Iceland’s Blue Lagoon

The Famous Blue Lagoon of Iceland

There is something special about the entire country of Iceland and more so of the famous Blue Lagoon, a UNESCO Geopark.  Located near the main airport of Keflavik, the Blue Lagoon covers an area of 8700 square meters.  In a country full of mountains, volcanoes, islets, waterfalls and hot springs, there is so much to see.  The highlight for anyone looking for pampering and rejuvenation however, is the Spa at the Blue Lagoon.

Photo Courtesy of Sun City Group

The most accessible experience is a partial day pass.  Everything in Iceland, and the spa is no exception, is expensive.  For $65 USD you gain access and get a locker, a towel, a silica mud mask and a beverage.  Although it may not sound like you are getting much, you definitely are.  Access means getting into the large geothermal seawater pool rich with minerals, silica and algae.  There is an in water silica bar for masks, in water beverage bar, sauna and steam, and café.   The temperature of the water is sublime, keeping you warm despite the cold air around you. Coupled with the minerals, a soak in the warm lagoon will leave your muscles and entire body relaxed allowing the stress of travel or work to float away. 

Photo Courtesy by CNN Travel

The silica mud mask does wonders for your skin leaving you feeling soft and supple.  There are even some laughs as the mask requires 5-10 minutes on and cakes into a white covering on your face.  Embrace it and share a chuckle with family or strangers as you wade through a steamy lagoon with a large group of zombies or tribal facepainting warriors around you.

Photo Courtesy of Blogarama

Extremely popular, the Blue Lagoon can get quite busy but there are options for those looking to have more privacy.  4 hour entry into the Retreat Spa and Blue Lagoon that includes private changing rooms, the Blue Lagoon Ritual, and skin care amenities costs $265 USD.  This is true luxury and tranquility.  There is a lava cove for indulging in water treatments where you float while receiving a massage that is deep, relaxing and uses Blue Lagoon mineral massage oil.  When finished it is hard to imagine ever feeling stress again.   Take home a souvenir from their skin care products to keep you looking great and dreaming of when you can return to Iceland.

Photo Courtesy of Choice and Truth

This year the Retreat at Blue Lagoon opened featuring a subterranean spa, geothermal lagoon, a restaurant reimagining Icelandic culinary traditions, and a 62-suite hotel surrounded by the geothermal waters.  Anyone looking for a getaway from the mundane can put the Retreat at Blue Lagoon on their bucket list as a marvelous treat for themselves. 

Photo Courtesy of Homesthetics

The Future of Exercise

Is it possible to capture the magic, motivation, hype, and the other nuances of a talented trainer at a “real-life” studio group fitness sweat sesh session…electronically?

Top-name fitness gurus and spin-and-stream e-commerce industry innovators like Peloton, Equinox and Amazon are striving to do just that.

 

 

Tech-enhanced home fitness emerging e-brands include many options. Vi was the first to market a voice-activated, AI personal trainer that coaches and motivates runners through bio-sensing headphones. Studio Tone It Up’s app offers digital group fitness classes. Aaptiv puts together trainer-led, music-driven audio workouts. Specialized ballet-inspired workouts are available by LEKFit and similarly, BariStudio provides dance, trampoline and toning sessions.

 

Suggests Peloton’s CEO John Foley, “If the instructor is better, if the hardware is better, if the software is better, if the location is better, and if the value is better…why would you travel outside the home?” Peloton’s indoor cycling bike includes live-streamed and archived workouts.

 

 

E-commerce forecasters predict a billion dollar industry of digital fitness innovations will soon be an integral role in the homes of exercise aficionados worldwide.

Sensory Deprivation Therapy

Trending in Wellness: Sensory Deprivation Therapy

Although sensory deprivation therapy sounds like medieval torture, studies of the therapy began in the 50s and gained popularity in the 70s. The therapy has been refined and reintroduced to the public recently as a sound way to relax, renew, and invigorate mind and body, with luxury spas adding sensory deprivation pods everywhere.

The therapy consists of being insulated from sensory stimulation by floating in a tank or pod filled with body temperature water and a high content of Epsom salt allowing anyone to float effortlessly.

Though many people at first experience claustrophobia, the health benefits claimed by people who practice floating include: improving sleep, treating fibromyalgia, and reducing stress, anxiety, and pain, among others.

Celebrities who practice sensory deprivation include many professional athletes, artists, musicians and actors including: John Lennon, Olympic gold-medalist, Carl Lewis, NFL’s Julian Edelman, model Elle Macpherson, actors Jeff Bridges, Burgess Meredith, William Hurt, and Kirk Douglas to name a few.

Sake Bath

You needn’t travel to a ryokan in Japan to experience of the most decadent and healthful new beauty practices of the celebrities. Not anymore. Spas that offer the infinite benefits of Sake Spa Baths are popping up everywhere. Hillary Duff recently treated herself to a sake bath spa weekend, and New York Knicks forward Amar’e Stoudemire is bathing in merlots and cabernets, a similar concept with good results.


These restorative sake bath soaks are popping up in ultra-luxe spas everywhere in the world, and there are even recipes online to DIY your own, but you really MUST experience this in a spa. Exquisite ambiance, complete relaxation, connection with the earth, water, the tranquilo… this is all experienced in your body, but it is your mind that finally quiets for that rapturous moment in time and reaps all the benefits of calm and peace.


In places of the world where whitened and lightened skin have been prized for centuries, as in Japan (meaning only that you don’t do outdoor labor), Sake and Koji are coveted for their many substances that inhibit melanin (the darkening agent in your skin). Sake contains antioxidants called Ferulic acids, possibly having an anti-ageing effect. Ferulic acids in Sake are a powerful UV light absorber, which is the arch nemesis of sun spots, age spots and freckles! It’s common knowledge that in Japan, Sake brewery workers have lovely, smooth, white hands.

Sake, as compared to other adult beverages, has much more moisturizing elements like glycerol, gricerine, (a different glycerol), and those all-important amino acids, that the Merlot baths are being overtaken by the premium sake. It’s going to moisturize your skin like you’ve never experienced. These important ingredients powerfully prevent moisture from evaporating from your skin. A study has found that skin is more moist and retains moisture longer when people have had a Sake Spa Bath than when they have had a normal bath for 5 minutes.

If you somehow aren’t yet convinced, consider that for centuries, geisha ritual would include the use of sake on their skin prior to applying their makeup. And now Sephora even sells a product called “Sake Bath.”

A Sweet St. Lucia Spa at Sugar Beach

The first things you will notice as you arrive to this tropical spa are the breathtaking surroundings of the Piton mountain. The natural energy is both vibrant yet calming. As if this were not enough, the tree house treatment rooms transport you into a relaxing environment with lush vegetation and the soothing sounds of a nearby stream for your spa experience.

Designed to nourish both the outside as well as the inside of your body, all-natural treatment rituals are chemical free and take advantage of the healing powers of local ingredients and wisdom. Whether it is coconut, banana, aloe vera or cocoa butter, you are sure to be surprised at how good a natural rejuvenation or cleansing can be.


Integrating the native habitat to its fullest, the steamroom is heated by volcanic spring water. The hot stone massage uses local volcanic rocks to melt away tension in the body. There is a relaxation pavillion. Why? One can never have too many beautiful options to relax in.

Highly recommended is the Chocolate Scrub which features Dead Sea salts, essential oils and 100% cocoa. This body polish and massage is a luxurious sensory experience that will leave your skin feeling well hydrated, remineralized and leave you with the sumptious aroma of chocolate following you for hours.

If you like exercise be sure to take advantage of the activities offered such as yoga and Pilates. For the more adventurous there are a whole host of water activities sure to delight you. Windsurfing, sailing, kayaking, hobiecats and pedalos are all available. The Caribbean sun is quite strong so take care to lather up in sunscreen, environmentally friendly sunscreen if possible, as there is a reef nearby to snorkel in.


The Sun Soother wrap will take care of you and your skin after a full day of sun. They use a blend of aloe, oatmeal and lavender in the wrap to reduce the consequences of over-exposure to the sun. The scalp massage included will take you to another world of bliss while your skin is recovering.


See why Sugar Beach was on Conde Naste’s 2017 Reader’s Choice list of Top Resorts in the Caribbean.

Trending Beauty for Summer 2018

The Hottest Beauty Trends for Summer 2018

Chanel’s Le Vernis for Summer

Chanel’s Iconic nail polish in creamy pink, aquatic green, luminous yellow and volcanic orange. chanel.com

Dior Addict Lacquer Plump

Dior’s newest lipstick bridges the gap between skin care and makeup. dior.com

Vivid Brights Liners by NYX 

Nine bright shades for intense color payoff. nyxcosmetics.com

Loose Glitter

Sparkle and glamour with H&M’s finely milled Mirror Ball glitter. hm.com

Long Wear Luminous Eyeshadow 

Chanel’s intensely shimmering eye shadow can also be worn as eyeliner.  chanel.com

 

Armani’s Lip Maestro Drama

Six new shades inspired by Italian Opera. Lip stain with a velvety texture and a luminous matte finish. armani.com

Clé de Peau Luminizing Face Enhancer

An exquisite highlighting powder that uses light-diffusing technology to define contours and illuminate complexions. cledepeaubeaute.com

Cream Blush

A luxuriously moisturizing cream blush with Argan Oil that leaves cheeks beautifully flush with a touch of sheer luminous color. cledepeaubeaute.com

 

 

Top Wellness Influencers on Instagram

Instagram’s Top Wellness Influencers

From fitness inspiration and healthy eating to yoga retreats and self care, these wellness warriors deliver motivation to their many followers through their well-curated Instagram feeds.

Remi Ishizuka

As a top health & wellness influencer, Global Adidas ambassador and source of lively inspiration, Remi Ishizuka is a rising star in the fitness realm.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BjdQyOkHo-G/?hl=en&taken-by=rrayyme

Guru Jagat

Known for her Kundalini teachings and helping others find their spiritual awakenings, best-selling author and yogi Guru Jagat offers sought-after yoga experiences.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BjwzBXIlkCW/?taken-by=gurujagat

Lee Tilghman

One of the top wellness bloggers and influencers, Lee Tilghman inspires countless women with recipes, a holistic lifestyle and a focus on self care.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BiBDWxenDvb/?hl=en&taken-by=leefromamerica

Heather Lilleston

As the co-founder of New York’s beloved Yoga for Bad People, known for its lighthearted, fitness-focused yoga classes and exotic retreats, Heather Lilleston has developed a large, celebrity-filled following.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BdWF3wMhoqb/?hl=en&taken-by=heatherlilleston

 

Inside Miami’s Agua Spa at Delano South Beach

Nestled between Miami Beach’s Art Deco streets is Delano South Beach, a luxe revival of the Magic City’s most glitz and glam hotel. With renovations recently completed, Delano South Beach is launching a spa which takes the high life to new levels.

A retreat floating on the Penthouse floor, Agua Spa is serving locals and tourists exclusive amenities that are just as lush as the resort itself. Between products like Cinq Mondes and Kjaer Weiss, expect to experience a beauty ritual that’s all things world-class. We spent the day at Agua Spa to hear more about their new brands and what guests can enjoy at this opulent destination. Read on for more:

Kjaer Weis

If you’re looking for an eco-friendly makeover, than make Kjaer Weis your new go to beauty fix.

A “simple but not plain, beautiful but always genuine,” makeup line that’s leading the movement in sustainable and organic products, Kjaer Weis is health-conscious and made with Certified Natural or Certified Organic ingredients. And that’s not all–the packaging is sustainable too. Award-winning creative director Marc Atlan, built a metal compact that can be refilled with KW products, and are inscribed with white enamel “KW” logos. To the eye, these small compacts are actually similar to jewelry boxes – the perfect quintessential amalgamation of beauty and sustainability.

At Agua Spa at Delano South Beach, locals and tourists alike can indulge in this ultra-luxe, eco-friendly beauty line with a Kjaer Weis makeover, exclusive to this South Beach oasis. We recommend glossing your lips with their “treasure” lip gloss, a pale coral nude that will bring a soft, iridescent touch to your lips, just in time for summer. And if you really want those puckers to pop, then dip your lips in the Kjaer Weis lip paint, coined “Courage.”

Cinq Mondes

Representing five beauty rituals of the world, Cinq Mondes is bringing Miami beauty girls a line of unique products based on ancestral traditions from all corners of the globe.

Taking you on a sensorial voyage, you’ll be whisked off to one of five of Cinq Mondes’ mystical lands. It doesn’t end there–Cinq Mondes is adding even more countries for spa-goers to explore, including Indonesia, Thailand, Japan, China, Morocco, Egypt, Tunisia, Syria, Polynesia, India, and Brazil.

Ocean Blue World went to Agua Spa to check out the Cinq Mondes rituals, exclusively offered at Delano South Beach. And if you’re wondering where we were transported to, not to worry, we’ll fill you in now.

As if carried away to the island breezes of Indonesia and Thailand, the rituals of these countries are based on ancestral recipes, such as skin products that stimulate your complexion and purify your skin through tropical flowers and fruit extracts. We recommend using the Flowers Cleansing Mousse and Phyto-Peeling Lotion during a 50-minute sensitive skin facial at Agua Spa. A deep cleansing and purifying skin booster, this restorative experience includes natural Balinese tropical flowers and fruit antioxidants to clarify and calm your skin. We guarantee that 50 minutes later, you’ll feel like a Balinese Princess in the Ancient Kingdom of Siam. And if you really want to join the Thailand A-List, ask for body scrubs too – made from papaya, spices, and herbs – which will exfoliate, tone muscles, and relieve aching joints.

 

Find Luxurious Renewal at the Five-Star Luna y Mar Spa and Waldorf Astoria Los Cabos Pedregal

As part of the prestigious Forbes Travel Guide’s 2018 awards, honoring the world’s best hotels, restaurants, and spas, Waldorf Astoria Los Cabos Pedregal and the Luna y Mar spa both received an esteemed five-star rating.

Nestled inside of Waldorf Astoria Los Cabos Pedregal, Luna y Mar spa is a tranquil retreat. While also conveniently located within walking distance of Cabo San Lucas’ vibrant downtown, the atmosphere of the peaceful resort and spa is truly a serene haven.

Inspired by the lunar phases, the sea and authentic Mexican folk healing, Luna y Mar offers a multitude of rejuvenating, organic treatments in private spa rooms.

 Signature treatments feature the best of nature with The Organic Pharmacy, the first and only pharmacy in the world dedicated to health and beauty using 100% natural products and treatments. Each of these treatments is dedicated to a particular lunar phase and the synergy and attraction the moon represents.

Experience the natural healing culture of Baja with steam rooms, saunas, whirlpools and a salt-water meditation pool, as well as aquatic treatments and indigenous healing rituals.

Dedicated to inspiring a sense of renewal, the Resort’s wellness and fitness amenities provide endless experiences to look and feel your best.  From yoga and Pilates, to TRX training and tennis on Laykold? courts overlooking the marina and Sea of Cortez, the Resort offers services to fully optimize health and well-being.

As the second consecutive year appearing on the Forbes Travel Guide, among only 199 other hotels to earn a five-star rating in the world, Luna y Mar is the only spa in Cabo and the second in Mexico to achieve this prestigious recognition.

Experience decadent pampering and renewal at the Five-Star Luna y Mar spa and Waldorf Astoria Los Cabos Pedregal in Cabo San Lucas.

Stop Age in its Tracks with these Anti-Aging Essentials

Uncover fresh, youthful skin with sumptuous creams and serums, from sophisticated Italian shaving creams to luxe skin care formulated with caviar extract. You deserve it!

Perricone MD Blue Plasma

Designed to reveal luminous, younger-looking skin, top skincare brand Perricone MD’s Blue Plasma hydrates while smoothing the skin. This no-rinse serum uses Bio-specific Peeling Technology and Micro-Extraction to target and eliminate dead skin cells, while rebalancing the complexion. 

Kiehl’s Age Defender Power Serum

 

Formulated with Cypress Extract, this ultra-lightweight “age defender” by Kiehl’s strengthens and visibly lifts skin. This anti-wrinkle treatment for men

easily absorbs and helps to firm sagging skin, and reduce the appearance of wrinkles for a more youthful, resilient appearance.

Sachajuan Thickening Shampoo

Swedish brand Sachajuan’s cult products are formulated with Ocean Silk and Thickening Technology, which gives the hair smooth volume, as well as a vibrant head of hair. With a following of models, celebrities and influencers, healthier and shinier hair is within reach.

Giorgio Armani Crema Nera Supreme Reviving Cream

Infused with one of the most potent regeneration plats, Giorgio Armani’s Crema Nera Extrema is an iconic, supreme face cream, and well worth the cost. Prized for its healing and medicinal powers, an extract from the Reviscentalis plant works to uncover radiant skin and a more youthful appearance.

Acqua di Parma Shaving Cream 

Developed for the sophisticated man who takes his personal care and wellbeing very seriously, Acqua di Parma’s Collezione Barbiere Shaving Cream embodies the timeless ritual of shaving. With an all-Italian taste and impeccable results, this cream ensures a delicate yet accurate shave.

 

Charlotte Tilbury Magic Cream Treat & Transform Moisturizer

 

After working as a world-renowned makeup artist for celebrities, Fashion Week and magazine cover shoots, Charlotte Tilbury understands the mysteries of makeup. Charlotte’s Magic Cream contains her secret mix of patented anti-aging, hydrating and youth-promoting ingredients that lift and transform tired skin in an instant.

La Prairie Skin Caviar Luxe Cream 

Luxuriously infused with caviar extract, this lavish cream by La Prairie in Switzerland is legendary. The lifting and firming phenomenon of the caviar extract helps support natural contours, profoundly improving the appearance of skin’s elasticity and tone.

Top High-Tech Workout Equipment For Your Summer Beach Body

High-Tech Fitness Gear for Summer 2018

Looking for extra workout motivation? These innovative, high-tech workout gear will step up your fitness game, and help reach your health goals (plus enhance your beach body for the summer!)

Photo Courtesy of Peloton.

The Peloton Tread

Only four years after launching the live studio cycling Peloton Bike, the cult fitness brand has launched the Peloton Tread, which features live training by top NYC instructors for total body training.

Photo Courtesy of Bose.

Bose SoundSport Wireless Headphones

With an unmatched combination of comfort and stability, along with superior audio capabilities, the highly-rated Bose SoundSport Wireless  is the workout partner you can rely on.

Photo Courtesy of Skulpt.

Skulpt Scanner

Offering an in-depth body fat and muscle analysis with a simple scanner and app, the raved-about Skulpt Scanner provides vital information needed to perform better, eliminate muscle weaknesses and imbalances, and reduce the risk of injury.

Photo Courtesy of Halo Neuroscience Sport.

Halo Neuroscience Sport

Designed to strengthen the connection between your brain and your muscles, electrical signals are sent into the motor cortex through the Halo Neuroscience Sport headset, helping to learn movements faster and make reps more efficient.

Photo Courtesy of Under Armour.

Under Armour HOVR Smart Shoes

Under Armour has taken the fitness tracker off the wrist and put it in their high-tech running shoes, providing key performance data including stride length and cadence.

Photo Courtesy of Black Box VR.

Black Box VR

Voted the Best Startup at CES, Black Box VR is the world’s first full-fitness virtual reality gym experience, pairing high intensity training with immersive video game-like simulations for a revolutionary workout.

Help Save The Ocean with these Fashion and Beauty Brands

Save The Ocean with these Eco-Friendly Brands

It’s #EarthDay everyday with these eco fashion and beauty brands.

La Mer

Through the La Mer Blue Heart Oceans Fund, La Mer puts a focus on protecting ocean habitats by expanding Marine Protected Areas and empowering ongoing ocean conservation projects around the globe.

Girlfriend Collective

Saving the ocean has never looked so good, with each pair of the Girlfriend Collective’s certified Fair Trade leggings made from 25 recycled plastic bottles, the perfect eco-friendly option to add to your workout gear.

Daniel Glass

Besides offering a chic way to stay hydrated, the Daniel Glass bottles are an eco-friendly alternative to a plastic water bottle, plus 10% of proceeds go towards charities that help clean and preserve the oceans of the world.

Outerknown

Outerknown has taken ocean conservation to a new level with stylish menswear made from reclaimed fishing nets that are transformed into 100% recycled nylon, saving the ocean from waste.

Stella McCartney x Parley For the Oceans

Made from recycled plastic, this fashionable collab with sustainable and luxurious Stella McCartney sends 100% of the proceeds of this backpack towards ocean conservation organization Sea Shepherd, in support of their mission to protect all marine wildlife and the oceans.

Carl F. Bucherer

Through the Manta Trust, Swiss watchmaker Carl F. Bucherer supports research and preservation of the endangered manta ray, with the symbol of this commitment seen by two manta rays engraved on the back of the PATRAVI ScubaTec diver’s watch.

SANDCLOUD

Hand-loomed in Turkey using 100% Turkish cotton, Sandcloud’s sand-resistant towels impress on the beach, as well as donate 10% of profits to preserve marine life.

 

 

Norton Point

With a goal to promote global clean up efforts and make sustainable sunglasses, Norton Point helps to create cleaner oceans by recovering ocean plastic and turning it into high-end sunglasses.

Selfridges

In the eighth year of Project Ocean, Selfridges continues to support and promote initiatives to help protect the world’s oceans, including the #OneLess campaign of ridding of all single-use plastic water bottles.

Patagonia Surf

Eco-friendly Patagonia delivers premium, Fair Trade certified surf wear, with a focus on preserving the ocean by using recycled materials, including recycled bottles and fishing nets.

 


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