I Am...Kessa Thea

I did my first ever full body wax almost one month ago and I am happyto report that it went well and no untoward health condition happened(no ingrown hair, no infection). I enlisted the services of Lay BareSalon in Filmore Makati by scheduling an appointment online (veryconvenient). I called a day before the session to confirm if my name isin the list and sure it was, I was slated for the 9AM slot on June 11.I went there ready, took a pain pill and exfoliated in the shower. Ihad mixed thoughts while on my way as it was the first time that I'llbe waxed using cold sugar. I have body parts waxed before and thesalons (Marionnaud, Dashing Diva, Brazilian Bare) I go to all use hotwax. Going back to the story, I think I was very time conscious or mywatch is just way advanced because I arrived a little earlier than myappointment so the salon was still closed. I waited a good deal ofabout fifteen minutes.

As I was getting a full body wax, I was asked to change into a beribboned dress that resembled a hospital gown. The attendant was very chatty and she kept me relaxed during the process. She first checked the length of hair and then liberally pour talcum powder on the spots. She did my legs first, then arms, face, chest, back and the "vajayjay" area. Lay Bare Salon uses cold sugar wax only, no more dipping and stripping. They package the wax in little plastic cups. If I'm not mistaken, the attendant used about 6-7 of those little containers for the whole process on me. I can't say the entire process was painless but it was definitely a good experience. The attendant made sure that antibacterial cream was applied on sensitive parts of the body, especially the lip and eye area. I felt a little sting that lasted for about an hour after everything was done. The entire waxing job was done after almost three hours. I was red in some spots especially the eyebrows because of the threading and the area between the nose and the upper lip. It was a pain anyone could muster I guess. It was nothing extraordinary. I'm thinking maybe because waxing isn't something new to me anymore. But well and good, I survived it and lived to tell the story. The full body wax costs Php1500 but they gave me a birthday month discount of 15% (I gave the attendant the discount as tip). I walked out of the salon with some little stings on some body parts and a reminder to not wet any body part for the next 6-8 hours.

Would I recommend Lay Bare Salon to my friends? I say YES. Why? Because the job was thorough, the attendant was professional and she was very funny too (we talked a lot during the session but I forgot her name sorry) and to top it all the cold sugar is way better than hot wax as the pain was more tolerable/bearable. I'm a convert!

They now have 14 branches: Filmore - 8337915, Ybardolaza - 4160998, Aguirre - 4667865, Buendia - 8402571, Abad Santos - 7447129, Congressional - 9205794, Katipunan - 4736864, Banawe - 7404031, Fairview - 4183606, Don Antonio -4289477, Libis - 7091915, las Pinas - 9947191, Bicutan - 7765945, Bacolod - 7090695.

NOTE: As cold sugar was used (lemon/calamansi juice, sugar and water), I think the proper way to call the procedure is sugaring. Hmmmm, let's just call it waxing for now...

Being sick is no fun and so I have made a little effort to do a little research and share to everyone some cool new things that we should all keep in mind all the time. After all, an ounce of prevention is always better than a pound of cure.

1. NAIL THE RIGHT DOSE. Unlike your bank account balance, more isn't better when it comes to supplements. For example, too much Vitamin A can cause liver damage and birth defects, an excess of Vitamin B6 can cause nerve damage, and a surplus of Vitamin C is linked to diarrhea and kidney stones (WH).

2. SMACKER TIPS. Here's a simple guide to kissable mouth in 10 minutes. Take a warm washcloth and press it against your mouth for a full minute to saturate lips before you exfoliate. Once a week, squeeze a pea-sized amount of lip palm (ointment form) into your hand and combine it with an equal amount of granulated sugar. With a clean finger, scrub the mixture onto your lips, using a circular motion, for one minute. The sugar is therapeutic and removes dry skin, while the ointment protects and relieves pain associated with cracking. To amp hydration, apply heavy emollients to create a watertight seal on the lips' surface (this is preferably done at night). Make sure to never forget to wear sunscreen on your lips. Smooth on color. To make your color last, follow up by pressing a tissue over your lips and patting on translucent powder. A tiny amount of powder will filter through the tissue, sealing in the color (WH).

3. LONGER LASHES? USE PRESCRIPTION EYELASH TREATMENT. This year Allergan will release Latisse, the first FDA-approved prescription eyelash that lenghthens, thickens, and darkens the fringe. The active ingredient, bimatoprost, comes in a formula you sweep across your lash line. It was discovered accidentally in 2001 when users of the company's glaucoma drug, Lumigan, noticed that their lashes got thicker and more pronounced. Ask your dermatologists for a prescription; a one-month supply is about $120 (WH).

4. BEST FOOD: AVOCADO. The cholesterol-lowering monounsaturated fat in these green health bombs can help keep your body strong and pain free. University of Buffalo researchers found that competitive women runners who ate less than 20 percent fat were more likely to suffer injuries than those who consumed at least 31 percent. Peter J. Horvath, Ph.D., a professor at the university, speculates that the problem is linked to extreme low-fat diets, which weaken muscles and joints. "A few slices of avocado a day are a great way to boost fat for women who are fat shy," says Leslie Bonci, R.D., director of sports nutrition at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (WH).

5. MYTH: Sleep is needed for your brain to rest. TRUTH: Sleep is definitely needed--but it's not your brain that needs to rest, it's your body. Your brain is still working when you're asleep, controlling bodily functions like breathing (WH).

6. SHAVING: It's the neverending chore. According to a recent survey conducted by the online ­polling company Zoomerang, 96 percent of American women shave their legs, armpits, and bikini line at least once a week. You'd think that after all these years we'd have the job mastered, but ingrown hairs and irritation still happen. "When ­shaving your underarms and bikini line, start in the direction the hair grows," says Myriam Zaoui, co-­author of The Art of Shaving. "Rinse, relather, then shave against the direction of hair growth (WH)."

7. THE ADVICE: Chug eight glasses of water a day. WHY IT'S USELESS: Peeing every 20 minutes seriously interferes with life. THE REAL DEAL: Believe it or not, the eight-glass quota isn't etched in stone. Yes, we need to be well-hydrated, but if your urine is clear or close to it, you're probably getting enough fluids. If your No. 1 is neon yellow, lighten things up by adding one or two glasses a day. Once your body adjusts to getting more fluid (and you don't have to run to the can every 10 minutes), add another, says Karen Benzinger, R.D., a dietary consultant in Chicago who specializes in health care. And don't forget that all liquids--including tea, juice, even the tonic in your vodka drink--help keep your body sufficiently saturated (WH).

8. IF YOU HAVE: Heavy or painful periods. TRY THIS: Seasonale, Seasonique, or Lybrel. WHY IT'S BEST: All oral contraceptives can help lighten your flow, but extended-cycle pills can significantly reduce or even end painful bleeding by slashing the number of periods you get per year—just four with Seasonale and Seasonique, and zero with Lybrel (WH).

9. IF YOU HAVE: Persistent acne. TRY THIS: Ortho Tri-Cyclen. WHY IT'S BEST: All women produce some testosterone, which can increase oil production and bring on breakouts. Ortho Tri-Cyclen contains the skin-friendly hormone norgestimate, which helps decrease your body's testosterone levels (WH).

10. Eat (a good) breakfast Every. Single. Day. If you don't, your body goes into starvation mode (it's paranoid like that), so your metabolism slows to a crawl to conserve energy, Berardi says. And the heartier your first meal is, the better. In one study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, volunteers who got 22 to 55 percent of their total calories at breakfast gained only 1.7 pounds on average over four years. Those who ate zero to 11 percent of their calories in the morning gained nearly three pounds. In another study published in the same journal, volunteers who reported regularly skipping breakfast had 4.5 times the risk of obesity as those who took the time to eat (WH).

This is my most recent discovery and I am having a blast...I will be posting more entries soon. Please visit http://littlemisskessa.com to read more about the owner of this site.

Toodles!