Fox News Magazine featured Shizuka!

Shizuka’s Tips

Read more:  http://magazine.foxnews.com/style-beauty/spring-cleaning-your-skin#ixzz2O5R3trfr

Are Bangs the New Facelift?

(L-R) Diane Keaton, Michelle Obama, and Helen Mirren. (Getty (2); AP (1))

The First Lady Michelle Obama showed up for inaugural weekend sporting a new flirty hair style with bangs. The Daily Beast reported that Ms. Obama jokingly responded the bangs were a result of a ‘midlife crises’. Scrutinizing beauty experts were left wondering what other beauty-related lengths women will go to during a midlife crises.

But as far as these experts are concerned, bangs just scream beauty:

• John Barrett, founder of the Bergdorf Goodman salon says, “If done correctly, [sporting bangs or deciding to add color] can shave years off of a woman’s appearance.”

• Marshall Lin, a stylist at the Frédéric Fekkai Salon in SoHo, agrees, “Bangs can add a youthful, modern edge to a style.”

• President Obama proclaimed them “the most significant event of [the inaugural] weekend.”

What are your thoughts? Do bangs enhance or hide a women’s beauty?

2013 Oscar Beauty Buzz!

With The Oscars quickly approaching this Sunday Feb 24, 2013, celebrity beauty trends are all abuzz.

Check out this article from Reuters, “Bird droppings, bull testicles among pre-Oscar beauty treatments”, which mentions Shizuka New York’s The Geisha Facial ®! It also appears on bdnews24.com, an online newspaper from Bangladesh, “Poop facial for Oscar beauty“!

For those who are needle-averse, bird poop could be the answer to brighter skin. Shizuka New York Day Spa in Manhattan offers a Geisha Facial, an hour-long treatment that involves applying nightingale bird droppings in powder form to the skin.

“There are so many drastic options to exfoliating the skin like chemical peels and microdermabrasion,” Bernstein told Reuters. “But if you want a more natural approach, this will give you great results as well. Dead skin is removed, skin tone is brighter and you’re left with a radiant look.”

Shizuka featured on Limoneira.com!

Shizuka was featured in the New York Beauty section of the Limoneira Company’s website. Limoneira, founded in 1893, is an agricultural company in California with nearly 8,000 acres of land dedicated to the production of lemons, avocados, and other specialty crops.

Play the video to hear Shizuka’s lemon juice recipe for dull or damaged hair.

The recipe is also included below:

You’ll Need:

¾ cup olive oil

½ cup raw honey

3 tbsp lemon juice

Combine all three ingredients and set it aside. After shampooing hair, towel dry and apply lemon juice mixture evenly throughout hair. Cover with plastic cap for ½ hour, then shampoo and rinse hair slowly.

Are Fillers Right for You?

Facial fillers are a great alternative to surgical facelift procedures, and are a fraction of the cost. Fillers enhance certain areas of the face by smoothing out wrinkles. At our Medical Spa, our doctors administer a hyaluronic acid based filler called Juvederm, with results lasting up to a year, or sometimes longer. Clients can come in at anytime for touch-ups.

Juvederm works to fill in wrinkles, leaving the area smooth and wrinkle-free. It can also be used to plump and push up certain areas of the skin such as lifting the cheeks and filling out lips.

At Home Pumpkin Enzyme Facial

It’s that time of year when we see pumpkins popping up everywhere—as festive décor, in desserts, even as seasonal ale! Why not apply pumpkins’ sweet hearty goodness to your skin too?

Naturopathica’s Pumpkin Purifying Enzyme Peel utilizes pumpkins’ powerful carotenoid antioxidant qualities to slough away dead skin cells for a clean, clear and radiant complexion. This peel also includes antiseptic herbs such as cinnamon bark, oregano and rosemary extract that help clean and soften skin. It smells so good, you’ll want to eat it (PLEASE DON’T)!

We use this peel in some of our Shizuka NY facials and also offer it as an add-on treatment.

Use this peel on normal to oily skin and give yourself a mini-facial at home 2-3 times a week. Here’s how:

1. Apply 1 tsp of Pumpkin Purifying Enzyme Peel to clean skin and hold face near a stream of hot water (can be done in the shower) to allow steam to activate the enzymes. Massage with fingertips and leave on for 3-5 minutes, rinse and towel dry.
2. Rebalance skin with Shizuka NY’s Skin Freshener to help close pores and remove excess oil.
3. Finish by applying Shizuka NY’s Oil Free Moisturizer to hydrate and restore normal barrier function without clogging pores.

Green Tea Eye De-Puffer

You may remember our blog post earlier this year about the many health benefits of green tea, but did you know green tea can also help soothe puffy eyes– fast?

After steeping two bags of green tea, let them cool (or stick them in the refrigerator), then place over eyes for 5 minutes. The Vitamin C, antioxidants and tannin from the green tea will help reduce swelling and tighten skin around the eyes.

Hydration for Supple Skin

From Elle Magazine: Just add water for a supple complexion

Maintaining an optimal moisture balance is essential to youthful-looking skin. Avoid harsh detergents and exceedingly hot showers, and always use a moisturizer. Formulas rich in glycerin and hyaluronic acid will plump, while formulas with ceramides or lipids help lock in hydration.

Check out our Hyaluronic Acid Mask ($43) and Hyaluronic Acid Gel ($67) for its deeply hydrating and anti-aging properties.

Tom Cruise and The Geisha Facial®

A recent article in the The Huffington Post names Tom Cruise a new fan of our Geisha “bird poop” facial.

“Celebrities keep some weird beauty secrets… but one of the oddest tricks we’ve heard of is the Geisha Facial® — which is made from actual bird poop.  Made popular by Victoria Beckham, the bird poop facial now has a new fan – Tom Cruise.”

“Hair is Life”

A recent article featuring Shizuka and our Revage cool laser treatment appeared in Weekly NY Japion Newspaper!

Here are some highlights:

In Japan there’s a saying, Kami wa onna no inochi, which means ‘Hair is Life’. In Japanese culture beautiful hair is an essential part of women’s beauty. So naturally women may become worried if their hair begins to thin or fall out.

In our medical spa we offer a treatment called Revage 670 Laser Hair Rejuvenation which helps hair grow back over the course of a series of treatments and works for both men and women. Doubling this treatment with medicines like Rogaine or Propecia may help hair grow faster, however, this regimen isn’t appropriate for everyone. Consultations with Shizuka are free and are required before this treatment can be administered.

Learn more about Revage 670 here>>

Retinol for Timeless Skin

A recent article in Vogue Daily, “The Return to Retinol” by Cristina Mueller, highlights the time-honored and celebrated anti-aging qualities of retinol. Retinol, a derivative of vitamin A, is a compound discovered 81 years ago. Because of its ability to “penetrate all the layers of the skin, prompting extra-speedy cell turnover and exfoliation in the process”, retinol has been used to treat skin conditions from acne to reduction in fine lines and hyperpigmentation.

“Retinoids trigger change in the skin to make it look clearer and more youthful; they actually help skin get back to a healthier place. And there’s strong, strong clinical data behind that,” says Jennifer Linder, M.D., dermatologist and chief scientific officer for a clinical skin care line.

We agree that retinol can do wonders for the skin! Our Shizuka NY Anti-Aging Night Repair 1 product contains retinol which actively evens skin tone and texture, while it also gently reduces fine lines and wrinkles (all while you sleep)! We suggest using this product in conjunction with Anti-Aging Night Repair 2 and Weekly Brightening Pads for maximum results.

Check our our discounted Anti-Aging “Bento Sets” for Day and Night >>

Product Highlight: Shizuka NY Clay Cleanser

Discover our Shizuka NY Clay Cleanser featured in the latest issue of Essential Homme Magazine, pp. 154-55:

Before basking in the rays of the sun, you’ll need to clean up that face. Made with Moroccan lava clay,this cleanser rids clogged pores of the kind of impure built-up that could result in an uneven tan while its green tea and pearl protein components leave your skin looking rejuvenated. $48/ 5.3 oz.; shizukany.com/development

All Hail the Queen!

In her new movie Mirror Mirror, based on Brothers Grimm’s “Snow White” fairy tale, actress Julia Roberts plays the all- organic-beauty-regimen-obsessed evil Queen. To keep herself young and “the fairest of them all” the Queen partakes of nature’s finest:  snails, scorpion and bee stings (lip plumper), slimy worm moisturizer, and bird poop facials!

While we’ve never used worms, snails (or any other insects!) as part of a beauty regimen, we do applaud the use of bird poop for softer brighter skin!

SHIZUKA NY is the creator of the ever-popular                Geisha “bird poop” Facial. This facial uses traditional and natural Japanese ingredients, including uguisu no fun (powdered nightingale droppings), to soften, brighten and nourish the facial complexion. Uguisu no fun is perfectly safe as it’s sanitized through exposure to ultraviolet light before being milled to a fine powder.

Wondering what all the royal hype is about? Request a Geisha Facial® appointment now by calling (212) 644-7400

Check out our spa deals here >>

Stop Water from Running Down Your Arms!

Ever get annoyed when water runs down your arms when washing your face, doing the dishes or cleaning the shower? Well never fear, we’ve got the perfect product here at SHIZUKA NY!

It comes with a FREE custom made “T” stand to keep your cuffs clean and dry. The 4 pair pack is ideal for keeping cuffs at the bathroom sink, kitchen sink and even an extra pair for when you travel!

To use: Simply place cuffs around each wrist, then wash your face, dishes, etc. as usual.

After use: Place cuffs on “T” stand to keep clean and dry.

The Art of The Bath

We reviewed in a previous blog post about effective ways to take baths. As a follow up, we’re introducing some customized bath treatments to fit your skin’s needs. Check out these creative and soothing soaks:

Milk Bath— Cleopatra was famous for her beautiful skin. Her beauty secret was that she soaked in baths of fresh milk. The lactic acid in milk is an alpha hydroxy acid, a natural material that dissolves the glue that holds dead skin cells together. Milk cleanses the skin down to its deepest layers. Soak for a good 20 minutes. Gently rub your skin with a washcloth to slough off the dead skin. Rinse your body thoroughly after soaking.

Sake bath— Sake cures dry skin issues by deeply moisturizing and reducing fatigue. Japanese Sake contains koji acids that can brighten the skin complexion and prevent skin from aging. Fill your bathtub with hot water; add two or three cups of sake, then stir.

Rice Bran bath— Rice bran, which is rich in oil, makes an effective exfoliant and contains phytic acid, a B-complex vitamin that can help improve blood circulation and stimulate cell turnover when used topically. Renowned for its skin smoothing and lightening properties, rice bran powder can be purchased at any natural foods stores. Put 1 cup of rice bran into a cotton bag and place it into hot water. Gently rub on the face for lightening blemishes, freckles and brown patches, and for elbows, knees, feet, and hard skin areas – for extra-smooth skin. Rice bran is used in our Geisha facial at Shizuka NY!!

In addition to the above, you can put your favorite essential oil or herbs wrapped with gauze into the bathwater. Also, at Japanese grocery stores, you could buy a variety of bath agents like those shown below.

From the top: Placenta bath agent, Onsen ( hot springs) bath agent and Sake bath agent.

Left : Chamomile  powder with Japanese bath agents.

Here are a few of the many other unique bath methods performed around the world: In Ireland, seaweed baths treat rheumatism and arthritis. In Korea, “Dr. Fish” baths (where fish nibble off dead skin) are considered a folk remedy for skin conditions such as psoriasis. Also, salt baths (when correct amount of salt is used) can promote the healing of psoriasis and eczema, as well as help relieve muscle strain, rheumatism and arthritic pain.

DIY Face Transforming Lashes!

On a recent episode of The View (3/9/12) Lori Klein, Barbara Walter’s personal make-up artist, highlighted eyelash tips that will “transform your whole face” even without make-up.

In addition to eyelash extensions, Ms. Klein featured products you can apply yourself for fuller thicker lashes (we offer both at our spa!):

- Latisse: “The first FDA approved prescription treatment that grows your eyelashes”. You will need to first obtain a prescription from your doctor then purchase this product from your local pharmacy. Request an appointment with one of our doctors for a Latisse consultation.*

* For a limited time only when you come in to SHIZUKA NY for your Latisse prescription, you will receive a coupon good for $40 off the retail cost of $72 or more. Good until May 31st, 2012 only!

- Revitalash Advanced: An over the counter product that promotes eyelash growth (no prescription necessary!). Purchase it for $150 at SHIZUKA NY!

Learn more about Latisse here >>

How to get Celebrity (flawless) Skin

“I insist on exfoliation, even if you have dry skin,” says  Susan Evans, M.D., a Beverly Hills-based dermatologist,  “You have to remove old layers first before products can really penetrate.”

Check out Shizuka Bernstein’s appearance on Good Morning America with Dr. Evans >>

Shop online for Naturopathica’s Lemongrass Mimosa Body Scrub >>

Fat Burning Power of Green Tea

The secret of green tea’s health benefits lies in the fact that it’s rich in catechin polyphenols, a powerful anti-oxidant that’s known to (and these are just a few):

1) Inhibit cancer cell growth

2) lower total cholesterol level

3) Slow down the aging process

4) have bacteria-destroying properties that can help prevent food poisoning, dental plaque and promotes odor elimination.

5) be rich in Vitamin C

Green tea also contains caffeine, which gives you a boost and helps burn fat. However, excessive caffeine consumption can cause insomnia or headaches. At Shizuka NY, we serve either green tea or houji tea (roasted green tea) per our clients’ request. Houji tea contains significantly less caffeine, so we recommend choosing this tea for a reduced caffeine option.

Also, we’ve been asked what gives our green tea its rich green color? Well, our tea is a special mixture of finely chopped green tea leaves and matcha. Matcha is powdered tea often used for tea ceremony in Japan (it looks like finely ground coffee beans). Matcha immediately gives the tea an extraordinary bright green color.

On your next visit, please enjoy our tasty teas with rice crackers at Shizuka!

Maintaining Healthy Hair and Scalp

Sometimes we forget that the skin on our scalp needs our love and attention just as much as the skin on our face and bodies — in fact, a healthy scalp means healthy hair!

A scalp massage with nutrient rich scalp serum will nourish your scalp evenly and fully. It may even prove a great way to wind down and relax.

At SHIZUKA NY we incorporate head and scalp massages into most of our facials including: Signature Micro Facial, Classic Facial, Geisha Facial®, Lifting Facial, Lightening Facial, Microcurrent Facial, Ionizing Facial, and Omedeta Maternity Facial.

Request a facial appointment with head and scalp massage here >>

Check out the WebMD Slide show about hair health here >>

Beautiful skin this winter? No sweat!

We all know that a good workout is healthy for our bodies, but did you know a good sweat is just as good for the health of your skin? When you sweat, your pores open up allowing the sweat to carry impurities like bacteria, dead skin cells and toxins from environmental pollution up and out of your pores. One way to give your skin an intense “sweat cleanse” is through hot yoga. Classes are usually 90 minutes long and take place in a room heated to 105 degrees Fahrenheit, so your pores get a good cleansing (while you simultaneously work on increasing flexibility and muscular strength, of course).

If you want to sweat without the physical activity, check out far infrared saunas. Unlike traditional steam saunas, infrared saunas use the same rays that come from the sun, with the UV rays filtered out. The infrared light heats you up from the inside out, leading you to sweat out impurities while you relax and decompress. We offer 1 hour private infrared sauna sessions that include a steam shower at your perusal. When you purchase 10 sessions up front, you get the 11^th on us.

Check out more information about our Far Infrared Sauna here >>

Request a Sauna appointment here >>