sparoundtheworld-blog

[sparoundtheworld-blog]

Wellness around the world

When the book ‘Eat, Pray, Love’ came out it seemed obvious why it was so successful.  As an ambitious and driven woman yearning to find her career passion alongside a big, adventurous balanced life, this book hit home and I don’t think I was alone. Most of my close friends and colleagues dreamed of doing or being more too.  

The truth is, the search for whatever “more” was to me, started decades earlier. Growing up in a small southern town, I was the slightly unique girl that managed to float relatively easily between the different cliques and social norms in my environment. I enjoyed and got along with almost everyone.  All the while, I felt I was destined for a faster paced, more exciting (in my naïve eyes) big city.  

Having been absolutely unable to stop singing and dancing as well as being crystal clear that I was meant to be a big Broadway star (who then went on to direct blockbuster movie musicals), I pursued my dreams with fearlessness and gusto!   If I wanted to do an improvised dance piece for an audience, I just did it, if I wanted to choreograph the big tap number for the kid’s theatre group, I naturally took charge and made it happen.  I started the dance team in my high school when there wasn’t one and I didn’t think twice about doing it, I simply made it happen.

When I decided to quit being a professional singer and actress and commit to being a spa manager, I felt as if I went through a break up. I was heartbroken that the industry I had loved my whole life was not the dream I’d thought it could be.  I was talented enough to work relatively consistently, yet I rarely felt authentic and was always searching for my own voice.  I performed on cruise ships, did a lot of regional and off-Broadway theatre, was in a few bands and I sang on tour in a Broadway show all over the world and worked with and performed with legendary icons. At auditions, I tried subconsciously to be what I thought the casting directors were looking for in hopes of landing the job.  Ultimately, I became disillusioned and that’s when I discovered I was good at something else…. (sound the trumpets) Customer service.

I enjoyed my ‘survival’ job as we called them then, of being a receptionist in a busy NYC spa.  I loved talking about products and interacting with guests.  I quickly moved up and it felt very natural to grow in this new environment.  I used my acting skills along the way when needed but for the most part, I truly liked being part of a company, participating in the growth of a brand and ultimately discovering that leadership was in my blood.

Cut to almost 15 years in the spa and wellness industry and I’m on a beach in Costa Rica having just booked my ticket only a few days earlier.  What was my purpose?  I had grown to not only love this industry but adore and admire the people I connected with along the way.  It was so much fun to be an equal and smart businessperson alongside these other smart, driven people sharing ideas, best practices and even antidotes of our crazier moments. It was inspiring to move up and become part of a huge corporation with a strong vision that I got to be help facilitate. I felt proud to represent the companies and brands I worked for.  So how come I felt burned out and unfulfilled?

Standing on the beach with my toes in the sand, I promised myself I’d make my mark on the world and do something awesome.  Now as I approach middle age (gasp), what happened to that fearless young girl whose world revolved around the magic of theatre?  Surely I have not reached my full potential.

After my own personal ‘Eat Pray Love’ trip involving a few weeks in St. Thomas BVI, a week alone learning to surf in Costa Rica and a week with business colleagues learning to ski in Steamboat Springs CO, I made a big move. Still trying to find my way, I accepted a new, bigger job that I had hoped would be my dream job in a new city. Sadly it wasn’t, and even though I didn’t know what I was going to do next at the time, I knew it was time to seriously reevaluate.  

Then, my father died suddenly.  Let me tell you, when you quit your big fat job, leave your friends and home across the country and then your biggest supporter and constant ear is gone…. The world is a totally new and different place.  So here I am sitting at my mother’s kitchen table watching endless webinars, reading multiple self-help books and trolling LinkedIn for some sort of inspiration.  

WHAT am I yearning to do? As most good slightly controlling driven people do, I wrote a list.

1.       Travel – I have inherited my father’s wanderlust and absolutely LOVE to explore and visit pretty much anywhere.

2.       Wellness or balance – I’ve lost my way and am not in my best shape physically or probably mentally so this is also a personal quest.

3.       Products – I love love love products and have rarely met one I didn’t like. Drug stores are like candy stores to me and a sparkly Sephora or well-appointed spa is my crack.

4.       Leading a team – being part of a bigger picture and leading a team feeds my soul.  The best compliment I have ever received was from a former assistant who said my development of her propelled her career and that I’d made a positive impact on her.

5.       Genuinely helping and caring – big and small scale.  Being even the tiniest part of someone’s experience that they will cherish is an amazing gift.  Heck I grew up going to Disney world, I will always believe in magic, it’s in my DNA.

6.       The Spa and Wellness industry in general – I did not grow up going to a spa so when I did start working in one it was a whole new exciting world!  That feeling has never worn off as I see trends change and evolve and provide help, healing, and relaxation for people.  

7.       Looking and Feeling great- this one is tough because I rarely feel like I look or feel my best but I strive for it.  Getting a treatment or even better, creating a treatment with therapists/estheticians is fantastic. Everyone should get a massage and a facial often. Seriously.  

8.       Alternative healing and beauty- this is vague passion but I’ll sum it up: I like it all. Cranioscral, Reiki, acupuncture, Yoga….you name it I am down for it.

9.       Medical spa services – I know, it’s a contradiction but not to me. I’m an equal opportunist, I believe in Natural and organic products for some things and believe in science for others.  Plus, being in this industry I’m a little vain and am not above a little botox to remove the angry eleven from my forehead.

10.   Travel – yup, it shows up again and again. I’m not sure if this means I travel on my own or being a guest at some of the world’s beautiful spas and wellness centers. I’d hoped that my previous “dream job” would take me all over the world but alas, it is up to me at this point to make my global dreams come true.

Having made this list, I realize I’d like to combine all of these but how?  This my friends is the moment of inspiration…… I will go in search of wellness around the globe and share it with you.  I’ll document my journey with blog posts and videos.  Having been previously sidelined with obstacles, many self-imposed, I now rally my inner strength. I hear my Dad’s voice in my head saying, “you got this Jilly” and I slap on some sunscreen and go.  

[sparoundtheworld-blog]

Pomegranates... Persians know things In this chaotic time in our history I was thinking about my friends from Iraq, Syria, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen (whether I know you or not, you are my friend) and figured this is a good time to post some Persian wisdom about our skin health. The pomegranate is said to have originated in Iran and parts of India. Ancient cultures regard the delicious fruit as a symbol of prosperity. If you search about the symbolism and significance of this amazing gem of a fruit you will find ties to every civilization and it’s importance. So to honor our Persian sisters and brothers I present to you 5 effects the powerful Pom can have on your skin! 1. Strong cell regeneration both on the surface of the skin and in the deeper layers of the dermis. Studies have shown how the combination of the pomegranates super strong photochemicals, nutrients and fatty acids stimulate cell turnover which is what keeps us young! 
2. Poms have a unique enzyme that inhibits the breakdown of collagen and at the same time increases the longevity of the fiber blasts which ultimately improves the skins elasticity. What this means is the molecules in Pomegranates are like little ninjas that protect the net’ of fibers in your skin to keep it from sagging. Due to the small molecular structure of these ingredients, they can penetrate to the levels where they can do the most good. 
3. One Pomegranate contains 48% of the recommended dose of daily vitamin C so you can understand how high the level of antioxidants are. When this is in your face cream, you’ve boosted your skins army agains sun damage and aging dramatically. 
4. These same anti-oxidants combined with the Omega 5 acids in pomegranates provide major anti-inflammatory effects. (That’s why the juice is so good for a hangover!) 
5. Moisture- the strong fatty acids combined with the delivery system of these nutrients deeply penetrate your skin and provide tons of moisture from the inside. Drink the juice, put the seeds on your salad or just snack on this super fruit for excellent health benefits. Find some great products containing Pomegranate for your skins health (PM me for some suggestions) and welcome home our people.

[sparoundtheworld-blog]

Natural, organic, science...ahhh!!!

[sparoundtheworld-blog]

This is a very natural product can you believe it!

Organic, natural, science ahhh!

There’s so much confusion with all the labeling these days! First off, natural on a label pretty much means nothing. Just because there is a green leaf on the package doesn’t mean anything. Organic must be certified and its costly to get that certification so it’s usually more expensive. So how do you know? Read the ingredients and google what sounds like a science project. There are websites out there that can help you determine how dangerous a product is such as safecosmetics.org and my old favorite ewg.org/skindeep. But like many things on the Internet, don’t let this scare you.

Most natural ingredients have scientific names too and skincare companies are catching on and putting the natural or in nature word in parenthesis next to the sciencey one. Example alpha-tocopherol is good ole vitamin E. Like the squishy capsules we all know. Simmondsia chinensis… Anyone have a guess? Jojoba oil.

Most big skincare companies are or have phased out parabens (always end with paraben ie methylparaben, butylparaben) which are the dangerous preservatives if the dose is too high. Though the amount you use is majorly minuscule, that still doesn’t mean much as we should try to limit our exposure to any of these nasty chemicals that can disrupt our endocrine systems. Once in a while, no big deal but consistent use has shown in studies some really bad reactions.

Many companies have been gearing towards genuinely natural ingredients for a while but sometimes science can be as or more effective, particularly when combined to boost the efficacy of natural ingredients. Think about it this way, putting coconut oil on your skin might feel nice and natural but it’s not really doing anything for you. The molecules are too big to be absorbed and it just sits on top creating a really nice barrier or maybe replenishing surface moisture. Put a skincare containing coconut oil and most likely the molecules have been modified to be small enough to get absorbed into your skin where the minerals and vitamins in the oil can work on cell turnover. Aha science ! Both have a place in your bathroom cabinet. You have to pay attention though, sometimes just because something is natural doesn’t mean it’s always good. Vitamin C is natural but some peoples’ skin reacts like crazy to it! Coffee (I love coffee) is natural, comes from a bean and grown in the ground right? Well after all the chemical processing plus the caffeine… not always good for everyone.

This is something I’m really passionate about so I’ll post more on this topic. Coming soon- how to read ingredients on labels. What to look for and what to avoid.

[sparoundtheworld-blog]

recurrent breakouts on cheeks or temples?

So my gorgeous niece texted me today asking what to do about redness and breakouts on her cheeks. I know she’s really into makeup these days so I suggested a few things to help.  

1. Wash your make up brushes - for her it was easy enough to tell her to swirl them in diluted baby shampoo and rinse well, dry up in a cup. I like to do the troll twist on them to get the air through the bristles. 

2. change your pillowcase frequently - if you notice a lot of oil and acne, change it every day, if not less often. 

3. use antibacterial wipes on your phone - daily 

4. Don’t scrub too hard ( I mean she is only 13) and pat your cheeks dry 

5. Change the towel (or even use a fresh paper one) you use to wash your face with often. Use a separate towel for your face than the same one everyone uses in the bathroom for their hands.  You don’t wan all those germs from everyone’s hands on your face. 

6. we all get the same info from commercials and magazine: wash gently at night, use a moisturizer blah blah blah but do yourself a favor, ask people who know about skin care!  They are passionate and love to talk about products and give advice.  Ask at your local beauty counter, a spa or even the drugstore these days. You are not obligated to buy a product but if you are open to listening you might get some great tips.