Month: April 2019

Rosacea Awareness

April is Rosacea Awareness Month. Many people don’t understand rosacea, which is frequently confused with sensitive skin. According to Shannon Esau of Rhonda Allison, “Rosacea is a chronic and progressive disorder that impacts 16 million Americans. Rosacea will typically present as redness on the cheeks, nose, chin or forehead that will come and go. It is a complex condition, with three stages of progressed symptoms.”

More progressed rosacea with bumps and thickening of the skin.

Mild rosacea causes some redness or flushing that is exacerbated by certain topical products, improper skin care, some foods, alcohol, drugs, or other triggers. According to the Mayo Clinic, more progressed stages of rosacea can lead to bumps that look like acne, a thickening of the skin on the nose leading to a bulbous appearance, and eye issues. Rosacea is not caused by poor hygiene. It may be hereditary, but people with fair skin with sun damage, people who drink or smoke may be more at risk.

Things to avoid

Rosacea symptoms may be lessened by avoiding triggers. This can include using a sunscreen daily (which you should do anyway), reducing sugar, and stopping smoking. Studies show that alcohol consumption may cause rosacea or worsen symptoms for some people, though it is important to note someone who never drinks can also develop rosacea.

People with rosacea should also avoid “scrubbing” their skin or using manual exfoliation (gritty) products. These can cause irritation which may worsen symptoms. A product like Rhonda Allison’s Mandelic Arginine serum can gently rejuvenate skin without an aggressive scrub.

Managing Symptoms

Rhonda Allison Skincare

In addition to avoiding triggers that can worsen symptoms, proper skincare is essential to treating rosacea. For more severe symptoms, people may wish to seek assistance from a dermatologist.

At East Village Spa, we offer Rhonda Allison professional skincare which has several options to help ease rosacea symptoms.

Sensitive Skin Complex: This serum supports inflamed, irritated, infection-prone skin while providing a high degree of environmental protection. This product also eases facial redness and burning.

Creamy Milk Cleanser: Formulated for sensitive and traumatized skin, gentle with milk proteins to soothe and hydrate.

C-Stem Cell: This complex strengthens skin and protects against environmental stress.

Milk Mask: A cooling, calming, and hydrating mask

Wasabi Mask: It may be surprising that wasabi would be an appropriate ingredient for sensitive skin and rosacea, but this mask purifies and hydrates acne and rosacea-prone skin.

If you have concerns about your skin, you can visit with a licensed esthetician for more guidance, regular facials and proper home care can make a world of difference in your skin health. To book a facial with one of our licensed estheticians, click here.

Resources

Differentiating Rosacea From Sensitive Skin, Shannon Esau, Rhonda Allison Cosmeceuticals. Available at Skininc.com

Mayo Clinic: Rosacea https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/rosacea/symptoms-causes/syc-20353815

American Academy of Dermatology: Does Drinking Cause Rosacea?
https://www.aad.org/public/diseases/acne-and-rosacea/rosacea/does-drinking-cause-rosacea

American Academy of Dermatology: 6 rosacea skincare tips dermatologists give their patients:
https://www.aad.org/public/diseases/acne-and-rosacea/rosacea/6-rosacea-skin-care-tips-dermatologists-give-their-patients

5 ways we’re reducing environmental impact

Spa owners and employees, by nature, care about the health and well-being of the people we serve. That extends to the environment in which they live. One challenge in owning a spa is that there are many environmental challenges in this industry. Some of these challenges may come as a surprise to our guests. We are continually taking steps to reduce our environmental footprint.


1.We LOVE Recycle Me Iowa.

East Village Spa employees with recycle me Iowa storage containers

Haven’t heard of them? They are located in Des Moines and offer convenient, affordable recycling if you live or work in a building that doesn’t have recycling as an option, you need this company in your life.The amount of cleaning supply and product containers, packaging and shipping waste is overwhelming, but we make sure to recycle as much as possible. Every 2 weeks Recycle Me Iowa takes it all away.

2. Reusable cups reduce waste

East Village Spa Manicure, guest holding ceramic mug.

Since we switched to glassware years ago, we’ve saved hundreds of cups per week from going in the trash. We still have to-go cups for our hot and cold beverages, but we encourage you to bring your own and we’ll happily send you on your way with a full travel mug of our yummy hot or cold Pure Inventions teas!If you’re enjoying a complimentary beverage in the spa, please choose a reusable cup instead of paper or plastic.

3. Reducing robes = reducing water and energy waste

East Village Spa Robe on Hanger

Did you know that the average home washing machine uses 41 gallons of water per load? Drying laundry accounts for a large amount of energy use as well. We are happy to provide robes for convenience for guests enjoying both a facial and a massage at our spa, but we do not offer robes for guests who are enjoying a single service. This helps us to save over 200 gallons of water (on a single Saturday!) reduce energy and detergent use.

4. Eco (and human!) safe pedicures

East Village Spa guest getting a pedicure and talking to nail technician.

Did you know, our pedicure chairs use 80% less water than traditional pedicure chairs with whirlpool jets? They also don’t require us to flush gallons of harmful sanitizing chemicals down the drain every time they’re used! We choose our nail care products carefully, for the safety of our employees, guests, and the environment.

5. Eco-friendly products and packaging

Rhonda Allison Citrus Gel Cleanser with recycled glass dish full of fruit

We partner with companies who have safe, ethical business practices. Farmhouse Fresh is headquartered on a farm, where they source some of their ingredients. Their packaging is often reusable (like ice cream dish candles-see how we re-used the dish in the photo).Rhonda Allison’s packaging is designed to preserve the products without synthetic preservatives, and can be recycled.Zoya and CND nail polishes are non-toxic and Zoya will even recycle nail polishes from ANY company during their Earth Day campaign.

Our environmental initiatives are always a work in progress. Some things we can’t control for regulatory and safety reasons (for example, we’d never, ever re-use wax sticks. This is dangerous and a violation of sanitation rules.) We’re always brainstorming together ways that we can minimize our impact without sacrificing on service quality and safety and it is my goal to have several NEW initiatives to share with our guests by Earth Day 2020.

Post by Cassie Sampson, BA, LMT. Owner, East Village Spa in Des Moines, IA. East Village Spa was established in 2008 and offers massage therapy, esthetics, and natural nail care.