Benefits of Massage Series: $80 Savings and Enhanced Well Being

To encourage people to have more massage time, more often, we have created special pricing to maximize your massage dollars. At Urban Sanctuary we offer an incredible deal on massage series packages! If you purchase a series of 6 massage therapy sessions, you get one free session of equal value. Otherwise said, you can buy 7 massages for the price of 6. This provides a savings of $80-$90, if you are purchasing a series of 1 hour sessions. You'll save $115- $125 on a series of 90 minute sessions and $165 off of a couples massage series. Wow!

 Massage therapy benefits increase and expand with repeat sessions at regular intervals. The benefits to your nervous system are increased when sessions are frequent. The benefits to the muscular system and the immune system can be measured over time, as well. Well being is greatly enhanced with regular massage sessions and although each person's experience is unique, there are some commonalities amongst Urban Sanctuary massage clients who receive a massage therapy session once a month or more.

• improved quality of sleep
• blood pressure
• increased circulation
• recovery from common soft tissue injuries
• relief from chronic pain
• hyper tension
• whiplash
• frozen shoulder
• low back pain
• recovery from car accident injuries 
• sports injuries
• healing nervous conditions
• increased range of motion
• a boost to the immune system
• increased stamina
• relief from some of the stresses of pregnancy
• stress relief in general
• improved focus
• peace of mind

If too much time does not lapse in between massage sessions, the benefits of the massages actually build on the previous session.This is really impactful when recovering from whiplash, tennis elbow, chronic headaches or nagging aches and pains.

People often use their massages to support themselves in achieving specific health goals and milestones,such as lowered blood pressure,weight loss and improved quality of sleep.  All things that can be measured,can be impacted.

Read about Urban Sanctuary's massage offerings and prices online. We have a menu of choices for massage, specialty massages, scalp massage, foot massage, men's services and couples services. Be kind to yourself. Unwind at Urban Sanctuary...

Gifts For Men; Scalp Massage, Sandalwood Soap, Sports Massage and Energizing Shower Bombs

Sandalwood Citrus Zum soap is available for $5.25 at Urban Sanctuary

We had men in mind when we designed our space. Men love it here! Urban Sanctuary has 5 comfortable waiting lounges and 7 massage rooms plus facial, manicure and pedicure rooms. All very inviting and peaceful. The perfect space to unwind for both men and women...

Seven days a week at Urban Sanctuary, men enjoy Scalp Massages, Foot Massage, Sports Massage and many other services that are particular favorites for our male clientele. Our Men's Spa Service Menu highlights a few great choices.

Check our prices online. Here is a list of some great products, gift certificates and services that most men love!

• Eucalyptus TeaTree Scalp  Massage  $45
• Asian Foot Massage $45-$80
• Energizing Shower Bombs $2.25-$7.99
• Spearmint Lip Balm $4 
• Hot Herbal Ease Neck Pillows $39
• Deep Tissue Foot Massage
• Clove Mint Goat's Milk Soap $5.25
• Cedarwood Soap $5.25
• Sea Salt Room and Body Mist $11
• Sea Salt Soak for muscles $28
• Spicy Organic Cocoa $16
• Men's  90 Minute Massage $115
• Massage Series Gift Certificate $480
• Men's Pedicure $38
• Couples Massage $165
• Sports Massage $45 and up
• Patchouli Orange Whiff Sticks $26.50
• Zum Bundle Box $10
• Charcoal Soap  $5.99

Stocking Stuffers $3 and Up at Urban Sanctuary and Online

Crystal Waters vegan nail lacquer minis are $6 and full size bottles are $12 at Urban Sanctuary.

• Spa Rituals vegan nail polish minis $6
• Coffee Almond and Lavender Mint Goat's Milk Soap Bars - delicious $5.75
• Vanilla or Lavender natural chap sticks by Whispering Willow $3.50
• Peppermint or Tangerine Da Balm handmade lip balm $4 each
• Bird-On-It Necklaces, lockets, nests, pendents and pearls $26-$38
• Vintage Style earrings by My Sweet Nomsa $17-$28
• Dream Catcher Organic Tea $15
• Warming Joy petite tea tree $8
• Chokola Organic Drinking Chocolate $16
• Zum Body and Room Mists Frankincense and Myrrh or Patchouli Orange $11
• Mud, Lemon Ginger Sage or Eucalyptus Lime Bath Bombs $3 each
• Half Dozen mixed selection or pick your favorite Bath Bombs $7.99 
• Lavender hot/cold neck pillows $35
• Cardamom Coffee Body Scrub $48
• Lemongrass Lime Sugar Scrub $18
• Bath Salt Sachets Peppermint, Lavender, Rose Geranium $12
• Pink Love Himalayan salts $12
• Floral Milk Bath $32
• Coconut Milk Bath $28
• Winter Herbal Steam $22
• Alpine Foot Butter $18

Hostess Gifts for $2.25 - $39 available Online and In-Store at Urban Sanctuary, Athens.

Way Out Wax  Clear Head soy travel tin candles clear the head with eucalyptus, peppermint and rosemary essential oils.

• Warming Joy petite holiday tea sampler $8
• Kati (brew in) tea mug $15
• Zum Room Mist and Body Spray $11
• Clear Head soy candles $7.50
• Cozy Home soy candles $7.50
• goat's milk soap bundles box by Zum $10
• Zum sachets $5.75
• Tangerine Melon Bubble Bath by Deep Steep $12
• Brown Sugar Vanilla Bubbles $12
• Little Cuckoo Chocolate Turtles $2.25-$5.75
• Tara herbal ease Neck Pillow $39
• Herbal Ease flax seed eye pillow $18
• Zum Whiff Sticks Frankincense and Myrrh $26
• Energizing Shower Bombs $2.25 single -$7.99 box set
• Lemon Verbena Bath Bombs $3.25 single - $17 half dozen
• Lavender Mint sipping chocolate $16
• Peace of Mind Tea $15

Organic Peace of Mind Tea is a great hostess gift or stocking stuffer. Buy online or in-store for $15.

These Are A Few Of Our Favorite Things: Gifts for $14 or Less

Fig Yarrow Pink Love Salts $12 is available online and in-store at Urban Sanctuary.

$14 is a nice price point for a hostess gift, secret Santa gift and for stocking stuffers. These are a few of our favorite things at Urban Sanctuary for bath and body, house and home. Each is $14 or less.

• Way Out Wax Soy Travel Tin Candles Cozy Home Scent $12.50
• Warming Joy Holiday Tea Tree $8
• Pink Love Bath Salts Sachet $12
• Spa Rituals Vegan Nail Polish $6-$12
• Oat Milk Bath Tea $12
• Level Naturals Bath Bombs $3
• Deep Steep Rosemary Mint Body Wash $14
• Passion Fruit Guava Sugar Scrub $14
• Brown Sugar Vanilla Body Lotion $14
• Goat's Milk Soap Bundles $10
• Little Cuckoo Handmade Chocolate Turtles $2.25 and up
• Energizing Shower Bombs by Level Naturals $7.99

Urban Sanctuary is nestled in the heart of the Historic Boulevard District in Athens, Georgia. We have been voted Athens' Best Spa 10 years in a row. We have created the perfect atmosphere and great services to help you Unwind. Unwind at Urban Sanctuary. Time to Unwind is priceless.

Great Gifts For Girls: Vegan Nail Polish, Lip Balm and Bubbles

Spa Rituals Vegan Nail Polish minis are available at Urban Sanctuary for $6 a bottle.

 We know what girls like! Girls like new colors, fun jewelry and fruity scented bubbles and lip balms.
Girls like getting their nails done with Mom or with a friend. And most girls really like shopping at places with lots of products, scents and colors to sample and try on.

Well that's just what we have! If you have a girl on your list to buy for this holiday season, we have some of her favorite things at Urban Sanctuary. Stop into our gift store or shop online. If you think she'd have more fun choosing her own gifts, a gift certificate is just the thing for you. She can come in and choose from over 25 different soap scents, 32 different pendents and lockets and 28 incredible soy candles. She'll have fun!

• Brown Sugar Vanilla Bubble Bath $12
• Miss World nail polish mini $6
• Bird On a Pearl Vintage Style Necklace  $30
• Georgia State Pendant Necklace or Wishbone Necklace $32
• Da Balm Tangerine ChapStick  $4
• Rock Me Like a Hurricane Nail polish mini $6
• Grapefruit Bergamot Body Butter $12
• Rose Geranium Bath Salts Sachet locally made by Mama $12
• Mama Harmony Sugar Scrub w Lavender and Lemongrass $16
• Coconut Milk Bath $28
• Half  Dozen or so Level Naturals Bath Bombs mix and match $3-$17
• Zum Soap Sachets  $5
• Confetti or Clove Mint Zum Bars $5.25
• Herbavore Botanicals Sea Clay or Pink Clay Cleansing Bars $9
• Citrus Harmony Soy Candle Tin $7.50
• Fig and Yarrow Winter Steam $22
• Balm and Salve Kit $32
• Alpine Foot Pumice $16
• Lavender Neck and Body Pillow $35
• Holiday Manicure $30
• Pedicure $38
• Pedicure with a Friend $76
• Urban Sanctuary Facial and Skincare Consultation $90
• Gift Certificates $25- $500

 Urban Sanctuary is open 7 days a week, all year. For a more quiet and peaceful shopping experience, stop in on a Sunday afternoon or on a week night between 7 and 8:00 pm. Those are the shopping hours with less hustle and busstle in our store during the holiday season.

Call in 706-613-3947 and order your gift certificates over the phone to pick up or have us mail them all for you! Be Kind. Unwind and happy season to you...

5 Fruits That Heal Joint Pain and Recommended Massages

Joint pain can plague people of all ages and it becomes more likely as the years pass. Even teenagers experience joint pain on occasion resulting from binging  on processed sugary foods or over exertion. Adults experience joint pain and inflammation caused by food allergens, sports injuries or many other stresses that tax the body. Plenty of folks who have not been diagnosed with arthritis often experience  joint pain when the weather is cold and damp. 

Quality therapeutic massage, healing herbal bath soaks and foot massage are great remedies for nagging joint pain. 

Also, there are some great food cures for pain and in particular a handful of fruits that have a great capacity for reducing joint pain and inflammation. 

These five fruits are amazing pain relievers:

-Papaya

-Cherries

-Pineapple 

-Blueberries

-Raspberries 

At Urban Sanctuary, we specialize in results producing, pain relieving massage . Sports Massage, Deep Tissue Massage, Neck Massage, Aromatherapy Massage, Hot Stone Massage and Asian Foot Massage are a few that effectively deal with joint pain and inflammation. There are probably a couple of massage modalities from that list that would be a perfect fit for you. Call 706-613-3947 for a recommendation or consultation. Read about the benefits of massage and the various massage modalities in our blog archives.

Gifts For $18 and Less - Lemon Sage Body Polish, Lavender Mint SippingChocolate and Yuzu Soy Candles

Level Naturals Coffee Body Polish can be purchased online or in Urban Sanctuary's gift store for $18.

You won't find Black Friday madness at Urban Sanctuary. Our motto is " Be Kind. Unwind." What you will find at Urban Sanctuary are soothing and comforting gifts for the home, organic bath and body gifts, vintage jewelry, gourmet sipping chocolate, eco-friendly candles and aromatic products to delight your senses. Our online store has new inventory daily. Call 706-613-3947 to inquire about the items on this list not yet available online.

Here are some of our favorite gifts for $18 or less.

• My Sweet Nomsa Vintage Style Czech Glass Earrings $15
• Pink Love Salt Sachets by Fig and Yarrow $12
• Flying Bird Botanicals Lavender Mint Sipping Chocolate $16
• Energizing Shower Bombs $2.25-$7.99
• Deep Steep Grapefruit Bergamot Body Butter $12
•   Level Naturals Bath Bombs Lemon, Sage, Ginger $3-$17
• Mission Fig and Lychee Soy Candle $19.99
• Oat Milk Bath Tea - $12
• Sweet Dreams Travel Tin Candle $12.50
• Lavender Chamomile Bath Bombs $3-$17
• Peace of Mind Tea $15
• Citrus Vanilla Sugar Scrub $18
• Herbivore Botanicals Soap $9
• Zum Goats Milk Soap Bundles $10
• Calm Bath Salts $18
• Honeydew Melon Bubble Bath by Deep Steep  $12

We put a lot of care into selecting the product lines we carry at Urban Sanctuary. Man-Friendly, Eco-Friendly, Hand Crafted, Small Batches, Organic, Natural and Unique. Unwind at Urban Sanctuary and do some of your holiday shopping here. Gift Certificates can be purchased online. We are open seven days a week.

 

Level One Naturals Body Polish is available online and in-store at Urban Sanctuary.

Basil: Healing For The Mind and Body

Basil has a vast array of strengthening and medicinal properties and there are many ways to make good use of its potent healing and life giving compounds. The plant originated in the Middle East and Asia. Basil is now being cultivated across the globe and over 100 different varieties have been raised. Its very popular as a culinary herb and in aromatherapy products. Basil can be found in medicinal tinctures and compounds, aromatherapy blends, hair oil and shampoo,soap, massage oil and sports rubs.

Basil contains a powerful compound proven to stabilize blood sugar, improve respiration and increase circulation. That compound is called cinnamanic acid. Lemon scented basil, cinnamon basil, red Thai basil and camphor like varieties each have their own unique chemical make up. However, the basic medicinal properties remain constant from strand to strand.

When ingested, as a culinary herb or supplement, basil has the capacity to aid the body in fighting colds, flu and viral infections, much like echinacea.Basil is an incredible immune system booster. It also combats bowel inflammation and rheumatiod arthritus.

 Essential oil of basil and standardized extracts are the most potent form.Utilizing basil aromatherapy or extracts will give you  rapid access to the medicinal benifits as well as the emotional recharge that basil can provide. Here are some of the common benefits:

• relief from allergies
• muscle soreness
• joint pain
• head aches and migranes
• nausea ( even from chemotherapy)
• rattled nerves
• mental fatigue
• cold and flu symptoms
• indegestion

Basil is known for its uplifting properties. Basil aromatherapy can help with lack of confidence. It has been said to "taketh away sorrowfulness" and to be "good for the heart" (Gerard).

Gifts for Moms and Daughters

Urban Sanctuary has several spa days designed with Moms in mind...

Relationships are celebrated every day, all year at Urban Sanctuary. In fact, we just might be the best place to send your Mom and/or Daughter to unwind. Choose your time and price. We have created a lovely space with every touch of comfort to coax stress and tension out of the body and settle the mind. Just what every woman deserves and needs.

Urban Sanctuary celebrates relationships. Mothers and daughters, grandmothers, sisters and friends are welcome to have spa services together on the same day at the same time. We have waiting lounges designed specifically for this purpose. Unwind together in a beautiful tranquil space.

Here are some great spa services for Mothers and Daughters:

• Mother Daughter Spa Day
• Aromatherapy Massage
• Mommy To Be Spa Day
• Hot Stone Pedicure
• Prenatal Massage 
• Pear Fig Facial
• Lemongrass Hydrating facial
• Asian Foot Massage
• Lavender Lime Scalp Massage
• French Manicure
• Queen for a Day

Descriptions of all of these services can be found online on the various pages of our service menu and if you'd like, you can purchase gift certificates online. Most services can be set up to accommodate 2 or more people visiting the spa together. We have couples pedicures and couples massages for friends and family sharing Spa Time. Have fun browsing through our website or call 706-613-3947 with questions, and we'll help you decide what will make you most happy.

Urban Sanctuary is open 7 days a week.

Aromatherapy That Boosts Energy: 8 Great Choices

Urban Sanctuary's uplifting aromatherapy blends include Lavender Lime and Obnoxiously Strong Peppermint.

Aromatherapy can put a little pep in your step when you're running low on energy. With tax season coming to a close and pollen season in full swing, many of us are feeling a bit fatigued. Energizing and refreshing aromatherapy blends can serve to stimulate your senses and jump start your brain naturally. No sugar crash. No caffeine burn out. And when used properly, aromatherapy has no negative side effects. Quick and easy. Isn't that nice...?

Many of the uplifting essential oils on the list below ease sinus headaches, allergies and fatigue. Choose from the oils on this list to get a lift for yourself.

• Rosemary
• Lime
• Tea Tree
• Basil
• Peppermint
• Geranium
• Pink Grapefruit
• Lavender

There are many convenient and effective ways to use aromatherapy. Urban Sanctuary has many blended aromatherapy products to chose from as well as single notes. Stop in for a consultation and test out a few scents. Go with the ones that make you feel the best.

Sandalwood Aromatherapy Benefits

Urban Sanctuary has Sandalwood soap and candles available for purchase and features a Sandalwood Scalp  massage.

Sandalwood is a very precocious essential oil with great medicinal and fortifying properties. It is one of the most expensive essential oils on the planet, to harvest, because the Sandalwood tree must be at least 30 years old before it produces any of the sweet oil. Sandalwood trees are considered sacred in several of the countries where they thrive and that limits the availability and increases the value in the world marketplace. The effects of the oil are incredible and well worth the effort, if you can find a small vial to purchase and use at home.

Sandalwood aromatherapy is great for scalp and foot massage, because it pacifies the nervous system and brings calm and focus to scattered, fragmented energy. Sandalwood oil is both calming and cooling for overactive skin. It is healing and balancing in cases of inflammation, insomnia, frayed nerves, lack of sex drive, a racing mind, lack of focus, anxiety, dry skin, dry scalp and itchy scalp. Here are some of the primary benefits in list form. Sandalwood oil is commonly used to promote:

• peace
• balanced nerves
• restful sleep
• meditation
• sex drive
• calm
• confidence
• healthy skin
• healthy scalp
• focus
• spiritual fortitude

Sandalwood has been used throughout the ages in meditation practice. It is known for heart healing and opening. It's also a powerful aphrodisiac.

Sandalwood can be found in many soaps, candles, bath and cosmetic blends. It has a sweet woodsy scent that is slightly masculine with out being overpowering. It is popular with both men and women.

Try a Sandalwood Scalp and Neck Massage at Urban Sanctuary. Or stop into our store and sample our Zum sandalwood soap and candles. Call 706-613-3947 to inquire or book yourself a massage and spa service. We are open seven days a week, in Athens, Georgia to provide the perfect place to unwind...