A new business has launched in Saratoga Springs offering what it calls post-pandemic self-care parties to nourish and rejuvenate the mind, body and soul.
It’s called Refresh. And its goal is to offer a wellness-centered option for bachelorette parties, baby showers, women’s retreats, corporate retreats, and rites of passage such as milestone birthday parties.
Diane Palma, a Reiki II practitioner and New York state and Florida licensed cosmetologist, founded the business. She has a masters’ degree in community counseling. She is certified by the National Wellness Institute in Workplace Wellness and worked for 10 years as a mental health clinical evaluator at Four Winds Saratoga.
“Since 2013 I have been consciously transforming my life,” said Palma. “As a single parent of one college graduate and one college student, I also wanted to re-launch myself. So I sold my house and quit my job of 21 years at Jean Paul Salon &Spa and moved to Saratoga Springs.”
She continues to work as a freelance hair and makeup artist and offers services at Lockettes The Salon in Ballston Spa.
“My purpose for moving to this area was my natural attraction to the healing mineral springs. I immersed myself in the Saratoga Integrative Practitioners Network (SIPN) which opened so many doors for my personal development, self-discovery, and growth,” Palma said. “Now I would like to share the practices with others to educate them about self-care and mental health.”
She said she started Refresh “to help build back a cohesive community after we’ve all been in isolation for so long. It’s time to refresh ourselves.”
Events range from two hours to two days depending on a group’s interests and intentions, according to Palma.
Parties can be done in-person or virtually, and offer a menu of beauty, wellness, and energy workshops and services focusing on creative, physical, spiritual, financial and social wellness. Possible options include how to make jewelry; painting classes; how to style hair, makeup and nails; tours of the mineral springs or Yaddo; massage; pilates; yoga; reiki; sound healing; aromatherapy and more.
Parties start at $100 per person and can be booked online at www.refreshsaratoga.com.