Are eyelash extensions right for me?

You’ve seen those beautiful, sexy lashes on your favorite celebrities – and you may be wondering if they’re right for you! Eyelash extensions are a great way to glam up for a special event, or give your everyday look a pop of allure.

Still not sure if it’s right for you? We’ve answered some of your most frequently asked questions on the extensions procedure:

What are eyelash extensions?

At The Floating Lotus, we use Xtreme Lashes®. These closely match your own eyelashes, as each lash extension is individually applied to a single eyelash, giving your lashes a natural appearance.

How long do they take to apply?

It takes about 2 hours to apply a full set of lashes. Your natural eyelashes normally fall out and regrow, so the attached extensions will fall off, too. Touch-ups are recommended every 1 to 3 weeks. Touch-ups can take from 30 to 90 minutes, depending on how much time has passed and how many of your extensions are remaining.

Can anyone apply these lashes?

No. You should go to a spa with trained eyelash-extension technicians, to ensure proper application and safety.

I have sensitive eyes. How do I know if eyelash extensions will work for me?

You are an ideal candidate for eyelash extensions if:

• You have healthy eyes.
• You do not have allergies or sensitivities to acrylates or cyanoacrylate adhesives.
• You are comfortable lying down for a few hours with your eyes closed.

If you notice any discomfort during the application process, let your aesthetician know right away!

What do I need to do before the appointment?

You should arrive makeup-free to your eyelash extension appointment.

What should I do after the appointment?

In the 48 hours after your appointment:

• Avoid exposing your lashes to water, heat, saunas, steam and friction.
• Do not apply any eye cosmetics or skin care products to your lashes or eye area.
• Do not get your lashes wet when you shower.
• You must avoid steam and water in the first 48 hours to ensure a strong bond.
• Sleep on your back to avoid friction and tangling.
• Do not tint or perm your lashes.
• Avoid receiving irritating treatments, including brow waxing, in your eye area.

How do I find an eyelash extension stylist?

Look for a professional who is certified to apply the lashes. You want someone who has been trained to apply them properly and who uses professional products, so your real lashes don’t become damaged.

Cassandra Benning, Floating Lotus founder, was the first Xtreme Lashes®-trained stylist in Little Rock, and has been applying eyelash extensions professionally for 10 years. Call 501-664-0172 or visit our website to book an appointment!

Yoga is for everyone!

We've all seen them on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and more: images of predominately white, young, thin women practicing yoga. Is yoga really for everyone? The answer is yes!

It's important to find a studio that makes you feel comfortable in your skin. Yoga incorporates the entire spectrum of diversity: bigger women, older women, people of color, and even men, all practice yoga. 

Yoga is not about how you look on the outside -- it's a space to feel confident and comfortable and a way to connect with yourself and others. Body positivity through yoga builds confidence, especially as you become aware of your progression in flexibility and mindfulness.

At The Floating Lotus the teachers and students represent a variety of shapes, sizes, ages,  genders and ethnicities. Anyone can practice yoga and we make sure everyone who comes into the studio feel invited and welcomed. 

We offer classes and workshops including curvy yoga and yin yoga, which can be a good way to ease into a new practice. Our yoga classes are often include positive body affirmations. Loving yourself and others, and being comfortable in your own skin, is a part of the practice. 

No matter how big or small, we all practice and grow together.

Salute the autumn sun with Global Mala Sept. 18

September means it's time for Global Mala! And, 2016 marks The Floating Lotus’s seventh year to participate.

Little Rock joins more than 100 cities around the world taking part in the Global Mala Project on Sept. 18. This venture was begun by Shiva Rea as a vision of the yoga community forming a symbolic Mala around the world, harnessing the power of meditation and action.

With the autumnal equinox near, we’re moving into shorter days and less light, and a time to reflect on endings and beginnings – the perfect time for a well-intentioned practice! We’ll celebrate and focus with sun salutations and 108 chants of OM. Take part in some or all – whatever your spirit feels that day.

As a student of Shiva Rea, Floating Lotus founder Cassandra Benning is proud to sponsor Little Rock’s Global Mala event again this year.  Join us, rain or shine, at 9 a.m. Sept. 18 at Murray Park in Little Rock. Come with a spirit of bringing about world peace, which begins with peace within yourself.

Bring your yoga mat if you have one and wear comfortable clothes in which you can move easily. All are welcome! Visit our Facebook event for details.

Little Rock Thai Yoga Massage Workshop

The Floating Lotus will host the next Thai Jam event Sept. 9 from 6:30 – 8:00 p.m.! This monthly event is FREE and a great way for both beginners and professionals to learn more about the ancient practice of Thai Yoga Massage.

What is Thai Yoga Massage? It utilizes an ancient healing system combining Thai practices with Indian, Chinese and Southeast Asian influences.  Unlike traditional massage and yoga, Thai Yoga Massage involves more manipulation of the body and provides many of the benefits of both:

• Increased flexibility
• Increased circulation
• Improved sleep
• Reduced tension
• Pain relief
• Relaxation

We could all use a little more of these, right?!

We encourage everyone interested in yoga to come out and discover more about this practice. Bring your yoga mat, put on some cozy clothes and grab a friend!

To find out more or sign up, visit http://floatinglotusyogastudio.com/events.html.

How does yoga affect your mental health?

Anyone familiar with yoga knows it's the perfect physical stress reliever, but what is it about yoga that calms the spirit? Yoga is like therapy, and can bring about a great release of emotional burdens. 

Yoga focuses on balance, the key to overall health. While many of us tend to equate balance with posture and being able to stand on one leg, it's actually much deeper. Yoga helps you find balance that is physical, emotional and spiritual.

We tend to hold emotional stress in certain regions of our bodies. Those who suffer may find the relief they need in a good yoga class – specific poses can provide emotional releases, as the physical aspects are connected to the chakras, points of energy in the body. Possible benefits of yoga can include:

• Lowered heart rate, blood pressure and respiration
• Reduced anxiety 
• Relief from muscle tension and stress
• Mental and physical relaxation
• Increased mindfulness and mental awareness
• Alleviation of mild depression
• Lessening of fatigue and insomnia

Along with physical practices, at The Floating Lotus we encourage students to meditate and make other small changes needed for healing. Connecting with a group of encouraging and supportive people through yoga can be the perfect mental and spiritual boost. After class, we often hear students say, “That was just what I needed.”

How Yoga Teacher Training Deepens Your Practice

So, you’ve been thinking about taking your yoga practice to the next level – have you ever considered teaching? Embarking on a certified teacher training course can help you really delve deeper into your practice.

In typical yoga classes, you learn about the physical aspects of yoga -- but there is so much more to it than that. Through teacher training classes, you learn even more about the importance of proper alignment, the significance of certain poses and the value of the spiritual aspects of yoga. 

Yoga, since its origins in India, has been a spiritual practice. But this aspect has been lost in some studios. In modern, mainstream yoga culture, much of the focus is on purely physical aspects. 

The Floating Lotus’s teacher training takes us back to our roots. Learning more about the spiritual facet of yoga can help us learn more about ourselves. 

As you discover what yoga truly is, you begin to see it as not only a physical journey but as a self-awakening journey. Teachers-in-training will cultivate a lifestyle of self-mastery, empowerment and service to others. 

If you are ready to take this journey, visit http://floatinglotusyogastudio.com/training.html.

The Key to Healthy Skin: Organic Skin Care

So many products promise "flawless skin,” but don’t you really want products that promote healthy skin? Finding skin care that leaves skin glowing while also supporting its health could be as easy as visiting the right spa!

First, choose a spa that uses organic ingredients. This is key, and here's why:

• Using chemicals on your face can cause adverse reactions. This is not what you want when combating skin issues such as acne and dryness.
• Your skin absorbs what you apply to it. So, applying gentle, healing products is important.

Organic products can provide benefits similar to traditional products – with less risk of harmful side effects. Tea tree-based products can help combat acne. Cucumber helps tone the skin. Coconut, jojoba and hemp seed oils moisturize and protect the skin. And all without harmful chemicals!

If you’re looking for better ways to care for your skin, it's important to remember that our skin is our largest organ. You want it to absorb natural nourishing ingredients – not chemicals. 

At The Floating Lotus, we use Éminence Organics facial and body products. We find that using organic ingredients leaves our clients with glowing skin and less skin sensitivity. Every client receives a list of products used during their visit, as a reference for future visits or for purchasing products to use at home.

Interested in making your own natural skin-care and spa products? We offer workshops throughout the year that teach you how to make your own natural products using readily available ingredients.

Visit our website to make an appointment or check out upcoming workshops. We look forward to helping you achieve natural, healthy, glowing skin – organically!