You Say You Want a Resolution

A new year has begun, and once again we start with the best of intentions.  Lose weight, quit smoking, finish that project, etc.  Whatever resolutions you may have laid out for yourself, I encourage you to add one more: to be selfish.  By which I mean to take the time to take care of yourself.  I know I frequently say this, but this time I write as someone with an admission to make.  The truth is that lately I have had some bad hair days.  It's something I would almost be too embarrassed to admit, except for the fact that I did something about it and am so pleased with the results.

As long as I've been recommending scalp and conditioning treatments to clients, I've very rarely taken advantage of them myself.  Often, I did not want to impose on the stylists.  But last month I began experiencing some major hair issues - dryness plus itchy scalp - that my regular products were not able to remedy.  And so I asked for a treatment.  I noticed an immediate improvement, and wanted to kick myself for the time I wasted worrying about my hair when all I needed was 30 minutes to fix the issue.  After my treatment, I took home a bottle of Rene Furterer Karite oil, applied it to my ends a few times a week before I went to bed - as an essential oil extract, it absorbed quickly and left no residue on my pillowcase - and after I shampooed the next morning, my hair felt better than ever.  My bad hair nightmare was over.

Similarly, I have learned from our estetician Lena the value of a regular facial.  I always thought a facial was something that you did maybe once a year. When Lena told me I should be getting one every five weeks, I thought she must be joking.  But I decided to commit to a schedule - I usually end up at every 7 or 8 weeks - and I can't believe how much time I end up saving each day when all I have to do is some light maintanence rather than my previous routine of agonizing over my many skin issues.  Plus, because the facial removes toxins and increases stimuation through head and scalp massage, I not only look better, I feel better too.

Having only started to make the time to take care of myself towards the end of 2009, I absolutely look forward to continuing this practice in the new year.  I encourage all of you to do the same.  Once a month, find time in your schedule to do something good for yourself.  Or simply add a scalp treatment, conditioning treatment, or facial onto your regularly scheduled color or cut appointment.  Just think how much easier it will be to tackle those more challenging resolutions when you look fabulous and feel great.