Spa Day

You’re a hard working woman and you deserve a day of pampering. Why not head to a spa? A few years ago the Today Show did a piece on the best places to take a girlfriend retreat and it’s definitely worth sharing! Here’s what they had to say:

Hurleyville, N.Y.
Sanivan Holistic Spa
Sanivan is like a B&B for the soul. In a Catskills town two hours northwest of Manhattan, the spa is owned by Ivan Rivas and Saniye Gungor - a masseur and a shiatsu therapist/shaman, respectively. The husband-and-wife duo offers a smorgasbord of indulgences: personally tailored herbal facials (60 minutes, $80), aromatherapy shiatsu massages (90 minutes, $90), and even 100-percent oxygen treatments for improving blood flow and strengthening the immune system (120 minutes, $225).

With only three bedrooms, the spa promises individualized attention, something Lynne Nordone from Long Island found most rewarding. “You revitalize from the inside out and always learn something you can take home,” says Nordone, who eagerly devoured Gungor’s “delicious raw food” (cooked grains, chicken, and fish are also available). Sanivan practices what it preaches: All linens and food are organic, trash is recycled, and even the heated pool is ozonated (translation: minimal chlorine). Guests spend downtime walking the outdoor meditation labyrinth and curling up with one of five Angora cats, the spa’s “spiritual guides.”

Neversink, N.Y.
New Age Health Spa
On 280 acres near Catskill Park, New Age Health Spa hardly feels like it’s only two hours from Manhattan. The spa complex is made up of nine newly renovated buildings, each with a Native American moniker; outdoor paths lined with flower beds connect the guest lodges. New Age lives up to its name with treatments such as a Native Sun Purification (50 minutes, $95), which incorporates herbs that many tribes use in cleansing rituals. (The herbs are grown in the spa’s greenhouses.) Roberta Springer, a New York City resident, has been a regular since New Age opened 20 years ago. “I’ve been at least 50 times,” she says. “I was hooked the first weekend.” Nature lovers sign up for eco-adventure programs (bald-eagle watching or the Alpine Tower climb), and spiritual seekers try anything from tarot-card readings to silent reflection in the spa’s state-of-the-art Cayuga Yoga and Meditation Center. It’s decked out with heated floors, walls lined with 10,000 feet of redwood, and an enormous stone fireplace.

Beautifully Bronzed

It’s finally May! Just a few weeks until Memorial Day weekend, and summer is right around the corner! If you’re anything like me, you can’t wait to break out those cute sundresses and walking shorts and pack away the winter clothes.

But if you’re like me, you also have skin that hasn’t seen sun in many, many months and could use a safe and healthy bronze before donning your summer duds.

For a DIY solution, head over to your local pharmacy. The shelves are packed with self tanners that will get you the glow you desire. Some of my favorites are:

Jergens Natural Glow. The daily moisturizer delivers just the right amount of color at a gradual pace so you never look fake or orange. The lotion comes in three shades so you can easily find the one best for you.

L’Oreal Sublime Bronze Self-Tanning Lotion.  Probably my favorite self-tanner out there. The lotion provides an instant glimmer, perfect for a night out, and after just two applications you will see a noticeably, tanner difference. Go easy on elbows and knees, as they tend to soak up more lotion, which can result in dark spots.

For even, full-body coverage, consider Mystic Tan.  You enter a booth, where your whole body is sprayed with a fine even mist, giving you a hint a color that changes into a natural-looking tan in 4-8 hours. I’ve done this many times before a big event to even out my skin tone. It works great!

Happy self-tanning! And remember, when out in the sun, be sure to use sunscreen!