high rate of sugar consumption

sunshine has made it's way west ... the weather is too gorgeous! thusly, the fur has been flying around Studio 41. my apologies to everyone who was unable to get in and properly prepare for this weekend.

please take the time to click over and set up an appointment. there are very few openings left for the next two weeks. if you don't find a time that works for you, please email me and i'll put you on the waitlist. it works!

i'll be away from Studio 41 until Tuesday 8/24. while i'm galavanting, Jenn Lee will be doing her superb facials.

how to get in touch with Jennifer Lee:
(310) 666-8427
jalfalee@gmail.com

'til Tuesday ... namaste!

a car is born!

car sharing returns to Culver City! thanks to Melissa & her company LAX Car Share, Los Angeles now has a neighborhood-centric car sharing.

(quick bit of background: first there was FlexCar and they placed cars at universities and within neighborhoods. then ZipCar swept in and moved all the cars to universities only. consequently, many people who tried, liked & used car sharing gave up the practice. we now return to the present time).

car sharing is superbly easy. you sign up online and pay a yearly fee. once you've been approved, you receive a key fob. when you need a car, you call or log on to reserve the car at a location that works best for you. at the start time of your reservation, you show up at the car and swipe your key fob over the sensor. voila! the car is yours for the time you've set aside for errands of all types.

the benefits of car sharing are many fold. but the big one is easy: you'll be green and save lots & lots o' green! (gas, insurance, repairs, tags, etc etc etc).

here's another shot of our beauty:

gerunding the day away

hey all: today i will be praying, eating & lovin' my way through the day. i'm headed to an all-day LA-based retreat centered on the themes of Eat, Pray, Love.

RakSa Wellness Sala --my fave yoga joint-- has put together a day of meditation, yoga, ayruveda-based morning tea & lunch, along with a session titled: hypnosis for love, followed by a special presentation of the film.

this book is a treasure to me ... for the encouragement for women to wander & explore, for the importance of a woman's voice in first-person narrative (we need more women's stories!), for its appreciation for food & yoga & travel ... and even for the diverse reactions it elicits from women of all ages. i'm up for anything that gets us talking and connecting and sharing and recognizing the importance of our differences.

thank you, Elizabeth Gilbert, for taking us with you on the trip but mostly for braving the page and writing it down.

i dedicate my time on the mat today to girls and women everywhere who are unfolding the lotus petals of their dream, tuning in to their innate intuition, and cultivating their divine spark! the future of our world literally depends on our full participation as women, with all the beauty, foibles, wit and wisdom therein.

road trip!

hey gang:
i'm lead-foot-lucying from OK to MD with my mom. i'll be back in the studio on Friday 8/13. i'm currently booked up on Friday & Saturday but i've got a waitlist going so feel free to call or email (you won't be able to book anything online for those times).

While I'm on the road, stay in touch with Facebook or Twitter!

Need a facial while I'm gone? call Jenn!
(310) 666-8427
jalfalee@gmail.com

If this is your first experience with either hair removal or sugaring, I recommend these links:
sugaring: the need-to-know stuff
Maximize Results: Pre-Sugaring
Maximize Results: Products
Maximize Results: Post-Sugaring
Maximize Results: Depilar

Ready to give your skin a sweet treat?
Simply book online, email or call me at kenya [at] bewellgroomed.com / (310) 866-0928

the rave-ups:

reviews for sugaring at be well {groomed!}

"By the way, it's been 3 weeks since my last appointment and I have to say the regrowth is great! It's still fairly smooth (especially where I have the peach fuzz above my brows)."
G in LA

"It hurt way less while removing the hair, and a few hours later, I feel absolutely nothing down there! No little tingling; no need to pop a painkiller. I am a sugaring convert."
J in LA

schedule update

Angelenos! I'm making a break for it ... can't take this gorgeous cool weather anymore. Must have crazy heat & humidity so I'm flying into Oklahoma and will be away from the studio August 8 thru 12.

Need a deep peel to rid your skin of the sins of the sun? Jennifer Lee will be making good use of my room, offering her fab facials in Studio 41 while I'm away. Ya better hustle, tho; I think she is getting booked already!

how to get in touch with Jennifer Lee:
(310) 666-8427
jalfalee@gmail.com

more about Jennifer:
Jennifer Lee is a Celebrity Airbrush Tanning Specialist and an Esthetician. She started her career of Beauty in the art of Make Up for TV/Film then expanded to Esthetics. Jennifer Lee specializes in anti-aging and problem skin. She is well versed in the European style of skin care as well as clinical skin therapy. Jennifer enjoys seeing results from her work on her clients’ skin. She is involved in many charities and organizations including Touch for Cancer, an advanced aesthetic technique for people who are undergoing chemotherapy and radiation due to cancer.

Maximize Results: Depilar

The Depilar System is a post-sugaring treatment that uses the latest in scientific research to provide effective and affordable lasting reduction of unwanted body hair for all sexes, races, hair colors, and hair types.

This new and enhanced enzyme-based formula provides efficacy rates exceeding other products of its kind on the market, including previous generations of enzyme-based hair removal and costly laser treatments.

Depilar is applied directly following sugaring and tweezing in successive and regular treatments over 16 to 24 months. With the Depilar System, there are just THREE simple steps to being hair free:

1>. the specific area is sugared, removing hair at the root
2>. Inhibitor Gel is applied and massaged into the skin
3>. Activator Gel is applied and massaged into the skin

Here's your per treatment cost:

$25 Underarms (aka u’rms)
$25 Face (each: lip, chin, cheeks)
$87 & up Cha-Cha Maintenance: basic bikini, bikini clean-up
$112 & up Clean Sweep: brazilian wax (with a little or no hair left “down there”)
$110 Back (includes neck)
$110 Chest (includes tummy)
$100 / $63 Arms (full/half; both include fingers)
$115 / $75 Legs (full/half; both include toes & knees)


If this is your first experience with either hair removal or sugaring, I recommend these links:
Maximize Results: Pre-Sugaring
Maximize Results: Post-Sugaring
Maximize Results: Products

Ready to give your skin a sweet treat?
Simply book online, email or call me at kenya [at] bewellgroomed.com / (310) 866-0928

sugaring: need-to-know stuff

Professional Body Sugaring is a truly progressive method for removing unwanted hair from the root. It's progressive multiple ways: utilizing sugar paste is an evolution in the epilation of hair AND the results are compounded with successive, timely treatments.

It's also considered progressive because the process used at be well {groomed!} requires certification. A practitioner must complete a 16 hour course and a two-part exam, both written theory and practical. All be well {groomed!} sugaristas are trained and certified by the world-renowned team at Alexandria Professional™.

1. be well {groomed!} uses a love-your-skin (& the environment) sugar paste that is 100% natural and FREE of parabens, urea, dyes & all other irritating fillers. so pure you can even eat it (tho, let's not & say ya did!)

2. this specially formulated, pro-environment sugar paste does not stick to live cells ... this is one of the reasons why you leave with gently exfoliated glowing skin and little to no redness.

3. it's very economical because i'm removing hair from the root, in the direction of hair growth. over time the hair is finer and much depleted. you'll notice this improvement after just the 2nd sugaring.

4. the pure sugar paste dissolves with water ... easy to remove, never leaves you feeling sticky.

5. sugar paste is not hot and this is the other reason why your skin glows instead of showing edema & redness.

6. the sugar paste not only pure, it's hygienic, hypoallergenic and non-comedogenic.

7. there is no need to shave or wait for the hair to grow in between appointments. the technique i use combined with the specific sugar paste allows me to tackle shorter hairs (about 7 days growth) ===> less wait for the re-growth!

8. professional body sugaring works on all skin & hair types for all genders and on most parts of the body.

If this is your first experience with either hair removal or sugaring, I recommend these links:
Maximize Results: Pre-Sugaring
Maximize Results: Post-Sugaring
Maximize Results: Depilar
Maximize Results: Products

Ready to give your skin a sweet treat?
Simply book online, email or call me at kenya [at] bewellgroomed.com / (310) 866-0928

Maximize Results: Products

The keys to successful hair removal are consistency, exfoliation & hydration. Improving the condition of your skin will absolutely improve the results of hair removal. These products have been hand-selected for use at-home to provide stellar care for your skin through soothing serums and gentle, thorough exfoliation.

Mud Puddle ✒ Alexandria Professional's Mud Puddle is purrrre Hungarian Wellness Mud, loaded with essential minerals the skin needs to function properly. Mixing up a batch of this multi-purpose rejuvenating treatment helps with ingrown hair issues, treats facial blemishes & improves skin texture. Mix sparingly with water to create a paste for use as a spot-treat on problem areas or all over for a deep clean. Toss it in your tub for head-to-toe detox!
$23 for 4oz.

Saltspring ✒ Rich in natural minerals, Saltspring rejuvenates your entire body, and leaves skin feeling silky and smoothed. Perfect for diminishing ingrown hair issues as well as ridding your skin of the dreaded bumps on the back of the arms. Enjoy as a tub soak, a mineralized spritzer for your skin or a gentle, physical exfoliation for all body parts.
$5.50 for 4oz.

Phenomen-all™ Skin Repair ✒ Replenish the skin, smooth scars and elminate imperfections with this unique blend of natural essential oils & plant-based vitamins. Formulated to reapair, refresh and rejuvenate skin, this serum is 100% non-irritating and gentle enough to be used on sensitivie skin by men, women, and children. The Phenomen-all exclusive mix replenishes moisture, calms irritation, and softens skin cells to help relieve ingrown hair problems. It is also an amazing cuticle treatment, and even helps to smooth out stretch marks & scars.
$57 for 2oz.

Flora-Flo ✒ Salycilic Acid is a gentle, thorough chemical exfoliator from the same source as aspirin (white willow bark). This economical, easy-to-use formula has no parabens, fragrance or dyes. About 3 days after sugaring, use 1-2x/day everyday. If no bumps develop, switch to 1-2x/day, 3-4 days/week. No need for a cotton pad, just apply to hands and then to sugared body part.
$12 for 4.4oz.

If this is your first experience with either hair removal or sugaring, I recommend these links:
sugaring: the need-to-know stuff
Maximize Results: Pre-Sugaring
Maximize Results: Post-Sugaring
Maximize Results: Depilar

Ready to give your skin a sweet treat?
Simply book online, email or call me at kenya [at] bewellgroomed.com / (310) 866-0928

Maximize Results: Post-Sugaring

First, a word about professional body sugaring in that very special region: ya gotta commit to doing it consistently. For most of us, that means every 4-5 weeks. There are a few lucky guys and gals who just don't grow much body hair; so they may only need to come in at 6-8 weeks.

Consistent, regular sugaring allows the skin's natural response system to grow accustomed to the process and prevents it from reacting with inflammation ... and, inflammation is the primary reason you get heat, bumps and irritation following epilation.

Once you set a monthly schedule for professional body sugaring, the post-sugar issues are minimized but the decrease in hair is maximized ... it's a win-win!!

So, these tips are primarily for clients and readers who are just beginning to sugar or have yet to commit to doing it consistently. If you "wintered" your bikini or have bumps because you let 3 months lapse since your last sugar, read on!

Immediately following your sugar:

• Take it easy ... no exercise, no hot tub, no sand or surf, no sex, no working out. Consider this your pass to wear comfy, loose clothing and spend the evening lounging in front of the fire place with a great book.
• Take action ... prior to your wax, purchase a calming cream like Phenomen-all. Avoid products that are heavily perfumed and don't overstimulate the skin by applying too many products too frequently. Use common sense and follow the recommendations for use on the packaging.

Two days after your sugar (and onward):

• Gentle, consistent exfoliation is one of the best things you can do for your skin and this applies to your bikini zone, too. I prefer chemical and enzymatic exfoliation for this region. Physical exfoliation with loofahs and some scrubs can irritate and leave very small tears and scrapes on delicate skin.
• I have a terrific salicylic acid serum that works fabulously. I recommend that you apply it once per day. If no bumps arise, you can down shift to 4 times per week. If you begin to see bumps, increase usage to 2 times per day.
• Spot treat bumps or red, sensitive areas with a gentle clay mask like Mud Puddle. I love good clay masks and always keep one at the house. Clay doesn't dry the skin but helps to deep clean pores, improve circulation in the skin and draw out impurities ... which helps inflammation subside. So, apply a very small amount directly and only to the bumps; leave the mask on a minimum of 10 minutes.
• Give your skin some hydration! I see a lot of dry bumms throughout my day ... don't skimp on moisture for this region. Find a soothing, emollient but zero perfume balm to lubricate your special parts. This will also prevent additional irritation from chafing fabrics or friction.
  
• Feed your skin, too. Ensuring that you get Vitamins A, C, D & E as well as minerals and Essential Fatty Acids supports your skin's immune system and allows it to do it's job most effectively.
• Manage your stress ... Yeah, yeah, I know. But seriously, the skin has a unique capability of exhibiting your internal stress. Want your skin to feel less itchy? Look into deep breathing, meditation, long walks, healing massage and facials to bring a little serenity to your day.
• Drink water!

Reiteration of the important stuff:

Dos: Directly following the sugar session, please be gentle with your skin and apply soothing products designed for sensitive skin (see Maximize Results: Products). In between sessions, keep in-growns to a minimum with consistent, gentle exfoliation 3-4 times per week. For best results, do not shave or use depilatories between appointments. And, always apply an effective SPF to sugared areas.

DON'Ts: Following sugaring --where the hair is removed from the root-- your skin will have open follicles that are susceptible to irritation. To prevent redness, in-grown hairs and other adverse reactions avoid the following:
touching your freshly sugared skin, wet suits, sand, hot tubs, working out, spinning, extreme hot/cold, sweat, heat, abrasions, sun exposure

Occasionally --typically following the 1st & 2nd treatments-- smallish white bumps may appear. This is a normal hystological reaction when hair is removed at the root; it's simply your body's natural, protective response to the newly opened follicles. Do NOT squeeze these bumps. Instead, apply a thin layer of Mud Puddle and let it set for 15-20 minutes. Rinse gently with warm water and apply Phenomen-all. The bumps will go away on their own within 1-2 days.

The keys to successful hair removal are consistency, exfoliation & hydration. Improving the condition of your skin will absolutely improve the results of hair removal.


If this is your first experience with either hair removal or sugaring, I recommend these links:
sugaring: the need-to-know stuff
Maximize Results: Pre-Sugaring
Maximize Results: Depilar
Maximize Results: Products


Ready to give your skin a sweet treat?
Simply book online, email or call me at kenya [at] bewellgroomed.com / (310) 866-0928

Maximize Results: Pre-Sugaring

So. You have finally decided to try removing hair from the nether regions ... maybe for the first time or perhaps the first time in a very long while. Here are a few pointers to get you ready and to ensure that you have the superb experience you're looking for.

If you've been consistent about depleting hair by the root, buy yourself a congratulatory glass of champagne for good behavior and know that some of these tips may not apply to you, even if you've not sugared before.

The keys to successful hair removal are consistency, exfoliation & hydration. Improving the condition of your skin will absolutely improve the results of hair removal.

1. Schedule your sugar appointment for a time that is convenient for you, when you can relax a bit before and after.

2. Three days prior (but not the day of your appointment), gently exfoliate the to-be-sugared region. Physical exfoliation via sugar scrubs and nylon loofahs works, but I prefer salicylic acid (I have a fabulous one!). If there is a chance you're pregnant, don't use salicylic and stick with a mild scrub.

3. If you've been shaving, you will need at least two weeks growth (yes, you can sugar earlier than with traditional wax). And, unfortunately, the first time after shaving is the least fun. You'll most likely be a bit stubbly following the sugaring and the hair will seem to return more quickly. It takes just three consistent sugar experiences to overcome the coarse hair and follicle damage of shaving.

4. On the day of your professional body sugaring, get excited; you're about to start a very hair-free part of your life! Either wear or throw into your bag some loose, comfy pants or a skirt. Make sure your skivvies aren't too tight or made of scratchy fabric. You might consider taking an anti-histamine (similar to Benedryl) or a pain reliever (such as Tylenol) that works for you. Also, limit caffiene and alcohol consumption; you don't need the additional stimulation or vasodilation for this event!

5. Mindful Magic: before you walk into Studio 41, remind yourself that this is going to be quick, you're going to love the results. Take a deep breath and set your sights on an easy, breezy event (it will be so!).

6. Prior to sugaring or immediately following your session, purchase some soothing, feel good body products. I recommend Phenomen-all immediately after sugaring along with Salt Spring, Mud Puddle & Flora-Flo for at-home care (check out more on these products {here}).

That's pretty much it! Please hop over to Maximize Results: Post-Sugaring for at-home care. Or, email or call me ... and, know this: I will take very good care of your skin and you will love the results!

Contraindications
While professional body sugaring provides superb results on all genders as well as all skin & hair types, there are a few situations when sugaring cannot be done:

• Accutane: complete final phase at least 6 months before sugaring
• Retin-A, Renova, Tazarac, Differin: discontinue use at least 3 months before sugaring
• others include: Lupus, current sunburn, or severe skin rash

If this is your first experience with either hair removal or sugaring, I recommend these links:
sugaring: the need-to-know stuff
Maximize Results: Products
Maximize Results: Post-Sugaring
Maximize Results: Depilar

Ready to give your skin a sweet treat?
Simply book online, email or call me at kenya [at] bewellgroomed.com / (310) 866-0928

be well {groomed!}'s favorite things: