Monthly Archives: March 2018

Elevate Your Massage Experience with Hot Stones

Massage therapy is known for its restorative and healing properties, but not everyone is familiar with hot stone massage. If you are in need of some TLC and want to experience a relaxing and rejuvenating spa service, check out a hot stone massage in Jacksonville. Floridians are known for their activeness and love of the beach and outdoors, and sometimes need a healing touch after all the activity!

How Does a Hot Stone Massage Work?

A stone massage combines the practice of traditional massage with the use of flat, smooth, and heated stones that are applied onto the body. This heat enhances the recipient’s relaxation level and creates a calm and warm sensation. This increase in heat and pressure on the localized area elevates the level of blood circulation and allows the therapist to apply more pressure to tense and sore muscles. If you are interested in a more therapeutic spa experience, a hot stone massage in Jacksonville is worth a try.

The Many Benefits of Stone Massage

Your therapist can place the stones wherever you are feeling extra tension or soreness. The stones can also be placed on your hands and feet and their weight will help to increase your sense of calm and relaxation. Many people find the warmth of the stones between their fingers and toes to be therapeutic, and many therapists will place the stones on the body’s various pressure points.

The deepened relaxation together with the increased blood circulation allows the therapist to perform a deeper massage that will be more restorative than a traditional massage. Many spa enthusiasts prefer a stone massage because of the comforting feeling that the warm stones provide. This heightened experience leaves many feeling completely relaxed and calm with a strong sense of serenity.

Elevate Your Massage Experience with Hot Stones

The warmth of the stones create a deeper sense of relaxation and let your cares and concerns slip away. In addition to the placement of the stones, your massage therapist will also utilize the massage style of your choice in tandem with the stones. Whether you prefer deep tissue, Swedish, or pressure point massage, the benefits of a hot stone massage in Jacksonville can be significant.

Adrienne Michelle’s Salon & Spa is proud to provide relaxing and restorative spa services to the Jacksonville area. Give us a call today at (904) 329-2573 to experience the bliss that a stone massage can provide!

How Hot Is a Hot Stone Massage?

While many of us have seen pictures of a person having warm, smooth stones placed in a column along with their spine, this is only one way that stones are used during a hot stone massage. Many massage therapists actually hold the stones in their hands and use them to massage the muscles during the massage. The heat can help to relax tight muscles so that you get a deeper massage without more pressure. However, one question that everyone always asks is how hot the stones get. The answer is that the temperature can vary, but here’s what you need to know.

How are Stones Heated in a Hot Stone Massage?

Traditionally, hot stones for massage were heated over a fire. This custom dates back to Native Americans. Today, however, stones are heated in a pot of water after being sanitized. The water is heated to between 120 and 150 degrees, which is the average temperature that most of us have our water-heaters set to in our homes. So, yes, the water is extremely hot when the stones are first introduced to it. Imagine turning on your shower with no cold whatsoever, and that’s about how hot the water is when the volcanic rock stones are submerged.

What Happens During a Hot Stone Massage

However, by the time you are laying down and the stones are used on you, they have typically cooled a bit. The therapist will remove the stones and let them dry and cool while they prepare you with traditional Swedish massage. They’ll wait until the stones are comfortable for them to handle with their bare hands, and then they’ll place them on your skin. Typically, when the stones are set on your skin and allowed to rest, the therapist will replace cool stones with warmer ones throughout the massage.

What If the Stones Are Too Hot?

If a hot stone massage is ever too hot, speak up. The therapist should immediately remove them and offer other ways to introduce heat to your massage, such as using steamed towels instead. Don’t ever allow a hot rock to sit on your skin if it feels way too hot. Everyone’s skin reacts differently to heat. What feels comfortable to the therapist may burn your skin.

To schedule a hot stone massage with the well-trained therapists at Adrienne Michelle’s Salon and Spa in Jacksonville, contact us at (904) 329-2573.

why-are-pedicures-important

Pedicures are often thought of as a luxury, but that is far from the truth. At AdrienneMichelle.com, we think of them as an important part of your overall health and well-being. After all, you put around 10k steps on your feet each day, and over time this can cause a lot of wear and tear. At our nail salon, we can help to undo some of the damages done when you walk, run, dance, wear high heels, go barefoot and more.

In fact, we like to say that we agree with the experts who say that Pedicures are a great way to provide basic care for your feet.[and that there are] benefits of regularly getting pedicures” at a trusted nail salon.

What are the benefits? As you might guess, one of the most obvious is the cosmetic benefit that a pedicure provides to your feet and toes. Whether you are a woman getting your toes dolled up for the summer sandal season or a man with poor circulation getting nails trimmed and made to look much more appealing, a visit to our nail salon for a pedicure improves the looks of the feet.

However, at our nail salon, a pedicure can also:

  • Decrease risks for issues like infection, food odors, and nail diseases as our team is able to clean the entire nail area and keep everything trimmed and tidy
  • Identify problems like early signs of corns, fungal infections or bunions. Our providers can point out such issues when they notice them
  • Improve moisture in the feet and soles. With the massaging and the use of oils and lotions to capture moisture over the entire foot, it means you are not likely to have cracked or peeling heels and toes or other issues
  • Exfoliates the skin. One way to get skin in the best condition is to exfoliate it and remove dead cells. Pedicures ensure your entire foot is refreshed in just this way.

Of course, your visit to our nail salon in Jacksonville, FL is also just totally relaxing, and even more so thanks to our modern facilities. With expanding facilities of over 5,000 sq. ft., we are the only site Jacksonville with a ventilation system that captures odors at their source or point of use. This provides our customers with a healthy environment free of odors ranging from nail polish remover to nail polishing applications. Even more, reason to book your pedicure today.

How Much Does It Cost to Do Acrylic Nails At a Good Salon?

Acrylic nails are great options for women with short nails or trouble nails. Acrylic nails can quickly add length and strength and revitalize one’s hands entirely, offering you a whole new look. The process of applying acrylic nails involves chemicals called monomers and polymers that bond with your natural nail. So you can think of acrylic nails as extensions of your own nails, which is essentially what they are. Acrylic nails last a fairly long time, and any breaks that occur are easy to fix. You can even fix your own acrylic nails at home. However, acrylic nails can and should only be applied, removed, and maintained at a reputable salon in Jacksonville like Adrienne and Michelles. The cost of acrylic nails is barely more than the cost of a traditional manicure, starting at around $30. However, the cost of acrylic nails is far less in the long run because of how long the manicure lasts. Compared with prepping and painting natural nails, acrylic nails last much longer and are of course much stronger than the natural nail.

Of course, acrylic nails are not for everyone. The process of removing the acrylic requires soaking your nail in acetone, which can be problematic for some people. If the acrylic nail is not maintained and refilled properly, the condition of the nail will deteriorate and it will not look attractive. Gel nails are a popular alternative to acrylic nails, but they can cost more and also might not last as long as acrylic. If you are getting ready for a special event or want a new look for your nails, ask a professional aesthetician at Adrienne and Michelles for the best option for your lifestyle.

Best Ways to Prepare for Your Waxing Appointment

If you’re planning on getting a wax, there are ways to make it easier on yourself.

Pick a Five Star Pro

Don’t just look for waxing services in Jacksonville without checking the businesses out. Go online and look for feedback and reviews. Needless to say, a lot of negative reviews are a good warning sign to stay away. Also make sure that the business has the right Florida licenses for the services they offer.

Look for Broken or Irritated Skin

Broken or irritated skin should not be waxed, and should be allowed to heal before waxing is considered. This is also a good time to check yourself for changes in moles, birthmarks, or other skin conditions.

Gently Exfoliate and Moisturize

Exfoliation and moisturizing for a week to ten days before your appointment will help with preventing bumps and making sure that hairs coming in are fully erupted. Don’t use harsh scrubs or greasy moisturizers. Using a washcloth and a light aloe vera based moisturizer is fine.

The Long and the Short

Hair needs to be an eighth of an inch for the wax to get a good grip, but should not be longer than one-quarter of an inch. Investing in a basic wet/dry trimmer will allow you to groom your hair to the best waxing length.

Medications and Conditions

Accutane users should stop their medication before their waxing, or consider some other form of hair removal as Accutane can cause scarring when used with waxing procedures. Retin A users should not use it on any area they want to have waxed. Likewise, skin conditions such as rashes, acne, eczema, psoriasis, and folliculitis should not ever be waxed. People with herpes should not have a wax when they are having an outbreak.

Wear the Right Clothes

After a waxing, you’ll want to wear something light, loose and nonbinding. No ocean or pool swimming, and no tanning for at least twenty four hours. Your cosmetologist can set you up with a cooling, soothing moisturizer. You can also use straight aloe vera, or apply ice packs to the sensitive area.

Word of Warning

If you experience blistering, boils, excessive redness and heat in the area, or pain, seek medical attention right away! Waxing can remove tiny pieces of skin, allowing bacterial infections like staphylococcus aureus to take hold. If you have any symptoms that seem outside the normal range after a wax, don’t waste time – see a medical professional!