Amara Spa

Are you Ready to Chill Out?

2010-09-13T10:13:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone.

If you are anything like me, you blinked and summer was over! It seems like yesterday that we were all talking about our lovely summer holidays and suddenly hey presto! It's nearly autum! What happened?

Well, to cheer you all up we have put together some fabulous 'Best Buy' Deals at the Spa to cheer you up and make you all warm and fuzzy so you can forget all your cares and worries and have some 'you' time (when did you last do that??).

Visit our offers page on our web site at www.amaraspa.co.uk/offers.php and choose from our Autumn Revive Me Package or our Specialised Massage Therapies. Then give us a ring and get yourself booked in?

We're really looking forward to seeing you.

Jackie x

All glammed up - and we want you to see us!

2010-03-10T10:55:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone!

We've had a little make-over recently.

We decided it was time to get 'with it' and bring ourselves bang up to date with a modern clean look. We had been thinking about it for some time, but then we thought, 'It does seem rather bleak with January coming up and everyone feeling gloomy' so we took the bull by the horns and decideded that January was the time to do it.

Well, it is now March and we are pretty much finished, but you know builders - there are still some very small things that need to be done, but going by the feedback from our clients, they think we look pretty gorgeous!

So, we want you to come and see us and tell us what you think. We love feedback and yours is invaluable to us.

And if you mention our blog post 'glam' we will give you 10% of any of our treatments!

Oooh, and I nearly forgot - we have two fantastic value deals for Mother's Day too, so if you want to REALLY spoil your lovely Mum this year, take a look at our website and see which one takes your fancy, give us a call and we can get it all sorted for you. Easy!

What are you waiting for?

Jackie x

Let's all support Peace One Day - Amara Spa are!

2010-02-28T12:39:00.000-08:00

I went to a brilliant seminar today in the city. It talked about all sorts of things such as ensuring our clients are offered exceptional treatments and services and ensuring we are always striving to make them happy. It was a great day and at the end of it I felt I had really learned some valuable lessons on customer care.

But in the morning, we had been told there was a secret speaker at the end of the day. All of us were trying to guess who this might be - was it one of the Dragons from Dragons Den? Or perhaps one of the great marketers like Dan Kennedy all the way from the USA? None of us could guess. So when our host introduced this man, an independant film maker called Jeremy Gilley, none of us knew him or his name. To be honest, I think most of us were a little puzzled about what he was going to talk about.

But without a doubt, his message was by far the most powerful of the day. He is the founder of Peace One Day, an incredible non-profit organisation that has put together a global day of peace. He is clearly extremely passionate about this cause and has worked tirelessly since 1998 to establish the first ever annual peace day.

He has done what no-one else has managed to do by going to some of the most war-torn countries in the world with some of the most difficult political regimes and with an unwavering determination, has literally asked them to have a day of peace on September 21st every year. And against all the odds, he is succeeding.

He has managed to enlist the support of some of the world's most influential leaders, and some pretty impressive celebs too, and is winning the respect of people all around the world with his heartfelt message. And his organisation is literally saving thousands of lives all over the world, with people laying down their weapons and agreeing not to kill or fight on this one day - allowing aid to get to those who would surely die without this crucial help.

His vision is to make this day as important as Father's Day or Mother's Day and I truly believe he will achieve it as with determination such as his, he deserves to succeed.

If you would like to know more about this wonderful organisation, please visit his website at http://peaceoneday.org/en/welcome

His exceptional work proves that everything, no matter how crazy or impossible you may think your idea may be, really does start with one person.

Amara Spa will certainly be supporting his organisation from now on. I hope you join us.

Jackie x

It's back, but not for long - 3 for 2 on all treatments!

2009-12-14T12:58:00.000-08:00

To get you in the christmas mood , we've brought back our 3 for 2 offer to give you some extra festive cheer for the holiday season.

All you need to do is buy two of your regular or favourite treatments and we will give you another one absolutely free! That's right - one whole treatment completely FREE!

So why not treat someone you love this Christmas with this wonderful gift, or keep it all to yourself. Whatever you choose, it's fabulous value and just too good to miss out on.

But it won't stay around for long, so be quick!

Stock Up now before VAT increases!

2009-12-13T07:11:00.000-08:00

As you may be aware, VAT will increase from the 1st January 2010 from 15% to 17½%. Sadly this will mean prices for all our services & products will increase from that date by 2½%.

Although we can do nothing about this, you could stock up on your products or pre-pay for your treatments before the end of the year and avoid the 2½% extra charge. Is that a cunning plan or what!

We're having a party! Wanna come?

2009-11-18T10:35:00.000-08:00

It's getting pretty festive at Amara Spa and it's that time of year when we start thinking about getting together with all of you by throwing a bit of a party. In fact, as tickets went so quickly last year and some of you missed out, we're throwing TWO parties this year! One on Thursday 19th November and the other on Thursday 10th December between 6 and 9.

And we have put together some great things for you this year.

We have brought in an amazing skin scanner which gives you an in-depth analysis of your skin. It may give you a shock, but the good news is we can put together a plan of action to improve things and get you looking gorgeous again.

We also have free mini treatments such as scalp massages, back rubs and nail treats, plus mulled wine, nibbles and goodies to give away.

And if that isn't enough, we are offering you some amazing deals on the night too, so don't miss out.

Give us a ring and get yourself booked in and prepare yourself for some christmas cheer. Tickets are for sale at £5 each with all proceeds going to The Haven Centre in Fulham which does an amazing job supporting breast cancer patients.

See you there!

Jackie x

Yikes! Here's a scarily good offer this Halloween at Amara Spa!

2009-10-24T09:20:00.000-07:00

There's nothing spooky about our Halloween offer this month!

With every one hour facial, you'll get a FREE mini paint and shape for your hands.

And bring a friend (if you dare!) & you'll both get a goulish goody bag filled with scarily lovely things too!

Hurry though - offer ends 31st October!

See you in the Spa soon.

Jackie x

Dermalogica Alive & Well in South West London!

2009-10-19T13:52:00.000-07:00

News has just reached us at Amara Spa that three suppliers of Dermalogica in Putney have either closed or stopped selling it.

Well, I just wanted to let all you Dermalogica fans out there in South West London that we absolutely LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Dermalogica and we are still supplying it and have no intention of closing!

Just come over Putney bridge - a lovely 10 minute stroll whilst admiring the river - heading towards Hammersmith - and you will find us, Amara Spa, with oodles and oodles of Dermalogica products!

We also do some pretty fabulous treatments too, including Dermalogica facials, so why not book in for some 'me time' as well - you won't be disappointed!

Hope to see you soon.

Jackie x

Thank Goodness for Amara Fit Spa!

2009-06-16T03:54:00.000-07:00

Well everyone, it has been a while since my last blog. And I am pleased to tell you all that bits of me are disappearing. Slowly and surely, I am melting.

Now I don't want you to be concerned. On the contrary - I want you to share my joy, because not only am I melting, but my skin is glowing, my hair is shiny and I feel wonderful!

And it is all down to Amara Fit Spa. Finally something has helped me shed some unneccesary bits on my body that were surplus to my requirements and have given me masses of energy too.

Even I have been surprised at the results as when we put this programme together, we knew it would make us all feel better and shed a few pounds, but the changes have been so dramatic that people who haven't seem me in a while are truly amazed at the difference in me.

And I am continuing to change as I now know what my body really needs to keep it healthy and well. My cravings for cakes, crisps and chocolate have gone and my new cravings are tomatoes, fish and salad! Honestly!

I have even managed to go on a wonderful holiday to Turkey, still enjoy fabulous food and the odd vodka and tonic (my favourite tipple) and I STILL had lost 2lb when I got back! That has NEVER happened to me before in my whole life!

So - what are you waiting for? Amara Fit Spa could be just the thing you need to change your body, your health and your life.

And I know it can, because that's just what it has done for me.

See you in the Spa soon.

Jackie x

Not

I'm Changing the Way I Eat!

2009-04-02T03:31:00.000-07:00

Why you might ask? Well, I have to share with you an amazing seminar I attended a couple of weeks ago organised by the International Institute of Anti-Ageing. The guest speaker was leading nutritionist Patrick Holdford who is involved with the IIAA and often speaks at their conferences.

The theme of the seminar was how the effects of a poor diet affect our entire health – from the illnesses we get, including obesity, to the damaging effect it has on our skin. And there was some incredible scientific evidence to back this up.

Patrick Holford believes that by following a GL (glycemic load) diet, most cases of obesity and ill health could be avoided purely by changing the way we eat. By balancing the amount of carbohydrate and protein we eat and increasing our low gl vegetable intake, you regulate your blood sugar levels and avoid those sudden sugar cravings that send our healthy eating days into meltdown. He has seen amazing success with people following this way of eating who have lost impressive amounts of weight, rid themselves of lifelong illnesses and taken their energy levels through the roof.

Another impressive speaker at the seminar was Professor John G Ionescu PhD who is Scientific Director and founder of the Spezialklinik Neukirchen in Germany. His facility takes on cases referred by doctors and hospitals for patients with such severe skin conditions that conventional treatments have failed. By carrying out in-depth food intolerance tests, they pretty much have a 100% success rate purely by discovering what foods their patients are intolerant to and begin eliminating them from their diets. The results were staggering. People who had suffered with debilatating skin disorders for most of their lives were cured of all symptoms in around six to eight weeks. It was truly amazing.

So everyone, that is why I’ve changed the way I eat. I am now following the low gl way of eating and have even managed to go out to dinner a few times AND have the odd glass of wine and have still lost weight and increase my energy levels. And I feel great!

In fact, I am so convinced in the benefits of this way of eating that we are setting up the Amara Fit Club to help those of you who want to take control of your weight, health and energy levels. The first programme will consist of an intensive two week nutrition and exercise plan to kick start your metabolism and help you shed the pounds, followed by a maintenance programme to help you keep your weight loss off and continue with it. And you will get the most important thing of all to that will make this different to other programmes you have done – SUPPORT!

Watch this space for regular updates on the programme and launch date. And before you know it, you’ll be celebrating a fabulous new you!

We value you and your feedback immensely so please let us know what you think let us know if you have any comments, suggestions or questions.

I look forward to seeing you in the spa soon.

Warm wishes,

Jackie

The Price of Good Skin

2009-02-23T11:09:00.000-08:00

Hello and welcome to the Amara Spa Blog.

Myself and my team were discussing last week what we would be prepared to spend to have good skin. Pretty much all of us agreed we would pay anything. That would be the answer of most of you too, I would think.

For those of us who work in the skincare industry, we know the first step to good skin is to use good products that do not contain ingredients that will aggravate and upset our skin’s natural balance. But I understand that most of you don’t work in this industry and when you read the long list of ingredients on the back of products, it can be a little daunting.

Back in 2003 when I did my research into what products we would have at Amara Spa, I wanted to be bring in lines that my clients would see real results with. I looked at about 8 different lines. I finally whittled that down to Dermalogica and Environ because I truly believed that they could back up the claims they made about making a difference to the health of the skin. And over the years, we have seen some amazing results with some of our clients that have definitely backed up those claims.

But occasionally some of you express concerns that some of these professional lines are expensive in comparison to some of the high street brands.

Now, going back to my opening statement at the beginning of this blog about what we would be prepared to pay for good skin, myself and the team decided to work out exactly what was the price for good skin. And frankly, even we were surprised!

We worked out that three months worth of good products works out to approximately 0.73p per day! Used correctly, that is 90 days worth of skin care that has been professionally prescribed for you - for a cleanser and moisturiser. That is 3 times less than a take-away cup of coffee! Now you can add in other things such as a toner and exfoliator which will improve your skin further, but for those of you just starting out, keeping it simple to begin with is better than buying everything all at once and getting confused. Extras can be introduced later when you have got to grips with the basics.

So next time you feel you can’t justify buying that cleanser, think of that cup of coffee you had that day. Taking care of YOU is important – especially when it only costs 0.73p per day. And your skin is definitely worth more than a cup of coffee.

See you in the Spa soon.

Jackie x

Happy Valentines Day!

2009-02-14T06:08:00.000-08:00

AMARA SPA BLOG
14TH FEB 2009

Well, it's Valentine’s Day and we have certainly had an eventful start to February. London literally froze in the grip of the snow, with shops and businesses closed, buses non-existent and trains going nowhere.

And you know, I think it was exactly what we all needed! With all the doom and gloom constantly on the news, it was so lovely to see communities and families coming to together and having FUN! I have never seen the streets, parks and coffee shops SO busy and people looking SO happy!! Again the media reported how much money was lost in business that day, but to be honest, anything that brings people together in the way it did is priceless. We probably won’t see another day like that for maybe 20 years, so we will certainly not forget it in a hurry, but personally, I will remember it as the day we all got together to build snowmen and forget our troubles!

The downside to the cold weather is what it does to our skin. It can become dry and dehydrated with not only the effects of the weather, but with the added problem of central heating causing even more problems. This is the time we need to up our water intake and perhaps look at whether our moisturiser is giving us enough hydration. Your normal moisturiser may not be enough for you at this time, so if you feel you may need a little extra help, drop in to the Spa for some advice. That way we can see what you’re using and how we can improve your routine. Many of you don’t know that we can give you samples to try before you buy. That way you haven’t wasted money buying products that don’t suit your skin that then sit on your bathroom shelf gathering dust, along with all the other products you have bought along the way!

Talking of buying products that don’t work, I would like to tell you my experiences as a teenager (many, many years ago now!) and the journey I had with my skin. The reason I want to share this with you is because I believe it is a very common problem which is completely avoidable – most people just don’t know what to do to fix it.

At 12 years old, my skin went nuts. It started producing huge amounts of oil, which in turn blocked my pores and erupted into the most painful huge spots. Now at 12, I had no clue about why this was happening and even less idea about what to do about it. So, embarrassed and ashamed, I thought it must dirty and needed cleaning and that’s what I set out to do – to get it as clean as possible. I discovered the best way to do this was to clean with a well known face wash for spots and the toner that went with it. No moisturiser for me as my skin was teeming with oil, so of course I didn’t need it! But instead of improving, it got worse and worse. I couldn’t keep up with the oil, so started cleaning more and more – up to four times a day! As I stripped away each layer of my skin’s natural barriers, it got really sensitised resulting in my skin feeling really itchy, sore and tight. It looked really awful so I starting putting thicker and thicker make-up to cover it all up, which in turn blocked everything – and still it got worse.
I was so embarrassed about it that I hated going out during the day (bit like a vampire!) and couldn’t bear to look directly at anyone as they would be able to see what a mess my skin was. But I had no idea what to do to help it or who to talk to.

Then at 16, I went fruit picking for 3 months and had no choice but to stop the crazy routine I had adopted and guess what? My skin started to improve. It certainly was far from perfect, but the itchiness and tightness disappeared and it got less oily and much less spotty. That was when I learnt less is more.

The reason I am telling you this story is because there are still some of you suffering with problem skin conditions that can be greatly improved upon with the right advice and the right products. It may not be a quick overnight fix – nothing ever is. But there will be definitely be something we can do to help you. After all, that is what we do!

The best advice I can give you is – if you do nothing else, use the right products for your skin. A facial one every six weeks is going to give you a fantastic deep cleanse, but if you then go off and use products which are stripping your skin and sensitising it, you will not see the results you were expecting. If you cannot have both and have to choose one, choose the right products rather than the facials because once your skin is sensitised, it is one of the most difficult problems to fix.

If you are nodding your head as you are reading this because you recognise the things I am describing, give us a ring, book in a free skin consultation, bring in the products you are using for us to look at and we can have a chat with you to find out what is going on and give you some samples to try before you buy. You should begin to see and feel a difference in about four days. We may not get it exactly right first time, but we will keep going until we do – that is our job. So many people suffer unnecessarily, like I did, and there is a solution for you. Please, please don’t suffer in silence!

Wellbeing is our business at Amara Spa and skin is part of that, so let us help you. Problems always have solutions – let us help you with yours.

Look forward to seeing you in the Spa soon.

Jackie

February blog

2009-02-12T06:12:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone!