Spring is upon us and I see that winter has demolished whatever the summer did to my body. Sun kissed skin, toned body, smooth skin, shiny hair, that vitamin D glow is no more and I now look like a hibernating squirrel who gorged on mac and cheese and the only glow is have is from wind burn. Got to love New England winters.

Being healthy and happy doesn’t just mean hitting the gym and watching what you eat. It’s also taking the time to make sure the outside matches the inside. It is perfectly acceptable to take care of your appearance; it’s not a matter of being vain or conceited. Your body language , hygiene, aesthetics, and confidence are incredibly important when it comes to interaction within our species. We are visual creatures and how we portray ourselves is inevitably going to determine where we fall in our ranks. You’ve heard of the expression ‘Dress for the job you want’? Well, I wouldn’t recommend dressing like a pilot if you’re a bank teller, but if you want more respect you have to ooze confidence. How do you get confidence? Well, you’ve got to learn to love what you’re projecting. If you are feeling fantastic because you got the high score on Bejeweled this week, it gives you a little hitch in your giddy-up and puts you in a good mood, walking taller, smiling more and releasing endorphins, which other humans will detect and want to be around you.

The point is, once you’ve accomplished something great your insides (heart, mind, body) are all in tune and you’re happy. But thanks to this winter, you look and feel like a wildebeest with dry skin. It’s hard staying confident when your outside doesn’t match your inside!

So here are a few tips to get spring-ready in and around Boston! By taking the time to pamper yourself, you’ll feel a world of a difference and that will do wonders for your self-esteem!  

 What to do: Pedicure / Manicure
 Your poor little feet. Being stuffed in those winter boots and thick socks. They’re probably dying for a pedicure. I’m starting to see more and more men sitting next to me in the chair, and you know what I say? “Thank GOD!” Fellas, if you want your lady friend to rub your feet, let’s make sure your snaggle toe is tamed so it doesn’t scratch her cornea. And ladies, open toe shoes are coming, please don’t violate the first rule of Peep Toe Season: ‘If I can see your toe I better see some polish!’

Where to go: Salon De Beauty, Downtown Crossing

Where to go: Sephora, Prudential Center
My favorite lotion is Hope in a Jar with SPF 25 from Philosophy.  It smells so amazing, not greasy and is light enough to withstand heat waves. Tinted moisturizers with SPF are a great alternative if you wish to wear foundation in the summer. Philosophy just introduced their new make-up line and the tinted moisturizers are a huge hit. Another one of my favorite products is from Nars. It is an Illuminator in Orgasm. It’s part of their Orgasm collection, for that ‘just climaxed’ look, I guess. It’s perfect for adding a little color in these cooler weeks before we start getting some sun.  

  

What to do: Body Care

Massages, facials, hot tubs. What a great way to reward your body for turning down Thirsty Thursday and finally hitting the gym four times this week! Besides relaxation, a huge benefit of getting a massage is to release those tight muscles, loosen up the toxins that have remained stationary in your muscles, and flush them out while lowering your cortisol levels (which is a chemical in your body that holds onto fat when the body/mind is stressed). Hot tubs have equal benefits and do wonders for joint pain. Facials are a great way to exfoliate the dead skin cells and regenerate new growth. Leaving your face firmer, smoother, and maintaining a healthy glow.

 

Where to go: Inman Oasis & Sedona Sun Day Spa

Inman Oasis is located in Inman Square, Cambridge, and boasts the finest hot tubbing facilities in the area. You have your choices of private or community, and you can request the tall Japanese wooden soaking tubs, or the fiberglass tub with jets. I have enjoyed both! They also offer a variety of massages, which I also enjoyed. When you pair the two (hot tubs AND massages) your body will LOVE you for it. For all the pressure you put on your body sitting at a desk for eight hours a day, then killing it in the gym, or sitting in the car and exposing it to fumes and free radicals every day, this feels like a reset button!

 

Sedona Sun Day Spa located on Mass Ave. in Arlington, is one of the city’s hidden gems. They offer services like massages, facials, reflexology, hot stone therapy, waxing, manicures, and pedicures. I recently had a full day at the spa and I got the works! A deep tissue massage, so painfully good, was exactly what I needed. After 10-12 hours per week of taekwondo my muscles just needed to be pummeled. Felicia made it hurt so good! I then had a Bioelements Facial. All natural products, with steam, and a face massage. It was my first facial and certainly won’t be my last. On to the mani & pedi where Meghan, the esthetician and owner of the spa, introduced me to Shellac nail polish. A manicure that lasts more than two weeks? I was skeptical. But sure enough, it was picture perfect until I went back to change the color two weeks later. My day was long, I was kneaded like a hunk of dough, poked, massaged, rubbed, and sanded and I came out alive. Squeaky clean, smooth and refreshed, and ready to take on the rest of this crappy weather.

 

So there you have it, my recommendations to shed those winter blues and ready yourself to prance into spring. It’s important to take care of your body inside and out. I don’t know about you, but I love being around people that are in a good mood. Healthy living is a lifestyle, which includes taking care of your body. Happiness is contagious and I would gladly catch that bug!

 

What do you do to get ready for new season?

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