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All posts tagged The Ritz Carlton

Beauty Blast: The Prenatal Massage at the Eau Spa

Ritz Carlton Eau Spa

As promised, I wanted to give you the details on the prenatal massage I received before my awesome Mermaid Treatment.  This momma to be was in desperate need of a massage!  Between the back pain, hip aches, and leg spasms I felt like my body was falling apart!  And without being able to pop an Advil or even use a heating pad (per the doc) a massage was just the thing I needed.

As with my other trips to the Eau Spa, I got to go into one of their super soothing treatment rooms.  There you can select what type of mood and music you want while you get pampered so I went with Pause.  The lavender lighting and soft music and nature sounds was just what I needed to help alleviate all the stress and anxiety I’ve been feeling lately.  Instead of the normal massage table that I’m used to, this one has the coolest and comfiest body pillow I have ever laid on.  Let me tell you, my saving grace this past 7 months has been the body pillow I bought from Target and this one was ah-mazing!  It gives me fluffiness and comfort from my ankles, up and around my back and neck, all the way down my belly and opposite leg.  I seriously asked my therapist if I could take this home with me!

After taking in a few whiffs of the lavender massage oil, my massage therapist went to work as I laid on my side like a preggo girl should.  She concentrated on my back and shoulder blades which have been giving me the most trouble, being gentle but firm as she worked out the knots and strained muscles.  After she was done with each section, she would wipe it down with a nice, hot towel.

Can I just pause and say how awesome hot towels are? 

Okay, anyway during the 90 minute massage I had everything worked out from the top of my neck to the soles of my feet.  The only time I was a bit uncomfortable was when I had to lay on a back for a moment to get my neck and shoulders massaged.  Other than that, the time went by too fast!  I could’ve taken a wonderful nap on that table.  I felt like I had my body back, my limbs the most limber and relaxed than it had been since I’ve been pregnant.  I was able to move around much more easily, making my trip down the beach a lot easier to make.

When was the last time you had massage?  Where did you go?

Photo courtesy of: Ritz Carlton

FTC Disclosure:  Massage mentioned in this review was received as a complimentary treatment.

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by MJ on July 11, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Beauty, Other Fierceness, Places to Go!
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Posted by MJ on July 11, 2012

http://getfiercestyle.com/2012/07/11/beauty-blast-the-prenatal-massage-at-the-eau-spa/

The Mermaid Treatment at the Eau Spa Palm Beach

Body ScrubLast weekend I had the wonderful opportunity to be invited back to the Eau Spa at the Ritz Carlton Palm Beach to check out one of their newest summer beauty offerings.  The Mermaid Treatment is a special pampering session for one of the most used (and neglected) part of bodies – our feet!  I know this girl’s feet has been putting in a lot of work these past few months and if you’re like me, a good foot rub can instantly put  you in relaxation mode.

So after my pre-natal massage (which I’ll fill you in another post! Promise!), I waited for my therapist Nancy to come and get me from the lounge.  I normally like to hang out in the Self Centered Garden (remember those awesome water swings?) but heat and a preggo lady do not mix! LOL.  When she came in, she had the speciality spa drink in hand – Cranberry juice and champagne (of course no champagne for me!) and I followed her to the Scrub Bar.  Here, anyone can mix up their own custom body scrub to take home or use for any of the spa treatments.  This place always smells so yummy with ingredients like citrus, vanilla, and eucalyptus to choose from.  For the Mermaid Treatment, you can play mixologist and put together your custom scrub to be used on your feet.  I went with one of the pre-selected mix “Perfect” which is a blend of Vanilla, Sugar, and Ginger.  This combo not only smelled really good but it had great exfoliating properties and would help increase the circulation in my swollen, ankle-less feet.

With my custom scrub ready to go, I’m thinking we’re going into one of those awesome treatment rooms.

Oh no.  They take the term Mermaid very seriously.

We were going seaside!

Spa

Nancy and I head out to the hotel’s private beach where a chair, foot stood, a tub of ice where champagne would be waiting if I could have some all under an umbrella.  The day was perfect for this, the wonderful sea breeze downplaying the heat outside.  While I got comfy with my juice drink in my champagne glass, Nancy went out to the sea to gather water that was only a few feet away.   Then the treatment began, Nancy massaging in the scrub into my feet and calves.  Then they were rinsed off using the sea water, which she explained to me has restorative properties on all it’s own. Not only does it feel nice on your skin, it works wonders in helping reduce the any swelling you may have (and this girl has some major swelling action going on!).  Afterwards, she massaged in a sweet and refreshing body butter, giving my feet a light yet effective massage.  Because my swelling is due to fluid retention during pregnancy, she worked on getting that circulation going again.  And let me tell you, I saw the veins in my feet for the first time in months! (Trust me, for pregnant ladies, this is super exciting!) My feet felt amazing and the fact that I was pampered on the beach was extra icing on the cake. For extra brownie points – you get take home a tin of your scrub, the body butter, and a spray mist in the cutest little bag.   I love that!

Gift Bag

Those 45 minutes went by way too fast and as a result, my feet looked the most normal and felt the softest they have ever felt since my pre-preggo days.  I felt so relaxed and pampered, I didn’t want to go home – and the great thing is, you don’t have to!  You are more than welcome to keep sipping your champagne and lounge out at the beach for the rest of your stay and as always, access to the spa’s amenities.

I had such a fabulous time and this was a truly unique spa experience for me!

 

When was your last trip to the spa?  What kind of treatment did you get?

 

FTC Disclosure:  Spa treatment mentioned in this review was received as a complimentary treatment.  All opinions are my own.

Second photo courtesy of: Ritz Carlton

 

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by MJ on July 3, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Beauty
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Posted by MJ on July 3, 2012

http://getfiercestyle.com/2012/07/03/the-mermaid-treatment-at-the-eau-spa-palm-beach/

Eau Spa Holiday Party and Fashion Show at the Ritz Carlton Palm Beach

Eau Spa at the Ritz Carlton

Kara from Sprinkle and Springs and I (Photo courtesy of Kara)

To kick off my holiday season Kara and I were invited to the Eau Spa last Thursday for their Holiday Party and Fashion show.   The event featured an exclusive  Vilebrequin pop up shop as well as a fashion show featuring their Spring 2012 collection.  If you aren’t familiar with Vilebrequin, this brand is known for creating stylish men’s swimming trunks and  apparel.  Yes, I know it may be a little early to be thinking about swimming trunks but it’s Florida so we can get away with that down here!

Vilebrequin

I’ve always been a fan of the spa’s Self Centered Garden but it looked even more magical at night and provided a great back drop for the fashion show.

Vilebrequin Spring 2012

Vilebrequin Spring 2012

Vilebrequin Spring 2012

Vilebrequin Spring 2012

Vilebrequin Spring 2012

The announcer for the Fashion Show. Totally loved his outfit

We can’t forget it’s Christmas and what tree wouldn’t be complete without it’s ownVilebrequin ornaments!  How cute are these!

Vilebrequin Christmas Tree

Vilebrequin Christmas Tree

A trip to the Eau Spa wouldn’t be complete without a whirl on the infamous swings!

Vilebrequin Holiday Party

Vilebrequin Holiday Party

We had such a great time!  Make sure you check out my reviews of the Spa if you live locally and need some pampering!

*I just learned that the Eau Spa took away five SpaFinder awards for Best Acoomdations, The Best in Luxury, Best Interior Design, Favorite Spa Professional, and Best Brand.  Very well deserved! 

10 Comments
by MJ on December 20, 2011  •  Permalink
Posted in Fashionista Heaven
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Posted by MJ on December 20, 2011

http://getfiercestyle.com/2011/12/20/eau-spa-holiday-party-and-fashion-show-at-the-ritz-carlton-palm-beach/

The Pumpkin Perfecting Facial at the Eau Spa

Pumpkin Facial at The Ritz-Carlton Palm Beach

As I mentioned in my OOTD post earlier this week, I had the chance to revisit the Eau Spa at the Ritz Carlton West Palm Beach this past Saturday to.  The Eau Spa is the first spas I ever reviewed and I was happy to be back!  This time I was treated to their season treat – The Pumpkin Perfecting Facial.  It’s part of the hotel’s Pumpkin Palooza program going on just in time for Halloween.  “Pumpkin is a super-ingredient for the skin and a powerful anti-oxidant,” said Spa Director Kristin Carpenter, “it is high in zinc, beta carotene, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, and Vitamin A so not only does it help fight the free radicals that are believed to cause aging but it is also acts as a natural cleanser that exfoliates, soothes and softens your skin. Plus, it smells good enough to eat!”   Nancy, who gave me my facial for the day explained to me that the acid in Pumpkin that forms once it goes passed its prime is what’s used for glycolic peels (Learn something new every day!)

Eau Spa SwingsI arrived 45 minutes early, giving me enough time to get into my terry robe and flip flops and lounge around the Self Centered garden.  The lounge areas are great but my absolute favorite thing to do there is sit in one of the water swings.  You are literally sitting in an egg shaped chair suspended from a pergola with your feet gently splashing in ankle deep water.  If you do nothing else when you come here, you have to check out these swings! Between the gentle rocking back and forth, the water on your feet, and the soft sound of the water wall in the background, you can’t help but feel super relaxed.

Nancy showed me to the room and got it ready for the facial.  Each room can be set to three different moods.  If you choose Pause, you’ll get soft Purple lighting, lavender aromatherapy, and soft music to enjoy during your treatment.  With Play you have orange and pinkish lighting, a great smell of orangey type scents, and little more upbeat music.  I chose Perfect with the cool blue and turquoise lighting with worldly music playing in the background as I breathed in a mixture of lavender and orange peel scents.

The 90 minute treatment started with cleansing my skin, which included using a Clarisonic type brush.  I was like this cleanser’s scrubber times ten, really getting into those pores.  Next it was time to analyze my face for trouble spots. Mine are my hairline from using more oils in my hair than I used to, my nose which always has big pores, and my jaw line that likes to break out all the time.  Nancy explained is from a change in my hormone levels which is very normal (man the big 30 is playing no games with me! LOL).  After that I was ready to get the pumpkin and let me tell you, it smelled so good!  It was like having a light pumpkin pie filling (with extra cinnamon!) on my face.  It felt cool when it went on and then you could feel it go to work.  Nancy warned me of a slight burning sensation and she wasn’t kidding!  It was a bit uncomfortable at first but after a few minutes it calmed down, feeling the way Icy Hot does when you put it on (sorry there was no other way I could explain that!)  While the mask was on, I got a nice foot massage which is always awesome.

Once the mask was off, my skin was ready for extractions, which are never fun but necessary.  It’s like eye brow waxing – you hate the process but love the results.    My skin was a lot smoother afterwards so I sucked it up and when the oxygen facial mask was put on, it made that experience go away!  It was very similar to what I had at the Bliss Spa and Nancy explained that these masks help calm and soothe the skin, keeping redness and irritation away.  While that mask went to work I had a much needed foot exfoliating scrub and a soy oil hand massage that left my skin super soft.  Loved that!

 
Pumpkin Facial Results
Before having my facial. Notice the Shiny Monster in my T-zone. :)
 
 
Pumpkin Perfecting Facial at the Ritz Carlton

After my facial in my comfy terry robe.

Overall I really liked this facial.  My skin was so nice and smooth I didn’t want to put on makeup after!  My T-zone was in check too, not as shiny as it was from my last facial.  I was also so relaxed between the massages and the atmosphere of the room that I didn’t go straight home.  I took one more go on those swings and then forced myself to go home before I fell asleep!

Would you have a Pumpkin Perfecting Facial?

 

Photos courtesy of:  Ritz Carlton

FTC Disclosure:  Service mentioned in this review was received as a complimentary service.

5 Comments
by MJ on October 27, 2011  •  Permalink
Posted in Beauty
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Posted by MJ on October 27, 2011

http://getfiercestyle.com/2011/10/27/the-pumpkin-perfecting-facial-at-the-eau-spa/

My Spa Day at The Ritz Carlton, Key Biscayne

 

The Ritz Carlton, Key Biscayne

I consider myself to be pretty price conscious, especially when it comes to beauty and fashion.  However, I also recognize that there are a few things that one should invest and splurge on that are well worth it in the long run.  Like a really good pair of shoes, a fierce power suit, and a day at the spa.  We ladies lead such a hectic life and I firmly believe that a girl should splurge on a spa day for herself, even if its just once a year.  You don’t even realize how tense and stressed you are until you walk around the spa completely and utterly relaxed!  Being a beauty blogger, I’ve had wonderful opportunities to check out some spas in the South Florida area.  I do these reviews because if you’re gonna splurge, you wanna splurge on something that’s totally worth it right?

Spa RoomTwo weeks ago I was given the awesome opportunity to spend the day at the Ritz Carlton in Key Biscayne.  The little island off of Miami is a beautiful island, home to the Sony Ericson Open, the historic Virginia Key Beach, and the Miami Seaquarium.  After getting a complete tour of the property (which I will dish in a later post! Promise!), I headed to the 20,000 square foot spa.  This place has 21 treatment rooms, Jacuzzi, Steam Room, Fitness Center, and a nice lounge area called the Relaxation Room.  As soon as you walk in, you’re greeted by a hallway dimly lit with the property’s signature mango scent candles.  I change into my comfy terry robe and my masseuse escorts me to my treatment room for my Baborganic Body Treatment (80 minutes/$210).

The room was just the way I like it – dim lighting, soft music, and warm bed to lay on! It starts with a full body scrub that starts with my skin being spritzed with Baborganic Pure Energerizng Skin Water, which is a an alcohol free tonic that refreshs, tones, and invigorates your skin. Next is the body scrub, a Biological Enzyme Cleanser which is a light powdery mix of skin goodness that’s massaged into my skin, like you would a sugar scrub.  After I’m all scrubbed up, it’s time to rinse it off in the little shower right there in the room.  The shower head was pretty cool, the water pouring out like a warm, waterfall.  Inside was Barborganic shower  gel and between the scrub and the gel, my skin felt super soft! I loved it but it wasn’t over yet.  Next was my massage with the molten wax from the Baborganic Wellness Candle.  It didn’t feel like wax at all but rather a warm oil that left my skin just as soft at the end.  The full body massage itself was good, targeting those areas where we tend to carry stress.  However I didn’t find the massage as relaxing as others I’ve had and it could be because my muscles were extra tight or the massage itself went deeper than I’m accustomed to.  All in all it was a nice treatment, though the body scrub the highlight for me!

Stay tuned for my follow up post on the site tour!

More Spa Reviews:

Fort Lauderdale Beach Spa Trip: Bliss Spa at the W Fort Lauderdale

South Beach Spa Trip: agua at Delano Hotel

Just Say…….Oh….! The Eau Spa at the Ritz Carlton, West Palm Beach, FL

Photos courtesy of: Ritz Carlton

FTC Disclosure:  Services mentioned in this post were complimentary.

4 Comments
by MJ on April 18, 2011  •  Permalink
Posted in Beauty
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Posted by MJ on April 18, 2011

http://getfiercestyle.com/2011/04/18/my-spa-day-at-the-ritz-carlton-key-biscayne/

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