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

8 Benefits of Scalp massage

Scalp massage is deeply relaxing and has great over all well being benefits. Healthy hair, scalp and skin are the obvious benefits. However, scalp massage can have a surprising impact on the over all nervous system and the body's other systems.

Your scalp is covered in nerve endings. Those nerve endings, when stimulated or relaxed send a message to your brain that can impact your entire body.

Your scalp will easily absorb what is applied to it.  This makes scalp massage a great way to treat yourself to highly effective aromatherapy and relaxation therapy.



Scalp Massage benefits include:

• insomnia relief and improved quality of sleep
• head ache and neck ache relief
• slowing down a racing mind or gathering a scattered brain
• improved circulation for healthy scalp, hair and hair growth
• settling nerves or anxiety
• sinus opening
• immune system boosting
• deep relaxation