smart | life


Trips to the spa aren’t just good for your appearance, they’re good for your health


Tips for feeling cozy in your skin this season


A


recent time of reflection and change (paired under Mercury retrograde's influence) had me looking over my life, my achievements,


and my setbacks. Finally, there are some things I just don't care about anymore, and some nerdy, quirky or lame things I just totally own thanks to some sup- portive friends who also get it. We can be so hard on ourselves and


you know what? It's just not worth it. Our neuroses rarely serve a purpose, so it's time to just own who we are and be at peace with ourselves. Check out 9 ways to feel more comfortable in your skin this summer. 1. Love where you’re from


Why do we always want to eschew


where we come from, yearning for foreign places? I grew up in a small town, and we were all quick to want to shed the tiny population and gos- sip and move to the city. But we only have one home; a place where our memories sit crosslegged waiting for us to saunter back down beside them for an old familiar chat. We can make homes all over the world, but we


Mandi Combot giving a pedicure at First Impressions salon. F


ull fashion overhauls incorporate a makeover of your cloth- ing, hair and makeup. Tis month, I caught up with First Impressions salon to explore the importance of an esthetics care program. “I have been interested for quite


some time to offer a skin care pro- gram, and I spent a lot of time looking for just the right person to join our team,” says owner Gwen Voroney. “Mandi Combot joined us last year, and complements our team well with her array of services.” Combot offers a variety of treat-


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ments including manicures, pedi- cures, gel and shellac nails, full body waxing, makeup applications, lash and brow tinting, and facials. She is also equipped with a private room for


her clients, creating a luxurious and relaxing ambience. “Esthetics is something I have always enjoyed doing,” she explains. “I have


the opportunity to meet new people from all walks of life and I really like the diversity of my trade.” No matter what type of treatment they’re seeking, Combot will


take the time to get to know her client, asking them pertinent questions regarding allergies, recent injuries or health concerns, to ensure their goals and needs are met. In her field, issues regarding aging or maturing skin are


prevalent. “The most important step for the preservation of youthful skin is to cleanse the skin of dirt, oils and makeup, as well as exfoliate the dead cells,” she says. “Tis allows your skin to effectively absorb moisturizers, reducing the look of fine lines and wrinkles.” Plus, “everyone should ensure when spending time in the sun


to use a moisturizer containing a sun protection factor.” Although we gravitate to thinking about cosmetics when it


comes to estheticians, they offer far more than meets the eye. “My services are therapeutic as well as educational,” says Combot. “I help my clients understand the importance of skin and nail health. Too often people attempt a solution of their own without understanding the underlying issues – or the correct, or more importantly – the safe, procedures to employ.” Remember that when making a first impression, it’s not just


about the outfit you wear, it’s the total package. Your professional appearance and health can benefit from a


day at the spa – so go on and consider this as an excuse to get pampered.


Tips from a professional esthetician


• Feet need to be regularly exfoliated and moisturized • See a skin care professional to find out which types of prod-


ucts your skin will benefit most from (this may save you money in the long run) • If you’re regularly outside, add an SPF moisturizer to your


daily routine in order to maintain your youthful skin Need style advice? Contact Ally at


ally.champagne@pegasuspublications.net. 16 Smart Biz


Rogue Wood Vanessa Kunderman


about it. You have a million other awesome traits. You're allowed one sort-of sketchy one that people can make fun of. Heck, even you make fun of it. If you laugh about it instead of cower under it, it has less power over you and you can just let yourself be. 6. Let your dork out


Stop hiding him. He needs to be


free. Dorks attract dorks. Dorks are magnets for other dorks. Why? Be- cause we all have a dorky side. My spouse is a big athletic jock who loves "Big Brother" and little kids singing on YouTube videos. My bestie loves to read dragon books meant for chil- dren, but he's a total business tycoon. When you let your dork out, you


f ind out everyone else is a dork, too, and maybe even a bigger dork than you. It's so endearing when a bunch of dorks come together over Facebook, cooing over some heroic puppy video, only to share more and more heroic puppy videos. (Ahem,


my entire last Friday afternoon.) 7. Love that killer body part


I have really big beef with my upper arms. I


all come from somewhere. Love where you're from, whether you're living there or not. Stop bashing your hometown. It shaped you one way or another. Be thankful for that. 2. Four quarters are better than a hundred pennies


Having a teeming address book with an end-


less list of people to call seems so exciting. Until it doesn't. Tere is something comforting about having


those couple close friends you can always rely on and who would totally jump ship with you if you said the word. Tey're the ones who never judge you, the ones who know just what to say, and the ones who share some of your flaws. Settling into a few close friendships is more rewarding than having numerous hollow ones that don't fulfill you in that truly satisfying way. So it's OK to let some of your friendships fade to make room for focusing on the ones you really care about. We don't need to lose any friends, but we don't need to pour energy into them when we would just rather not. Stop fooling yourself; you don't need a million best friends. 3. Share that embarrassing secret


You know that thing that really embarrasses


you? Tat thing about yourself that you totally dread someone will find out? Tell someone. Tell your bestie and make fun of yourself for it. You know what happens when you share that


embarrassing thing with your best friend? You also find out that her butt is so hairy she has a running appointment at a sugaring salon. So text your friend right now.


4. Say no Since you're so cool and everyone loves hanging


out with you (even if that person is your sister or your mom), sometimes we're asked to do so many things – or just things that sound uneventful – that the last thing we want to do is attend. We'd rather stay home in our jammies, a bag


of M&Ms and Netflix on lock. So decline! Say no! You don't have to go to everything you're invited


to. You're entitled to having some alone time just for you where you completely indulge in the things you want to do. You live for yourself, not someone else, so stop trying to do every little thing for every little person just to satisfy some unquenchable part of yourself. You can't make everyone happy but you can make you happy. And since you've now got your besties on lock, the people who really love us want us to be happy. It makes them happy! So by wearing your fat pants you're actually mak- ing everyone happier. Huzzah! 5. Just own it


You know that little trait of yours that is maybe


less than desirable? Like your insanely competi- tive streak, your flighty habit of forgetting plans, or your tendency to give tough love? You know you're like that. Everyone knows you're like that. So just own it. Talk about it. Make fun of it. Tease yourself


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never want to show them and I never want them to be seen. I would rather sweat my face off in swel- tering heat than have that upper skin see the sun. But you know what? My feet are legit cute.


They're small for my height and my toes are proportioned. I always have a pedicure and they never stink. SO SCREW MY SOFT UPPER ARMS! Instead of critiquing yourself and that one body


part you totally hate, find the one that you're like, "Yeah. Yeah I got this. Tem feet are good. I'm gonna Instagram these lil' piggies." And then take care of that body part! Go for massages, have regular pedicures. Focus on THAT awesome part of yourself in-


stead of the one that gives you anxiety whenever a new batch of photos of you crop up on Facebook. Maybe your teeth are straight. Maybe your ass won't quit. Maybe you have a head of hair that the Kardashians would kill for. Find that thing. Love that thing. Forget about your flabby arms. If you give it attention, you give it power. 8. Flip your closet


Clothing is a very literal expression of ourselves.


We dress in a way that declares who we are, so when we're done up in something that just doesn't feel like us, we can feel super uncomfortable, re- treat into ourselves, or stress. Go through your closet and donate all the things


you bought for someone else's approval, the things you never wear, or the things you dread wearing. Buy/collect the items that make you feel good – your best! – and don't bat an eyelash over what others say about it. 9. Share your interests


You know what's incredibly sexy? All the things


you're interested in. It doesn't matter if it's study- ing the moon phases, solely reading biographies, researching the latest Apple technology, or know- ing everything that goes on under the hood of a car. If you're interested in it, you should share it and be proud of it. A person's interests are fascinating because


there is so much to know about so many things. And oftentimes, our quirky interests don't neces- sarily overlap with those around us. Listening to someone talk about something they're really passionate about can make a person fall in love, I swear! So don't hide that collection of vintage mov-


ies or those boxes of paintings you made in your basement. Finding out what you're interested in is seriously cool for other people, because people are fascinating. Your interests are a gateway into what makes you tick. No one wants to be a plain uninteresting human being, so let the world see who you are. Let others become enamoured with all the things that make you, you. Rogue Wood is a mindful resource for individu-


als looking to live a thoughtful life and explore a modern take on spirituality. For more, visit www. roguewoodblog.com.


July 2015


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