Spas Host "Beauty Boot Camp"

A special two-hour "Beauty Workout Holiday Boot Camp" is going on in November at lots of spas across the country. But don't expect to work up a sweat! This boot camp is two hours of one-on-one demos and coaching in how to take care of your skin by eating well, reducing stress and using the right products in the right way. There are four "circuits" and you spend about a half-hour at each one:

• Nutrition -- Tastings of skin-healthy cuisine and nutritional drinks, with recipe cards.
• Lifestyle - Learn simple at-home techniques for reducing stress, which ages you.
• Beauty Regimen - Mini-treatments and interactive demos to show you how to take care of your skin.
• Home Routine - Take-home skin care products recommended for your skin.

It costs $45, but includes a subscription to Spa Magazine, a $25 gift certificate for Skin Authority products, a spa music CD, a 30-day "beauty work-out plan" with recipes and tips, and on-going support from your "personal skin-care coach."

Some of the list of participating spas is pretty impressive -- Sanctuary Spa at Camelback Mountain in Paradise Valley, Kohler Waters Spa in Chicago, and The Spa of Colonial Williamsburg in Virginia. To find out what spa near you is participating and make an appointment, call 1-866-325-SKIN option 4, or go to Skin Authority. You can also call the number to enter a drawing for a spa trip for two, even if you don't attend.

I think there's a lot of value to being able to interact one-on-one and get coaching from an esthetician. There's often not really enough time to do this during a facial, and it's important! My one concern is that you're paying for an event that is designed to sell skin care products, so be aware of that going in.

I would love to hear back from people who go how you liked it, and whether you felt it was a good value.