(by Amanda Q. @ImtheQ)
When my friend Jennie asked me to write this series for her spa blog I was both surprised and honored. I’ve been blogging about natural, organic and ethical fashion and beauty for several years on my own award-winning blog ‘Fashion, Evolved’ and Whole Body Studio Spa is one of my favorite places to get natural, luxurious skin care in Austin.
I’m thrilled to be able to share my thoughts on organic beauty as well as my appreciation for Whole Body’s services in this four-part series called “Beauty is as Beauty Does.” I sincerely hope you’ll follow Jennie on her Twitter account @wholebodyspa and call her at 512-472-1148 to learn more about Whole Body Studio Spa.
“Inside Out” – Part 1 of 4
A lot of people mistake “glamour” for “beauty” and frankly, media does little to discourage this view. Glamour refers to superficial (but fun) ways that a woman can make herself stand out. Things like makeup, fashion, and accessories are glamorous. It is powerful enough to make a woman with merely a pretty face into a reality TV star with her own line of diet drinks and a bestselling memoir.
Glamour is fun, easy to change, and can even alter your appearance to give you a totally new look. (Have you seen those magazine features of movie stars without their makeup on?? Oy!) On the other hand, real beauty can be defined as the natural, inherent, and unique characteristics that each woman can make the most of in order to look and feel her very best. Real beauty transcends age, culture, or race.
The old saying that “beauty is only skin deep” reminds us that our skin is affected by everything under its surface. Therefore, to maintain exterior beauty, it makes sense that you’d have to start from within. No matter how fine your bone structure or how expensive your clothing, you are sabotaging your beauty if you have dark circles under your eyes, an ashen complexion, acne, bad breath, are overweight, underweight or have bad posture.
The foundation to real, lasting beauty includes:
Just in case you haven’t heard, drinking more water is the #1 way to improve the quality and appearance of your skin. Water helps you eliminate toxins from your blood stream, it keeps your cells plump which diminishes fine lines, and it helps your skin renew itself as old skin cells die off and are exfoliated away. If you find that you can’t drink enough water because you don’t enjoy it, try putting a small amount of organic apple juice in your water bottle. It will add just enough flavor that you’ll find it easier to drink more throughout the day.
Proper nutrition provides the building blocks for new blood and skin cells, gives you a continued vitality and energy, and helps your body operate at optimal levels. Eating fresh, whole foods rich in anti-oxidants, vitamins and minerals and taking additional supplements as needed are crucial habits for maintaining your physical health and appearance. In other words: lay off the cookies and eat some organic fruits and vegetables if you want to look and feel your best.
Fatigue places a heavy toll on your appearance. Dark circles under your eyes, drooping eyelids, slumping posture and fuzzy thinking will keep you from looking and feeling fabulous. Resist the urge to stay up all night, every night. Get to bed at a decent hour, wash and moisturize your face before you sleep, and try to do some deep breathing before bed to relax your whole body— your face will thank you in the morning.
The way you carry yourself, how your clothes fit, and your ability to participate in physical activity is also a very important part to maintaining a standard of real beauty. While there is no one “ideal” for height and weight, every woman should be concerned with her health and should strive to keep herself both stylish and strong. When you’re fit, you will not only look your best, but you’ll have an air of confidence that is highly attractive.
While I love glamour as much as any other girl, I appreciate the focus that Jennie and her staff at Whole Body Studio Spa have in helping women to cultivate and maintain their real beauty. Every woman, whether she’s a fashion model or a computer engineer, should feel confident that she looks her best. The path to real beauty is the same for everyone.
Read More
Are you cold? I am and the cold, dry air is zapping ALL the moisture from my skin! What to do? In her most recent newsletter, Nicole Maust, founder of Talulah Natural Skincare has this suggestion:
Stress and harsh weather conditions can really do a number on your skin. Abhyanga, an ayurvedic form of oil massage is an easy and inexpensive treatment to do at home. Begin by warming (in a dish of hot water) a body moisture serum like Talulah Nahla Bath + Body Oil. Test the temperature and smooth into your skin, beginning with the tops of feet and covering the entire body. Apply a thick layer of Talulah Oma Serum to your face and step into a steamy shower or bath for 10-15 minutes. The warm water and steam will unlock your pores, driving the vitamin rich oils deep within. Pat skin dry, dress warmly and go directly to bed. You’ll sleep like a baby and feel silky soft in the morning.
You can find Nahla Bath+ Body Oil and Oma Serum at Whole Body Studio!
Read More
I like to think of myself as an advocate for the everyday woman. We are the women who shop at the drugstore and the discount department store. We don’t always have the time to make it to Saks or Sephora. We have lives, careers, husbands, children, and not enough time on our hands.
I like to think of my good friend, Averi Mullins, as a champion for the everydaywoman in all of us. She recently started reviewing beauty products on Facebook and I thought it would be a great idea for her to start sharing her reviews with us on the Whole Body Studio blog. Averi recently moved to Austin from Abilene, Texas. She works hard for her money, is married to a great guy, and has a 10 year old daughter. She has always loved to write and get pretty! ~Jennie
Ave’s Faves
Topic: The perfect eye shadow
Ladies, I don’t know about you but I like eyeshadow that has a lot of pigmented color. I recently bought a Smashbox set. And yes, I like the colors but they aren’t pigmented enough. I have bought countless brands of eye shadow and could never seem to find just the right one. Well, that day has come. Eureka! Not only does this brand of eye shadow have the best colors, but they also have a nice selection of duos to fit your style. So… run, drive or bike to your local grocery or cosmetics store to try L’oreal’s H.i.P Professional Shadow Duos. H.i.P stands for High Intensity Pigments. Genius, I tell you!! L’oreal has 5 different types of shadows in this line: Bright, Crystal, Matte, Metallic and Concentrated.
Here’s a brief overview of each shade:
Bright: rich color for a dramatic look.
Crystal: a luxurious look with a bit of sparkle.
Matte: has the texture of a powder but will also create drama.
Metallic: if you like edge with some shimmer, this one is for you.
And lastly is Concentrated, this is very saturated color with a velvety finish.
Ahh, finally I can breath a sigh of relief. I cannot wait to go get some more shades. Now let’s go get beautiful!!
Read More
Happy New Year! We are so happy to be celebrating the beginning of our 4th year and we want to do something to “give back” to the community and also to our clients. During the month of January, Whole Body Studio will be holding an in-kind fundraiser for SafePlace Austin.
SafePlace provides refuge and assistance for victims of domestic abuse and their families. Austin is fortunate to have such a great resource within our community, but donations and gifts are what keeps the organization able to continue serving as many people as possible.
Bring in any three items on the attached list and receive a 10% discount on any regularly priced service* booked for the month of January.
- Baby Wipes
- Baby Shampoo
- Baby Lotion
- Baby Powder
- Brushes or Combs
- Mouth Wash
- Deodorant
- Full size bottles of unopened adult shampoo and conditioner
- Toothpaste/Toothbrushes
- Unopened body wash/soap
- Razors and Shaving Cream
- Shower Sponges
- Body Lotion
- Paper Towels
We thank you for your continued support and patronage and hope you will help us help SafePlace make this a better year for others in our community!
* Excludes discounted series, gift certificates or services paid by gift certificate, and previous specials or discounts.
Read More
My name is Luna Wood and I am the great granddaughter of Mama Nico, an amazing Panamanian curandera (healer) and partera (midwife) of the native Cuna tribe. I am the descendant of a strong lineage of bodyworkers, massage therapists and healers. I have been a massage therapist, healer, doula, and teacher for 16 years and my specialty is Pregnancy Massage.
I love working on pregnant mamas and babies! I am working with not one but, two human beings. During a session I can feel their separate energies integrate into one. There is something magical and spiritual about this work, and I take it very seriously…but not too serious. The babies keep me playful!
When I’m not working I am busy playing with my handsome 10 year old son, Niko, who was named after his late ancestor. Niko loves to be a chef in the kitchen, and helps me to make natural bodycare products like belly butters, arnica oils and, healing salves. You can find some of these homemade products on the shelf at Whole Body Studio.
I noticed there weren’t many natural body products without harmful additives for pregnant women on the market, so I decided to make some for my clients, and thus Vidaluna Body Care was born.
Jennie is an awesome person to work with. She’s down to earth and friendly. Whenever my clients walk in the door they expect and appreciate her warm welcome.
Whole Body Studio is REAL family. We all appreciate and enjoy each other’s personalities and specialties. I often trade services with my colleagues because they keep me healthy, feeling beautiful, and it’s fun! Treat yourself to wellness and healing at Whole Body Studio!
Read More
Whole Body Studio is proud to be the home of the original customized lash experience. When we began doing lashes five years ago, there were a few places who did lashes by the “look” and number of lashes applied. Here at Whole Body Studio, we have always felt that because every client is different, each lash experience should be customized to you. We don’t count lashes on our full or half-sets, and we never will.
Our lash extensions are not your traditional fake eyelash strips, they are semi-permanent individual eyelash extensions, applied directly to your individual eyelashes for a completely natural look and feel.
Head lash stylist, Janine Manjarris, is a true artist. She possesses the ability to evaluate a client’s eye shape, bone structure, and lifestyle, and designs the ideal lash look that’s right for you. We also believe that using lashes that closely match the thickness of your original lashes is important. Weighing down delicate lashes with extensions that are too thick can be damaging. At Whole Body Studio, we celebrate the individual while also ensuring the highest standards of quality and safety.
Read More
Allergies! Ragweed! Mold! It seems like everyone I know is suffering. Is there anything you can do besides walk around doped up on antihistamines? Well, yes. You can try taking an herbal tincture which actually contains ragweed and helps your body build a better defense. We have a great one here at Whole Body Studio. Ginger Webb of Texas Medicinals makes an amazing potion called Texas Allergy Relief. It works, folks. It really does. For raw noses and chapped lips we have Talulah Calendula Sensitive Healing Cream. It works like a charm to calm inflammation and soften all your rough patches, plus it smells divine and is chemical-free! Why suffer? Fight back naturally and tell your allergies to take a hike!
Read More
Allergies! Ragweed! Mold! It seems like everyone I know is suffering. Is there anything you can do besides walk around doped up on antihistamines? Well, yes. You can try taking an herbal tincture which actually contains ragweed and helps your body build a better defense. We have a great one here at Whole Body Studio. Ginger Webb of Texas Medicinals makes an amazing potion called Texas Allergy Relief. It works, folks. It really does. For raw noses and chapped lips we have Talulah Calendula Sensitive Healing Cream. It works like a charm to calm inflammation and soften all your rough patches, plus it smells divine and is chemical-free! Why suffer? Fight back naturally and tell your allergies to take a hike!
Read More
I am Angela Moreno, for 24 years now the streets and trees of Austin have graced me in my wanderings. Given the rebellious soul that I can be, a career in the 9-5 flow of things was not for me (though now I hold a genuine respect and admiration for those brave souls who serve in that way and help keep our world turning). I am also inspired by the nurturing care of my family.
My mom works as a health care professional and my dad worked hard and requested regular foot rubs after work. A career as a massage therapist is a natural fit. I thank them for keeping me in touch with that “peace” of me that knows nurturing and what it means to “take Care”. Touch is very important and many of us don’t receive enough of it in a nourishing and restorative way, so massage can be an essential “peace” to restoring health and being happy.
I’ve always felt a strong connection to nature. I can remember playing 
doctor as a kid and using mud and leaves as part of the treatment. So, it wasn’t long before I began incorporating Aromatherapy into my practice. I love incorporating aromatherapy with massage. It adds such depth and richness to every session. A holistic healing art, aromatherapy can bring wellness to our mental, emotional and physical states of being. Used in massage, essential oils are absorbed through the skin and enter directly into the bloodstream, stimulating or soothing the circulatory, lymphatic, integumentary (skin) systems. Essential oils offer numerous benefits to our skin. They balance the moisture in our skin, soothe irritations and strengthen our overall life force. It protects us and plays a vital role in maintaining homeostasis, so maintaining healthy, well nourished skin is important and good for us all. When applied topically, essential oils are absorbed directly into the tissues (muscles, tendons and ligaments) and effect analgesic action and relief of pain and soreness. We also experience essential oils in our massages through inhalation. Completely bypassing the blood/brain barrier, these fragrant essences of raw, natural, life force find their way directly to our brain
receptors and trigger healing action, combat depression, relieve trauma, balance hormones, and uplift and clear the mental and emotional bodies. These are just a few reasons why your next massage at Whole Body Studio should include fragrant and therapeutic essential oils!
The thing I love most about working at Whole Body Studio is that it’s like a tree house. I love it! Out of every window you see trees, branches, greenery, or the beautiful blue Texas sky! Who wouldn’t love getting a pampered in a tree house? I also appreciate Jennie’s dedication to providing clients with quality care; from the space, the products, to the providers. In one of our treatment rooms there is a quote that reads ”The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is that little bit extra”. That is Whole Body Studio.
When I’m not working I love to spend time with my family. I have two young nieces and any amount of time that I get to share with them is precious, adventurous and enriching to my life! I’m a Taurus, so, naturally, my home, creature comforts, food and enjoying life keeps me happy. A true Austinite at heart, I enjoy swimming at Barton Springs and hiking through the greenbelt. When I’m up for it, I also love to practice yoga. It’s a powerful tool to that keeps me tuned up and tuned in so that I may bring my best to the world I get to be a part of.
Read More
- blog
- September 17th, 2010
Sometimes the best way to cultivate outer beauty is from within. That doesn’t mean you have to take up meditation or embark on an intensive yoga practice (although, both would be good for you!), but it does mean you should make time for yourself. Take a nap, take a walk, read a book, or eat something delicious. Enjoy the people (and animals!) you love. Smile. When someone pulls out in front of you, take a deep breath and count to 10. Just relax. It will show on your face.
Read More
