The Same Questions I Ask Everyone with June Jacobs

What is your first memory of beauty products?
As a child I suffered from acne so my first memory of beauty products was using acne treatment products. They were so awful to use because they smelled horrible and often left my skin dry and flaky. It has been my mission with the creation of my new acne collection (launching in February 2011) to use natural ingredients that are powerful, yet gentle and help to keep skin clear, and blemish free.

At what age did you start wearing makeup?
I started wearing makeup and really taking care of my skin at the age of 16.

If you could apply only one product for the next month what would it be?
I would die if I could not use my moisturizer. First and foremost, moisturizer helps to hydrate the skin leaving it soft, smooth and younger looking. In a pinch, a moisturizer can be used as a cleanser and can even remove makeup.

If you could give one product to all women in the world what would it be?
My new Acne Spot Treatment! Whether you are young or old, we all have blemishes. My new vanishing spot treatment is absolutely amazing because it can be used in the a.m. or p.m as an emergency spot treatment and also may be used to treat and prevent routine acne. Everyone feels and looks their best when their skin is clear and blemish free!

If you could ban one harmful ingredient from all beauty products what would it be?
I would ban parabens, which are a specific type of preservative that protect food and cosmetics against microbial contaminants, specifically yeast and mold. Recent studies show that parabens may cause cancer and cause allergic reactions/skin rashes. I have recently reformulated my entire line and have removed all parabens and I have seen such a difference in my formulas, they are more efficacious and feel and smell absolutely wonderful.

What is your favorite skincare ingredient?
My favorite ingredient is Gogi Berry. I eat them every day and I have added Goji Berry extract to every one of my products because they are the most powerful anti-oxidant that helps neutralize free radicals, protect skin from environmental toxins and combat the visible signs of premature aging. They are known as “The King of All Berries” and contain carotenoids such as beta-carotene and zeaxanthin, over 18 different amino acids and is a source of Vitamins B1, B2, B6 and C. It is rich in polysaccharides to help support intercellular communication providing essential nutrients to cells which encourages healthy immune function.

What is the last product you created?
The last product I created was my Radiant Refining Exfoliating Powder which is my new, favorite product because it is gentle enough to use everyday and leaves your skin soft and silky smooth. This unique exfoliating powder activates upon contact with water and gently sweeps away dead skin cells with rice, bamboo, papain and salicylic acid, leaving skin soft, smooth and clarified. Natural brightening ingredients, lemon peel, bearberry root, mulberry root and licorice extract help balance overall skin tone, while tea tree oil and willow bark extract help absorb oil. It also includes my powerful patent pending anti-oxidant blend of white, red and green tea extracts combined with goji berry, pomegranate and grape seed extracts help to neutralize free radicals, protect skin from environmental toxins and combat the visible signs of premature aging. Helps refine the skin’s texture and tone leaving it with a flawless, radiant finish.

Who is the business woman you most admire?
I truly admire my dear friend, Gretchen Monahan. She is the entrepreneur behind the Needham-based Gretta Enterprises owns three local salons (Grettacole), two clothing boutiques (Gretta Luxe), and a spa called G Spa. She appears weekly as a style expert on "Rachael Ray" in New York and locally on Channel 7 for a segment called "Gretta's Got It." She is also a design consultant for shoe brands Via Spiga and Naturalizer, she is a consultant for Dove's hair-care line, launching a line of shoes, and writing a how-to book on dressing well. I am also working with her on creating her own line of beauty products…and that is not all!

Whose beauty do you most admire?
I have always been fascinated by how people in different countries take care of their skin. Wherever I travel, I spend hours in various stores and spas looking at the products and speaking to the sales associates and I have to say that I admire Asian women’s skin the most…they have an overall radiance to their skin that gives them a young, healthy glow. In my travels to Asia I am always amazed to see how many women have absolutely flawless skin and it is because they take such great care of their skin, by using a comprehensive skincare regimen that incorporates products that help to illuminate the skin and reduce the signs of sun damage and hyperpigmentation. Their beauty was the inspiration for my Brightening Serum and Moisturizer which include natural botanical brighteners that give an overall radiance to the skin.

What was your best Spa experience?
I received the most amazing massage of my life in Phuket, Thailand. There is something so special about receiving a therapeutic Thai massage while staring out at the white sands and deep blue Andaman Sea.

Besides your own, what is your favorite brand?
I love Trish McEvoy. Trish has always been committed to the creation of the highest quality products and she is a genius for creating her iconic Makeup Planner. I am a firm believer in her guiding philosophy that women should be able to maintain a standard of beauty and not be obligated to sacrifice their beauty because of the constraints of time, space and age.

Read more about June and check out her amazing products here.

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Posted on Monday, August 23, 2010 0 comments

What Men Really Think at the Day Spa

My dearest man friend has been been watching my blogging career over the last three years with bemused skepticism. Apparently some of that skepticism was actually whole-hearted interest. So here my friends is what your average Harley-driving, Marlboro-smoking, tattooed, Mid-western American Man thinks when he goes to the Day Spa. I promise you'll laugh.
I’ve been to Bella Trio in Durham, NC four times. I’m convinced my girlfriend keeps dragging me back until I get it right. The fact is, she loves their pedicures and it’s an easy way to both keep me occupied and rationalize her expensive desires. We arrived at 9am Saturday morning (yes morning) August 14, 2010 and there are two nice ladies at the desk. One is checking me in and the other getting a look at me while busily types on the computer. I’m pretty sure that one is scanning a database to see if I’m a sex predator. She never makes eye contact with me, and for a moment I can’t recall my own history, and am sort of concerned I may have to explain something uncomfortable to my girlfriend.

We’re taken upstairs to the actual waiting room. The lights are dim and it smells great—like a woman’s perfume as you move along her neck. I on the other hand smell like my girlfriends roll-on deodorant. It’s like flossing for the first time in three years before you go to the dentist. And why am I so concerned? I don’t even know this woman that’s about to rub down my naked back. The attendant offers me water and trail mix. Where the hell are we going that I need to be hydrated and fed beforehand?

My masseuse (we call her Mary - not her real name)walks in and calls my name. Given I’m the only male in the waiting area I’m not sure why she does this. She offers me the opportunity to go to the dressing room and put on a robe. I quickly accept. I like the robes. In fact, I’d probably pay to just sit for an hour in the robe. They also provide me see-through mules which seem the equivalent of putting my feet in 1 liter plastic bottles. I suddenly feel like I’m in a mental institution and I can’t run away if I wanted to.

When we get in the room she asks me what we’re doing today. I’m pretty sure I’m not in charge of this whole activity so I don’t even know what to say. I’m in their robe, in their room--I think it’s supposed to be their call. Embarrassed, I say, “my neck and back hurt.” Her response is “typical”; she sounds so disappointed. What am I supposed to say? “Basically I’d like you to massage my earlobes for an hour.”

She leaves me in the room after asking me to get on the table. It feels like she’s gone 5 minutes so I’m not certain how long she thinks it takes people to get on a table. I put my face in the padded toilet seat for 4.5 minutes; convinced there’s a camera and a live feed in the back somewhere where she and the other masseuses are all taking bets on how long they can make me wait before I get up and open the door myself. By the way, where was my padded toilet seat when I really needed it earlier in life?

She finally comes back in. It’s dimly lit as well; the atmosphere is nice; this rain song is playing—you know, the nature music. I wonder how many times she’s heard this song. She tucks the sheet into the top of my boxers. Suddenly self-conscious, I don’t even know if I’m wearing the appropriate underwear for this.

The massage goes well as we target the neck and back. (we, hahahaha. Mary, me and the toilet seat) She’s pretty skilled. The oils work well and she moves a muscle in my neck which makes my leg twitch. It feels like at times she’s using her knees to do the work but all I can see is the carpet and a misplaced electrical cord (probably to the rain music) so I have no idea what’s going on. I’m pretty sure she could program me to do evil deeds. My girlfriend’s in the other room so technically I’m single.

She asks me what I do for work and I lie; I tell her I’m a land surveyor--which is only partially true. I don’t tell her I never leave the air conditioned office. She says, “that’s hard work,” and I agree. I ask stupid questions like, “What are you doing there?” “Uhm, I’m massaging your neck.” (I imagine she’s above my back making the puking motion with her fingers in her mouth.) She pushes a spot and suddenly I have gas in my colon. But I don’t say anything because I’m not sure if I should talk.

40 minutes pass and I regret that I’ve told her to focus on my back and neck. My leg starts hurting but I don’t know if I’m allowed to change the scope in the middle of the job. At some point she’s done with my neck and back and she does, what I assume, is the masseuse’s “fill-in” for extra time—she starts massaging my hair with her oily hands. I’m convinced she’s just making stuff up but I still don’t ask if she’ll massage my leg.

“decolour” I wish I knew about the product
But I’m a guy and an hour later I’m crunched over repairing a lawnmower.
Rating system:
Improvements: get rid of shoes/get softer.
Prefer donuts instead of trail mix

Posted on Tuesday, August 17, 2010 0 comments

Elemis Couples with Bliss Spa

As is my tradition when I am in a city lucky enough to house a bliss spa within its blocks, I make it my duty to stop in and fill up my cup. Having had a particularly jarring Sunday evening, I nodded at the serendipity of my well-timed appointment with world's first bliss. Located on Broadway between Prince and Houston, I realized suddenly that the Dean and DeLuca (both of whom I've decided to marry) I've been frequenting is only a few doors down. Despite having been to this, the original bliss before, I had not, until today, realized these two Manhattan merchants of all things heavenly are actually, neighbors. Love thy neighbor, indeed.

My trip today was in honor of another celestial pairing of powerhouse brands. Two new Elemis treatments (a facial and a body scrub) are now on the bliss menu. Can you think of anything more delightful? No no, neither can I. International powerhouse Elemis has decided to have a fling with the Spa industry's most playful outpost. Bliss meet Elemis. Elemis meet bliss. You'll get along just fine.

My first Vichy shower was at Bliss San Francisco and I will never, ever forget it. It was the first time I had been fully bathed, scrubbed and oiled up like a limp toddler in adulthood and it was absolutely one of the most pleasurable days of my existence. This was a similar journey, only with Elemis Japanese Camilla Oil heated and rubbed over the majority of my flesh. But I'm getting ahead of myself.

First my veteran bliss technician buffed my entire body with a dry brush. Then came the Camilla oil, then the Exotic Lime & Ginger Salt Glow scrub. Then the AMAZING Vichy shower. This is the part where they move multiple shower heads that hang from the ceiling over your entire body at once and bath all of the yummy oil and salt off of you. At the end of this process I was briefly left to wade the full length of my body in the shallow pond of these delicious Elemis scents. If, you have never waded your entire body in Elemis scented waters it is really something you must try before you die. Though I can't imagine heaven smells much different. It was a kind of peace that a price simply can't define.

Finally once you are nearly delirious and dry they polish you from head to toe in the most delicious Elemis Exotic Island Flower Balm, a delectably scented lotion with fragrances of Jasmine, Ylang Ylang, Osmanthus and Vanilla. Enjoy!

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Services in this post were provided at no cost for editorial review.

Posted on Monday, August 02, 2010 0 comments