The Pampered (and stress free!) Bride

Manic Mondays by Lauren Cooper

Being a bride is the perfect excuse to be pampered.  Often times brides get so caught up in the details that they feel like they can’t take the time.  But you should!  If you feel you can’t dedicate a day to the spa, here are some relaxing at-home remedies:

Steam Shower Turn your shower on hot and let the room steam up.  Put a few drops of your favorite essential oil in a washcloth or under the stream of water and it will scent the shower.  Try Puritan Essential Oils from The Vitamin Shoppe. If you put your lotion on the radiator or by the heat vent it will be nice and warm when you rub it on!

Apple Cucumber Facial Mask

½ cucumber, peeled

1 egg white

½ tsp lemon juice

½ tsp lime juice

1 thick slice of apple

Mint leaves

1 drop essential oil

Combine all ingredients except oil in food processor or blender until smooth.  Add oil, mix well, refrigerate 10 minutes.  Apply to clean face and leave on for 20 minutes.  Rinse and feel refreshed!

Mani/Pedi Soak your feet in warm to hot water with Epsom salts to soothe.  Exfoliate with a concoction of 8-10 strawberries, 2Tbsp Olive Oil, 1 tsp coarse salt.  Gently push back and trim cuticles.  If your skin is sensitive be sure to put on cuticle oil after your polish is dry.  I like this apricot cuticle oil from Essie.

Photo courtesy of Beautorium and Daily News

Homemade spa treatments courtesy of SpaIndex

Sweat the Stress Away: Bridal Workouts!

Manic Mondays by Lauren Cooper

photo source: Fit 4 Wedding

We all want to look great for our wedding day.  Exercise is a natural stress reliever, and, despite all the fad diets, it’s still the best way to slim down and get happy.  But wait…it can be fun! I swear!  Here are some fun things to try:

• Zumba:  If you haven’t heard about Zumba, you should have.  It’s quite possibly the most fun I’ve ever had working out!  The instructor leads you through fast paced Latin music for an hour, plus you learn fun dance moves to show off at your wedding.  Added bonus: you don’t feel like you’re exercising!  A word of caution:  you will sweat your butt off so bring plenty of water, a towel, and eat before you work out so you have energy to make it through the class.

• Pilates:   This is another favorite.  Pilates is a great workout that focuses on breathing, stretching and keeping your core muscles engaged.  While it doesn’t get your heart pumping as much as Zumba; you will definitely feel changes in your muscles the next day.  Pilates is a great way to get toned without feeling bulky.  Most also find it relaxing since you focus on breathing.

• Yoga:  If you don’t want something too strenuous but want to feel like you’ve done something good for your body; this is it.  I love yoga after a stressful day.  Classes are usually very slow moving as you go through various poses and breathe through each one.  You probably won’t break a sweat in this class, but you’ll definitely feel calmer!

If you’re not sure which route to go try The Breathtaking Bride who will coach you through the best approach to get healthy for your big day and stay healthy after!

Sweet Bridal Dreams

Manic Mondays by Lauren Cooper

Its 3am and you just jolted awake from that recurring nightmare where you tear your dress, run out of food and get stuck in a torrential downpour.  No, it’s not a premonition; nightmares about the wedding day are normal. Here are some tips to keep your dreams sweet and stress free.

• To help you relax, try avoiding wedding related tasks too close to bedtime.  This way they aren’t in the forefront of your mind waiting to assault your dreams.
• If you’re a tea-drinker, sip on some chamomile tea which has relaxing properties.  I’m a fan of Celestial Seasoning’s Sleepytime Tea, available in the tea isle of most grocery stores.
• Play soft music, like classical, before bedtime. Soothing grooves can do wonders for stress relief.
• 

  source: It Happened in India

  Try picking a scented essential oil and placing it on your pressure points: behind the ears, wrist, temples.  Vanilla or lavender scents have proven calming effects.  Bath and Body Works has two remedies: Stress Relief, with eucalyptus and spearmint and Sleep, with warm milk and honey notes.

• If you’re too sensitive to scents, try meditation which forces you to focus on calming breaths or even just sitting quietly while taking deep, slow breaths.  The key is to imagine your head being emptied of thought; otherwise you’ll just sit there itemizing all the things you could be doing (trust me, I’ve been there!).
• Recruit your fiancé to give you a massage.  Bonus points if he offers first!!

No matter which method works for you; remember, even with a few bumps and bruises, it will all be perfect in the end.

Wedding Tension, Headaches and Breakouts, oh my!

by Elysha Beckerman

Don’t Stress! There are many ways to combat unwanted wedding anxiety. Let’s investigate…

• Back or body tension may be the cause of tossing and turning over decisions for your wedding while laying awake in bed at night.  Attend a spa that gives you the works.  Bliss has a remarkable menu, offering well-known treatments like the Blissage 105.  This massage includes head to toe relief on a warmed massage table for an hour and forty five minutes!

• Is trimming the guest list giving you a horrible headache or even worse a migraine? Acupuncture is an ancient Chinese practice that entails placing needles in certain points of the body to regulate flow of your Chi.  Acupuncture can sound scary to a first-timer but its natural relief will have you coming back for more and studies show amazing results. If you are located near Manhattan check out  Anastasia Hall of Fire Lizard Acupuncture. She is known for taking pain out of your life!

• Bodacious Bumps (better known as breakouts) are quite common the week leading up to a wedding.  Attending a salon that offers multiple types of facials will guarantee to meet your needs.  Try the Peninsula Spa by ESPA NY.  They offer seven types of facials from ninety minutes long to sixty minutes short specializing in oil controlling, skin firming, and instant brightening.

Studio Saldana

If the spa doesn’t fit into your tight schedule we suggest to take a night to chill out with yourself!  Relax in a bubble bath surrounded by aromatherapy candles and have warmed lotion waiting for you when you’re done.  Try Lollia Life Relax: Unfrogettable set, which includes bubble bath, shea butter crème and an aromatherapy candle.

Indulge! Treat yourself to some relaxing moments during the wedding planning process.