC provided eyebrow waxing + active lifestyle massages. Their skin care line includes an Energizing Mist, Coffee Lip Balm, Savasana Body Oil and other amazing products. Lena from barelywax.com did an amazing, painless job on my eyebrow wax. 

This was my first introduction to Captain Blankenship and founder Jana Blankenship, who touched up my hair with the Golden Waves Sea Salt Shimmer Spray. With a Rose Gold Shimmer Spray that's available just in time for the holidays! I look forward to trying out the products, including Mermaid Dry Shampoo, Mermaid Hair Oil, and the Blue Chamomile& Lemon Oil Based Cleanser and Makeup Remover, that can also be used as an eye serum. 

Pratima skin consultations

- Kim Weling