How to Repair a Broken Nail with … a Tea Bag

There’s never a good time to break a nail.  Whether you’re running out the door for a big date or your nail salon is closed, the good news is that with a secret weapon at your finger-tips, a few basic supplies and a steady hand, you can fix a broken nail in a matter of minutes.  Follow these instructions for a fast and flawless fix:

1              Begin by removing any polish and thoroughly washing your hands with soap and water.  Be sure to dry the broken nail completely before proceeding.

2              Empty a tea-bag and cut a strip of paper from the sachet. The piece must be large enough to cover the break and long enough to span the width of your nail while also leaving a little extra to wrap under both sides of your nail.

3              Gently lift the edge of the fingernail where it’s cracked (be careful not to tear the fingernail any further) and apply a small drop of glue under the crack.

4              Re-align the torn nail with its natural line and press the nail back into place. Avoid touching the glue as it bonds very quickly. Hold the nail in place for a few seconds.

5              Apply another drop of glue over the tear on your fingernail and use a tooth-pick to spread the glue across your nail.

6              Position the strip over the glue and tear (from left to right) and tuck the overhanging pieces behind each side of the nail.

7              Allow the glue and tea-bag to dry completely, this usually takes between 10 to 15 minutes.

8              Once dry, trim any pieces of the tea-bag extending past your fingernail’s edges.

9              Smooth the side edges of your nail by using the rough side of an emery-file; then use the fine side of the emery file to buff the top of your nail and to blend the tea-bag into your fingernail.

10          Paint your nails with clear or coloured nail polish to further seal the tea-bag.

HUNGRY FOR HOT HUES

When it comes to hair-colour trends this spring is a season of extremes. Darks border jet black, reds are fiery with an almost neon flare, and blondes are nothing short of 24-karat gold. Nonetheless, despite this season’s lust for the dramatic, there’s a fine line between drama and disaster.

Before you take the plunge, it’s important to factor in your complexion and lifestyle. Match a cool skin tone with cool hues, and a warm skin tone with warm hues. Also if your complexion is ruddy, you’ll want to steer clear of dyes that are very red. For a goof-proof DYI dye job, most stylists recommend sticking within two shades (either lighter or darker) of your natural hair colour. However for a more dramatic effect, you should always seek the services of a qualified hairstylist. Your stylist will be able to find the right colour to suit your complexion and to minimize the damage that your hair can sustain when being dyed.

Perhaps the most important thing to remember when colouring your hair one of this season’s intense, vibrant hues is to remember that all pigments are not built equal. If you’re looking for a low-maintenance colour to suit your lifestyle, and your beauty budget, then going red is not for you. There’s a saying among hairdressers that the perfect colour only lasts 14 days before it begins to fade, but that red hair colour only has a 7 day lifespan before it starts to fade. For those who are curious, the reason is that red dye molecules are the smallest of all shades and therefore they escape from the hair cuticle faster than other colours like browns and blacks.

For anyone who has dyed their hair blonde before, there’s an endless battle against the much-dreaded brassiness that causes hair to look dull and orangey. Brassiness is mostly caused by oxidants and other pollutants found in the atmosphere, so for colour-treated blondes it’s necessary to use clarifying shampoos to get rid of dulling build-up, and to counteract that brassy look with a shampoo and/or conditioner which has a violent tone to it.

Your colourist is a scientist and they’ll be able to help you choose your ideal colour based on your hairstyle and lifestyle.  Your hairstylist will also be able to help you maintain your new colour with in-salon rinses or by suggesting at home glosses that you can use between dye treatments to top up the intensity of your new colour. With affordable prices and consultations from our friendly stylists, SpaiLo is your ticket to this season’s hottest hairstyles.

World’s Weirdest Spa Treatments

Just when you thought you knew everything there was to know about spas (aromatherapy, essential oils, facials and soft music) turns out there’s an entire range of spas around the world that practice a plethora of non-traditional (and sometimes down-right weird) treatments .

In fact, these inventive spas have created unique treatments based on local custom, tradition and culture that make even an exotic seaweed body wrap sound as bland as eating slice of dry toast! So what are these treatments you might ask? Read on for a list of the four most extreme spa treatments from around the globe.

In Sivas, Turkey, when you need a pedicure you’re sent to swim with the fishes.  Spa-goers will soak their feet in a pool of water in which “doctor fish” will work to literally eat the dead skin off your feet.  The good news: the fish don’t actually have teeth, and you don’t have to be embarrassed about your callused feet!

#2 – Bovine-based Balm:

At Hari’s Salon, one of the most celebrated beauty hot-spots in London, England, spa-goers are opting for a hair-treatment that is reminiscent of Cameron Diaz’s infamous hair-gel scene. Peddled as “Viagara for Hair”, Hari’s Bull Sperm Hair Treatment is said to revert even the most damaged and over-processed hair back to health.  Packed with proteins and combined with Katera, a plant root from Iran, this unorthodox melange is massaged into your hair and scalp and left to coax your hair back to health.

#3 – Reptile Rub-down:

In Talmei Elazar, Isreal, clients of Ada Barak’s Carnivorous Plant Farm and Spa can experience a slithering snake massage in which several snakes are placed on their back and allowed to writhe and wriggle around creating the effect of a deep tissue massage.  According to the Farm and Spa owner, the snake massages are purported to relieve migraines and to soothe sore muscles.

4 – Beer Bath:

In Chodoza Plana, the Czech Republic, you can actually take a trip to a beer spa where you can soak up suds in a warm, foamy beer bath.  According to a rep from the Chodovar Brewery, the treatment has restorative effects on your complexion and hair and works wonders at relieving muscle tension and joint pain.  Additionally, a warm beer bath can also support a healthy immune system.  The good news: you don’t have to worry about being judged for indulging in a mid-day beer (bath)…Bottoms up!

SPRING SKIN REHAB

After a long, dry and dreary winter season, spring is finally here! And while most of us can’t wait to slip out of ski-pants and backinto hot-pants, our skin may not be short-shorts ready just yet.  For many of us stuck wearing jeans, long pants, and leggings throughout the winter months, it’s not uncommon that little bumps, acne and blemishes have developed on the upper parts of your legs. Not to worry, these skin imperfections are relatively easy to banish and with a few simple treatments you’ll have glowing gams before you know it.

The key to your spring skin-rehab is a good exfoliation.  By removing any dead skin cells you will not only allow moisturizers to absorb easily into your skin but you will restore a natural glow to dulled skin.  While you can buy a body-scrub from any pharmacy or spa, treating yourself to an all-over exfoliation at your local spa is well-worth it.  Not only will an exfoliation relieve you of dead skin cells, it will cleanse your pores, stimulate your capillaries and enhance lymph-drainage which will help your body to purge itself of toxins.  Be sure to ask your aesthetician to pay special attention to your thighs, buttocks and tummy.

If you decide to go the DIY route, the trick is to mind your skin-type and to make sure that you don’t overdo it.  Exfoliating too often and too vigorously can irritate your skin, especially on areas like the chest and neck where your skin is more sensitive.  We recommend that you don’t exfoliate more than twice a week.  After your exfoliation you’ll want to thoroughly moisturize your skin.  Keep in mind that freshly exfoliated skin is more sensitive, and you should remember to protect it with sunscreen and a light lotion that won’t clog your pores.  Moisturizing will not only soothe your freshly exfoliated skin but it will keep it looking (and feeling) softer and sexier longer, so moisturize with an SPF-based lotion daily.  SpaIlo offers a very affordable Dead-Sea Salt Body Exfoliation which revitalizes, rejuvenates, refreshes, detoxifies, and mineralizes your skin.  It’s the perfect way to get your skin to spring back to life this season! 

Tame is Lame, but Tousled is Trendy

It’s time to stash your straight-irons and boycott your blow-dryers ladies because when it comes to hairstyles this spring/summer season, the reigning ‘it-look’ calls for tousled tresses.  Romantic, soft and natural, this is the must-have hair trend favoured by many celebrities including Kim Kardashian, Anne Hathaway, and the ever-glamorous J-lo.  Fortunately, you don’t need a Hollywood stylist to sport this look.         Whether you have curly or straight hair, follow these four simple steps to stealing this look:

Step 1: Cleansing and Conditioning

As always, the ‘prep’ is as important as the ‘primp’ and the first step to achieving this look is priming your hair with the right shampoo and conditioner.  If you have curly hair or textured hair, choose a smoothing shampoo and conditioner; if you have straight hair, you should choose a curl-enhancing, volumizing shampoo and conditioner.  In both cases, you’ll want your hair to retain a bounce, while still remaining light, so be sure not to weight your hair down with an overly rich, heavy conditioner.

Step 2: Pick Your Product

As always, choosing the right styling product means selecting one that provides your hair-type with what it needs to create your desired look, regardless of its natural texture.  If you have curly hair, you will need to use products that will smooth and soften your curls while banishing frizz.  Conversely, if you have straight or fine hair, you’ll want to look for products that will coax your hair into creating, and keeping, a wave.  

Step 3: Tools of the Trade

Whatever your hair texture, you’ll need to begin by patting your hair dry with a towel and allowing it to air-dry until it’s almost completely dry.  After making a low side-part, you have a few styling options.  If you have straight and/or fine hair, a curling iron works best; separate your hair into half-inch pieces and wrap the strands around the curling iron in a corkscrew-like fashion. Heat each strand briefly and then release it; allow each section to cool and then gently separate the locks into waves with your fingers.  If you have curly or wavy hair, the look requires substantially less effort; in fact, you’ll simply need to let your hair air-dry, remembering to separate (and gently smooth) the sections of your hair into finger waves before it’s completely dry.

Step 4: Flawless Finish

The secret to keeping your tousled hair looking fresh and effortlessly chic all day is applying a flexible but holding spray to preserve your waves if you have straight or fine hair.  If you have naturally curly or wavy hair, then you’ll want to apply either styling wax or a heavy-weight pomade to create a piecey, finished look.

La technologie Pure Light

Souffrez-vous des problèmes acné adultes? Le Pure Light est un traitement pour l’acné qui travaille avec la lumière magenta LED – une forme de lumière avec de propriétés antibactériennes qui aide à réduire les imperfections. Cette lumière contribue aussi à calmer les glandes sébacées pour prévenir des futurs boutons.

Un assaut contre l’acné, Pure Light détruit les bactéries qui peuvent causer l’acné en empêchant les glandes sébacées de sécréter trop de sébum. Avec des traitements Pure Light on peut aussi réduire l’inflammation et la rougeur.Is it safe?Un U

Une technologie sécuritaire

La lumière Pure Light est absorbée par l’acné bactérienne ce qui nettoie la peau. Pure Light est une technologie très avancé : les traitements Pure Light sans UV est naturel, sans douleur et non-invasive.

Nombre de traitements requis

Les traitements Pure Light peuvent être livrés en tant que traitement unique, malgré qu’une série de traitements soient recommandé pour obtenir un résultat optimal. Un engagement typique est une série de visites entre six à 10 semaines pour obtenir les résultats que vous recherchez. Un problème d’acné inflammatoire modérée peut être effacé en aussi peu que 3 séances de traitement.

Prenez soin de votre peau

Les savons détergents et des produits pharmacie pour l’acné peuvent aggraver des problèmes d’acné; la technologie Pure Light nous permet d’aller à la source du problème pour non seulement réglé des problèmes existants mais aussi aider à prévenir des futurs boutons et une peau excessivement graisseuse.  Si les crèmes et les gels anti-acné n’ont pas livré leurs promesses, considéré Pure Light.

Say It With Chocolate

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, and I’m willing to wager than many of us have not yet figured out what to offer to our special someone. However your procrastination shouldn’t be reflected in your gift – nothing says ‘I love you not’ then a stale box of pharmacy chocolates and last-minute grocery store flowers! This year, give a gift that looks like you’ve spent your nights and days pondering on what to get your Valentine’s Day date:

Say it with chocolate
Trade in cocoa confectionary with something just as delicious – a chocolate body wrap. A unique and personal gift for the person who likes to be indulged from head to toe!  Anti-oxidant and anti-stress, the chocolate wrap also helps to stimulate circulation and nourishes skin. Your loved one will be thrilled to know you’ve put in the time to find something that they really wanted.

It takes two
Do it together with a spa couples package. Spend some time enjoying total relaxation with your partner with a package designed for 2.  A couple’s massage, facials and mani-pedis, you’ll walk out of the salon feeling refreshed together. A great way to kick off a unique Valentine’s Day date or a reason to spend some extra time together!

While roses and candy hearts are Valentine’s Day staples, show your loved one that they are extra special by offering a spa service just for them. Spas are also a great way to spend the day together, and who knows, it may be the start of a new tradition!

Une liste pense-bête pour la Saint-Valentin

Le jour de la Saint-Valentin approche à grand pas, il est temps d’y penser! Montréal, ville romantique pour les amoureux, est l’endroit parfait pour cette soirée inoubliable où nous cherchons tous à se sentir spécialement belle/beau. Pour éviter des efforts de dernières minutes, incluant des rendez-vous à des salons de coiffures et des manucures maison pressées (rarement un succès!), voici une liste pense-bête pour s’assurer que nous passons tous une soirée reposante entre amoureux sans souci!

1.     Faites vos repousses ! : Démontrez une allure soignée en prenant le temps de faire visite à votre coiffeur préféré et de rafraîchir votre couleur / faire vos repousses. Évidemment, il faut planifier à l’avance pour prendre rendez-vous !

2. Épilation ! : Ceci demande un peu de planification, car votre poil doit être d’une longueur convenable. De plus, je suggère de prendre rendez-vous au moins une semaine avant votre soirée, car l’épilation peut causer de l’inflammation similaire à du feu de rasoir.

3. Exfoliation : Ne serait’il pas agréable d’avoir une peau exceptionnellement douce et saine lors de cette soirée romantique? L’exfoliation est essentielle pour améliorer l’apparence de votre peau et qui peut aussi contribuer à régler vos problèmes de sècheresse.

4. Des ongles parfaits : Que vous préférez des ongles courts ou long, assurez-vous de bien prendre soin de vos ongles et prenez rendez-vous soit la journée même ou bien une journée à l’avance pour éviter a) d’être pressé la journée même ou bien b) les avoir faits une semaine à l’avance et avoir besoin d’une retouche.

La Saint-Valentin devrait être une journée reposante entre amoureux et cette liste pense-bête assurera que vous n’oubliez rien. Prenez le temps d’organiser vos rendez-vous à l’avance et évité des solutions maison pressé!

Winter weather got you feeling drab?

Montreal in January can have us all feeling a little grey, as the lack of sunshine and the harsh winds often keep us locked indoors longer than we’d like to. For those of us who are more beach bums than snow bunnies, blizzards are better watched from indoors than from a ski slope. So what’s a gal to do to keep her spirits high during these harsh times?

This year, my winter activities include less extreme sports and more relaxing activities where I can dream about the wonderful summer months ahead. Nothing gets my mind off the black ice ridden streets than a Swedish massage at a spa where I can imagine we live in a tropical environment year-round. I like to follow this with my favorite chocolate body wrap, as in my imaginary realm I also have a bikini ready bod that does not necessitate hours at the gym.

For your next spa day, remember to check out before-hand different spa packages to find out about specials and deals.  Most packages include facials and mani-pedis, and some even a hair styling so you walk out looking as refreshed as you feel!  There’s even a couples package, so invite a friend to join you on these blissful winter activities.

Who says the only way to enjoy winter is to part-take in adrenaline inducing extreme sports! This January I say no thanks to layering on a multitude of clothes and putting on awkward equipment. I’ll gladly find my thrills in indulging my inner diva and being queen for a day.

Belle en pastel

Prenant une pause des couleurs vives tel que les rouges et violets profonds qui caractérisent habituellement les tendances de vernis à ongles pendant les saisons froides, cette année, nous voyons une évolution vers des couleurs chairs ainsi que des métalliques chatoyantes. Les couleurs vives sont mises à l’écart pour faire place à une palette de couleurs luisants, incluant des teintes aux couleurs de crèmes, pêches et des bleus crémeux.

Douce et féminine, préparez-vous à voir ces couleurs durer jusqu’au printemps et même en été. Vous cherchez une nuance pour mettre en valeur votre nouveau bronzage ? Essayez une couleur rose pâle une nuance ou deux plus clair que votre peau.

N’oubliez surtout pas vos pieds cette saison ! Oser vous faire remarquer et portez deux de ces nouvelles couleurs : tel qu’une couleur crème sur les doigts et un rose plus punché sur les orteils.

Assurez-vous que votre couleur dure aussi longtemps que possible et prenez soin d’appliquer une couche de base, qui agit comme une colle à votre vernis. Assurez-vous aussi d’appliquer une couche de finition, ce qui aide à prévenir contre les copeaux et qui vient ajouter aussi un peu de brillance. Demandez à nos spécialistes aux soins des ongles à propos des produits conçus spécialement pour des ongles cassants ou secs, ou pour des ongles qui ont tendances à se fendre.

Attendez-vous à voir ces couleurs sur nos célébrités préférées, telles que la charmante Jessica Alba (ci-dessous) qui nous démontre les couleurs fruités : vert calme, rose bonbon et jaune poussin – la nouvelle couleur de la saison !