Raleigh Aveda Store for Balance

Do you know what chakras are?  If you look it up, the definition is ‘centers of energy that relates to each of our body’s systems and organs’.

Ayeda, by the way, is the name short for Ayurveda which means ‘science of life’.   They’re a very green-conscious store…using recycled container packaging, and taking preserving our earth very seriously.  You might’ve heard of them through your hair salon that might sell Aveda hair products.

I’m sitting here sipping on Aveda’s signature tea made of peppermint and licorice.

So I smelled a few small bottles.  I like the orange and jasmine scents best.  You get to cleanse your nasal passage with dry coffee beans in between sniffings.  But what I was blown away most with was that after I tried the scents, the Aveda shop girl I was talking to, took me to over to some sitting stools to give me a hair analysis.  Keri was her name.  She asked me a few questions like ‘what bothers me about my hair most’?  I said the frizz and kinks from humidity.  She gave me a recommendation of Aveda products that would help with that.  She also gave me a little ‘damage remedy intensive restructuring treatment’ sample I could try.  Along with a sample cup of tea.  The same tea that I’m sipping on right now.  Actually it’s the only signature one they sell.

I really did feel like I was shopping at a spa.  Keri then sat me next to the Chakra aroma test which is different than the perfume sniffing I did earlier .  This is kinda fun especially if you’re with a girlfriend to see what kinda scents you like, and are secretly drawn to.  She asked me to pick out 3 cards that attracted me most – either ‘cause of color, word, or shape.

Chakra Aroma Cards

I only picked two as the others didn’t jump out at me.  The first one I picked was ‘cause of the word ‘inspired’. And the second one was ‘cause of the orange color.  She actually let me smell all of them but I was still gravitated towards the orange one that said ‘nourished’ on it.  The aroma had orange scents in it… what can I say, I like orange.  You know the smell of citrusy orange on your hands after peeling an orange — I like that scent.  Keri, then surprised me and said she was gonna give me a one minute Chakra massage…oh, that felt so good.  She told me to chant silently on my word which was ‘nourished’.   Love that!  Chakra massages are different than most common spa massages.  They do work on your muscles but they also kinda beat on you in certain places too.  Like, with her fingers she made it feel like it was raining on my shoulder.  It’s kinda like the Homedic spa chairs you can try at Brookstone where you can set different beating motions.  Some of those chair motions make me want to vomit ‘cause they’re too hard and mechanical.  So this was a hundred times better!

When you have a day off or lunch break, go discover your chakra aromas just for fun. You may learn something about yourself..and at the very least the scents you like.

Related posts:

• Raleigh Designer Consignment Store

You may already have heard of Massage Envy ‘cause they do a lot of advertising across various Raleigh media. It’s a franchise that has made it to and across Raleigh with a couple locations.

I’ve been a Massage Envy regular customer now for at least a year. I added a photo here of the storefront logo…that might jog your memory on an ad you might’ve seen.

The reason I keep going back there is… well, there’s actually a few reasons.

1. I have a monthly recurring account which means I get a discount for being a monthly customer.
2. I like the pricing.
3. I like the service.
4. I like the ease of getting in and getting out.

Lemme give you a quick rundown on each of these.

Massage Envy gives you the option to sign on and have a monthly membership. It’s not transferrable to others so you can’t give it to your friend or spouse, but you can hold off for say one month and accrue massages for upcoming months. This is great for times when you can’t fit a massage in, you’re planning some kinda surgery, or you’ll be out of town.

My main reason for getting a massage regularly is to get my muscles loosened up as they get really tight around my neck and shoulders. Sitting on a plane and in front of the computer all day doesn’t help either. Perhaps you have similar issues or just want to relax or feel good. There’s a whole host of reasons why people get a massage. But that’s part of the reason why there are so many types of massages. For all reasons, going on a regular basis has its health benefits. If you only go once a year, once in a blue moon, or never… you’ll have to start or start again with getting your body back to where it should be, to feel good. Basically what I’m saying is a 50 minute session may not be enough.

The cost is well below a spa massage which can be around the $60-$75 for a 50 minute massage. Massage Envy charges somewhere between $39-$49 for the same type of massage. This is a steel of a deal! Well, unless you have a significant other person who likes to give massages for F-R-E-E…of course, that might end up costing you more in the end…ha!

But getting a professional massage is only a good deal if you’re getting good value. To me that’s consistently good massages. I’ve yet to have a bad massage at Massage Envy. Every time, the masseuse spends a few minutes talking about your concerns and what type of massage you want and where to focus his or her time and energies. But the communication shouldn’t end there. If needed, you should be communicating to the masseuse and telling him or her she’s pushing too hard or not hard enough while you’re being massaged…that’s if you haven’t fallen asleep which many times I’ve come close to ‘cause I was so relaxed. If you want a recommendation, Heather is a great masseuse at Massage Envy Brier Creek.

Look, I’m no massage receiving expert but I’ve had my fair share of massages since my career days in the stress-filled-borderline-nightmarish hotel catering sales department. And I’ve been lucky that I’ve gotten to try various ayurvedic massage that really hit the pressure points. I know you’re probably going…the WHAT kinda massage? Ayurveda…that’s a whole ‘nother chapter and way of life. I’ll tell you more some day… But my favorite kind of massage and the one I usually get at Massage Envy is a customized version of a deep tissue massage focusing on my neck and shoulders. But if you just want a relaxing message, a simple Swedish massage is the way to go.

I’ve also tried Massage Envy’s hot stone massage which has gotten so much buzz these days. Brandi with an “I” at the Brier Creek store is a pro with that. I was afraid I might get burned which would be no fun, but she reassured me that there’s just one warm safe temperature for the stones. A couple times during that massage it was hard to tell when she was using the smooth stones and when she was using her hands. That was a great experience. It cost just a little bit more though ‘cause of the time they take to have to prepare the stones. I’d suggest doing it on a cooler day where you might enjoy it more. I dunno maybe  I just get warm easily.

Another massage that I’ve tried there is reflexology. That’s where the masseuse focuses on your hands and feet. I’m not all that sensitive in my hands and feet so it really didn’t do much for me. But I’m sure someone like my husband who loves foot massages, would love that kind of attention. I’d much prefer a scalp massage…hmmm…kinda like my dog Apollo who’s spoiled and gets a few of those everyday. When my husband and I are in separate rooms, he’ll go from my husband and then me, and then back to my husband for more… he’s kinda a dog whore that way…LOL. He doesn’t realize we compare notes. But I guess, why should he care…he keeps getting ‘em! We’re such suckers when it comes to him. He’s just so darn cute with his big Chihuahua eyes.  Or you can just call him a Chi-huah-huah as one of our house guests once called him.  Here’s a picture of him in case you’re curious.  Be careful, he’s a real charmer.

They also offer couples massage at the Creedmoor store – same price. That’s something that my husband and I are going to try together soon…well once I can get him there. I have to tell you a real story…I bought my husband a Massage Envy gift certificate over a year ago. Thank goodness these gift certificates don’t expire. ‘Cause he loves his massages, can’t rave enough about how great they are. Particularly foot massages. The problem is…I think he can’t take the time to get off of his work priorities to take a moment for himself. God bless him.

Maybe you can relate. Eric seems to have two modes… work and vacation. And vacation is almost always outta Raleigh dodge. So booking a massage at a tropical resort works, but at home it doesn’t. That’s so typical of how men compartmentalize… isn’t it? I read this book that I’ve loaned out about men described as waffles. You know with the little square compartments to hold syrup better. And women are spaghetti ‘cause we intertwine our lives in everything else. I think the title is “Men are Like Waffles, Women are Like Spaghetti”. We had a running joke for awhile where I just call Eric– “WAFFLE”. You wives and girlfriends know what I’m talking about. I just don’t think men are wired to schedule a pampering session for themselves unless they’re desperate. I have friends, women of course, who I’m sure would gladly take a free gift certificate and get on the horn to book a massage this week. Okay, I kinda went off on a tangent. Anyway, I’ll keep working on him.

So here’s the biggie reason why I’ll keep going to Massage Envy.

I like the non frou-frou experience.

Don’t get me wrong. Are you kidding me?? I LOVE the spa experience where you get to totally relax, take your time getting lost in the locker room, and stopping for a sauna, steam, or Jacuzzi…but that’s an all day affair or at least a half day. What I want regularly is to just get in and get out but not compromise on feeling good. At Massage Envy, you sit quietly in the waiting room for just a few minutes and then your masseuse calls your name. You greet him or her and walk with him or her to your massage room. There you have your brief consultation and then he or she leaves and you undress and get yourself ready on the warm massage table. The room has relaxing music and lights are turned down so it’s very relaxing. A few minutes later, the masseuse knocks on the door and you are either lying face up or face down depending on the instructions you’d been left with.

The massage flies by. I’m always hoping each moment is not the end. But in the back of my mind I’m relived that I’ll be back in a few weeks ‘cause I’m a regular. ..yeah! Another reason to be on a Massage Envy account. Anyway, the 50 minutes does go by fast…and at the end, you’re told in a soothing quiet voice to slowly get up at your own pace and get dressed. That’s a good thing, isn’t it? ‘Cause yeah I really think it would ruin the past 50 minutes if they yelled ‘GET UP NOW! I HAVE ANOTHER CUSTOMER WAITING ON THIS ROOM!!!’ So yeah they don’t mess that part up at Massage Envy J

So, when you finally make it out the door, he or she is standing outside with a cup of fresh water. You have to rehydrate as massages push out toxins from your body. Then you head out and settle up if you’re a one timer. Or you can reschedule. And that’s it. You’re out the door and back into the real world or at least the parking lot. I’ve always felt good and revived for the rest of the day or evening. And that was just an hour of my time. Not having a sauna afterwards is just fine with me. But if that’s important to you, then I recommend going to the Umstead Spa.