Pick A Pumpkin For Your Next Spa Service

For the past few weeks, as I’ve been driving around the outskirts of town for my mobile spa appointments, I’ve noticed many patches of land bejeweled with brightly colored orange pumpkins, just waiting to be picked for Halloween, along my routes. Did you know that California is the second largest producer of pumpkins in the U.S. after Illinois? And did you know that pumpkins make excellent spa ingredients?

Pumpkins are good for the skin because they contain skin-friendly Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Alpha Carotene, Beta Carotene, Potassium, Magnesium, Iron, and Zinc.

It’s easy to add some mashed pumpkin (raw or cooked) to facial masks and body wraps. The pumpkin will gently exfoliate your skin and leave it feeling soft and smooth. Applying nourishing pumpkins to your skin will also help moisturize dry skin, enhance your skin’s radiance and reduce inflammation associated with acne blemishes. It’s also mild enough for anyone who has sensitive skin. It smells good, too.

Pumpkin pie, anyone? If you want to nourish your skin from the inside out, then add pumpkins to your favorite baking recipes or use them in a savory side dish. The possibilities are endless when it comes to cooking with pumpkins.

And don’t forget to lightly roast your pumpkin seeds after you hollow out your jack-o-lantern because they make a tasty and healthy spa snack. Also, pumpkin seed oil, a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids, can be applied to skin to help heal rosacea, eczema, psoriasis, burns, wounds and scars. It’s a great boost to any massage oil blend.

It’s no wonder spas like to feature treatments with pumpkins on their menus!

Don’t miss out on the fun. Halloween is quickly creeping up on us so pick your pumpkins as soon as you can and use them to decorate your doorstep, feed your family and clear your complexion.

My spa service in Italy.

My hubby and I are back from our second year wedding anniversary vacation in Italy.  

We had the best time and split the two weeks between four days in Florence, six nights on a farm in rural Tuscany and ended with four days in Rome!  There were so many highlights in the trip; the food of course, the museums, the Italian hospitality and after all the sight seeing, a much needed luxurious pedicure.

When I travel I like to check out spas and receive a massage or spa service, so when it rained one day, I dragged my hubby into The Four Seasons in Florence to look at their spa and book a treatment.

Let me say, I was reminded again of the value of massage and spa services! I hear it all the time from my clients so when I a receive a service it really strikes a chord.

Here’s what the pedicure included:

The luxury pedicure commences with a grapefruit and tea tree emollient foot soak, followed by a sugar crystal exfoliation. The feet are then nourished with a cream that is rich in avocado and vitamins A and E, resulting in a refreshing sensation of lightness and hydration. The experience concludes with an application of polish.

The pedicure was pure bliss and I drifted off during the foot massage.

Pedicures don’t just help your feet look and feel better; when combined with a reflexology foot massage, pedicures can improve your circulation, lessen stress, and reduce pain. Pedicures also relieve uneven pressure on your bottom of your feet caused by callous build up. Dead skin is removed allowing your skin to breathe more efficiently. Aromatherapy like grapefruit, orange, lemon, tea tree or peppermint adds to the experience too as it uplifts the spirit and energizes you. Finally, as the cuticles and nails are cleaned, pedicures protect against fungus's and bacteria. So there you have it, the benefits go far beyond pretty toes.

They looked after my hubby too and suggested he relax in the quiet area. They gave him tea and a book to read so I could relax some more, guilt free!

Helen relaxing after her pedicure-Four Seasons Florence ,Italy.