Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Wrap, Sauna and Glow at Pureskin, LLC

When I first visited Pureskin, LLC www.pureskingbethesda.com in Bethesda I was struck by the futuristic looking equipment in one of the tranquil treatment rooms. The name is also very exotic sounding --the Far Infrared SlimDome Sauna.

After speaking to owner Amy Boyce I know that this equipment may be the answer to the overeating, drinking and generally unhealthy things we may be doing during the holidays or have been doing all year long. SlimDome sauna is a very sophisticated method of deep detoxification for a wide array of conditions. It is helpful for clients dealing with mercury toxicity and post radiation issues to those just looking for improved health and well being. And with holiday parties upon us it might also be a way to relieve some bloating in time to look svelte in your little black dress. You can temporarily lose up to 5 percent of your body weight due to water loss.

And if all of that is not enough to get your attention Amy mentioned one more thing that is truly mind boggling--while you are lying in the SlimDome for your 40 minute treatment you will also be burning 600 calories....it's like a dream come true!

Many of Pureskin's clients do sign up for the treatments as a jump start to a weight loss program. It's also a perfect complement to the Endermologie treatments also offered at the spa. Endermologie which is the FDA approved method of reducing cellulite also stimulates the release of toxins so a session in the SlimDome immediately following will further facilitate that process.

With all of these benefits you might think a session would be quite pricey but the 40 minute sessions only cost $50. According to Amy, "everyone deserves the luxury of beauty and health treatments regardless of budget."

Another popular treatment offered by Pureskin are the Essential Oil Body Wraps. You'll be glowing in many ways after an hour and a half body treatment that offers a facial as a wonderful bonus!

Your treatment begins with a dry brush exfoliation, taking away all of the dead skin and stimulating the circulation. This is followed by a substantial massage rubbing in those 13 essential oils that include pine tree, lavender and geranium. You'll then be wrapped in layers of herbal cotton, chenille and a heated blanket and be "cocooned" for 40 minutes. And while the wrap is targeting the tissue on your body to firm your skin and relieve bloating, you'll receive a facial treatment. It could be an exfoliation with LED light therapy, facial Endermologie or another treatment based on your individual needs.

Amy says that this service is so well received that, "every person that has experienced it has returned for another treatment."

Again for such an extensive treatment, it is reasonably priced with the entire face and body treatment at $160 for the 90 minutes.

Pureskin is natural micro-spa offering non-surgical procedures in private and relaxing surroundings. Let someone know their treatments are on your wish list so they can purchase a package to put under the tree or give yourself a very nice pre-holiday gift!

Pureskin, LLC
4609 Willow Lane

Chevy Chase,
MD 20815
Phone:
301.907.6662
www.pureskinbethesda.com


http://www.beautyindc.com/ is your local resource for information and deals on beauty services in the Washington Metro area.

Monday, November 29, 2010

Top 3 holiday NO NO's, Ugly Sweater Contest, trendy coats and UGGS


The December month is full of  joyous celebrations filled with holiday laughter, food, parties, and presents. But please  remember that you still have to follow some basic holiday etiquette. Here is my top 3 list for some major holiday NO NO's.

#1 Don't wear holiday sweaters.  I'm sorry they're just not cute. I give you exhibit A B and C.







I don't care if your'e the hottest person on the planet. Nothing good can come out of wearing these holiday threads. 

  Just ask this guy...


Do you have a loved one who has a bad case of the Ugly Holiday Sweater Syndrome also known in medical terms at UHSS? Then e-mail us! This month DC on HEELS will be running a contest for the ugliest holiday sweater in D.C.!!! Send us the proof and you will win a prize!!! E-mail us a photo and a little information about the sweater. Where did you get it? Was it a present?  Did you ever wear it?  Or did  you shamefully buy it yourself? Or perhaps you are nominating somebody else? Send us the details about the sweater along with a photo to dconheels@gmail.com and voila you will be entered to win an awesome prize!  The ugliest sweater wins, it's that simple. More details about the prize to come! 

BUT

If you do want to keep warm for the upcoming chilly weather then wear  any of these trendy coats. They will keep you warm and looking hot!  Bold and bright are so in this year!


You can always keep it classic in camel too. 

And I will say that even though these sheep skinned boot (yes I'm talking about UGGS) are not the prettiest things in the world, they are sooooo comfortable and will keep your feet nice and toasty this winter that really who cares?!! This is when comfort and warmth actually prevails over style. There is always an exception to the rule and UGGS are the exception.  Love em' or hate em' there is something about these Aussie boots. Oprah thinks so too, though I'm not sure about the sparkly bedazzled ones she picked this year for her "Ultimate Favorite Things of 2010." 




















I'm going to stick to the classic ones...


Ok moving forward with the HOLIDAY  DONT'S...

#2 DON'T re-wrap a present that was yours, give it to somebody else and pass it off like you bought it. Karma is a b**** and that's probably one of the least thoughtful things you can do. Plus you very well may get busted and is it really worth looking like a fool? 
moving on...

 #3. DON'T get trashed at the Christmas party. Remember you still have to work with these people on Monday. Nothing says awkward like having to face your boss and colleagues in the conference room for a meeting and having to pretend like nothing ever happened. 


This could be you. But lay off  the egg nogg and whiskey at the  X-mas work party...and you'll be just fine.

That's it from DC ON HEELS. "Bringing you the best in food, fashion, and fun, in the metro area."

Besos xoxxoxo Vanessa

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Sunday, November 28, 2010

Cyber Monday: Too Little, Too Late?

The sales this year have been deeper than ever! 

A shopoholics paradise, mall stores like New York & Company posted Black Friday signs in their window dressings that read "50% Off Entire Store!"

Meanwhile, outlet malls like Potomac Mills opened up at midnight the day after Thanksgiving, while online retailers got a head start by offering deals way in advance of Cyber Monday.
With deals like the ones mentioned above... and the online super sales listed below (some of which debuted a week or more before Black Friday)...

Do you think that Cyber Monday is becoming obsolete?

Just a few of the pre-CM deals that posted early:
  • Bebe.com: 70% off all sale items and 40% off select new items if you click here.
  • Grouponicus: Daily 50% off holiday deals sent to a subscriber's inbox or by going to Today's Deal.
  • New York & Company: 50% off everything through the end of Cyber Monday if you click here.
  • SteveMadden.com: 35% off any online order through the end of Cyber Monday with code:CM35
  • Travelocity: $40 off 3+ nights flight and hotel through 02/28/11 with code:GL40
  • Orbitz: 10% off hotels through the end of Cyber Monday with code:HOLIDAY10
And even more so-called Cyber Monday deals, that started early and last well after the Thanksgiving holiday weekend can be found on Promo-2010.com.

Meanwhile, Back  at the Christmas Tree Ranch...
Bull Run Festival of Lights in Virginia.
If you are looking for a holiday rush that doesn't put a dent in your bedazzled pocketbook... then look no further than these low-key Christmas events... events that don't require you to enter a national lottery in order to gain entry (think National Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony)!

DC:
Capitol Hill: Norwegian Christmas at Union Station. Thursday, Dec. 2 

Maryland:
National Harbor: Christmas on the Potomac. Lights nightly now-Sunday, Jan. 9
Prince George's County: Festival of Lights. Lights nightly now-Sunday, Jan. 2

Virginia: 
Centreville: Bull Run Festival of Lights. Lights nightly now-Sunday, Jan. 9

That's all for now, but there's more to come from DC on Heels in terms of Christmas Splendor, holiday style and party shoes... so stay tuned tuned!

xoxo,

Markette
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Thursday, November 25, 2010

New Things

So many new thing scoming next week, i'll have a whole heap of photos I can put up, I can't wait! It's been so long since i've been able to post a shoot on here, or even update my blogspot, but soon there'll be lots of new pretty things.
Also I get the fracture in my nose fixed this Wednesday, a little later than planned. But one it's over i'll be able to get back into shooting, I have sooo many shoots to do, plyus the Miss Alternative NSW state finals are coming up in the next 3weeks- EEP! Need to find an outfit quick smart!

Here's a sneek-peek photo from a shoot set i'll be putting up next week:



Love, Below.
xo

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

TBD recap, Turkey tutorials and Test your Thanksgiving IQ


If you missed out on any of last weeks spectacular events then don't worry, you can catch up right here! Check out the segment on TBDTV with Morris Jones. This week Markette and Vanessa choose their HEEL OF THE WEEK from Shoe Dazzle. Markette rocks out "The Beverly" while Vanessa dazzles in moulin rouge colored heels called "The London." The dynamic duo were also at WTT Smash Hits charity tennis tournament captained by Elton John and Billie Jean King. The two hosts were then off to ArtJamz in Crystal City,Va. where they "unleashed their inner artist" and painted the night away.



HAPPY THANKSGIVING! 
DC ON HEELS is wishing everyone a  Happy Thanksgiving. This year we  have soooo many things to be thankful for. THANK YOU  to all of our fans, viewers, colleagues, friends and family. Without all of YOU-- DCOH would not be the success that it is! So many thanks. This is my favorite holiday of the year. It's all about family, reflecting and helping others in need and having a good meal.  And speaking of food.. how the butterball am I going to get my turkey from THIS...


to THIS...


Thanks to technology and the good ol' World Wide Web, the pressure is off. OK well not completely since I still have to pull off a fabulous feast, but there are so many online tutorials, blogs, and forums to help ease the process and discounts that you can find online! I found this easy tutorial all about thawing your bird from Butterball's Website.



OK that looks pretty simple, now on to the basting, stuffing and cooking tutorials.

And remember, nobody's perfect, you have to march to the beat of your own drum and set your own holiday traditions. I won't be  complaining though if a little beginner's luck is thrown my way. And yeah mom's stuffing may still  be the best, or nobody can top Nana's pumpkin pie but at the end of the day it's still all about reflecting on what you are most thankful for whilst being surrounded by friends, family and FOOTBALL of course. And the BEST part of it all... falling asleep on the couch thanks to all that tryptophan.


And while there will always be mishaps and things that don't  exactly go as planned. (Just ask Paula Dean, remember when she got smacked in the face with a giant Butterball that was tossed directly to her noggin'!!! That wasn't exactly part of the plan, but even the queen of cooking had to roll with the punches (no pun intended.)



And remember if it doesn't quite go as planned..then there's always next year!


GOOGLE TRENDS AND TURKEY DAY QUIZ: FACT OR FICTION?

According to Google Trends the most searched topics for today are:
1.christy martin
2.how long to cook a turkey
3.iowa road conditions
4.thanksgiving quotes
5.happy thanksgiving wishes
6.turkey cooking times per pound
7.iowa dot
8.butterball turkey
9.deviled eggs
10.green bean casserole recipe
11.apple pie recipe
12.sweet potato casserole
13.macy s thanksgiving day parade 2010
14.sarah palin north korea
15.turkey gravy recipe from drippings
16.marcus jordan
17.cranberry orange relish recipe
18.candied yams
19.sweet potato pie recipe
20.newegg black friday



And now it's time for our Thanksgiving Quiz. I went to History.com to learn some important facts about this special holiday. Test your knowledge with a little quiz titled FACT OR FICTION?

Fact or Fiction: Thanksgiving is held on the final Thursday of November each year.

Fiction. In 1863, President Abraham Lincoln designated the last Thursday in November as a national day of thanksgiving. However, in 1939, after a request from the National Dry Goods Association, President Franklin Roosevelt decreed that the holiday should always be celebrated on the fourth Thursday of the month (and never the occasional fifth, as occurred in 1939) in order to extend the holiday shopping season by a week.

Fact or Fiction: One of America's Founding Fathers thought the turkey should be the national bird of the United States?

Fact. In a letter to his daughter in 1784 Benjamin Franklin suggested that the wild turkey would be more a more appropriate national symbol for the newly independent United States than the bald eagle. He argued that the turkey was a "much more respectable Bird," a true original Native of America," and "though a little vain and silly, a Bird of Courage."

Fact or Fiction. Native Americans used cranberries, now a staple of many Thanksgiving dinners, for cooking as well as medicinal purposes.

Fact. According to the Cape Cod Cranberry Growers' Association, one of the country's oldest farmers' organizations, Native Americans used cranberries in a variety of foods and also as a medicine to treat arrow punctures and other wounds and as a dye for fabric.

Fact or Fiction: In 1863, Abraham Lincoln became the first American president to proclaim a national day of thanksgiving.

Fiction. George Washington, John Adams and James Madison all issued proclamations urging Americans to observe days of thanksgiving, both for general good fortune and for particularly momentous events (the adoption of the U.S. Constitution, in Washington's case; the end of the War of 1812.)

And did you know?
John F. Kennedy was the first president to pardon a Thanksgiving turkey? President George H. W. Bush was the first to officially pardon one? And remember when Obama pardoned the Thanksgiving turkey  "Courage" in 2009? 


 Happy Thanksgiving everyone! 


That's it from DC ON HEELS. "Bringing you the best in food, fashion, and fun, in the metro area."

Besos xoxxoxo Vanessa

Stay Connected!

    

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Holiday Hair: Tips, Tricks, B-4s & Afters

This holiday season, GLAM is BACK! Flip through the magazines, check out the TV and you'll see that everyone from Hollywood to the Potomac is polished with pincurls and sparkling with beauty.

But how do you get that classic Hollywood look? Armed with a few hair how-to questions, DC on Heels caught up with stylist, DiDi Green of Networkhair and Eyma Salon in Bethesda, Md. to get a few tricks of the trade:

Harry Potter star
Emma Watson's Pixie
Jill from Falls Church, Va.: I have short hair. What can I do to make it special for the holiday parties?
Didi Green: If you have short straight or curly hair, then consider 1920s -1930s inspired styles and looks. Smoothing shampoos and conditioners will help with a sleek transition. Style with gels, shine serums, gloss or sprays. Moisturizing shampoo and conditioners help support and smooth curls. Style with cream-based products and a touch of gloss for ultimate shine.

Natalie from Virginia: I would like to try extensions for the holiday season. Where do I start? What is the average cost ? Help!
Green: Extensions for the holidays or any special occasion are a great alternative for trying something new, without a great commitment.

First do your research. Ask friends, read online reviews or do a Google search of the extension/hair distributors. They often have links to certified stylists on the hair extension company’s website.

Housewife Adrienne Maloof
is an extension wearer
Next set up, schedule a CONSULTATION first. Meet the stylist. This is the time to ask all your questions and/or concerns. Ask to see pics. BRING your pics, and be realistic about what you are willing to spend and/or can afford.

There are several options and you do not have to go for the full head service. A few additions for fullness and length is just fine to start.

Make sure you fully understand what is included in your service price before your actual service. This should be detailed in writing if you are required to submit a deposit.

Finally, relax and enjoy your new look!

Beyonce's sister, Solange Knowles
is au naturale.
Amani from Columbia, Md.: I am African American with natural hair. I would like to do more with my “S Curl” patterned hair for the holidays... Help me!
Green: And you can ! Two-strand twists set on rods or rollers will, depending on hair length (if shorter, set twists in pin curls), is a great textured style!

Voluminous curls and twirls makes for fun, festive hair! Updos and sidesweeps galore! Add a festive headpiece and you are on your way!

Got Locs? Set them on rollers or roll with pipe cleaners (Yes! Pipe cleaners!) to make pin curls... to add volume… and added texture! Make a ponytail, then twirl and add a few hairpins for a runway inspired chignon!


With all of this talk about glamming it up, DC on Heels decides to jump into the stylist's chair for a little makeover of our own...

MARKETTE'S INSPIRATION:
The timeless updos of actresses Leslie Uggams (left)
and Kerry Washington (right)
DiDi works her magic!
This finished product 
Markette, ready for her close up!
Classic Hollywood meets modern DC

VANESSA'S INSPIRATION:
Megan Fox's glamorous waves.
Didi perfecting the look. 
Ready for the red carpet!


Special thanks to our photo shoot glam squad:
Denise Sharpe... Hair accessories
Mario Martinez... Wardrobe Stylist, Second Chance Boutique (www.secondchanceboutiques.com)
Didi Green... Hair & Make Up, Networkhair, 202.321.6754
Eyma Salon and Spa... 301.986.6996 (www.eymasalonandspa.com)

xoxo, 

Markette
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