Gift Giving in 2021

Have you been watching the latest issues including supply and demand plus shipping? For many retailers, this has been a unique set of challenges unlike previous years. But for many shoppers, the gift giving will still commence … but may look different in 2021.

So without further ado, here are FIVE of my favorite ideas for Christmas.

#1 - Give the gift of an experience. This doesn’t have to be a concert or something with an event ticket. You can take your loved one out to lunch, make a craft together or any activity where you can spend time together. Life is better because of our people that are in it!

#2 - Gift certificates to your favorite massage therapist or for a pedicure or facial. I’ve found that many people love these relaxing services in a world full of stress, but they rarely make time or pay for those things on their own.

#3 - Anything consumable! Marie Kondo has definitely flipped the world upside with decluttering spaces and helping energy flow. Instead of collectable decor that you have to dust weekly, what about getting their favorite chocolate or deluxe toilet paper. Haha! I’m kidding about the toilet paper (maybe.)

#4 - Car detailing. A friend suggested this and I literally got giddie. As adults, we love things like boxes and clean cars. I don’t know about you, but this is something I would really enjoy.

#5 - Gift cards or gift certificates to local businesses. It’s always fun to be able to do some shopping after the holidays end. You can choose their favorite places or maybe somewhere new in town for them to check out.

I hope this helped you get the ideas flowing for those on your Christmas list. The season of giving is one of my very favorites. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Don’t forget to

Breathe. Let Go. Relax.

Zoey Jolley, LE

Welcome to Beautiful Pocatello & Chubbuck

Welcome to the best cities of Idaho. I was born and raised here and am so happy to call this place home. I have loved the community feel and the people that live and work in these cities. If you are new to the area (or visiting,) I'd love to personally welcome you to the valley. Pocatello is the smile capitol of the world too! I hope that you love it here!

There are so many resources to finding your way around the community. I'd love to point you to some of them, and then share some of my favorite businesses located between the mountains.

The Pocatello Chamber of Commerce has many links available right at your fingertips. Just head on over to www.pocatelloidaho.com From there, you can roll your mouse over resources and then member directory which is organized by type of business. You can also click on Life in Pocatello which shares things to do, again arranged by category. I love how easy it is to find what you are looking for!

Another resource is the Idaho State Journal reader’s choice awards. Each year, businesses and service providers are nominated and then voted for. You can see the top 3-5 finalists in each category. I have been a finalist for the last 4 years and counting. Thank you local clients for your votes and supports!

Locals in the area will write Google reviews, so you can read what we like about businesses there. Search for a service or business and click on the stars to see the average, or click on newest, highest, lowest etc to read the individual reviews. Reviews written on Yelp (or other review sites) are likely written by those that don’t live in Southeast Idaho.

The final favorite spot to find what you are looking for is on local FaceBook groups. Two in particular (and you can search in those groups) are Ongoing Yardsale -Pocatello and Busy Kids in Bannock County - Events, Activities, & Services. Lot of questions and answers on where to go and who to see for doctors, dentists, etc.

I am a native resident of Pocatello. When my husband and I were looking for houses, I told him that I wanted to buy a house in Chubbuck so that I didn't have to say that I was born and raised in Pocatello. (That definitely shows that I was young back in the day! Haha!) But I absolutely love living here and am excited to share a couple of my favorite places.

Geraldine's Bake Shoppe and Deli

When you go, you'll need to order yourself a Peanut Butter Candy. This treat is a favorite of the community (as long as you love peanut butter and chocolate.) It's also part of the school district lunch menu and sometimes referred to as Lunch Lady Peanut Butter Candy. It's delicious!

Butterburr's Restaurant

This is a go to for home style cooking. Fresh soups and breads plus awesome breakfasts. You really can't go wrong. My favorite is the SST - which is a soup or salad, sandwich, and treat. All for a reasonable steal! Love the family vibe.

Woodland Orchards

Woodland Orchards has a mobile caramel apple cottage and sells caramel apples (among other goodies) year round. So yummy and addictive. The owners are the sweetest people in the area as well. Open Saturdays across from CostCo in the Pawn One parking lot.

Idaho State University

ISU has a great campus, complete with a sub which has a bowling alley and movie theater. Super fun to hang out where the students are (especially when they've left for the weekend or holiday break!) The campus is beautiful! And don't forget about the awesome Holt Arena (which was once called the Mini Dome - and locals will sometimes still call it that) which hosts the school's football, basketball, plus things like Simplot Games, Monster Trucks, the Rodeo, and other events!

Historic Downtown

Historic Downtown, located at 420 S. Main St. hosts all kinds of gathering events, including Revive at 5, the Farmer’s Market, Art Walks, the kick off of events like Kindness Week, etc. It is definitely worth checking out when there are vendors there. Love them all and am glad that we have gatherings like this in our small community.

The great outdoors & working out

If you like to keep active, we have so many trails, biking paths, rock climbing, fishing, camping, hunting, and more! It’s so nice to be in a place that we can go do all these things without hours and hours of driving. The views here are incredible and even just driving in the foothills can be such a fun activity for the family. Barrie’s Ski and Sports can point you to times for local rides, local running groups, and more, so check them out. Two great workout spots (if you want to hit a gym) are Jriven and James Barrett Fit Fusion Studio. These two beautiful and talented entrepreneurs bring fun workouts in different levels as well as personal training options.

Looking for Brazilian waxing or facials where you get both results and relaxation? You’ve found me and I’m happy to help you! If you don’t find what you are looking for in this post, I hope that you also now know where to look!!! Again, welcome to our community.

Don’t forget to

Breathe. Let Go. Relax.

Zoey Jolley, LE

How Often Should I ...? Part I Home Care

One of the questions I get asked the most is often often clients should be using certain products and when to come back to see me for another treatment.

Skin care is very important at home because 90% of changes that can be made to the skin or preventives done to the skin are done at home. So it makes sense to start with home care. Just like when you hire a personal trainer, and Esthetician will meet with you and "work out" your skin in the treatment room every so often. But it's up to you, the client to do the homework in between our sessions.

Your homework should include at a minimum 4 steps. These steps are cleansing the skin, using appropriate treating mist, apply moisturizer (yes - even oily skin needs moisturizer) and finally using SPF. This is also the order that I suggest clients add in products as well. So, if you aren't using anything now, start with cleanser and go from there. (If you'd like a summary, scroll down to the bottom and then refer up when in question and needing more specifics.)

So, let's break down How Often Should I...

How Often Should I Cleanse the Skin?

The answer here is different for everyone, but at least morning and night. So twice a day. If you are a heavy makeup wearer OR have very oily/acenic prone skin, the answer will be up to four times a day. Twice in the morning and twice at night. I like to use two different cleansers for these clients. So product one would be the first cleanse. And product two would be the second cleanse for both morning and night cleanses.

How Often Should I Mist the Skin?

The short answer: use a treating mist or toner immediately after cleansing the skin. Which would be twice a day. (Don't mist in between cleanses if you are cleansing twice in a row.)

Using a treating mist or toner is great to help balance the skin and lay a perfect foundation for more anti-aging products afterwards. If your skin feels tight after cleansing, you have stripped off the natural acid mantle (the barrier for the skin protecting it so that other organisms, etc. cannot enter our shield). The skin then goes into hyperdrive to produce more oil (which serves as a protectant). Repeatedly doing this causes much harm to your defensive layer. An astringent (super tingly product with alcohol) is NOT a toner or mist. Stay away from these products.

How Often Should I Moisturize the Skin?

Differing beliefs on this are across the board, but my personal opinion remains that adding moisture, especially in our dry climate is good and reduces excess oil production. It is important to work with your skin trainer (aka Esthetician) to find the right moisturizer for your skin. Also, some clients prefer to have a daytime (lighter) moisturizer and a night time cream that is heavier weight and/or with more anti-aging benefits. Twice a day after you mist, you will moisturize.

How Often Should I Reapply SPF?

Every SPF is different, but my generic response is every 2 hours when going outside. I hear all the time that your makeup has SPF... which is awesome, but it DOES NOT REPLACE applying SPF every morning and before leaving work with another product besides your makeup. For SPF to be most beneficial, you need to reapply throughout the day. When wearing makeup, you can reapply by adding setting spray with SPF as well. By and large, look for ways to be compliant with this step instead of finding excuses of why you can't!

My favorite analogy for sun protection is a new vehicle. You wouldn't drive off the car lot without having car insurance. SPF IS your car insurance. Have it, use it, and don't leave home without it!

Those are your 4 minimum steps. Want to step up your game at the gym? Here are a couple of ideas and general suggestions.

How Often Should I Apply Eye Cream? Twice a day

How Often Should I Exfoliate? This depends highly on what type of exfoliant. Consult your skin trainer, but most often I suggest one to two times per week.

How Often Should I Mask My Skin? Once a week

You don't need good luck in your bathroom. Consistency is key and where you will see long term results. Starting at a healthier skin type means that you will focus more on prevention (which is always easier than reversing the skin damage that happens over time.) You can do this! Make sure to consult your Esthetician for exactly what YOUR skin needs, as we are all different.

SUMMARY: (Refer to longer paragraphs for more information)

How Often Should I Cleanse the Skin? Twice a day for normal/dry skin; Twice morning and twice night for oily/acenic skin

How Often Should I Mist the Skin? Twice a day

How Often Should I Moisturize the Skin? Twice a day

How Often Should I Reapply SPF? Every 2 hours or what's recommended on you tube of sunscreen

How Often Should I Apply Eye Cream? Twice a day

How Often Should I Exfoliate? Once a week

How Often Should I Mask My Skin? Once a week

Stay tuned for Part II of How Often Should I?

Don’t forget to Breathe . Let Go . Relax .

Zoey Jolley, Licensed Esthetician

Favorite Things

This blog post is just to share 3 favorite products in my spa treatment room. Is there something that you love? I'm sure that you if you love it enough, you scream it from the rooftop or write about it on FaceBook or Instagram. Today, you get to hear my testimonials. If you had to pick just one, which one would you choose? (And really, how do you pick?)

1) GM Collins Hydramucine Optimal Serum

GM Collins has really outdone themselves with this product. When placing this refreshing product on your skin, you can smell the watermelon and fruit extracts coming through. Offering serum features a high and low weight of hyaluronic acid, a moisturizing complex that minicks the natural moisturizing factor of the skin, Plankton extract which affects the mainwater storage of the dermis, and many more. What does this mean for you? It means that when you put on this velvet serum, your skin will have immediate and long lasting hydration AND your skin will feel smooth and look healthy! Because this product is great for all skin types and because I live in the mountain desert climate (Idaho), I use this product in EVERY facial treatment I perform and recommend it to ALL my clients. It really is the best!

2) Supracor Spa Cell Facial Mitt

This versatile product is loved by so many of my clients for so many reasons! This product can be used on the face and body. It is a great exfoliator (that you can use on it's own or with other recommendations from your Esthetician.)

This is definitely a must have for any teenager or body waxer. Teenagers are less likely to spend the necessary time to wash appropriately, so this boosts what little they will do. Use it in the shower or out. Body waxers will love this product to help with ingrowns and to get a smoother wax at your next appointment. Check out this review from a client of Essential Esthetics by Zoey.

"If I had to pick my favorite beauty product... it would definitely be the SpaCell! This baby is pure magic. Before the SpaCell, I would have horrible issues post waxing. The SpaCell was the answer.There are two sides with varying roughnesses which makes this product perfect for all your exfoliation needs. It leaves the skin feeling smooth and rejuvenated. And who doesn't love feeling that way? I'm definitely a fan for life."

3) Crazy Online Toothpaste

I used to think it was funny that I was so excited about this product. I'm not crazy. So many people love and swear by it... and I am one of the believers. This toothpaste contains fluoride as well as a patent for polishing and whitening your teeth to their natural levels. Do you know how your teeth feel after coming home from the dentist? Get this feeling EVERY.SINGLE.TIME you brush your teeth. This light vanilla mint paste repels food and plaque from sticking to your teeth. I absolutely love what it has done for me and know you will too! (P.S. My kids love it! You can use it on children 2 and up, pregnant and breastfeeding moms, and everyone else!)

If I were to attend on of those Favorite Things parties, I would definitely choose to bring on of these products above as my gift. Virtually anyone could use these. Are you sold? Head on over to my store or shoot me a text. We can get these products into your hands today!

Don’t forget to Breathe . Let Go . Relax .

Zoey Jolley, Licensed Esthetician

David and Goliath - The Little Guy and Amazon

Recently, I read an article in the Idaho State Journal about a local business Element Outfitters. The small city of Pocatello, ID had two retail venues, but recently had to make the difficult decision to close one location. Fortunately, they were able to keep jobs for everyone currently employed there. While the retail stores were doing okay, the online shop is doing amazing.

Element Outfitters is not alone. Many local retailers also feel the pinch of the convenience that Amazon and websites bring. For big retailers, the quantity purchased for multiple locations or for online is enough to get a break on the price from the supplier. Benefits from online purchasing include shopping in your pajamas with Ben & Jerrys, delivery coming straight to your door, and the plethora of colors, options, and features of the desired items. The local owners purchase product up front, display on shelves, and share their first hand knowledge with each client that walks in the door. Benefits from local purchasing include receiving answers of questions by a real person in front of you, having the item immediately, and keeping money local to support families that live in your community.

Have you been guilty of going into a local store, talking to the store employee to glean information on the coveted item, and then driving to the safety of your home, turning on the computer, and clicking purchase? The next time that you are tempted to click that buy button, here's a couple of things to think about when it comes to skin care.

When you purchase products from me

1) I am making sure that the products that we pick are right for you skin and the goals that we have set together.

2) You are able to see, smell, and feel the product before you buy.

3) I continue to go to education across the country to learn more about products and treatments for you. I order frequently so I do not have an overstock of product that 'sits' on my shelf.

4) You are helping support a local family.

When you purchase products online

1) Skin care from GM Collins is never sold on Amazon. Most of the time, products you see from Amazon have been sold from a spa that went under. If a spa closed, it is very likely that the product was sitting on their shelves for years.

2) Efficacy of product cannot be guaranteed. Is it expired, something wrong with it, or been sitting in a hot car in Texas for a couple months? This cleanser, cream, or mask will not be able to do what it claims to do.

3) You are helping support the big retailer.

I would love to help discuss with you your skin concerns and then recommend products that can help you achieve your goals and change your skin. Whether it's anti-aging, clearing your skin, or calming redness, let's get together and make your dreams a reality. When you come see me, you are making my dreams a reality.

Goliath is here to stay. I'll admit that I love Amazon for books and random items. But when it comes to something I ingest or put on my face, I'll stick with my local grocery store and esthetician! David for the win!

Don’t forget to Breathe . Let Go . Relax .

Zoey Jolley, Licensed Esthetician