For millennia, it’s been traded heavily in North Africa and the Arabian peninsula.
It’s a gift fit for kings.
And now it can be yours.
Frankincense is an essential oil extracted from the bark of Boswellia trees–a tough, scraggly form of brush most commonly found in the middle east and North Africa. Its distinctive aroma hits you first with a rich, inviting musk that warms with your body heat, turning almost sweet with citrus-like undertones.
The aroma has a subtly calming and mood-boosting effect, but it’s also beneficial for the health of your skin. It has been shown to restore damaged or aging skin in some measure while helping to maintain the health of existing skin cells.
Research at Cardiff University also suggests that frankincense can be an effective treatment for arthritis. It has also been shown to be effective for joint and muscle inflammation.
We use Frankincense primarily in products where skincare is essential, including our All Natural Eye Cream.
Frankincense is an option when you book a massage session with the aromatherapy enhancement.
As with everything on this blog, none of this information should be construed as medical advice or care. The employees of The Good Life Massage, including the writers of this blog, are not medical doctors. Consult with your physician before making any changes to improve your health.
Tom Gunn is the Marketing Director and blog editor at The Good Life Massage. You can follow him on Twitter @tomgunnpoet or visit him online at tgunnwriter.com.
At GLM, we’re most well-known for our Swedish or Deep Tissue full-body massages. Full body means back, neck, arms, legs, and feet. In most cases, our therapists spend most of their time working the back, neck, and shoulders, as these are most often the sites of discomfort and chronic pain.
Sometimes, though, other places need some attention, too. In addition to your standard full body massage, consider adding the HFS Upgrade as an enhancement when booking your session.
What is an HFS Upgrade?
HFS stands for Hands, Feet, or Scalp. These are areas that may get a little attention during a regular session, but which you may want to give some extra TLC when you come in.
Hands
Whether you’re a carpenter or just type a computer all day, your hands go through a lot. Thank them for all that they do for you with fifteen minutes of focused care.
Your massage therapist will work each hand methodically and thoroughly, making sure every muscle is soothed and relaxed.
Feet
Your feet are one of your body’s hardest-working body parts. These miracles of nature manage to bear your full weight, not to mention about a thousand pounds of air pressure from the atmosphere, all while getting you everywhere you want to go without falling on your face.
They deserve the very best.
When you choose feet for your HFS Upgrade, your feet will get fifteen blissful minutes of your therapist’s undivided attention. You’ll practically be able to feel the tension drain out our every over-worked muscle as aches and pains melt away.
Scalp
Have you ever had your hair washed at a salon or a barber shop? This is a little like that, but without all the water and shampoo. Scalp massage is both soothing and beneficial.
Improves blood flow in the head and neck area
Conditions and lubricates the scalp, which helps reduce dry scalp and flaking
Lowers stress and stimulates the follicles.
Regular scalp massage has even been shown to stimulate hair growth and reduce hair loss.
Whatever focus area you choose, you won’t regret adding an HFS Upgrade to your session. Keep in mind that you have to add this to your session at least a day in advance of your appointment since this adds some time. You won’t be able to add this upgrade at the last minute.
As with everything on this blog, none of this information should be construed as medical advice or care. The employees of The Good Life Massage, including the writers of this blog, are not medical doctors. Consult with your physician before making any changes to improve your health.
Tom Gunn is the Marketing Director and official blogger at the Good Life Massage. You can follow him on twitter at @tomgunnpoet or visit his website at http://www.tgunnwriter.com
The Good Life Massage put on a class on the evening of Wednesday, August 19, 2015 at our new location on 200 South Tobin in Renton. This was our first event in our new location. It was great to have so many people come out and experience an event in our new space for the first time.
Owner-operators Kylee Davis and Amy Gunn were on hand to demonstrate and discuss the many uses of coconut oil as a natural moisturizer and cleanser, as well as it’s uses for better health and nutrition.
Several of our products use coconut oil including …
Kylee and Amy have both used coconut oil for years, both in their massage practice and at home for personal use.
One of the more unusual uses of coconut oil covered in the class was oil pulling: the practice of using pure coconut oil as a mouthwash, swishing for about five minutes a day as part of your oral hygiene regimen.
Oil pulling is a great way to keep your mouth clean and your teeth strong and healthy
“Oil pulling seems kind of strange at first. You might think it would make you want to gag or something, but it’s actually not bad. There’s no flavor, good or bad. But it’s really good for your teeth and the health of your mouth overall. It’s a great way to supplement your regular oral hygiene in a natural way,” Amy said.
Registered students went home with a free goodie bag that included …
a tub of coconut oil with applicator sticks
Moisture Mask sampler
Eye Cream sampler
Lip Balm sampler
… a package valued at more than $10
Class participants went home with some awesome swag!
Did you miss this one?
The Good Life Massage holds classes and other events several times a year. Follow this blog to stay up-to-date on what’s coming up or follow us using the social media links below.
As with everything on this blog, none of this information should be construed as medical advice or care. The employees of The Good Life Massage, including the writers of this blog, are not medical doctors. Consult with your physician before making any changes to improve your health.
Tom Gunn is the Marketing Director and blog editor at The Good Life Massage. You can follow him on Twitter @tomgunnpoet.
Massage has several clinically proven mental and physical health benefits, but one that most people aren’t aware of is how massage can improve body image. Our culture is full of toxic influences with regards to the way we see our bodies. Some of these sources include:
People of every sex, size and shape can suffer from poor body image.
Media Ideals: While the media is often called out collectively for promoting impossible ideals for the human shape, especially for women, there’s no conspiracy at work here. Everyone likes to see a pretty face or body, and in our technological age, media outlets are using ever-more sensational and exploitative tactics to grab a bit of our over-taxed attention spans. Shouting about the unfairness of media ideals doesn’t seem to be moving the needle in terms of changing the culture, but as consumers we can remember that not all media reflects what’s realistic or healthy.
Family Culture: Unfortunately, insecurity about body image is not only toxic, it can be contagious. Well-meaning parents or other family members may have created insecurity or a poor sense of self-image with critical comments or by modeling body-hating behaviors and self-talk.
Kids Are Cruel: If something about your appearance made you stand out as a child, chances are someone teased you about it in school. Perhaps that teasing turned into a pattern of bullying, shaming, and shunning. Sure, “sticks and stones,” but those toxic feelings can easily follow us into adulthood.
Injury or Illness: Suffering trauma or serious illness can cause unwanted body changes that can’t be helped. These changes can have a lasting impact, even long after bones have mended and tissues have healed.
Childbirth: While having a baby can be a happy event, the dramatic and permanent changes that take place in a woman’s body after childbirth can definitely have an impact on self-image.
All these factors can combine and make the task of improving our own body image seem daunting, if not impossible. But we weren’t born with shame for our bodies. It was taught or conditioned in us in small stages. Unlearning that perspective can take time.
A plan of action
The good news is that body image is not a fixed state of mind. Your body image has changed before and it can change again–this time for the better.
A strategy to improve body image is more likely to be successful if it involves several methods to change your thought patterns. These might include talk therapy with a psychologist or licensed family therapist, a program of exercise, and regular massage treatment.
That’s right–massage
Studies have shown that massage has benefits for body image one might not expect. Upon closer examination, though, massage’s benefits regarding body image make perfect sense.
The power of touch
Our success as a species can be attributed to our ability to work together to solve the problems of survival. In short, we need each other whether we like it or not. We’re social creatures by nature.
Lack of touch and affection in early childhood development has been shown to cause irreversible psychological harm. Solitary confinement has been shown to be debilitating and damaging to mental health, even for those confined for relatively short periods of time.
Touch is literally the most tangible form of love and approval we can experience. When you’re touched with care by a fellow human being, the most primal parts of you are reassured that everything will be fine, that you’ll survive, that you deserve to survive, and that life will continue.
When you’re regularly touched in a therapeutic setting like massage, your body and mind get all those signals and more. Your mind/body connection is strengthened. Regular massage can nourish these feelings and help them become a natural part of your daily thinking process.
Naked with strangers
Massage as a form of self-care and as a way of enhancing wellness has been studied and proven for years, but many aren’t yet aware of it. Those coming in for the first time may be fighting feelings of anxiety, especially for those with body image issues. After all, massage is being naked (although strategically covered with a sheet) in a room with someone you’ve just met. Although the kind of massage we practice at GLM is not sexual in any way, touch therapy can be an intimate experience. Some clients experience an emotional release on the table as tension is eased throughout the body.
Further, some clients are afraid their bodies are being judged or evaluated when they come in for a session.
This isn’t so.
Massage therapists are trained to have a professional and caring mind-set when working with their clients. Our therapists don’t see a lump of biological imperfection, disesase or illness, or a collection of unhealthy habits: they see a whole person with fears, desires, needs, flaws, and virtues, all in one. We see each person as inherently valuable and wholly unique.
You should feel comfortable with your therapist so that you can keep an open dialog with them over what is working for you and what isn’t. While our massage therapists are trained professionals, they need to hear from you to know how your experience could be improved.
Wellness from the inside out
We want all our clients to be as healthy as possible, both inside and out. While external solutions like cosmetic surgery, hiring a personal trainer, improving your eating habits, and other strategies may help your body image to some extent, looks aren’t everything.
Health is one thing. How you see yourself is something else. There’s only so much that a personal trainer and plastic surgery can accomplish. A positive self-image that lasts comes from the inside out. Strengthening your mind/body connection through regular massage can be key in helping you rebuild a positive body image and loving the skin you’re in.
As with everything on this blog, none of this information should be construed as medical advice or care. The employees of The Good Life Massage, including the writers of this blog, are not medical doctors. Consult with your physician before making any changes to improve your health.
Tom Gunn is the marketing director and official blogger at The Good Life Massage. You can follow him on Twitter @goodliferenton.
Tom Gunn is the marketing director and official blogger at The Good Life Massage. You can follow him on Twitter @goodliferenton.
It’s neither, actually. Our handmade sugar scrubs are a sweet treat for your hands or feet. This product is a gentle exfoliation treatment that’s perfect for the extremities, but can be used anywhere you would like softer, more rejuvenated skin.
Where does it come from?
Like most of our products, Handmade Sugar Scrub is made under the same roof as our massage clinic using all-natural ingredients. These ingredients include:
Granulated Sugar
Pure Vegetable Glycerin
Fractionated Coconut Oil
All-Natural Fragrance, including essential oils
Our own Amy Gunn formulated this product herself and does most of the manufacturing with her own hands and with the help of our staff. Ingredients are locally sourced wherever possible.
Why sugar?
While salt is often favored for spa products like this, salt can dry out your skin. Sugar has a similarly rough texture to exfoliate without damaging the skin.
How do I use it?
1. Before applying, open the container. The ingredients may have settled, so you’ll need to stir things up before using. Use the scoop (included) to gently stir the product so all the ingredients are well mixed.
2. With the scoop, apply the product to rough or dry skin. Most people use it for hands or feet, but it can be effective anywhere on your body.
3. Gently scrub in a circular motion.
4. Rinse with warm water, moisturize, and enjoy softer, healthier skin.
What does it smell like?
Handmade Sugar Scrub comes in five fragrances, including:
Sweet Pea
We use this fragrance popular fragrance in several of our products. This floral smell manages to gently delight your senses without coming on too strong.
The subtle smell of sweet peas makes this fragrance one of our most popular, for all our products, but especially the sugar scrub.
Peppermint
This fragrance comes from therapeutic-grade essential
Peppermint essential oils add a crisp and sharp fragrance while feeling cool and soothing on the skin.
oils. Not only does it have a crisp, clean scent, it creates a pleasant cooling sensation on the skin.
Energize!
The natural citrus oils in this fragrance will get you moving. This is perfect if you plan on using it first thing in the morning or any time you feel a lull in your energy.
Citrus Blossom
This is a sweet blend of mostly fruity undertones with the slightest hint of floral and musk. The effect is that it slightly elevates your mood while soothing your senses.
White Grapefruit
This is scented with therapeutic-grade grapefruit essential oil. Sweet and mouthwatering.
Custom Order
If there’s a scent you’re particularly fond of, we may be able to make it for you! Email or call (425-243-7705) for more information.
Where do I get it?
You can stop in at our clinic to pick some up! We’re open 9 AM to 9 PM Monday to Friday and 8 AM to 8 PM on Saturday. We’re located at 200 South Tobin St. in Renton, Washington.
It can also be purchased online from our products page. If you’re from Renton or the greater Seattle area, you can save on shipping and pick up your order directly from our clinic.
Tom Gunn is the official blogger and marketing director at The Good Life Massage. You can follow him on Twitter @tomgunnpoet.
How to Register: Visit our home page and click the red “Book Now” button. Add the class and proceed with the booking just as you would with a regular massage. Again, only 10 seats are available for this class, so register now!
Everywhere, people are beginning to recognize the health benefits of coconut oil, both for the inside and outside your body. This class will educate and orient you in the world of coconut oil and its many benefits. You’ll learn:
Oil Pulling – This could change your oral hygiene forever.
Skin Cleansing – We’ll discuss the miracles coconut oil does for the skin.
Coconut Combinations – You’ll learn how combining coconut oil with essential oils can create amazing synergy between the two, maximizing what both can do for you.
We’ll also discuss the role coconut oil plays in many of the products we have for sale.
Each guest will receive a take-home bag full of free gifts and valuable information you can start using right away.
This class is one-time only, so don’t miss this opportunity.
We look forward to seeing you there!
Tom Gunn is the official blogger for The Good Life Massage. You can find him on twitter @tomgunnpoet or online at TGunnWriter.com
GLM is proud to begin offering four-hand massage, available now!
Four-hand massage is a great way to make the most of your massage time. Two therapists massage different parts of your body at once. This saves time and maximizes your massage experience.
Four hands are better than two!
Four-hand massage makes it possible to get the benefits of full-body relaxation that comes from a traditional Swedish massage combined with the relief from aches and pains that comes from deep-tissue.
One therapist, for instance, can perform a full-body Swedish massage. At the same time, the other therapist can be working out the kinks in your neck, those pains in your feet, or any other focus area that may need special attention. Or you can have them both do the same kind of work at the same time, or have them change it up in any way you please.
While four-hand massage is a next-level massage experience, it can be good for even the most casual massage client. If you find that you experience discomfort during deep tissue massages, a four-hand massage could be the solution. Four-hand massage distracts the senses in a way that’s both more intense and more relaxing at the same time. This service packs the benefits of two massages into one session.
Who Would Benefit The Most from 4-Handed Massage?
Anyone who needs intense, regular massage work.
Anyone with a busy schedule who wants to pack as much treatment into their session as possible.
Anyone who’s looking for something new to experience in a massage session.
Someone looking for a unique way to mark a special event such as a birthday, a promotion, or a graduation.
Four-hand massage books similarly to a couple’s session: ask for four-hand massage when you call or add it from the menu online. When you’ve completed the booking process, you’ll receive a tentative confirmation email. When we’ve confirmed that two therapists can perform the session at the same time, you’ll receive a final confirmation.
Four-hand massage is one of our most distinctive offerings, and represents a whole new way to experience massage and get the touch therapy your body needs. Book now!
Tom Gunn is the blogger and marketing specialist for The Good Life Massage. You can follow him on twitter @tomgunnpoet
The Good Life Massage 