Spa Gifts For Under $20

For delicious smelling gifts that bring comfort and joy home for the holidays, Urban Sanctuary is your one stop shop! Shop with us online or stop by the spa and browse our vast selection of eco-friendly, man-friendly, organic and natural gifts for bath and body, house and home. These are some of our favorite items available for under $20.

• Good Karma roll on aromatherapy $15
• Calm Bath Salts by Herbivore $18
• Fig and Honey soap wrapped in beautiful craft  paper $8
• Zum Body Lotion Sandalwood  $7
• Prayer Bead Bracelets handmade by our own Sheri Stout $12
• Clear Head Soy Candle Tins by Way out Wax $8.50-$14.50
• Lavender Chamomile Bubble Bath $14
• Vitality Tea handcrafted by Naturopathica $18
• Eucalyptus and Lime Bath Bombs $3 for one or $18 half dozen
• Menthol Cucumber Shower Bombs pack $7.99
• Hand In Hand Vetiver Candle $12
• Zum Goat's Milk Soap Bundles $10

Great Gifts For Under $50

•  Half Hour Swedish Massage $45
•  Brocade Neck Pillows $44
•  Herbal Ease Canvas Neck Pillow $39
•  Asian Foot Massage Gift Certificate $45
•  Fig + Yarrow Hygene Kit $36
•  Patch NYC Stag Soy Candle $36/$48
•  Sweet Birch Mineral Bath Flakes $36
•  Scalp Massage Gift Certificate $45
•  Cardamom Coffee Body Scrub $48
•  Hot Stone Pedicure $40
•  Acupressure Neck Pillow from Bed Of Nails $39
•  Monarch Deluxe Spa Bathrobe $40

Make Your Own Sleepy Time Bath

A night time bath is a great way to release the stress of the day and promote deep and restful sleep. A good blend of sea salts and pure essential oils for aromatherapy will nourish, relax and cleanse your body and calm your spirit.

Here is how you can put together a nice sleepy time bath blend to fill an 8 ounce mason jar or bath container. This makes a great hand crafted gift. It smells delicious and can be used as a bath or a foot soak.

You will need the following:

•  4 cups of sea salt or himalayan salt 
•  8 drops of Bergamot essential oil
•  12 drops of Cedarwood essential oil
•  6 drops of Organic French Lavender essential oil
•  1/2 ounce of organic sesame oil

Blend your ingredients in the order in which they are listed above and enjoy! 

Use 2 tablespoons for a foot soak or 1 half cup or more for an aromatherapy bath.

Miniature bath baggies are a fun gift idea. Portion out one cup of your sleepy time bath blend into 4 potpourri bags and tie with a ribbon or a bread  bag tie. Gift your salts as a one time bath or 3 foot soaks.

12 Great Gifts For Him

• Scalp Massage Gift Certificate $55
• Arnica Muscle and Joint Gel by Naturopathica $28
• Acupressure Neck Pillow by Bed of Nails $39
• Hour Massage Series Package of Seven $480- $540
• Konjac Loofa and  Body Sponge with Bamboo Charcoal $15
• Peppermint Volcano Soap by Level Naturals $6
• Herbal Ease Neck Pillow $45
• Alpha Fit Clarisonic Brush for Men $189
• Cedar and Bergamot Post Shave Elixer from Herbivore Botanicals $22
• Patch Fedora Solid Fragrance $22
• Ninety Minute Deep Tissue Massage $125

10 Great Gifts For Her

These lovely hand  crafted Lavender Neck  and Body Pillows can be used hot or cold.

• Four Seasons Herbal Steam Fig +and Yarrow $24
• Cucumber Wasabi Cilantro Soy Candle In Glass by Level Naturals $19.99
• Brass Cameo Locket crafted by My Sweet Nomsa in black or pink $36
• 2 Hours of Spa Time $190
• Little Barn Apothecary's Cedarwood + Rose Body Scrub $24
• Aromatic Alchemy Essential Oils Blends Kit from Naturopathica $98
• Meadow Bath & Body Oil from Fig and Yarrow $44
• Lavender Neck and Body Pillow by Whispering Willow $39
• Herbivore Botanicals' Coconut Milk Bath $18 or $32
• Queen For A Day Gift Certificate $302

How To Make Your Own PMS Remedy

 PMS remedy ingredients available online and at Urban Sanctuary.

PMS is no joke. Anyone who suffers from it can attest to that, as well as anyone who lives with someone who does. The fatigue, body aches, inflammation, upset bowels, headaches, muscle cramps, water weight gain and irritability that show up for many women prior to the start of the monthly menstrual cycle are a DRAG!

This aromatherapy blend is a wonderful stress reliever and healing agent focused on targeting the most common symptoms of the much dreaded and often endured PMS.  

PMS  Remedy Ingredients List:

• Rose Geranium Essential Oil 12 drops
• Clary Sage Essential Oil 8 drops
• Organic Lemon Essential Oil 6 drops
• Organic French Lavender Essential Oil 10 drops
• Organic Grapefruit Essential Oil 10 drops
• Organic Sunflower Carrier Oil 1 ounce
• 5 clean droppers
• 6 cups of sea salt, Epsom salts or Himalayan

Blend in a clean bowl and store in an air tight glass jar with a lid. Use 1/4 to 3/4 cup of PMS salts to soak your body for relief from aches, cramps and irritability. Inhale salts blend for stress relief and energy re-balancing. Carry a small vial on the go to use for emergency PMS relief.

Try this blend and have a professional massage to ease your premenstrual woes.  Urban Sanctuary, in Athens, Georgia, is open 7 days a week and proudly offers a great variety of targeted pain and stress relief massage modalities.

Please write us and tell us how you like this blend!

DIY Holiday Gifts: Energizing Aromatherapy Salts

Aromatherapy salts make a great holiday gift or party favor. If you make your aromatherapy salt blends in big batches to portion out in a dozen or more containers, you can really stretch your gift list dollars!

Have fun blending your salts. It is not time consuming and there is lots of room for variation and creativity. Get the kids involved!

This recipe yields approximately 6-12 gifts depending on the size jar you choose. Substitute 6 ounce clear potpourri bags to yield more gifts from your batch.

This blend can be used for smelling salts and foot soaks. Not recommended for a body soak (too tingly) due to the quantity of peppermint oil.

Aromatherapy has many well being benefits, including stress relief, relaxation, increased energy, relief from headaches, PMS, insomnia and much much more.


You will need:

• 12 cups salt
• 32 drops Organic Peppermint essential oil
• 32 drops Organic Rosemary essential oil
• 16 drops Lemongrass essential oil
• mason jars and lids
• sprigs of fresh rosemary or pine clippings
• decorative ribbon or raffia

Dump your salt into a big mixing bowl. We recommend using Epsom salts, Sea salts or Himalayan salts for their healing and pain relief benefits. Choose a bowl that will not be reused for food. The essential oils will forever flavor any future foods blended or served in this bowl. A clean beach bucket or paint bucket will work for mixing also.

Drop your Organic Peppermint essential oil, Organic Rosemary and Lemongrass and blend thoroughly with a wooden spoon. Let the blend sit for 10-30 minutes and portion out into your mason jars or potpourri bags. Tie the containers with a bow and tie or tuck your decorative sprigs onto the container. Use a marker to write on the jar or a note card with instructions for use.

Instructions for use: Inhale this energizing blend as needed for a boost. Use 2-4 tablespoons in warm water for an energizing foot soak.

Do have the window open while you make your energizing salt blend. These essential oils will seriously pep you up. Rosemary and Peppermint are powerful natural stimulants, so use sparingly to avoid getting over stimulated. If you suffer from insomnia, do not make this blend at night. You may feel as though you drank coffee before bed.

Sleep

Sleep deprivation can lead to headaches, mood swings and, poor decision making.

Sleep is essential for health and well being. Getting enough hours of quality sleep is essential for proper immune system function, the health of your spine, heart health, muscle and tissue repair, memory and learning, metabolism regulation and recovery from everyday stress.

Insufficient sleep for just one night can impair your driving as much as one alcoholic beverage, slowing down reaction time and affecting decision making. Many people are sleep deprived and sleep is often under prioritized by modern men and women. We are living in an age of "do more", "be more"! Sleep is undervalued in many people's eyes.

 Doctors recommend 7-10 hours of sleep per night for adults. Athletes, weight lifters and people who spend more than an hour driving each day tend to benefit from more hours of sleep. Ten or more hours per night is very helpful for people who are fighting/ recovering from an illness or living with an auto immune disease.

For those who are sleep challenged due to insomnia, an over-active mind, chronic pain or chronic worry, massage therapy can be instrumental in improving your quality of sleep and the amount of hours you sleep. Massage can have an immediate impact on the physical pains and the nagging thoughts that have people tossing and turning at night. Scalp Massage, Hot Stone Massage, Foot Massage and Chinese Abdominal Massage, Aromatherapy and Swedish Massage are very good choices for people dealing with difficulty getting a good night's rest. Deep Tissue Massage, Headache Massage, TMJ Massage and Myofascial Release are excellent choices to address chronic pain that is interfering with sleep.

Create good conditions for a good night's rest. Sleep in a nice dark room with no television, blinking lights, neon clocks or music playing. Your nervous system needs to be free of stimulating light and sounds to prepare your body for sleep and to stay asleep. An optimal temperature for deep sleep is about 2-4 degrees cooler than what you have your thermostat at during the day. For a lot of people that's about 68 degrees Fahrenheit. It really helps to wind down an hour or two before bed. Caffeine and sugary foods after dinner ought to be avoided by the sleep challenged. Herbal tea, relaxing music, baths, foot soaks and creating a calm environment will help transform you from a restless sleeper to a deep sleeper.

The wonderful benefits of sleep include:

• sleep can spur the creative process
• improve athletic performance
• improve grades and academic performance in adults and children
• improve focus and concentration
• regulate metabolism
• reduce stress
• anxiety and depression
• sleep helps the brain assimilate new information
• supports memory function
• fights inflammation
• your spine elongates and realigns while you sleep
• beauty rest is no joke-collagen is released during sleep healing damaged cells and fine lines
• blood pressure lowers
• your heart rests and recovers
• your immune system strengthens and works powerfully during sleep
• good sleep helps you to create happiness when you're awake

Body Oil ,Body Wash and Body Scrubs by little barn Apothecary

The wildly popular Coffee + Mint Body Scrub smells like chocolate.

We had the opportunity to meet with artisan product creators and Little Barn Apothecary founders, Joshua and Brad at Urban Sanctuary yesterday. It was amazing to learn the story of how they created their new natural products line. They shared their stories and a some of the science, art and love behind each holistically crafted blend.

Brad and Joshua insist on using only ethically sourced essential oils, herbs and ingredients in ALL of their products. This is not just lip service. They actually grow and harvest their own Thyme, Coriander, Mint, Lemon Balm, Eucalyptus, Lavender and more in their very own back yard.

The intelligence, artistry and love that goes into these products is incredible. After spending a few hours with Brad and Joshua, I can honestly say that we are star struck.

We will be adding their soy candles, face cleansing oils and several other aspect of the line to our inventory within weeks. Stay tuned. Meanwhile, check out the scrubs, soaks and body oils available at Urban Sanctuary now!

• Coffee + Mint Body Scrub is toning, tightening and renewing $26
• Cedarwood + Rose Body Scrub is softening, gentle and calming $24
• Rosemary + Juniper Body Scrub is invigorating and smoothing $24
• Honeysuckle + Grapefruit Body Oil is at once healing and  intoxicating $34
•  Lemongrass +Mint Body Oil is nurturing and refreshing $26
• Rosewood + Ylang Ylang Body Wash soothing and softening $16
• Ginger + Rosemary Body Wash detoxing and awakening $16

New Staff Highlight: Sheri Stout Massage Therapist

Sheri Stout specializes in Hot Stone Massage at Urban Sanctuary.

We are very pleased to welcome massage therapist Sheri Stout to Urban Sanctuary. After over 20 years as a licensed massage therapist, Sheri has landed in Athens where she is providing massage services to Urban Sanctuary clients every Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

Sheri is a level three Reiki practitioner. She performs Reflexology, Aromatherapy Massage, Body Scrubs, cold stone face massage, Swedish Massage and her favorite modality, Hot Stone Massage. For more than 8 years, Sheri has been traveling around the U.S. leading professional training courses to licensed massage therapists. She leads Hot Stone Massage training, customer service training and several other spa modality courses.

Sheri has lived most of her life in central New Jersey. Her mom has been living with her for the past 8 years and 2 years ago the 2 of them moved down south to join Sheri's sister, Kris, in Georgia so the two sisters could provide care for their mom together. The three of them live in Watkinsville, where Sheri and Kris raise perennials and small trees in their backyard nursery. Kris sells them at the Oconee Farmers' Market and to private clients who enlist her skills to help them create a beautiful year-round plant garden. In addition to raising plants and trees, they also raise worms! They make their own soil using compost and worm castings. Sheri and Kris are extremely conscious of holistic gardening and practice this in their nursery as well as their organic garden.

Other than missing the ocean, Sheri says that southern living has been really great.
I asked Sheri why she became a massage therapist and here is her story:

"Years ago, I was a nursing assistant in nursing homes. Being witness to contractions and bed sores, I thought there was a better way to prevent these in our elderly. I began massaging these sweet folks to help lower their anxiety levels and help them fall asleep. I would give hand and foot massages as a way to soothe away their aches and pains. I decided then that massage therapy was not only wonderful for the elderly, but wonderful for everyone, so I decided to become a professional MT."

And the world is a better place for it...

I also asked Sheri to give details about her jewelry making and design.

"I specialize in Navajo design earrings/necklaces. But I also do wire wrapping as well as assorted bracelets. earrings, anklets, etc. I started making pieces 30 years ago, but put that on hold to raise my 2 children. When my children became adults, I became care-giver to my mother and while staying home to care give, renewed my interest in jewelry making. I no longer have an Etsy account (but may renew it). I sell in 3 stores, one in NJ, one in Fla. and one here in Watkinsville called Ann Peden's."

Book an hour or an hour and a half massage with Sheri by calling 706-613-3947. She has warm hands and a very soothing, nurturing touch. Make it a hot stone massage for a deeply relaxing experience. Urban Sanctuary is open 7 days a week. Check our prices, gift certificates and spa service menus online. 

Natural Face,Hair and Home Products By little barn Apothecary

Cocoa Cardamom Detox Mask  feels delicious! Available at Urban Sanctuary Athens, Georgia.

At Urban Sanctuary we search far and wide for the best available earth friendly, high quality, hand made natural products to carry at our spa store and share with you for your skincare, body care, house and home. We seem to have struck gold this season, thanks to the efforts of Emileigh Ireland at our front desk! Practically in our own back yard, Little Barn Apothecary was launched in early 2015 in Stone Mountain, North Atlanta.

Pure and natural, Little Barn Apothecary products are made in small batches by hand using whole botanicals in high concentration with no synthetics. Their formulas are innovative and effective and provide your skin with earth given nutrients to unveil a state of harmony and provide a clear, radiant, and healthy glow.

Certified organic, wild crafted and responsibly harvested ingredients are used in these GMO free, cruelty free, earth friendly products. Urban Sanctuary and Little Barn Apothecary are a match made in heaven. Co-founders Joshua and Brad share a love for all things natural and holistic and we are very happy to share these gorgeous products with you!.

Here is a list of the face, hair and home Little Barn Apothecary products available at Urban Sanctuary in our Athens, Georgia spa store and our online products store:

• Flowers + Pink Clay Dry Shampoo $16 
• Chamomile +Rosemary Hair Oil $20 
• Aloe + Rosewater Balance Mist $16
• Lemon + Rice Powder Brightening Mask $24
• Cocoa + Cardamom Detox Mask $24
• Lemongrass + Basil Air Water $16
• Ylang Ylang + Coriander Air Water $16

  

New Staff Highlight:Scarlet Ryan

 Scarlet's  staff profile  is on our website.Click staff on the tool bar, then facials.

Scarlet brings over 16 years experience in day spa skincare to Urban Sanctuary. She holds a medical esthetics license and is expert at speed waxing, microdermabrasion, advanced facials and makeup application. She gives an amazing facial! Here we share with you a few interesting details about Scarlet's life and career.

Scarlet moved here from Knoxville, Tennessee. She and her 10 year old daughter, Keira, live in Watkinsville with their cat. Keira attends Malcomb Bridge Elementary School, plays softball and studies contemporary dance 3 or 4 nights a week. Scarlet and Keira go to the Athens Farmers Market at Bishop Park almost every Saturday morning.

Scarlet's sister lives here and other family as well. This was what brought Scarlet and Keira to the area. They are enjoying being here and meeting all of the new people and personalities in Athens, as well as being with family. When Scarlet gets a night off between Keira's dance class and softball practice, she likes sitting on the Patio at Fuzzy's downtown sipping margueritas.

Born in Rochester, Scarlet lived in upstate New York and in the Atlanta area at different stages while growing up.

Scarlet tell me about your family and friends.

" I have family and friends all over the country and visit as often as possible; I really love traveling. My family is extremely Irish and celebrate their heritage any chance they get. We all have shamrock tattoos. Lol."

What do you like to do to relax when you are not at work?

"I love to cook and entertain, but can't  follow a recipe or measure ingredients. LOVE sushi if I get a grown up night. I like reading murder mysteries and I really like Pinterest. I get lots of great ideas for crafts and gift making on Pinterest, which usually turn out pretty well when I try them."

What got you interested in the field of esthetics?

"I actually worked at Glamour Shots in the 1990's when I was in high school. Remember Glamour shots? That was so fun. I also freelanced makeup of events and makeup for department stores. I was really into it. I really love makeup. People told me I could make more of a career out of it if I  got professionally trained:That is what had me look into esthetics school, originally."

"Once in school, I discovered that I just absolutely love skincare. It was makeup that got me there, but I discovered I love all of it, the science behind skincare, the service of giving facials and I love to know the chemical compounds in skincare products!"

How have you managed to learn the details of skincare chemistry? 

"Well, we were taught some of that at International School of Skin and Nail Care in Atlanta. However, after school I worked at Spa Sydell where they used to train all of the staff in the science behind skincare. It was fascinating to me! The owner created her own product line and we would learn the chemical compounds in all of the in house skincare products. I was hooked back then and have been ever since."

You have lots of  professional training and certifications under your belt. Can we name a few?

"I've had specialized face and neck massage classes, extensive chemistry and product knowledge training and hold a medical esthetics license. I learned speed waxing techniques with Renee Poignard. I've also had stage makeup classes, runway, fantasy and bridal makeup training."

Scarlet ran the skincare department at Spa Visage in Knoxville, Tennessee and was lead esthetician at Spa Sydell in Atlanta for many years prior to that.. She is a true gem. We are very fortunate to have her with us at Urban Sanctuary.

Book a facial, makeup application or waxing appointment with Scarlet by calling our front desk at 706-613-3947. Or purchase a gift certificate online and send a friend in. Urban Sanctuary is open seven days a week. Scarlet works Sundays, Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Browse our Facial Menu, Advanced Facials, Microdermabrasion, Makeup Services and Waxing.

Acupressure Massage Pillows: Neck Pain Relief, Sleep Aid, Amazing Health Benefits

Bed Of Nails Acupressure Pillows are available online and at Urban Sanctuary.

A new take on the ancient healing art of acupressure, Bed Of Nails massage pillows are wonderfully effective for pain and stress relief. They are newly available at Urban Sanctuary and we have clients and staff who are very happy about the extraordinary results from their short term use of the pillow. we are really excited to share! Head ache relief, greatly improved sleep and relief from chronic neck and back pain.

 The way it works is similar to acupuncture. Your body's natural happiness boosters, pain killers and calming agents are able to be released into your system as your skin and soft tissue make contact with the rounded acupressure nails on the surface of the pillow. Endorphins, oxytocin and circulation flows, creating a sense of joy, energy and pain relief as well as inducing a state of calm. All the good stuff...

Everybody reacts differently to massage, acupressure and healing agents. However the effects vary from person to person, the results are generally very positive. The acupressure pillow can be a great agent for healing by stimulating the body's own innate ability to heal, detoxify and regenerate itself. Possible benefits include:

• relief from chronic neck and back pain
• lower stress and anxiety levels
• headache relief
• improved sleep/insomnia relief
• better circulation
• improved digestion
• eased depression
• balanced moods
• enhanced vitality

New Fall Teas, Pumpkin Spice and Everything Nice

Exquisite Vienna Cinnamon Tea is available online and at Urban Sanctuary in Athens, Georgia

Fall is here. Windy sunny afternoons,chilly mornings and chilly nights are upon us. It is the season for pumpkin soup, zucchini bread, warm baths and hot teas. We have some very fine teas for fall, just in from Tea Forte. Along with a warm neck pillow and some lovely music, we recommend unwinding at night with one or more of the following blends available in our store all fall season.

• Pumpkin Spice -Black Tea with Pumpkin, Cardamom, Cinnamon and Clove, a great blend to ease aches and pains and warm the body
• Vienna Cinnamon -Loose Leaf Black Tea and Cinnamon, Cinnamon is good for circulation and great for easing hypertension
• Warming Joy- A sampler box of Harvest Apple Spice, Ginger Plum, Rum Raisin Biscotti and several other warming tea blends 

Sunscreen And Suncare Do's And Don'ts

 

At Urban Sanctuary our skincare experts have advice on sun protection fitting to your complexion and lifestyle.

Can we just forego the sunscreen toward summer’s end and in the fall? Which is more important, UVB or UVA protection? Do those of us with darker skin really need to bother with sun protection? We’ll provide answers to commonly asked questions here and recommend best practices.

The cooler temperatures of late summer and fall make sun protection seem less important. However, protecting our skin against the harsh and damaging rays of the sun is important all year round.Summer, fall Winter and Spring sun can cause sun burn, sun damage, sun spots, pre mature aging and risk of skin Cancer.

Below we list some sunscreen and sun protection DO’S and DON’TS:

• DON’T--- skimp on sunscreen or sun protection once the temperature falls below 80 degrees.    Protection from the sun’s damaging rays is important all year round.
•  DO--- choose a broad spectrum sunscreen. Broad spectrum protects you from all of the harsh rays of the sun, both UVA and UVB. The bottle should say if the sunscreen you are considering has UVA protection. The SPF (sun protection factor) only applies to it's protection of UVB rays.
•  DON’T--- use less than SPF 15. Dermatologists recommend that you use at least an SPF 15.
• DO--- protect yourself from the sun, even if you have a darker complexion and love that sun-kissed look. Protecting yourself against the damaging effects of the sun is vital for each one of us. 
•  DON’T--- wait until you are in the sun already to apply. Applying your sunscreen 15-30 minutes before exposure ensures the lotion has had enough time to bind to your skin for effectiveness.
• DO--- make sure to re-apply your sunscreen every two hours or more depending on your activity. Hiking or running around and getting sweaty? Apply more often! Swimming or jumping through the sprinkler with your kids? Apply more often.
• DON’T--- be confused by water-resistant vs. waterproof. These two terms are often used interchangeably, but their differences are important! Water-resistant sunscreens maintain their SPF levels following 40 minutes of water exposure, whereas waterproof guarantees it's SPF level for 80!
•  DO--- use enough. Are you using enough? Dermatologists urge that you use at least 1 oz of lotion to cover your whole body. Not sure how much that is? It is roughly enough to fill a shot glass.
• DON’T--- use expired sunscreen and sunblock. Found an old bottle in the back of a drawer?  Toss it! The shelf life of a sunscreen is less than three years. It's safe to say if you can't remember when you bought it it's time to buy a replacement.

Here are some other precautions you should be taking. Avoid tanning beds. Avoid being in the sun during the hours of 10 am - 2pm when the sun is at it's peak. Don't forget to wear a hat outdoors. Go out and buy yourself a fabulous wide brimmed hat for extra face protection. Tennis visors and baseball caps are great for when you are moving around. Consider investing in clothing that contains SPF, especially if you are spending time on the water where the sun reflects and sand or pavement hits you from multiple angles. 

Invest in a good pair of sunglasses! Our eyes are extremely sensitive. Look for glasses that wrap the face to protect the eyes all around. Also, glasses should say if they are polarized which protects against UVA, UVB, and reflected rays. Get out there and enjoy the last few weeks of summer! Let Urban Sanctuary provide your before and after sun skincare. We were voted Athens' Best Day Spa and have been providing massages, facials, nails and waxing services for over 10 years.

Cowritten for Urban Sanctuary by Megan McLaughlin and Candice Courcy