The extremely dry air this winter is making everyone’s skin cringe a bit more than usual which has kept our esthetician, Olivia busy, busy, busy. We recently asked her to share a few of her skin secrets so that we could pass them along to you!

1. What are your favorite products?

“You can’t go wrong with anything Vitamin C! I always suggest a Vitamin C serum to my clients who have acne scaring or sun damage. Vitamin C is a natural lightener which is great for evening out skin tones. It’s also an excellent antioxidant for us; internally and topically.”

2. What’s your secret to great skin?

“My secret is maintenance. Although the ideal is to get facials once a month, that alone won’t be enough to get your skin looking its best. You have to be committed to keep up with a consistent skin regimen at home. By investing in the best products for your particular skin type, you’re able to reverse any skin damage you may have had from the past. You’re also preparing your skin for the future and are guaranteed to get better results from your facials. Maintaining a healthy diet and lots of exercise also helps you become an active participant in improving your skin.”

3. This winter has been horribly dry! What do you recommend to keep our skin happy?

“Apply moisturizer morning and night! Also, just because it gets gloomy, don’t be fooled! Sunscreen is important every single morning before leaving the house. For those of you who are always in the car, make sure you put sunscreen on your hands and arms! 80% of skin aging is caused by the sun.”

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Olivia has been a part of the Le Petite Retreat team since 2009. She’s highly committed to helping her clients achieve their goals while they’re in the spa. “When a client enters the room, we are both coming together for an hour of working towards the same goal,” she says. “It’s my job to figure out exactly what that person may need. Sometimes, it’s as simple as relaxation. Other times, my client may need extensive treatment for acne. Whatever it may be, the best feeling is to know that when I’m done, I’ve improved their skin. When my clients look in the mirror and see the transformation in front of their eyes…that is the most rewarding part of my job.”

Inspired by a close family friend who is an expert in aesthetics, Olivia knew from a very early age that she wanted to follow in her footsteps. “Watching her work and seeing the way that she healed her clients really inspired me,” she says. “I want to not only be able to treat my clients’ skin but to improve their whole well-being.”

We’re thankful to have Olivia working with us and think that you’ll enjoy her too!

Do you have any questions for Olivia about skin care? Leave them in the comments below!

Relationship Docu-Series Seeking Married Couples

We were recently contacted about a new television show that’s in the works from the producers of Bravo’s “Real Housewives of New York City,” and ABC’s “Super Nanny.” The show will be all about couples trying to reignite their marriages after letting life get in the way. Le Petite Retreat day spa is being considered as a homework assignment for the couples and a location for filming.

The producers are seeking married couples with dynamic personalities who are very outgoing, attractive, and ready to tell their story.

If your marriage is suffering because your sex life has flat lined and you and your spouse are ready for a life changing opportunity to transform your love life, then this show is for you!

For More Information:

Contact: Chandra Pinto, Casting Associate for Shed Media US
Call: 323-904-4682, ext. 1150
Email: chandrapinto@gmail.com

If you’re interested, be ready with your names, ages, city, phone number, email, two recent photos, and a paragraph about yourself and your marriage.

Like so many of you out there, we like to start each new year fresh! Which is why for January, we’re all about focusing on cleansing and detoxifying.

Coming Soon: In-Spa Event: Detox, Cleanse & Create Balance in 2012

Cheryl L. Perkins, Holistic Nutritional Consultant and Wellness Coach of Creating Balance will be in the spa to show you the clear way to wellness! She’ll be teaching us how to get clearer skin, lose weight, get more peaceful sleep, and achieve higher mental clarity all by eating better than you may today. We’ll be serving healthy snacks, fruit water, and wine. For more information about Cheryl L. Perkins and Creating Balance, you can visit their website at www.creating-balance.net….We’ll be posting the exact date and time of this event very soon!

January Detox Special: Get our Ionic Detoxing Foot Bath Treatment and our Exfoliating Enzyme Scrub for only $95. Save $24!!!

Get “outer” detoxing with our enzyme scrub that exfoliates dead skin cells for smoother, healthier skin. Then get “inner” detoxing with our Ionic Detoxing Foot Bath Treatment. Each foot has over 2,000 pores through which toxins are released. By stimulating your organs and lymphatic system through channeling of positive and negative currents, stress induced and environmental toxins are removed through your feet’s pores and made visible in the water of your foot bath treatment. Rebalance and detox your body in just 30 minutes. Our amazing detoxing spa treatment helps with Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Epsteines-Barr, water retention & insomnia. Offer expires 01/31/2012.

Exclusive Offers Available on Facebook & Yelp

Don’t forget to Like Le Petite Retreat day spa on Facebook to get access to exclusive offers available only to our Facebook community! Click HERE to check out this month’s offer. We’ll give you a hint: it’s the ultimate relaxation upgrade. Be sure to mention the offer specifically when you book your appointment!

Plus! When you come to the spa for your next treatment, be sure to “check-in” to the spa on Yelp on your phone to receive a special offer for your next visit! If you’ve been to the spa before, we’d really appreciate your feedback. You can leave a review about your experience on our Yelp account anytime.

As our spa concierge, Monique is involved with each and every client who schedules an appointment, purchases a gift certificate, or walks through the front door.

“Most of the people who come to us are really looking to escape the pressures of life,” she says. “Our goal is to provide the ultimate escape so that people leave here feeling different — happier, well balanced, and more positive.”

Monique’s Top 3 Le Petite Retreat Services:

1. Sugar Rush Body Scrub – “The smell is to-die-for. It’s a sensational blend of coconut and tropical fruit that is simply infectious. The sugar helps release extra buildup of dead skin cells which leaves you feeling refreshed. Plus, the sugar smoothie body cream seals the deal by locking in all of the moisture leaving you with smooth, glowing skin.”
2. RegenisCell Vitamin C Facial – “This facial is another treatment that is a must-have when you’re looking to achieve that healthy glow.”
3. Jade Stone Massage – “It’s hard to even describe the feeling of the hot and cold stones that are used for this treatment. Your therapist will place hot and cold stones on areas that are holding onto tension and work them into your muscles. It’s amazing.”

We absolutely love having Monique here in the spa. She’s passionate about working with people and providing all of our clients with an amazing experience.

Have you met Monique?

Now through the end of the year, “Like” us on Facebook for a chance to enter to win a trip for 2 to Las Vegas!

All you have to do is go to the Win Vegas! tab on our Facebook Page and enter! You can enter once a week until December 31st.

The winner will receive Includes a 2-night* stay for Two on any Sunday through Thursday in 2011 at the famous Riviera Hotel & Casino ($200 value) and a Vegas Bite Card ($500 in Vegas savings) for a combined $700 value!

So what are you waiting for?! Enter now! Good luck!

For more information, read the Rules, Terms, & Conditions.

Happy Holidays! Here is a complete list of our favorite and most popular products and services. Whether you’re shopping for him, for her, or for a couple, we have special pricing on the following great spa gifts:

Gifts for Anyone Who Loves the Spa

The Ultimate Spa Package – Includes a luxurious spa robe, washable bouncy spa sandals, 2 CDs, aromatherapy spa mini-candle, 3 phytotherapy massage gels, $100 dining gift to Drai’s Hollywood – W Hotel, Skin Care Package, (HydraEssence hydrating creme concentrate, hydrating eye creme, Papaya enzyme cleanser, exfoliating scrub + Citron night spray) a $100 dining Gift Card to Drai’s Hollywood at the W Hotel, PLUS a 20 minute consultation with Cheryl Perkins of “Creating Balance: Holistic Nutrition Consulting” – Available with and without Dom Perignon & Russian Caviar!

Gift Certificates – when in doubt, you can always let people choose for themselves!

Gifts for Him

50 Minute Deep Tissue Massage

80 Minute Jade Stone Swedish-Deep Tissue Massage

Fantasy Spa Package

RegenisCell Vitamin C Facial

Vitality Spa Package

Gifts for Her

50 Minute Jade Stone Swedish-Deep Tissue Combo Massage

Anti-Aging Chocolate Firming Peel

Caviar Dream Lift Facial

Renewal Spa Package

Secret Spa Package

Gifts for Couples

Couples Caviar Dream Lift Facial + Champagne Bath for Two

Couples Jade Stone Massage + Champagne Bath for Two

Couples Secret Spa Package

Couples Vitality Spa Package

Gift Cards & More => Click Here

Still not sure what to get for that special someone? Feel free to give us a call or leave questions in the comments below!

2011 has flown by for us here at Le Petite Retreat day spa and thanks to all of you, it’s been a wonderful year, so we’re celebrating with more spa specials and hours until the New Year:

Holiday Hours:

Christmas Eve: 10am – 3pm
Christmas Day: Closed
New Years Eve: 10am – 6pm
New Years Day: Closed

Special Gifts, Packages, & Treatments for Thanksgiving Weekend:

Cyber Monday: Save $50 off any spa gift certificate of $200 or more using Coupon Code: SPACM50

Seasonal Scrub: Add our exclusive blend of Cranberry + natural herbs to any facial or body scrub for only $11 more

Celebrate the Skin You’re In with Our Featured Facial & Skincare Product

After a long summer in the sun, sand, and salt water, you should stop and take some time to focus on taking care of your skin. And so, for the month of November, we have a special offer for you!

Now through the November 30th, purchase a RegenisCell© Vitamin C Enzyme Facial for yourself or a friend and get a FREE bottle of RegenisCell Papaya Enzyme Cleanser!*

Our RegenisCell Vitamin C Enzyme Facial is customized for sensitive skin and those with rosacea.  Vitamin C and natural botanical extracts deeply penetrate to nourish and brighten your skin tone while smoothing fine lines and wrinkles.  Vitamin C plus organic enzymes rich in anti-oxidants help regenerate natural skin cell growth. Preserve the effects of your facial with the  penetrating, smoothing effects of papaya enzymes combined with cucumber and kiwi enzymes which help with circulation and cell rejuvenation.

You can purchase the RegenisCell Facial special here!

Plus, when you purchase our featured facial, you’ll get an extra entry in our Win Vegas Giveaway!

When was the last time you treated yourself to a facial?

*this offer cannot be combined with any of offer or discounts

I believe that the little things in life are all that really matter. This could mean many different things to different people, however, it is within yourself that you will find true happiness. Everything can be nothing if you truly do not appreciate it. Therefore, when you have joy in your life, you should truly enjoy every moment of it. Stop and breathe when you need a break, and sip on pure water when you need to cool down. As the days are long and summer is here with us, it is important to make the most out of each day. Enjoy the weather, sit down for a relaxing afternoon in the sun, and bask in the greatest moments of life. Relaxation is about joy and happiness, so find your happiness.

Happiness is key to a successful being. Try to relax as much as possible to gain respect for your body and your mind. Think of a Massage as your personal escape, and use this time to meditate. Reflection can often be the best way to evaluate the way you perceive yourself. A Jade Stone Massage can help bring your mind to a state of relaxation with some added bonus’, as the massage is absolutely spectacular! Be at ease in your soul and mind to find the best things in your life, the little things that matter the most are the feelings you feel when you are at peace with yourself!

Smile! Making the most out of each moment requires a smile. Whether your smile is in the inside of you or out there for the world to see, make sure to brighten your day with the positive energy that surrounds you. I would love to think that a smile follows a smile, so keep smiling! To remain relaxed and joyful, you will need to take really great care of yourself. Be kind to yourself and build a good relationship with you inner most feelings. Feeling well and being well go hand in hand! Take breaks from stressful situations and remain happy through the hard times, and you will feel a million times better than you would otherwise. By taking some much needed relaxation time for yourself, you will feel stronger and more energetic.

OK, so I do yoga, exercise at least 3 times a week, don’t overdue drinking, don’t smoke, and eat pretty healthy.  I also get an occasional massage, see friends regularly, and get at least 8 hours of sleep a night.

So why do I still feel something’s missing?

You may feel that way too, but sometimes it seems that doing so many things in life, filling up my day with work, with conversations, with thoughts, and even some gardening time, that it still seems like there’s not the “me” time that everyone always recommends.  But what exactly is “me” time, if it’s not all the things I like to do?

Maybe ‘me’ time is nothing more than the act of doing nothing.  But this is harder than it sounds – even relaxing outside listening to the birds, is actually doing something.  Relaxing in a lounge chair is actually doing something, because I’m making a conscious choice to do it, to relax or recline or to look this way or that way.

So if ‘me’ time is supposed to be focused on the things I enjoy, that means it involves doing the things I enjoy.  So  how does one get the ‘me’ time without doing the things that may be actually tiring me out, or seeming to be all that I do — I guess I’m asking if it seems to get some ‘me’ time, I would really have to escape myself – what I do and/or what I am?

Well, this hasn’t really helped me in any way – maybe you can help out – what do you think?  How have you found your inner peace, to feel complete, like you’ve got it all, because truly, we all do?