I tried not to be offended when our beauty editor asked me to trial an anti-ageing treatment.

Surely, my 32-year-old vocabulary doesn’t need to feature words such as wrinkles, sagging, fine lines, under-eye shadows or impurities?

And surely, my 32-year-old face doesn’t sport such features, either?

The sad fact is that we start showing signs of ageing about the age of 25 or, if you want a really depressing thought, we start ageing from the moment we are born.

So, when I discovered I could “turn the ageing tap off” with Galvanic Spa System II-EX (Black) , iron out the appearance of lines and wrinkles and that the treatment could come to me, I jumped at the chance.

A 25-year-old global entity that is science-based rather than a cosmetics company, Nu Skin has been in Australia for 16 years. It has laboratories in China and the United States, filled with more than 130 PhD scientists.

Executive distributor Justine Easton said the ageLOC product, delivered via the hand-held galvanic device, only recently had been launched on the market and was set to revolutionise the industry.

“We think this unit will be like a hairdryer: everybody will want one in their home,” she said. “It not only does the face, it does cellulite, firms the upper arms and works on the scalp to improve hair conditioning as well.

“Galvanics has been around for many years … it’s a process of delivering a charge with a microscopic electric current.”

A charge? An electric current? On my face? OK, now I am scared.

But then I realise Justine is applying the hand-held galvanics device – and delivering that charge – as we are talking. And it doesn’t hurt a bit.

She had first cleansed and applied the pre-treatment gel, which was delivered into the skin with regular sweeps of the battery-powered device, on a negative charge, over the skin.

As the wand moves over the face, it pushes the gel into the skin.

“This is going in and grabbing those impurities at that lower level,” Justine said.

After a 15-minute wait and a toner spray, the ageLOC gel is applied and the process is repeated, but this time the device is set to positively charge and draw the impurities out of the skin like a magnet.

Justine tells me the process gives a much deeper cleanse than any topical cleanser can and that the ageLOC gel actually lifts and hydrates the skin.

“It is targeting the arNOX (ageing) enzyme, thus slowing a key cause of ageing in the surface of our skin,” she said.

“We recommend the treatment is done twice a week, but you can use it every day, if you like, for faster results. People not only experience long-term anti-ageing benefits, but the immediate visible results last for days.

“Many men are using this, too, because for them, it’s just like a little shaver and it’s so easy to use.”

Indeed, the treatment is flexible, portable, convenient and a natural alternative in that it will plump up your skin without an invasive Botox needle. Justine has given the left side of my face the treatment only, so I can compare. I look in the mirror and notice that my marionette line (running vertically between my nose and mouth) is more faint.

My skin feels supple, hydrated and smoother to the touch. My skin tone looks more even and those few blemishes have lightened a little.

Justine said each treatment worked out to be about $10, which was a bargain for such results.

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Anti Aging, Facials Galvanic Facial

Keeping skin soft and smooth in the winter can be a challenge. The key is to pick the right moisturizer. Justine Monteiro, a medical aesthetician at Vinette Day Spa & Apothecary in Scituate, said that not only moisturizing, but exfoliating, is crucial.

“I think people who have sensitive skin and rosacea are really afraid to exfoliate,” she said. “You would be really surprised what retinol a couple times a week can do.”

Retinol is a form of vitamin A that helps to turn over dead skin cells. It can also be used to prevent acne and signs of aging. She suggests trying over-the-counter exfoliants like Dermalogica’s Gentle Cream Exfoliant. “That may be where you want to spend your money, is a good exfoliant,” she said.

For a moisturizer, Monteiro suggests anything that contains vitamin B5 or hyaluronic acid, which binds moisture to the skin, and that won’t clog pores. Ann Purcell, a massage therapist and aesthetician at Adamo Day Spa Retreat in Cohasset, prefers all-natural moisturizers. She suggests anything with vitamins A, C and E, coenzyme Q10, or evening primrose oil.

Purcell said that it’s also important to avoid products that contain toxic chemicals. “If it doesn’t look like something that’s in your food and has a big long name that you can’t pronounce, you probably don’t want it on your skin,” she said.

Many moisturizers contain mineral oil, which she said is deeply dehydrating because it interferes with the skin’s natural lubricant.

Monteiro said vitamin C “is the No. 1 thing you can do for your skin. It’s like squeezing a lemon onto peeled fruit.” She said that vitamin C protects skin and lightens pigment, and though it can be expensive, it’s worth it for the benefit to your skin. Purcell prefers Ester-C, a patented form of vitamin C that she said retains its potency longer.

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Beauty Tip, Day Spa, Facial Peels, Facials Dermalogica, Skinceuticals

Should You Spend Money on Detox Skin Care Products?
Creams, lotions, pads, and potions claim to remove so-called toxins from the body. What does that mean?

You may already know that so-called liquid “detox diets”—espoused by celebs like Gwyneth Paltrow—are not recommended by most doctors and nutritionists, who say they’re worthless at best and may cause health problems at worst. But the entire concept of “detoxification” has made its way to products for your skin and body, too, from facial masks to bath soaks to foot pads. Are those products any more worthwhile?

The problem with any topical product that says it can “detox” is that the term doesn’t really mean anything, says Perry Romanowski, an independent cosmetic industry scientist and one of the bloggers at thebeautybrains.com. “It’s a vague enough claim so that you’re not really making a medical claim,” he says. “Cosmetic marketers are clever enough to find a word like this and use it.”

The toxins that products claim to remove range from vague “impurities” to more specific things that may or may not be affected by a skin product. “Certainly it’s possible to apply products and ingredients to the skin that are protective against exposures,” says John Bailey, chief scientist at the Personal Care Products Council, which represents the cosmetic and personal care industry. Sunscreen, for example, protects against harmful UV rays.

Dennis Gross, a dermatologist whose MD Skincare line includes several products advertised to remove toxins, says in his case he’s referring to environmental pollutants like the heavy metals and chlorine in tap water. Ingredients that neutralize or remove those substances can reduce the chance of skin irritation like eczema or damage, he says. “I won’t go so far as to say they’re helping [the entire body], but they clearly can make the skin better,” he says.

Some detox products, including some of Gross’s, also include antioxidants, substances that sop up the free radicals that are implicated in aging and skin damage. And topical antioxidants have been shown to reduce the impact of those ills, at least in the test tube. (That said, free radicals are not “toxins” and cannot be eliminated by the body.) It’s less clear whether topical antioxidants will reduce wrinkles caused by sun exposure or the aging process, or provide any other visible benefit, and it’s also unknown what dosage and for how long they must be applied to see any potential benefit, says Paula Begoun, author of Don ‘ t Go to the Cosmetics Counter Without Me. (After years of reviewing products, Begoun now has her own line of personal care products, some containing antioxidants.)

If you’re looking for antioxidant-containing products, it’s better to look for that specific word on the label or packaging, says Leslie Baumann, a dermatologist who directs the University of Miami’s Cosmetic Medicine and Research Institute. Some ingredients to seek out: ascorbic acid (vitamin C), green tea, idebenone, coffeeberry, and coenzyme Q10.

Protecting against external damage is one thing; whether putting something on your skin can actually suck out harmful substances from your skin or elsewhere in your body is another question. “The question it poses is, if there are toxins lurking in the skin, what are they?” says Begoun. “What’s poisoning our skin? Pesticides? Which ones and how do you get them out and measure the effects?” she says. “I don’t know of any toxins lurking in the skin. It’s a pretty dynamic organ and turns itself over every three to six weeks and every two to three months when you get older.” She says “toxin” is so vague it could mean anything.

Even if there are undesirable substances floating around the body, it would be tough to get them out via the skin, says Romanowski. The skin is generally not permeable and few chemicals can pass through it. It’s instead the liver, kidneys, and digestive system that generally remove waste and toxins from the body. That’s one of the chief reasons he and other experts dismissed the claims that last year’s trendy detox foot pads can somehow remove toxins through the soles of your feet as you sleep.

Better than attempting to remove unwanted things from your body via your skin is not exposing your body to those things in the first place. That means avoiding excess sun exposure, anything more than moderate drinking, and smoking, says Baumann. And improve your diet, adds Begoun: The traditional Mediterranean diet—centered around fruits and veggies, whole grains, fish, and “good” fats—includes omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants in their natural state, and may help improve the structure of the skin, according to studies.

Nothing you put on your skin can make up for a hard night out. But if detox skin products aren’t the miracle workers some of the ads make them out to be, nor are they likely to be harmful, Baumann says. That was a relief for one of her patients, who worried a new facial cream would nullify the active ingredient in one of her other beauty mainstays. Says Baumann, “She was worried it would detox her Botox.”

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Botox, Detox Spa, Facials, Skin Care

New You Facial
Many women constantly strive to look younger, and one place they focus on is their face. Dr. Ordon shows off the new Glymed DermaSound Elite, a new ultrasonic machine for performing facials. He demonstrates how it works. “Based on an ultrasonic system, it does three things,” he says. “By creating an ultrasonic wave, it exfoliates your skin. That means it’s cleaning, it’s getting rid of that dead skin. It opens up the skin and actually allows moisturizers to penetrate deeper, and as we know, it’s all about moisturizing. And third, it actually helps to tighten the collagen in your skin. It’s sort of three systems in one.” He adds that he’s had the procedure performed on his face.

Lisa, whose skin suffers from sun damage as well as red and brown spots, undergoes the facial by Dr. Ordon. “The first thing I did was exfoliate and remove that dead skin, get rid of that outer layer, and then I added the moisture back into her skin with this polypeptide recovery complex,” he explains.

 Lisa shows off her new face and says, “My skin feels fabulous. It’s smooth.”

The DermaSound treatment usually begins as three sessions, with a follow-up session once a month. Each treatment costs $100 to $200.

DermaSound 

Experience The UltraSonic Facial

The DermaSound Plus — a revolutionary ultrasonic facial treatment that benefits your skin three distinct ways. With the flexibility this instrument offers, we expect it to become the cornerstone of our exfoliation, acne and mature skin treatments. It’s highly effective, yet gentle enough for the most sensitive skin, including Rosacea.

Is an UltraSonic Facial right for you?
We think so! Here are some reasons why.

A Complete Facial
The DermaSound Plus™ Facial is a complete facial that employs ultrasound frequency to:

• exfoliate dead skin cells for a clearer, healthier complexion without the redness and irritation sometimes associated with Microdermabrasion;
• loosen and remove oil, dirt and cellular debris from follicles for cleaner, healthier skin. Pores diminish in size and bacteria levels are reduced;
• gently stimulate skin to produce collagen and elastin. Fine lines and wrinkles are diminished; skin is restored to a smooth, youthful glow and maintained with regular treatments;
• aid in penetrating skin care products deep into the skin. Less product is required, and it is more effective as it penetrates and acts deep within the skin;

This “Ultrasonic Facial” process is gentle, non-invasive, safe and suitable for all skin types, from Acne to Rosacea and Mature skin. Even the most senstitive skin will benefit from DermaSound treatments without any significant erythema (redness) as a result of the treatment. Any erythema that does occur diminishes rapidly after treatment.

Three Distinct Treatment Phases:

Peeling
The Peeling Phase removes 20% to 50% of the “stratum corneum” — the outer layer of the skin which we continuously shed. Water is applied, along with a hydration product, such as CosMedix Mystic, or any product that helps the skin retain moisture. The hand instrument, similar to a small spatula, is stroked over the skin. Ultrasonic vibrations spin the water molecules at high frequency causing cavitation — a brief phase change in the water molecule. Cavitation gently removes the dead surface skin cells and cleans out follicles without the irritation and inflammation that is sometimes associated with mechanical methods.

Infusion
This is one of DermaSound’s best features. Normally, large molecules cannot penetrate the skin to provide the deep medication that skin often needs. But ultrasound makes that penetration possible — the process is called “sonophoresis.” Typically, an antioxidant product is penetrated into the skin in this phase to provide deep environmental healing and protection. Other products specific to your skin type may also be employed. The lotion, cream or serum is applied liberally to the skin. The hand instrument is lightly stroked over your skin. The ultrasound frequency opens minute pathways to allow the product to penetrate deeply into your skin, for better, more long-lasting results.

Microcurrent Therapy
This phase normalizes the skin with a very mild electrical current — a medically proven technique to restore individual cells’ natural electrical charge. The paddle is lightly stroked over the face and throat creating a slight pulsing and warming on the face. When a cell has been damaged due to environmental causes, like overexposure to the sun or aging, the cell’s electrical current is adversely effected, restricting the flow of nutrients into the cell and waste products out of the cell. This condition makes it difficult for cells to heal. This “patting phase” helps normalize the electric current within the cells and promotes healing, cell regeneration and resiliency. DermaSound’s Microcurrent Therapy breathes new life into tired, injured and aging skin.

DermaSound Plus is particularly effective
in treating the following skin conditions:

Acne
The ultrasound vibration helps to break-up follicular deposits of oil, dirt and dead cells — a veritable breeding ground for bacteria. Ultrasonic frequency has been shown to kill bacteria and decongest the pores resulting in cleaner, healthier skin.
Fine Lines & Wrinkles
DermaSound helps stimulate and promote collagen and elastin production for more youthful skin. It also helps with hydration. The “plumping” of the skin fills out fine lines and wrinkles.

Sensitive Skin
Yes, this is an excellent treatment for sensitive skin, even those with Rosacea. Pure, filtered water and hydrating serum is used during the Peel Phase. It is gentle and non-irritating. During the Infusion Phase, only products formulated for sensitive skin are used. No longer will your sensitive skin and/or Rosacea prevent you from exfoliating!

The Final Result
is smoother, healthier and younger-looking skin, when used regularly along with an appropriate home care program. In skin care it’s important to know that, no matter what the procedure, there are no instant fixes. Long-term results are achieved when DermaSound Plus treatments are performed regularly — one treatment can’t substitute for a series of treatments. The results are cumulative as your skin benefits from and loves regular care.

DermaSound Facial, Facial Peels, Facials

Faces365 Spa Brings Affordable, Professional Skincare to Houston
Massage Envy Business Model Inspires Franchise Launch

Affordable spa skincare will come to Houston next month when Faces365 opens for business. The franchise is based on an almost identical membership-based business model as another health-related franchise, Massage Envy.

Owners say the new franchise is aimed at a clientele that appreciates value, convenience and results. Faces365 will emphasize discounted services, extended hours and will operate 7-days-a-week.

The new franchise specializes in facial treatments, waxing and, in some locations, teeth whitening. The first three locations are scheduled to open soon: The Woodlands location in late-November, the Memorial/ Bunker Hill location in mid-December, and the Spring location in late December/ early January.

The franchise developers, all from the Houston area, say they expect to sell more than 80 locations in Texas over the next two years — thirty of them locally. Faces365 regional developers are Freddy O’Pry and son Lance, and Kenny and Neice Lang, who are former BP company executives. The O’Prys are also regional developers for Massage Envy in Houston and Dallas.

The Langs will provide franchisee training and operational support for the new partnership. The couple will open two Faces365 spas, including the Memorial/ Bunker Hill location. The O’Prys are also regional developers for Faces365 franchise locations in the Dallas/ Fort Worth, Austin and San Antonio areas.

The new franchise will carry several lines of skincare products, including two marketed under the Faces365 label featuring natural, botanical-based formulas. The franchise will also offer the exclusive Yonka® skincare line.

Faces365 will offer customers a $49.99 introductory, 70-minute facial session that includes a personalized, comprehensive complexion analysis. Treatments include microderm, glycolic skin peels, facial and body waxing, brow-tinting and make-up application. The franchise serves men and women. A special teen program promotes early healthy skin care and provides services for acne problems. Faces365 is membership-based, giving members substantial savings on products and services. Services will also be available to non-members.

“Franchise locations are typically 2,000 square feet,” said Freddy O’Pry, “and generally cost between $300,000 and $350,000, with financing available for qualified applicants from several third-party banks. This will allow most franchisees to be in business with only $75,000 cash,” he said.

NOTE: Spavelous does not endorse this or any other spa franchise. Do your Financial Home work and closely examine the UFOC of any Spa Franchise Offering.

Day Spa, Facials, Spa, Spa Franchise

Enthusiastic Esthetician is an Inspiration

Retirement just wasn’t for Diane McGuire. Working for 10 years as a secretary at her daughters’ school and at General Electric in Saratoga Springs, New York, for the next 23, McGuire spent most of that time also being a single parent. But shortly after meeting her soul mate, Jon, at work and marrying him, she retired at 65 and, in 2002, the couple moved to Cape Cod, Massachusetts.

“We took golf lessons when we first moved to the Cape, and that is how I met Tricia Howard. She was a local day spa owner, and we began talking, becoming immediate friends,” McGuire explains of her initial contact with esthetics. Howard became her hairstylist, and McGuire also began to work as a receptionist at Howard’s spa—Bellisimo Hair, Skin and Nails in Hyannis, Massachusetts—exposing her further to the world of skin care and beauty.

So when Howard told her she was taking a trip, McGuire decided to tag along. “She told me she was going to a skin care and hair convention at the Jacob Javits Convention Center in New York, and I told her I would go along—I didn’t want her going by herself,” McGuire says.

Upon arriving, McGuire was entranced. “In the skin care section of the show, I was just mesmerized by everything,” she says. “Exhibitors were doing demos, and I saw them massaging people’s faces and shoulders and making people feel so, so special. As a nurturer, I knew that’s what I wanted to be doing.”

On the ride home, McGuire told Howard she wanted to become an esthetician, and Howard promised her a position in her spa when she graduated. With that, in August 2005, McGuire enrolled in esthetic school. “I went back to school to learn about skin care, and there were only eight other people in my class, all young,” she says. “Of course, I became ‘Mom’—that’s what they started calling me—and we had a wonderful time.”

Graduating in December 2005 and passing her state board exams in January 2006, McGuire’s new career was launched and she went to work in Howard’s spa for the next six months as an apprentice while Howard mentored her. “Tricia is still my mentor,” McGuire says. However, after Howard sold her business in June 2006, McGuire moved on to her next challenge.

“I received a call from a physicianwho owned The Anti-Aging Center located in Centerville, Massachusetts, and she asked me if I’d be interested in managing photorejuvenation there,” saysMcGuire. She worked there for the next six months, performing IPL treatments and hair removal services under the physician’s supervision, but realized she wasn’t following her initial path.

“It started to include things that I didn’t want to be doing, getting too intense, so then I went to work for Innovations Hair, Skin and Nails, also in Centerville, for a year and half,” McGuire says. “During that time, Kelly White, the owner of Body Sense Day Spa in Hyannis, who I had been friends with for several years, invited me to a Repêchage seminar in Boston. On the ride home, she offered me a job. I’ve been at Body Sense since May 2008.” And along the way, in January 2008, McGuire received her full esthetic license.

Now, at Body Sense, she provides facials and massage to her clients, and often helps them most by allowing them to relax and rejuvenate. “Many times, people fall asleep,” McGuire says. And she continues to gather inspiration from her co-workers and White. However, it seems to be the connection with clients she most enjoys. “I just want to make people feel good. At my age, I am financially secure, so money is not my goal. I just want to make as many people as happy as I can and help make a difference.”

Always eager to learn new techniques and trends in the industry, McGuire often practices on her built-in support system—her family. She’s refined her techniques and product usage on her daughters, granddaughters and even her husband, and is grateful to them for their patience and encouragment of her esthetic adventure.

McGuire is equally eager to spread her love outside the family, as well. “I work with the Look Good … Feel Better program sponsored by the American Cancer Society, and I volunteer each Friday at the oncology unit of the Cape Cod Hospital, administering hand, foot and shoulder massage to patients there,” she says. “It is so fulfilling and rewarding. Many of the patients keep in touch, and we have become friends and share lunches and beach walks after their treatment.”

And although she recently broke her pelvis in two places while doing volunteer work, she was as eager as ever to return to the spa, planning open house parties for Body Sense’s upcoming events. It’s not unusual, considering her enthusiasm and drive. “I enjoy every aspect of being an esthetician,” McGuire says. “I have heard from friends that they tire more quickly than they used to, but I can honestly say, at my age of 73-plus, I do not get tired when I am being an esthetician. Body Sense is just a happy place. I love being there, and I can’t say it’s work—it is a fun job.”

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Day Spa, Facials, Massachusetts Spas

The peel deal

It’s the ultimate skin-damage do-over: a skin treatment that sloughs away the visible signs of sun exposure and aging in a lunchtime appointment. But can you really undo months — or years — of wear and tear in an hour?

If you’re already regretting some of the sun exposure you got during the last few months, you’re not alone.

As the glow fades and leaves behind those not-so-beautiful signs of summer — uneven pigment, splotches and a few new, fine lines — many women start looking for a way to erase their seasonal skin sins.

That is why the facial peel becomes one of the most requested skin-care treatments around town at this time every year: “The demand is crazy in the fall and winter months,” says Dr. Tami Cassis, a clinical professor of dermatology at the University of Louisville School of Medicine who’s also in private practice in Louisville.

Demand is especially high for the quick, no-side-effect, superficial peels — dubbed “lunchtime peels” because the theory is that you can have them on your lunch hour and get right back to your life.

These potent, in-office exfoliating treatments can effectively minimize or remove fine lines, uneven skin tone and minor textural problems. They may have real medical benefits beyond the cosmetic ones, too; they can also remove early patches of scaly skin that can become actinic keratoses (lesions that may be precursors for skin cancer).
In other words, they can be the perfect antidote to post-summer skin.

“My patients love lunchtime peels because there is absolutely no downtime, and they do see an improvement in clarity and texture almost immediately,” says Abbey Helton, a registered nurse and certified plastic surgery nurse for Louisville cosmetic surgeon Dr. Joseph Banis.

That said, not all peels are created equal. So before you dash off to your nearest salon or medispa, here’s what you should know about the newest versions available around town.

 

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Beauty Tip, Facial Peels, Facials, Med Spa, Medical Spa, Medical Spas

Treatment: the organic yam and pumpkin peel

What it does: This 98 percent-organic peel reduces fine lines and wrinkles and infuses the skin with active vitamins and bioflavonoids. (Bioflavonoids give color to vegetables, fruits and flowers; they have been shown to have anti-inflammatory, anti-allergic, antiviral and anti-cancer properties.)

This peel is especially effective for hydrating and plumping the skin and refining skin tone, but it can also reduce uneven pigmentation and roughness. It is designed to leave the skin with a radiant glow and to”rev up” skin tone before a special event. “This is a real glow-getter,” says Oksana Kalchanka, an aesthetician at Tranquility Spa & Salon, “and is especially popular before weddings and reunions. A series of weekly treatments one month beforehand ensures clients a luminous, radiant, younger-looking complexion.”

What you really need to know: This 30-minute professional treatment is Read more…

Beauty Tip, Facial Peels, Facials, Fruit Spa Treatments, Spas

 

Treatment: the Vitalize Peel

What it does: The Vitalize Peel is a new-this-year alpha hydroxyl-and-retinoic acid blend that can yield dramatic exfoliating results. It is especially effective in treating clogged pores, severe acne and more advanced signs of aging, such as thickened skin, uneven pigment and fine lines.

What you really need to know: The Vitalize Peel is a mixture of alpha-hydroxy acids, beta-hydroxy acids, resorcinol and retinoic acid that is suitable for all skin tones and complexions. The combination of acids causes chemical exfoliation of the outer layer of skin. The retinoic acid also stimulates collagen production, designed to result in a smoother, more vibrant complexion.

The Vitalize Peel — fast becoming a favorite rejuvenating method — is often combined with other procedures, like Read more…

Beauty Tip, Facial Peels, Facials, Med Spa, Medical Spa, Medical Spas