From the November/December Edition of Midtown Magazine
by: Kate Turgeon
Maybe you’re the type of person who cruises through the holidays as cool and sweet as a peppermint. If so, don’t let us distract you from hanging another ornament on the tree. If not, this article is for you.
It’s forgivable to feel tense even in the middle of all that’s wonderful about the holidays. Who wouldn’t when most of us are carrying around to-do lists longer than the average ten-year-old child’s wish list? If that’s not stirring up enough stress, the colder temperatures outdoors and heating indoors can wreak havoc on skin and hair. Add a quickly approaching new year, and we can find ourselves feeling and looking about as merry as a burnt-out holiday candle.
Well, it’s time to get the glow back! Join Midtown for a look at holiday beauty. From easy ideas for little problems to big changes for longer-lasting results, there’s something for everyone. Read on and shine on!
Problem: Dry, dull skin
When Midtown asked local spa owners and skin care experts for their take on the biggest problems people face this time of year, the answer was resounding: dry, dull skin. Yes, the summer glow is gone.
And we’re stuck with what’s left behind. For some people, it’s brown spots, rough patches, leather-like texture and other sun damage. “We typically spend the winter trying to undo the damage done in summer,” says Anna Porrazzo, owner of Synergy Spa. “This is a good time of year to do more aggressive skin procedures, like chemical peels, because of less sun exposure.” In addition to procedures, it’s just as important to hydrate, she says.
Aesthetician Gina Racca of Dr. Audrey Echt Dermatology recommends the Obagi system to restore healthy function. “It improves the signs of aging at the cellular level…it is a prescription strength system that exfoliates old skin, leaving healthy new skin,” says Racca. “Obagi can be used on anyone with age spots, fine lines, wrinkles, rough skin and discoloration.”
And beware of circumstances causing dry skin. According to Racca, the following habits will improve dry skin:
• Bathe or shower only once daily. Anything more can cause skin to lose water.
• Use lukewarm, not hot, water.
• Limit baths and showers to 15 minutes or less.
• Avoid harsh deodorant soaps; switch to a non-soap cleanser such as Dove or Cetaphil.
• Pat, don’t rub, skin dry after bathing.
• Apply moisturizer immediately after bathing, and use it throughout the day as needed.
Dry skin is a common winter complaint for Fiquet Bailey, owner of Luxe. Her advice? “Exfoliate two to three times weekly and up the moisturizer. Sometimes moisturizer isn’t enough – in this case…invest in a hydrating serum…Darphin Hydraskin serum is a lifesaver.”
For many people, a facial is just the right pampering. Speak to your skin care professional or dermatologist to determine your skin type, which can help you decide on treatments. Facials, which come in a wide array of types, can be wonderful for cleansing skin, and they often come with a shoulder and chest (“décolleté”) massage, too.
Enzyme facials are a serious fix that will help coax crud out of pores and jump-start a pore-minimizing home skincare regimen, says Beth Brissette, Manager of Glo de Vie Med Spa. “For first timers, I would recommend a Vibra-Dermabrasion facial…the next generation of microdermabrasion,” she says. “[It] will exfoliate the epidermis and includes an enzyme peel customized to your skin type.”
And here’s a simple tip from Brissette: Relax! Taking a deep breath instead of frowning or scowling can slow down the aging process, as expression lines are those creases that remain even after you’ve relaxed your face.
While you’re relaxing in the fight against lines, why not pump up the feminine factor on your face? Nothing does it quite like full, flirty eyelashes that are longer, thicker and darker. The pros at Blue Water Spa recommend their Latisse® eyelash treatment, a topical treatment of bimatoprost for eyelash growth. And with a special promotion and discount, Blue Water makes the holidays an affordable time to get Latisse.
One last easy hint: drink water. “This not only keeps you looking less tired, but will also help with too much ‘holiday cheer,’” says Angela Padgett, president of Skin Sense, a day spa. Another trick for looking less tired: a Skin Sense Peppermint Patty massage. Using warm chocolate oil, heated basalt stones, fresh eucalyptus leaves and a finishing cool mint lotion, this massage will get your body’s circulation going – and that looks fantastic on every face. (Peppermint Patty also includes a scalp massage and a lymphatic drainage facial massage.)
Problem: Lackluster hair
You wear it every day: your hair. It’s not like a least-favorite sweater you can hide away in your closet. Making beautiful, healthy hair a priority is easier than ever, even during the hustle and bustle of the holidays.
“Typically during these months, people turn the heat on in their homes which, as we know, can cause hair and skin to become more dry,” says Shawn Kekel, owner of Von Kekel Salon Spa. Static, flyaway hairs and diminished shine are other problems caused by missing humidity, he adds. Kekel’s solution? Hydrate! “A couple of Aveda products that would be beneficial – Dry Remedy shampoo and conditioner… and for dry scalp (often experienced by men)…Aveda’s Scalp Benefits shampoo and conditioner,” he says.
Remember that you may have to moisturize more than you’re used to. “A lot of women make the mistake of using the same level all year,” says Abby Erickson, manager of Modern Enhancement Salon & Spa (which is expanding to include a full spa). For hair, she recommends Kerastase products.
Given cooler temperatures and dryness, you may be worried about hair coloring this time of year. Fortunately, experts say you can do it; you just have to do it right. “Colorwashes and clear-coat glazes are the keys to long-lasting vibrant hair color in winter,” says Don Stacy, owner of DS Parada Color Salon. “These treatments help seal the outer layer of the hair shaft, protecting hair from the elements and giving brilliant shine, as well as that silky, finished look.”
Jennifer Fincher (and almost all the stylists Midtown talked to) recommends clear-gloss treatments, too. And during the holidays, she says women are seeking new, fresh hair color. “The trend… is warmer, deeper and richer tones such as mahogany, chocolate, auburn…or ‘grown out’ color a la Rachel Bilson and Drew Barrymore,” says Fincher, owner of Salon Blu.
For flyaway, static-charged hair, David Wade suggests Brazilian and Coppola Keratin smoothing treatments. “It’s about restoring and restructuring hair by infusing a blend of keratin into the cuticle and encasing the cuticle in keratin,” says Wade, who owns the David Wade Salon. The result? Hair is better protected from humidity and environmental toxins. “Hair is smoother, silkier and shinier for easier and faster blow-drying,” he adds.
Conditioning treatments are popular and necessary this time of year, says Allison Brown, a stylist at Lux Salon and Spa. “Dry or flat hair would benefit from a mousse or thickening product,” she says. (Brown recommends Alterna’s Thickening Compound.) “The client could also come to Lux for a volumizing conditioning treatment to revive limp locks. Another great solution is…opting for highlights that give the appearance of volume,” adds Brown.
Problem: Hair Loss
If you have thinning hair and want to do something about it, you’re not alone. Millions of people have faced the same situation. Joseph Ellis, a member the American Hair Loss Council, says he knows how these individuals search for the security that helps them face other roadblocks in life.
Here’s how hair restoration works at his salon, Raleigh Hair Concepts: Ellis takes a mold of the client’s head to get its contour. He then produces a custom, thin graft made out of skin-like material. From that point, human hair is hand-tied one-by-one (unlike most wigs) into the graft. Finally, Ellis bonds the custom, hair-filled graft to the base of her hairline. Ellis adds that many of his clients use flexible medical spending accounts to pay for the process, and that November and December may be the best time to investigate this med-flex option with an employer.
Problem: You want longer-lasting results
Fall and winter are busy times at Raleigh Plastic Surgery, says Dawn Dunn, patient care coordinator. “Our patients want to have surgery during the winter so they will be recovered for spring break and the upcoming summer,” says Dunn. (She adds that late spring/summer can be a popular time for teachers and patients with children in school.)
Dunn says that patients are looking for long-term results, and popular procedures include tummy tucks, breast augmentation, breast lifts, liposuction, face lifts and eyelid lifts. “Personally, I have had an eyelid lift…of course, this is a surgical procedure but the recovery period is relatively short,” she says. For maintenance, Dunn likes anti-aging facials and eye treatments at Midtown Medi Spa, which is located inside Raleigh Plastic Surgery.
Another benefit of the holiday months is that they are prime time for scarves and turtlenecks, which are wonderful concealers during healing time. Gretta Handley, patient care coordinator at Davis Plastic Surgery, says submental liposuction can be a wonderful option for patients looking for a more defined jawline with less downtime than a traditional face lift.
“By removing fat at the jowls and beneath the chin in front of the neck, the neckline and jaw line are more streamlined,” says Handley. “The skin does also tighten to some extent, which makes patients look thinner and rejuvenated.”
Using holiday time off together with vacation time is yet another reason that November and December are popular months for plastic surgery procedures, says Diane Lambeth, co-owner of Lambeth Plastic Surgery & Aesthetics. “A new trend is the ‘mommy makeover,’” she says. “It consists of breast restoration and…rejuvenation and tummy tuck and/or liposuction to refine the waist and hips.” The goals, she says, are to have a natural result and return women’s bodies to how they may have looked before pregnancy.
Another trend is Sculptra® to address volume loss and structural changes in the face, says Lambeth. “It’s now being referred to in cosmetic circles as the ‘liquid facelift,’” she adds.
Maybe the holiday months are wreaking havoc on your skin, hair and body. Or maybe the coming of a new year has you thinking about cosmetic changes. Either way, there’s a solution out there. Taking time for you can mean looking and feeling better. And isn’t that better than feeling like that burned out candle?
Need advice from our in-house professional esthetician? Click here to book and FREE Skin Care consultation. Or give us a call at (919) 510-5919.
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led the avenues of buffing, exfoliating, cleansing, dieting, exercising, tweezing, waxing, injecting, cutting, coloring, lasering, as well as any other intersecting street that might bring us closer to our own, personal health and beauty ideal. We’ve all tried at least one “ing” that seemed “too good to be true”… and, in fact, turned out to be “too good to be true”!
& tightened it.
YOU all make us look forward to work every day. I feel so lucky to own a business that makes people happy. One where we genuinely love the work that we do and, most of all, love our clients! It sounds cliche’, but I could not be more thankful for each and every one of you who has made that possible.
