What does Blooming Moon Spa have in common with MARIE CLAIRE May 2012′s “World’s Chicest Spa” located on Virgin Gorda/Virgin Islands?

We both use Epicuren Discovery® products!

Can’t afford to fly there for the $180 Papaya Pineapple Enzyme Body Scrub? The same luxury treatment is just $60 at Blooming Moon!

Whether you’re coming in for a luxury body polish, aromatherapy pedicure or a deep tissue massage, Blooming Moon is the perfect destination for a Portland, Oregon “staycation”.

To our Portland Neighbors and Friends,

Blooming Moon Spa welcomes you to our Anniversary Party/Open House Event on Sunday, April 22, 2012 to celebrate the start of our second year in the blossoming NoPo neighborhood. Stop by anytime between 4-6pm for wine, hors d’oeuvres, live music by Nashville singer/songwriter Jonathan Farnsworth, giveaways, $1-per-minute chair massage, and over $50 off spa service packages! Just our way of saying “thanks” to our neighbors and friends in Portland for supporting our commitment to local, organic, cruelty-free and non-toxic spa products and services.

Spread the word- We’ll see you all on the 22^nd!

–Ginny & Blooming Moon staff

The ladies of Blooming Moon Wellness Spa are busy bees these days, indulging clients in Portland’s best massages, facials, and manicures. In our downtime, we love cultivating indulgent skincare remedies and we are excited to share our latest discovery!

Jessica, Blooming Moon Spa Manager Extraordinaire, has suffered from moderate Keratosis Pilaris since childhood (you know, those “chicken skin” bumps on the backs of the arms- also commonly found on hips and thighs). According to the Mayo Clinic, keratosis pilaris is a result of an overproduction of keratin in the skin, causing buildup and resulting in white plugs clogging the hair folicle. This irritates the dermis layer, leaving skin visibly red and aggravated. Although there is no known cure for KP, doctors suggest that it is often a genetic trait, and could also be caused by food allergies.

If you are a keratosis pilaris sufferer (roughly half of the population), you’ve likely tried expensive creams and harsh exfoliants that promise smooth, bump-and-redness-free results. Just when Jessica was about to give up on treating her unsightly arm bumps, she and Ginny Tousignant, Blooming Moon Wellness Spa Owner, teamed up to find affordable methods for reducing those embarrassing rough patches.

What they found was that natural exfoliants successfully reduced inflammation (as opposed to most scrubs found in supermarkets)… and the secret skin-clearing weapon: 10% glycolic acid.

Mostly used to treat acne and maturing skin, glycolic acid helped restore the smooth texture of Jessica’s KP-prone areas when coupled with a natural, organic exfoliant. After only four weeks of using 100% Pure Organic Body Scrub (an eco-friendly and cruelty-free product!) and Epicuren 10% Gylcolic Lotion, both carried at the Moon, Jessica has seen better results than any of the $100 creams available online.

Benefits of glycolic acid include:
- Peels away pore-plugging dead skin cells
- Restores natural skin texture
- Reduces the “curling effect” of the hair shaft which produce ingrown hairs

Be warned: Many keratosis pilaris products on the market only contain trace amounts of glycolic, which means you’re mostly slathering unnecessary chemicals onto your skin. Epicuren products (including the 10% Glycolic Lotion) are sold exclusively by Medical Doctors and Licensed Estheticians in certified skin treatment centers, ensuring top-quality results when improving the health of your skin.

Please note that sunscreen is necessary when using glycolic, as it increases sensitivity to UV light. Epicuren’s Zinc Oxide Sunscreen is a favorite among celebrities and is a top seller at Blooming Moon Wellness Spa!

If you’re struggling with skin concerns like keratosis pilaris, call Blooming Moon at (971) 279-2757 to schedule a custom facial or body treatment with one of our experienced Estheticians.

We already knew our LMT Trish Sternthal was good with her hands (her massages get rave reviews around here!)… but did you know she can also rock a sewing machine?!

Introducing “Balance Pac” by Trishyline… now available at Blooming Moon Spa! These microwavable heat pads come in various shapes and sizes (we love the heart-shaped pacs!) and feature adorable (washable) fabrics. BONUS: Store them in the freezer, and you have yourself a cold pack!

Trishyline Balance Pacs are handmade right here in Portland, Oregon using 100% cotton and natural grain/lavender and are perfect for relieving tension and relaxing stubborn, achy, crampy muscles.

To use: Simply heat in the microwave in one minute increments until you reach the desired temperature. Then place on your chest, abdomen, shoulders, low back… anywhere that needs relief.

And did we mention they’re affordable? Priced at $18-25, you can pick a heart-shaped pac up for your sweetie, too!

Two products found at Blooming Moon Wellness Spa were featured on the Environmental Working Group’s 2011 “Champions of the Compact for Safe Cosmetics” List.

Alima Pure and Kaia Naturals were both featured on this prestigious list, which honors companies for their commitment to the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics. Both Alima Pure and Kaia comply with the European Union’s Cosmetics Directive, widely considered the global gold standard of cosmetics safety regulation.

Pick up Alima Pure cosmetics and Kaia Naturals products (along with other good-for-you goodies) at Blooming Moon Wellness Spa!

For the EWG’s full “Champions” list, visit:
http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/2011/11/30/celebrate-our-cosmetics-champions/#champions

Is one of your New Year’s Resolutions to change your makeup routine? We all get stuck in a “makeup rut.” Don’t let another year go by without stopping into Blooming Moon Spa for professional advice on the hottest makeup line in town- Alima Pure!

Blooming Moon Spa is proud to carry the Portland-based Alima Pure cosmetics brand, a company gaining global attention for their commitment to the environment and the safety of our skin. Did you know that Alima Pure:

-never tests their products on animals (and neither do their suppliers).  There’s no need- they use pure cosmetic-grade mineral pigments that are safe and gentle.

-is a member of PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) and The Coalition for Consumer Information on Cosmetics.

-offsets 100% of corporate carbon emissions through contributions to carbonfund.org.

-products are Certified Natural through the venerable Federation of German Industries and Trading Firms (BDIH). BDIH takes the rigorous European Cosmetic Directive one step further by carefully evaluating the ingredients product seeking certification.

-products are

• Naturally free of chemicals, preservatives, and pesticides
• Free of nano-particles; gluten-free
• Naturally antibacterial
• Free of dyes, carmine and other additives
• Completely free of bismuth oxychloride
• Non-comedogenic- will not clog pores

Learn how mineral makeup products can flatter your best facial features and tips on how to make the most of your Alima Pure mineral makeup and brushes by attending one of our upcoming “Go Green!” makeup workshops- coming soon to Blooming Moon! Stay tuned for class date announcements on our website and Facebook page.

What do you think of when you hear “North Portland”? How about streets lined with trendy bars, artisan boutiques, cafes, yoga studios, and wellness spas? If you haven’t visited NoPo lately, you’re in for a surprise… it’s the NEW place to be in Portland!

Recent press from Portland Monthly Magazine features Blooming Moon as a Wellness Spa “Top Destination” in Portland. The Oregonian recently featured our next door neighbor, The Hop & Vine, as one of Portland’s Top Five wine bars. It’s safe to say, North Portland is the next big thing!

Even our neighbors to the (far) north recommend the Mississippi District (just a few blocks over from “The Moon”) as a “must-see district” for Portland visitors [The Seattle Times, June 2011]. Blooming Moon is honored to call North Portland home after relocating here from the well-established Nob Hill shopping district earlier this spring. Our bigger, better NoPo location is thriving around several other new start ups in the neighborhood.

What a great time to come in and visit Blooming Moon… after your appointment with us, you’ll enjoy discovering all that “new NoPo” has to offer.

Any weather change can disrupt your skin’s health. Winter skin loses its moisture and becomes dry, itchy and flaky. Often along with dry skin, there can be noticeable redness, broken capillaries and sensitivity. The facial skin is the most exposed to cold, wind and heat. This exposure causes broken capillaries and redness.
Blooming Moon recommends a facial every 4-6 weeks for optimal results and healthy, glowing skin. But for minimal skin care maintenance receive a facial seasonally, (every 3-4 months). Your skin, like all organs, is affected by it’s environment and if not properly taken care of, it will alert you!

Remedies for dry, flaky, itchy, red skin or sensitive skin:

Facials: A Facial every 6 weeks is the best way to get customized information from a skin care expert. A facial will relax your mind and nourish your facial skin back to its normal health. Blooming Moon’s highly trained estheticians can recommend proper home care for cleansing, exfoliation and moisturizing as well as nutrition to get your skin on a path towards radiance. Try the Blooming Moon Custom Facial!

Body Scrubs: Body scrubs are extremely moisturizing. All body scrubs are composed using  oil and a scrubbing agent, like sugar, salt, cornmeal etc. After a deep exfoliation from the sugar or salt of a body scrub the oil is left on the skin, leaving your skin healthy and hydrated. A Blooming Moon body scrub, favorite for dry weather is Brown Sugar Vanilla Cinnamon!

Oil vs. Lotion: If you have dry skin, oil is your best friend! In fact, jojoba oil is actually very similar to the natural oil (sebum) we produce, therefore our skin is more likely to absorb. Keep in mind, many lotions just lies on the surface of the skin, which will give the illusion of “moisture”.  However, dry flaky dead skin cells still reside under the lotion acting like a “moisturizer barrier”-yikes! Your new, healthy skin under all the lotion and dry skin never receives the moisture and this is the reason you may feel that constant dryness on the body and experience acne break-outs on the face.

Blooming Moon recommends, massaging your favorite body oil into your skin immediately after showering and then top it off with a layer of your favorite (mineral oil-free) lotion for extra protection and moisture! Be sure to exfoliate the face before moisturizing. In the shower is the best time to use a facial scrub. Epicuren’s Apricot Scrub is perfect for dry, sensitive skin!

Nutrition: (For all supplement recommendations, consult physician before using). For dry skin we often recommend fish oil. Fish oil adds extra healthy oils and lipids back into the skin, creating supple skin, masking capillaries and other redness that is caused by low hydration and a compromised acid mantel (your oils and lipids that protect your skin). Remember, bad fish oil can be worse for your body than not taking any at all. So, find a pure, all-natural fish oil and don’t skimp on the price-your body is worth every penny!

Overlook  Neighborhood’s 3^rd Annual Celebration

The Killingsworth Street Fair!

Saturday, July 30th  / 11am – 6pm

Located between Concord and Greeley on North Killingsworth on July 30th you will find, live music with 3 stages, local vendors, a kid’s corner, face painting, food, drink, a farmer’s market and more!  Blooming Moon has been so graciously embraced into North Portland’s Overlook community and we are looking forward to this celebration!

Join Blooming Moon, for a Raffle for Facials, Massages, Pedicures and more!! $5 to enter the raffle and you can enter as many times as you want! We will also have: $5 Brow waxes, $1/min Massage,  Henna Tattoos, The ancient Japanese art of Foot Reading, Music and more. We hope to see you all there!