One of the first places we start showing our age is the eyes.

As we age, our muscles weaken and can no longer hold up our skin as tightly. This results in the formation of fine lines and wrinkles. ThermiSmooth uses radio frequency to heat the skin and stimulate the natural production of collagen. This helps strengthen and thicken the skin to improve its overall quality and appearance. The new ThermiSmooth is a non-invasive way to lift and smooth the skin of the face without any pain or downtime. It’s the ideal treatment for the fine skin around the eyes and lips.

Our Medical Director, Dr. Talia Emery will be demonstrating the ThermiSmooth on ExtraTV December 11th.

Speaking of eyes…

How you take your makeup off at night is important. Pulling and tugging on the sensitive skin around the eyes can wear and tear, and over time cause more wrinkles and aging of the eyes. With so many mascaras out there, you would think it would be easy to find one that you love. Unfortunately, it’s hard to find. I have high expectations, and want volume, no clumps, all day curl without flakes, and no smudging. It seems that I would use a mascara for about a six months, and then move on to find a better one. Now you can condition your lashes while making them thicker without clumps! VolumeX Mascara creates natural and lavish lashes that look natural.

A patented V-shaped brush lifts and curls lashes from root to tip. Packed with ultra condoning vitamins A, E & Panthenol creates body and volume.

ExtraTV will be doing a giveaway of the Veronica VolumnX Mascara, V Peptide Eye Cream and Pro Pallette Concealer on December 11th!

Wishing you and your loved ones peace, joy and health this holiday season, and throughout 2016!

Love,
Veronica

“Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder” – Anonymous

After reading and learning about Operation Smile I was touched by the children who were helped by the amazing doctors of Operation Smile.

Operation Smile is an organization dedicated to helping children around the world with cleft palates and other facial deformities.

Every year Operation Smile rescues so many children born this way and save these children from lives of rejection and despair. Having healthy children and grandchildren, I am so grateful and wanted to help these beautiful children in any way I could.

Every three minutes, a child is born with a cleft lip or cleft palate.

Operation Smile was founded in 1982 when Dr. Bill Magee, a plastic surgeon, and his wife, Kathy, a nurse and clinical social worker, traveled to the Philippines with a group of medical volunteers to repair children’s cleft lips and cleft palates.

What they found was overwhelming. People were pushing their babies at them. They tugged at their sleeves and begged them to help their children. In Naga City, approximately 300 families arrived hoping their children would receive surgery, but the team could only treat 40 children. After this, the Magee’s made a promise they would return to help more children. Today, Operation Smile is an international medical charity whose global network of thousands of credentialed medical volunteers from more than 80 countries is dedicated to helping improve the health and lives of children.

In 2011 I was thrilled to host the world premiere of the film, “A Cure to War: Six Degrees of Humanity” at our Spa. The film by Patrick Heaply helped raise awareness of Operation Smiles’s mission and its message.

In 1989 President Reagan and General John Vessy sent the largest group of Americans into Vietnam since the fall of Saigon, they weren’t soldiers, but surgeons. What began as an initiative to help return the remains of soldiers lost during the Vietnam War would build friendships that would lead to the relations between the United States and Vietnam, and today, continues to add one smile at a time to the already astounding 30,000 Vietnamese children and young adults who have been helped by Operation Smile.

The film was narrated by our Tai Chi Master, Doria Cook-Nelson’s husband Craig T. Nelson.

On October 2, I was honored again to be on the Host Committee of Operation Smile’s Gala 2015 at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel. The Event raised more than 1.1 million to heal smiles!

For just $240 you can provide for a cleft lip surgery that will change a child’s life forever. That operation, and the difference it makes, is priceless.

To see these children smile and listen to them laugh is a miracle.

I feel blessed to have so many wonderful friends and clients that have helped and donate to this wonderful organization during the past 15 years.

Beauty starts from the inside and this organization proves that.

Love,
Veronica

For more information, please visit www.operationsmile.org

“The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” – Mahatma Gandhi

Carl and I spent four glorious days in Shanghai. The beautiful city of Shanghai is a bit difficult to place into words. I think that Shanghai is a city of contrast…the new, the old, the modern, the traditional, and all the glamour that came along from ancient times. Loving Tai Chi, I was especially excited to see see groups of locals performing stately, synchronized tai chi routines on the Bund every morning.

The Bund is Shanghai’s main stage, a long riverside sweep of colonial buildings and parkland. I wished that our Tai Chi Master Doria Cook-Nelson had been there with her students to see and experience this sight.

At the luxurious Evian Spa in Shanghai I enjoyed a rose petal, essential oil soak that was followed by their Italian red wine body scrub. It included a heavenly massage. This treatment was followed by a lavender body wrap. This cured my jet lag.

I enjoyed an aromatherapy facial that was made up of flower extracts and pure essential oils. The esthetician used a jade face roller. High-quality jade is believed by many to have natural health-enhancing functions, and lymphatic draining massage is good for the face and neck. These beauty techniques are used today at many spas around the world, but are classical Chinese beauty treatments. Smooth, heated black basalt stones were integrated into the therapeutic neck and hand massage, resulting in a deeply relaxing treatment. The placement of the stones on different parts of the body helps melt away tension and ease pain in fatigued muscles of the body. We incorporate these same stones and jade rollers in some of our treatments at the spa for the face and body.

Located in a suburb of Shanghai, Zhujiajiao is an ancient water town, with a history of more than 1700 years. Also named ‘Pearl Stream’, this little town is the best preserved ancient town in Shanghai.

Unique old bridges, small rivers shaded by willow trees, and houses, each with their own courtyard are still kept well preserved. The architecture which is dated back to 5,000 years ago, is still standing here quietly.

The most iconic bridge in the center of town. The Fansheng Bridge built in 1571 by the monk Xingchao of the Cimen Temple. The teahouses that line the river are more like mini libraries that serve organic drinks and home made food. It was like going back in time to spend time in Zhujiajiao.

We ended our trip to China in Hong Kong. Hong Kong was the busiest city I’ve ever visited. This city is all about motion. It’s an invigorating jolt on the senses, with motion, speed, 8 million people, and bursting colors everywhere!

We stayed at the Peninsula Hotel, the oldest hotel in Hong Kong. Staying at the Peninsula gave me a taste of old Hong Kong. Our room overlooking Victoria Harbour and the city skyline of Hong Kong island was stunning.

For years I had heard about the Peninsula afternoon tea. A live quartet plays classical music in the gold and cream colored lobby, and between the glittering chandeliers and the lush palms, it is very much a magical setting. Our mango tea and 3 tiered cake plate was delicious.

I loved swimming in their beautiful saltwater pool. They also combine Oriental, Ayurvedic and European techniques in all of their spa treatments.

Visiting Shanghai and Hong Kong was exciting. I hope to return and experience it again one day.

Love,
Veronica

“A bit of fragrance clings to the hand that gives flowers.” – Chinese Proverb

My trip to Japan and China was beautiful. It’s hard to tell you which is more impressive, the striking skylines of the big cities, or the towering mountains and picture perfect Zen landscapes.

I fell in love with Kyoto instantly. It was a culture suspended in time, one that values honor, simplicity and dedication to it’s city. The people there treat one another with the utmost kindness. Everyone goes out of their way to make visitors feel as cherished and welcomed as if they were long time friends. I was introduced to beauty products that have been used for hundreds of years. I felt honored to have stumbled across some of the oldest skincare products in the world, so elegant and sophisticated in their simplicity.

The Japanese toners (i.e. astringent residue remover after using a facial wash) are called “lotions”. Lotions are typically a light-weight moisturizer, but in Japan they have the consistency of a toner.

Their cleansing routine always consists of a toner after a double cleansing. This is part of the reason Japanese women’s skin is so beautiful and flawless.

Another wonderful discovery I made: cleansing oils. Outside Japan and most Asian countries, the concept of cleansing oils may not sound very appealing, but they work. It is catching on in the rest of the world, but Japanese women have been using coconut and camellia oil to cleanse their skin for hundreds of years. Trust me, this is a fantastic alternative, and with the right brand, you can avoid breakouts. One advantage is less friction on your skin, which means less stress so your skin is not stripped of its natural oils. I’ve been using gentle coconut oil in my morning cleansing routine for 20 years, and it’s the best cleanser for your body, too.

My first spa experience was the Sake Bath. First practiced by Japanese geishas to decrease the appearance of age and skin spots (pigmentation). Thousand of Japanese women and men continue to experience the healing effects of rice wine’s kojic acids, which softens and hydrates the skin. The Sake Bath also contained a healthy mix of ginger and pine extract, proven to relax muscles and help breathing. There were also baths using red wine, coffee and green tea. To capture the essence of Japan’s skincare experience I had a facial which included a polishing rice enzyme powder, a deep hydrating lifting mask, a soothing camellia beauty oil, and a sake & silk cream hand massage. These treatments not only made my skin glow, they cured my jet lag!

I was happy to learn about the symbolism of fans. Folding fans, or sense, are an undeniably sophisticated way to keep cool while looking chic. A perfect blend of form and function, fans have a long history of symbolism and communication of all kinds- from samurai signaling to soldiers in the battlefield, to classically trained geisha and kabuki performers who manipulate the fans countless ways for artful storytelling. Closed fans are used to show respect and honor, as geishas do at the beginning of a tea ceremony. After kneeling and bowing forward until her forehead nearly touches the floor, she stretches her hands forward and places her folded fan horizontally between herself and her guest, creating a sacred space that sets the tone for the rest of the tea-making ritual. Geisha and others use fans to keep cool, deflect, divert or even disguise emotions with a flick or a flutter. While I have always appreciated the aesthetic and practical beauty of fans, after being explained the long history and cultural symbolism of fans in Japan, my appreciation for these elegant keepsakes expanded.

I had begun my trip hoping to find out more about Japanese Skincare and food, but I found so much more than that. I feel blessed to have experienced the beauty and history of a few of the Buddhist temples.

To capture the essence of Kyoto is hard to explain. If I could, I would bring each and every one of you to Kyoto to experience the city for yourself.

Charming and graceful, much like cherry blossoms Kyoto is known for, Kyoto-san is a national treasure and I can’t wait to return. I will share more with you about my experiences in Japan and China in my next blog.

Wishing you a happy summer filled with gratitude and wellness.

Love,
Veronica

“Experience the beauties of nature, and in doing so learn about yourself” – Japanese Proverb

Relaxation is both physical and mental.

I always say that to Spa is not a treatment, but a lifestyle. A wellness lifestyle involves around the clock attention to taking care of our bodies, emotional and spiritual health. Much of our focus is on our daily regimens-eating healthy foods, exercise, and caring for our skin. But what happens when we are traveling?

Over the years I’ve found a number of ways to maintain my personal wellness lifestyle when traveling.

Traveling, especially on an airplane, will certainly take a toll on your skin.

• Before getting on the plane I have a habit of stopping by my favorite health food store and stocking up on healthy snacks for the plane.
• Having snacks (apples, carrots, avocado, kale chips, raw nuts, dark chocolate) keeps me from eating over salted and processed airplane food.
• Traveling can also be an excuse to forget to take essential vitamin supplements. Investing in a supplement travel case helps to keep your program on track.

My skincare regimen stays fairly consistent, but I change it slightly depending on the location I’m traveling to and the weather.

• Environmental factors such as traveling, the seasons, diet, hormones and stress affect your skin.
• Pack a small clear zip-lock bag with all of your travel essentials, including a hydrating cleanser, moisturizer, lip treatment, compact, hand sanitizer and sunscreen.
• My two new travel companions are the Invisible Blotting Powder and Vitamin C Lip Treatment.
• My new blotting powder conditions the skin with Vitamin C & E and provide antioxidant protection. It’s the perfect solution to fresh looking skin at the end of a long flight.
• My Vitamin C Lip Treatment soothes and helps prevent dryness. Jojoba, Avocado Oil and Vitamins C & E add extra protection and prevents chapping.
• Try to drink eight ounces of water for every hour in the air (the trips to the bathroom will be good for your circulation). Once I’m settled in my hotel I take a shower or bath. Bathing always decreases jet lag. If there’s a spa in the hotel, I always ask what skin care they use.

Our next vacation is Japan! You probably already know that Japanese women are really into skin care. I will be visiting spas to see what’s the latest and greatest in Asian Skin Care. I can’t wait to share everything with you in my next blog.

Wishing a Happy Mother’s Day to my mother Renee and all Mothers. Enjoy your day!

Love,
Veronica

“The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes.” – Marcel Proust

The Veronica Spa offers exclusive treatments provided by our team of beauty therapists extraordinaire.

We’re happy to announce that we now have two locations in Malibu!

The Malibu Beach Inn asked us to be their exclusive spa and we had our grand opening on the first day of Spring March 21st!

Our beautiful Spa Suite has a private balcony and a breathtaking view with magical sunsets that you’ll enjoy while having your spa treatments.

Enjoy your facial and experience the most prestigious skin care products to cleanse, protect and rejuvenate your skin.

SkinCeuticals, Epicuren, Intraceuticals and the Veronica Malibu Skin Care Products will be our exclusive lines, also available for purchase in the lobby.

All the collections use proprietary ingredients, antioxidants and aromatic essential oils blended from herbs and plants chosen for their scent and specific properties.

Lulled by the sound of the sea on the rocks below, the Veronica Spa creates a gentle nurturing environment for body treatments that include the Malibu Hot Stone Treatment, Swedish Massage, Deep Tissue Massage, Mother-To-Be Massage and Couples Massage.

You’re just steps away from Malibu landmarks and the Malibu Pier. Hiking trails, paddle boarding, surfing lessons, restaurants (Nobu anyone) and exclusive boutiques are just steps away from our location.

Hotel guests and outside guests can book a Spa Treatment 7 days a week in our beautiful ocean front suite, or in the privacy of your own guest room if you’re staying at the Malibu Beach Inn.

Come experience regenerating treatments in our newly renovated spa suite and revive your skin, body and senses provided by our beauty therapists.

Happy Spring!
Veronica

“The sea, once it casts it’s spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever.” – Jacques Cousteau

We know how pollution harms our environment, but research shows that it also harms your skin.

Pollution can cause uneven skin tone, accelerated aging, and even skin cancer. A study in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology compared women living in urban environments over 24 years and found that those exposed to increased pollution had more dark spots and wrinkling. The sun and smoking isn’t the only bad guy, now we know how damaging pollution really is.

When pollution comes in contact with your skin, it doesn’t just stay on the surface. Small microscopic particles (car exhaust, smog, dust, smoke, soot, construction sites, power plants) are released into the atmosphere. Sometimes these tiny particles are 20 times smaller than pores, allows them to infiltrate deeper layers of the epidermis. This not only causes inflammation and dehydration, but also a cellular -level reaction that leads to the loss of elasticity. The good news is you can help prevent this with simple changes to your beauty routine, such as proper cleansing and using antioxidants every day. This makes a big difference in how your skin ages.

Three simple steps that have a big impact on your skin:

Cleansing

At night you need to cleanse deeper to remove the film of harmful pollutants, not to mention makeup and everyday dirt and sweat. The goal is to get everything off without too much scrubbing, which can exacerbate skin conditions like acne. In the morning wash in order to prep skin for radiance boosting products and protection. Your final step should always be a toner for your skin type. It lifts off any debris that can be left behind.

Antioxidants

When pollution gets into your skin , it creates free radicals. Free radicals increase inflammation, which makes acne and rosacea worse. They can cause DNA damage and breakdown collagen and elasticity. To help protect skin, layer on a serum and moisturizer with antioxidants after classing in the AM and PM. Also, eat antioxidant-rich foods such as blueberries, leafy greens, beans, and take Omega-3 fish oil. They play a powerful role in our body’s ability to repair itself, especially the skin.

Barrier

Your probably already using sunscreen when it’s sunny, but put it on every morning, even if it’s overcast. Pollution not only damages skin directly, but also contributes to the erosion of the ozone layer, which shields us from the sun’s harmful rays. The UV rays accelerate hyper- pigmentation and inflammation, which causes more damage to skin. Protect yourself and your children outside with UV clothing and hats. Also protect eyes with UVA and UVB sunglasses.

Utilize sunscreen, antioxidants and proper cleansing, and your skin will look younger than your years.

To your good health,
Veronica

“Youth is happy because it has the capacity to see beauty. Anyone who
keeps the ability to see beauty never grows old.” – Franz Kafka

I’ve had a lifelong passion for skincare and nutrition.

Having beautiful, healthy skin is a way of life. When a person is young, it’s easy to have clear, translucent skin. Keeping skin that way and aging gracefully is a lifelong commitment, and a way of life.

What benefits skin the most is eliminating sugar and white flour from your diet, increasing consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables, lean protein, and drinking plenty of water. Water is absolutely vital for every process in the body, including your skin.

Essential Fatty Acids are nutritional cornerstones of human health. Two major families of fats are comprised of omega-3’s (cold water fish) and omega-6’s (seeds, nuts and their oils).

They are deemed ‘essential’ because we need them for proper health, much like certain vitamins and minerals, but cannot produce them on our own. We must therefore consume these fats through diet or supplementation. Most associate omega 3’s with cardiovascular health, but their benefits go far beyond the heart. Omega 3’s also benefits a healthy brain and cognitive function, joint mobility, eye health, pregnancy and lactation, healthy skin and hair, and a normally functioning immune response.

While I could go on about the benefits for the whole body, I’ll talk about Omega 3’s for the skin. Skin is the largest organ in the human body, and is often the first visual indicator of an essential fatty acid deficiency.

The essential fatty acids in fish oil are crucial nutrients for skin health and function. These essential fatty acids (EFAs) reside in the membranes that surround skin cells, where they regulate a large number of cellular processes that directly impact skin health.

The research-backed benefits of fish oil include:

• Nourishes skin, hair, and nails
• Protects against age-related damage
• Hydrates skin by retaining natural moisture
• Protects against free radicals
• Stimulates production of healthy skin cells
• Supports a clear and healthy complexion
• Is natural and safe for long-term use

Good food sources of Omega-3’s include:

• Wild cold water fish
• Seaweed
• Algae
• Omega-3 eggs
• Walnuts

My favorite brand is Nordic Naturals. The Norwegian government quota system represents one of the most comprehensive and stringent monitoring systems for fishing in existence today.

Nordic Naturals adheres to the highest standards that guarantees quality products, free of heavy metals, and environmental toxins. To read more about their product go to: www.nordicnaturals.com

The American Health Association (AHA) recommends that people eat fish at least twice a week to increase their intake of omega-3’s.

My skin looks better and I feel better when I take my Omega-3’s, we even give them to Bernie!

To your good health,
Veronica

”Every 28 days, your skin replaces itself. Your liver, 5 months. Your bones, 10 years.
Your body makes these new cells from the food you eat. What you eat literally becomes you.”

Thank you for the great response on my last appearance on Extra and thanks to all that came out!

Several audience participants asked about their acne problems, I wish I could have helped all of you.

I could go on for hours about acne, but the truth is there is not one answer. Everyone is individual and there are different causes and different treatments to help sufferers of acne.

Having had acne as a young girl, I’ve always been sensitive to my clients who battle with managing their acne with topical products. Most tend to dry their skin out and cause sensitivity. The Veronica Blemish Drying Lotion is an effective spot treatment for blemished skin. It reduces tissue redness, irritation and stops the growth of bacteria.

While other acne spot treatments are harsh and can irritate the skin, this product is safe and effective for all skin types. The combination of Propolis and Tea Tree Oil calms the skin naturally and effectively.

Propolis (also known as bee glue) is a substance collected by honeybees to seal gaps and holes in their hives. Ir promotes healing and prevents scaring.

Tea Tree Oil disinfects the pores, and has natural soothing properties. The Veronica Blemish Drying Lotion even stops the itching in bug bites!

Sometimes we need a little help covering the discoloration and marks left behind from acne.

The Pro Palette Concealer has three shades to perfectly match and completely camouflage imperfections.

Each shade can be used alone or blended to perfectly match your complexion, hide blemishes, pigmentation and dark under eye circles.
I believe skin should look as natural as possible, which is why I created this lightweight, hydrating, three-shade system.

My goal is to give everyone the clear skin we all deserve plus the healthy, glowing, radiant complexion we all want.

With Love,
Veronica

”Try to be a rainbow in someone’s cloud.” – Maya Angelou

Doing beauty segments on Extra TV is fun and always a wonderful experience. The producers, Mario Lopez, Maria Menounos and the crew could not be nicer, they are always so welcoming.

They ask me to talk about the latest and greatest in skincare, health and beauty. They’ve come to Malibu several times to film us demonstrating different facial treatments, Tai chi and Endermologie.

When I go to the studio, I’ve noticed that people aren’t just interested in the great give-a-ways, but the audience really wants to learn about good skin care and what really works. It gives me great satisfaction to help them with their issues, as it does at the spa with our clients in Malibu.

On my last visit to Extra I introduced and talked about my new Sea System; the Marine Comfort Cleanser, Clarifying Toner and V Peptide Eye Cream.

I am excited to offer these high performance products that deliver extraordinary results, formulated with the newest technology in cosmeceutical skin care.

The Marine Comfort Cleanser – Derived from beneficial Seaweed, Coconut Oil, and Wheat Germ Oil. This natural, nourishing cleanser lifts dirt, oil and impurities as it softens and rejuvenates the skin.

The Clarifying Toner – Helps purify and refine the skin with a soothing blend of eleven herbs that tones the skin without drying it out.

The V Peptide Eye Cream – Reduces under-eye puffiness and crow’s feet, while helping with dark circles. This combination of peptides and cucumber extract helps rejuvenate the eye area.

The question I get asked the most is, “What is the best cleanser with no sulfates, parabens or fragrance, and what eye cream should i use for lines, wrinkles, dark circles and puffiness?”
Now we have The Sea System.

I’ll be on Extra TV July 4th, talking about my new products with Maria Menounos, and Extra’s Website will be giving away 5 sets of The Sea System Trio ($171 each).

Hope you win and Happy 4th of July!

With Love,
Veronica

”Elegance is the only beauty that never fades.” – Audrey Hepburn