Wear What When

Nail Color of the Month: Coral

Transition into summer with coral-coated nails from Dior and Essie.

Posted by: Amanda Zurita on May 18, 2012 at 09:00AM 1 Comments

Our coral picks for May:
Essie Polish in Meet Me at Sunset
Dior Vernis Nail Lacquer in Riviera

According to Pantone, coral is the color of 2012. Though most of us neutral-loving Seattleites might revert to our blacks and greys come December, coral is at least the color for spring and summer. From runways to lips to chandeliers, the pinkish-orange hue is just about everywhere right now.

And we think it should be on your nails.

We sifted through bright orangey corals, creamy pastels, and peachy pinks and found the two best shades for May’s transitional spring-to-summer days.

The designer: Dior Vernis Nail Lacquer in Riviera is a buttery shade in a pink-orange blend. The color feels like the Riviera (the Italian one at least, France’s Riviera is more of a solid gold). While Dior’s packaging is a little excessive (does this stuff really need two lids?) and the brush itself is massive, the polish goes on smooth, dries quickly, and is especially chip-resistant. Score this shade for $23 at Neiman Marcus.

The drugstore: Essie Nail Polish in Meet Me at Sunset packs more of a punch than Dior’s version. The color is a vibrant orange with more red tones than pinks, and the polish is extra-shiny so you can skip the top coat. This coral looks like it came right out of the ocean, but at $8 it’s cheaper than a beach trip. Pick it up at local Rite Aid and Target locations.

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Tags: Health and Beauty Road Test, Nail Color of the Month

Lip Color of the Month: Chanel Rouge Coco Shine in Candeur

A soft and subtle shade for the long-awaited arrival of spring.

Posted by: Amanda Zurita on May 11, 2012 at 06:00AM 0 Comments

See if you don’t want to tiptoe through some tulips in this Chanel shade.

Ah, May. It finally feels like it’s time for the sandals and flowy skirts we’ve been stockpiling. There is something very pink about this month—just ask Anna Wintour who required all her Vogue editors to don the color at the May 7 Met Gala.

Maybe it’s the blooming flowers, maybe it’s the sweetness and nostalgia of Mother’s Day. Who knows. But Chanel’s Rouge Coco Shine in Candeur (French for innocent) fits right into this fresh and delicate season.

More like a luxe tinted lip balm than a lipstick, we found that the color glides on, leaving a glossy finish that isn’t at all sticky. Chanel states that the Coco Shine line has a unique Hydratendre complex (what?) that moisturizes and softens your pout; all we know is that it did leave our lips feeling particularly smooth.

This ultrafeminine peachy pink hints at shimmer; pair it with an asymmetrical maxi skirt and soft updo for a romantic look, or let the shade balance the bold quality of spring’s patterned pants.

Find May’s best shade for $33 at Chanel’s beauty counter at Nordstrom, then wait for that flouncing-through-a-field-of-tulips feeling to set in.

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Tags: Health and Beauty Road Test, Lip Color of the Month

Road Test: Hard Wax at High Maintenance

Wax on, wax off. It really is that simple.

Posted by: Rachel Walls on Apr 27, 2012 at 08:00AM 1 Comments

Naomi Lewis, owner of High Maintenance Skin Care Salon, makes hard waxing look easy.

I’ve had my fair share of strip waxes. That might sound like a confusing bachelorette party game, but it’s the hair removal technique of applying hot wax to an area of skin, covering it with a strip of cloth, and ripping the hair out by the root. While it’s an efficient way to remove unwanted hair from large areas of the body such as the legs, back, or chest, it’s a bit rough on sensitive spots like the face, armpits, and bikini area.

Enter hard wax.

Naomi Lewis, owner of High Maintenance Skin Care Studio in Capitol Hill, has been using hard wax on her clients for 13 years. She estimates that she has given about 100,000 waxes in her life, so I feel confident booking a Brazilian with her.

The biggest appeal of hard wax is that it’s supposedly less painful. I was skeptical, but I went without my usual pre-wax ibuprofen so as not to tip the scales. (That’s just how committed I am to journalistic integrity.)

Hard wax, Lewis explains, bonds to the hair but not the skin. Not so with strip wax, which accounts for the redness, sensitivity, and irritation so commonly experienced. Hard wax is applied liberally in a small area, allowed to cool for a few moments, and then removed in one quick motion. No strips necessary: because the hard wax doesn’t bond to the skin, she can grab a corner of the hardening wax and yank it off by itself. (The lack of strips also eliminates that terrifying rrrrrrriiiiiiip sound, which is not psychologically comforting.)

The million-dollar question: Is it really less painful? In a word, yes. But in several words, it’s less painful than a strip wax in the same sense that a tooth extraction is less painful than a root canal. If you find strip waxing unbearable, don’t expect hard wax to feel like a thousand butterflies wishing your hair away. But if waxing is part of your regular routine, you owe it to yourself to upgrade; the difference is noticeable.

A question worth at least a hundred bucks or so: If hard waxing is such a superior hair removal technique, why aren’t all the salons doing it? For one, Lewis tells me, it’s more expensive. Her wax of choice comes from Australia, and not only does it cost more than the gold goo used in strip wax, it requires a more heavy-handed application to get the job done. I also notice the process takes longer than my usual strip wax, and longer sessions equals fewer clients per hour, which means less profit.

It’s also much more difficult to learn how to do it properly. As anyone who has ever attempted an ill-fated at-home wax knows, things go very painfully wrong when you don’t know what you’re doing. Lewis trains new aestheticians in the process for three months before setting them loose on her clients, but it’s not hard to imagine most salons can’t afford that kind of time commitment.

After my appointment, Lewis gave me a hug and a sample of Tend Skin. I assure her I’ll be back, and I know I will. I won’t be able to downgrade to strip wax now that I know what’s out there. Hard wax is the iPhone 4S; strip wax is the flip phone.

And shaving is the pay phone at the gas station: only for emergencies.

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Tags: Health and Beauty, Health and Beauty Road Test

Road Test: Bar Method

Lessons from a session of the ballet-based interval training that’s big with brides.

Posted by: Laura Cassidy on Apr 25, 2012 at 07:00AM 0 Comments

Photo: Kirk Mastin

Step up to the Bar Method. Black pants not totally required, but strongly suggested.

Among the many fitness options available to folks who are on her way down the aisle is ballet-based interval training—you’ve heard of this. Most options have the word bar or barre in the title.

At the Bar Method (there’s one in South Lake Union in Seattle and one in Redmond), they offer a special bridal package: $150 per month for six months of unlimited classes. It’s a great deal in terms of fees—for those of us who cannot provide proof of an upcoming 250-person celebration, an all-you-can-take 30-day period is $250.

What would it be like to throw yourself into muscle carving and body shaping for 180 days? Bar Method co-owner and instructor Bev Currier says it’s transformative. “We strongly encourage before and after pictures from the brides-to-be,” she says.

Me, I can only tell you what it’s like to throw yourself into the Bar Method for an hour. I visited the SLU studio—an exceedingly tidy Tiffany-blue and modern white chandelier-lit space that feels more like a spa than a gym—to see what all the bride-to-be buzz is about. (Apparently, some gals are even making these training sessions into parties.)

Here’s what I learned:

-That window that faces Westlake Ave? It’s indeed a window into the workout room. You might drive past Whole Foods and then the studio while looking for a parking spot and think to yourself, ’There’s no way we’re working out in that room’ but, yeah, you are. Neighbors with dogs on leashes and kids in carts stroll by. Not oblivious. More like interested, and by turns, impressed, intimidated, or amused. Sure lots of gyms have giant street-facing windows, but here, there’s no spin bike to hide inside of.

-You should probably wear black yoga pants. I wasn’t the only person not wearing calf-length black stretchies and a solid-colored tank top, but I was definitely the only one in short stripped leggings and a day-glo pink screen-printed v-neck tee. I suppose it’s the ballet thing; a uniform feels right, and you will feel a little stupid for not anticipating that.

-Bar Method classes move along at a fast pace, and it begins immediately. One of your first clues is the music: Bruno Mars and electro-dance buzz. Forget what you know about a gentle warm-up and some easy stretching. With the Bar Method, stretching comes at intervals, and getting or staying warm, well, it isn’t a problem.

-You’re an individual here. Throughout the class, as Currier calls out quick clips of instructions, she slips personal posture notes to people around the room. She seems to know the names of all 30 or so women in the class, and maybe even their fitness goals, too. “Emily, bend your knees more.” “When’s the wedding, Sarah?” That last isn’t, like, a random curiosity, it’s a clearly stated motivation tool.

-But you won’t be babied. This isn’t one of those feel-good mind/body things. No one will encourage you to work at your own pace or adjust the instruction if you’re new. This is a serious workout, for people who are serious about challenging—and perhaps changing—their bodies. Instructors are intent on you getting your money’s worth. In fact, they’ll make sure you get your money’s worth, even if, halfway through, you start thinking you’d happily pay double the class rate to quit right then and go get a cheeseburger around the corner.

-You will reflect on Natalie Portman in Black Swan. During the actual barre portion of the class, when at least there is something to hold on to, you will say to yourself, ‘No wonder she went nuts. This sh%# is crazy.’

-Your body will do some weird stuff. Like shake. Sort of violently. It’s supposed to. If it doesn’t, you’re not doing it right. “I love to see that shake,” Currier says as you balance on the balls of our feet (or try to) with knees bent (hopefully at just the right precise angle). “It’s beautiful. That’s how I know you’re changing your body.”

-You will have a lot of respect for the other people in the room. They will be 62 and 23 and 116 pounds and 180 pounds. They will seem like former dancers, they will seem like new moms. As their legs shake furiously and they blow out sharp, flexor-muscle breaths and Currier encourages them with a “This is how you taper your legs,” you will want to tap into their determination and their success.

-Around this time you will stop looking at the clock and worrying about whether or not someone you know is going to happen by those big picture windows. And, as the class ends, you will put the mats and weights away, and you will find yourself wanting to do it again.

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Tags: Seattle Wedding Gown, Seattle Wedding Details, Health and Beauty Road Test

Just Landed: Melvita’s Extraordinary Waters

The French brand unveils their newest skin care products.

Posted by: Amanda Zurita on Apr 13, 2012 at 07:00AM 0 Comments

The new waters are extraordinary at Melvita inside Pacific Place.

Pacific Place newbie Melvita, which bills itself as the top-selling organic cosmetic brand in France, is debuting its Extraordinary Waters line of beauty-boosting moisturizers. The not-quite-water, not-quite-gel products are delicately scented with rose water, orange blossoms, and narcissus and contain a special formula of hyaluronic acid that aims to trap in moisture and brighten skin. We popped in to chat with brand ambassador Didier Thevenin and put the new line to the test.

Didier walked me through the product line and history of Melvita; started by a French beekeeper in 1983, the company has only recently made the hop across the pond, opening three West Coast stores in the past two years. They are all about being green: from the paint and varnish they use in their stores, to eco-friendly product packaging, to rainwater recycling at their southern-France factory.

As for the skincare, I got the run down during a skin assessment and product demonstration—both are available to any client who walks through the door. After only a slight wince when I admitted that, “no, I do not use any eye contour cream,” Didier laid out a row of bottles and handed me over to Sebastian, who would handle the application. We started with the Bio-Excellence Micellar Water toner, a cleanser alternative that left my skin feeling clean and refreshed without the burning sensation of regular toners. He then patted on the Extraordinary Water in Orange Blossom to moisturize, and the all-important eye contour gel to prevent wrinkles and hydrate. I also tried the cumin-based Nigella Oil, a product they say will cure anything from breakouts to burns, and though I was skeptical about putting oil on my face, the product wasn’t sticky or greasy. I left happy with clean, super soft skin with a hint of glow.

After repeating the product regime this morning, I thought to myself for perhaps the first time that my skin looked better and brighter without makeup. I would recommend the line for that reason alone, but there are other great things about Melvita’s products. First, they are hyper-organic. France’s privately run Ecocert organic certification body ensures that any product with its stamp of approval is not only organic, but also has ingredients derived from renewable resources with environmentally friendly manufacturing processes and recyclable or biodegradable packaging; every one of the 300-plus Melvita products is Ecocert-approved. My plastic-packaged USDA organic strawberries are shivering in their container right now.

Melvita’s products are also rather affordable when compared to other certified organic skincare. A 100ml bottle of Extraordinary Waters is $25, and the toner I used was only $22 for a 200ml bottle. An effective product line that won’t break the bank and keeps our eco-conscience clear? We’re in.

Stop by for your own consultation and see if you don’t want to join us.

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Tags: Health and Beauty, Health and Beauty Road Test

Road Test: Wink Lash Extensions

Learning to love my eyelashes.

Posted by: Laura Cassidy on Apr 11, 2012 at 09:30AM 0 Comments

A before and after example from Xtreme Lashes, the product used at Wink Lashes in Bellevue.

I might be one of the most unfussy, ungirly wedding or style editors in the history of wedding and style editors. I rarely get around to putting makeup on, and I prefer high tops to high heels. Don’t get me wrong: I totally admire and enjoy other women who are flawlessly put together on top of our four-inch heels, but I guess I just have other stuff to do. Still, I’m not immune to being bummed out by my short, blonde eyelashes and how hard it is to find a mascara that doesn’t goo and clump and sit on top of them like a ton of tar.

So when a woman whom I perceive as similarly unfussy told me one night at an event that if by chance I ever wanted to try eyelash extensions to let her know, because she goes to the best place around and the woman who does hers is really amazing and does a lot of brides and (this is the part that got me) having them doesn’t mean you’re going to look like you’ve got tarantula legs on the end of your eyeballs. Wink off Main Street in old Bellevue, she told me, and I filed it away for another day.

You and I are here right now because I eventually made my way to Tova Edwards at Wink and I want to share what I learned about extending your lashes—for the big day or for, you know, whenever.

1. The first thing to know is that it’s important to set a common vocabulary. In fact, tear images out of magazines if you’d like—we do it with haircuts, after all. When I first went to see Edwards I took it for granted, because of my conversation with our mutual contact, that she knew that I did not want that super long, super thick Kim Kardashian thing. We talked about my look and what I’d like to build on, and I mentioned that I often go all day without a lick of foundation or anything else, and she mentioned that several of her clients are professional women who really sort of need a subtle look. Very good, then, I figured. But two hours later—lashes are applied one by one to your natural set; Edwards works quickly and efficiently but it’s not something you can rush—I realized that people who see people with eyelash extensions all the time start to develop a different idea about what ‘natural’ looks like. My first set of eyelash extensions were way too long, way too thick, way too black, and way too curly for me.

2. Which leads me to another important lesson: you have options. Lashes come in different sizes and colors. In fact, they come in different materials, too. Mink, silk, synthetic. Wink’s are the latter. Ask to look at them, or to look at before and after images of different styles, and then be really clear about what it is you’re hoping to achieve.

3. If you’re not happy with the results, speak up about it. Any aesthetician worth her tweezers wants you to be beautiful and happy. Obviously, it’s not a genius use of anyone’s time to have to redo a set of eyelash extensions, but Edwards was happy to do it when I indicated that I wasn’t comfortable with what I was winking with.

4. Clearly, who you know is as important as what you know. Eyelash extensions have become super popular in the last two years and lash extension parlors are practically as ubiquitous as Starbucks. Edwards and her crew are extremely proud of the extensive training required of them by Xtreme Lashes. When you’re looking for someone to glue tiny appendages to surfaces that surround your eyeballs, you want to be really picky about who you end up with. I have no qualms about recommending Wink, not just because Edwards is completely professional and meticulous and way beyond pleasant, but because …

5. Two weeks into my lighter, softer, more subtle set of lashes, I’m feeling somewhat addicted. My makeup passivity is awesomely balanced by the fact that I wake up in the morning looking like I found the secret to clump-free, lash-extending mascara, and I go to bed without having to scrub some weird product off my eyes. It’s pretty wonderful.

6. But it’s not going to last forever. Once you get the initial set of lashes, you’re then beholden to a maintenance schedule (unless you want to get them all removed once they start to fall off with your natural lashes). Most women are in and out of Wink about every two or three weeks getting fills. This process takes about half as long as the initial application, and costs about one-third as much.

7. In addition to working periodic lash procedures into your schedule, you’ll have to make a few other adjustments. After the initial application, you have to keep your lashes dry for 48 hours, and for the duration of your eyelash upgrade you need to use oil-free products on your face. You’ll also need to watch out for sideways lashes and random wanderers, but running an eyelash comb or brush over your lashes every few days is no big deal, especially when you consider the codependent relationship that some women have with their DiorShow applicator. (Is there a tube in your purse right now? Just wondering.)

8. You might get addicted to Wink’s other services as well. While you’re there on the table having your eyelashes done, you can also arrange for a simultaneous manicure, pedicure, waxing, or bronzing. Time management, friends. These days, it’s the way the game is played.

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Tags: Eastside, Health and Beauty, Seattle Wedding Details, Seattle Wedding Vendors, Health and Beauty Road Test

Lip Color of the Month: Bite Beauty’s Bramble

The color to wear after a season of red and before a few months of brights.

Posted by: Laura Cassidy on Mar 23, 2012 at 09:00AM 0 Comments

Bite Beauty’s lip rouge. All their products are inside black matte packaging that feels like some futuristic alloy of resin and silk.

One of my favorite local shopkeepers said it best, “March is a really &*$#ing weird month.”

Especially around here. You don’t know whether you should hope for spring or just lump the slow, quiet burn of winter—and how to dress? I don’t even want to go there, and I’m a professional.

But something about Bite Beauty’s high pigment matte pencil in Bramble feels really, really right for this in-between season. (And let’s not kid ourselves; the March-ness of March goes right into April, the way the winter-ness of winter lasts well into spring.)

The color is deep, and kind of moody, but not in a maudlin way. It’s not red, it’s definitely not wine, and it’s not magenta either. The name suggests a berry tone, but it’d have to be the kind of berry you’d make a dangerous liqueur with. It’s a little too alluring for a humble pie.

Bramble on.

The bruised jewel shade looks right against pale skin, and it goes well with the grays, beiges, and navys that are waiting patiently for the whites, lime greens, and funky neon oranges to come out and play. The thick tip means it’s more like a lip color Sharpie than a pencil—read: it goes on like a dream—and boy does it stay put.

But Bite’s Bramble is more than its beauty. I’m not sure we can make too much of the fact that its makers count resveratrol and other healthy stuff among the ingredients. I just don’t know how many free radicals you’re actually fighting with this stuff on your lips, but really, who cares? I think it’s enough to say that the red wine component and the superfruits (acai, pomegranate, et al.) definitely can’t hurt. No really, they can’t. Natural and food-grade ingredients are, as Bite likes to say, “good enough to eat.” Lick your lips to that.

The company also offers kisser color in traditional sticks, in rouge pots, and in other delivery methods; and sure, they have nudes and corals, too. Find them at your favorite Sephora.

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Tags: Health and Beauty Road Test, Lip Color of the Month

Nail Color of the Month: Julep Appliques

We kick off a new beauty series with Julep’s blinged-out peacock nail appliqués.

Posted by: Amanda Zurita on Mar 15, 2012 at 12:00PM 1 Comments

Our pick for March: Metallic, easy-to-apply nail appliqués in Peacock from local company Julep.

Nearly every nail brand has been premiering sets of precut decorative polish strips; arty nails are easily one of 2012’s biggest trends, but not everyone can manage hand-done miniature masterpieces on the ends of their pinkies.

The local lacquer experts at Julep are all about the big rage: they issued a new set of shiny stick-ons in a peacock motif. Unlike other appliques, which are made of real lacquer and must be taken off with polish remover, Julep’s are more like nail decals, allowing for cool textures, easier application, and zero dry time. (Thanks to makeup artist Tiffany Colors to turning us on to them.)

The glamorous black and gold set reminds us of Jessica Chastain’s gorgeous Alexander McQueen Oscars gown. To apply, you simply match the correct strip size to each nail, stick (and re-stick if you don’t get it centered the first time), smooth out any bumps, and then use the provided file to trim down the extra length. We finished the whole process—from package to suggested top coat—in less time than it took us to sit through a Real Housewives episode.

Here’s a look at what the filed-and-finished product is like.

As promised, the appliques have lasted six days, and thus far have no chipping or peeling. The instructions say to wet nails with warm water and peel the decals off to remove, which at first sounded worrisome since we certainly intended to shower and wash our hands at least a few times within the decals’ three- to seven-day lifespan. So far so good, though.

You can pick up a set of your own (16 precut strips, a file, and an orange wood stick) online, or at any of the four local Julep salons and get some digit bling of your own for under $15.

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Tags: Locally Designed, Health and Beauty Road Test, Nail Color of the Month, Julep

Age-Defying at the Four Seasons Spa

A non-surgical face lift and pilates for your mug.

Posted by: Laura Cassidy on Feb 28, 2012 at 08:00AM 0 Comments

This isn’t me, but this was done to my face. It’s part of the Ultra Age-Defying Facial at the Four Seasons Spa.

I was about ten days shy of my 40th birthday when I had my first facial. This was about a week ago, at the Four Seasons Spa. I felt like I needed to admit my inexperience and my age right away when Christine Domenden, the spa’s lead esthetician, came to get me after my pre-treatment warm-up in the steam room and cedar sauna.

I’m not concerned with denouncing the years I’ve spent on this planet but when the downtown spa told me they wanted me to check out their Ultra Age Defying Facial it occurred to me that it is indeed about time to get on with some preventative measures.

I knew going into the treatment room that the Ultra was not about relaxation and pampering. We were there to get some work done.

Step one was a light exfoliation cleanse, the most hands-on, let-me-just-lie-here-while-you-take-care-of-things aspect of the treatment. Domenden says this process (which doesn’t differ greatly than what you do in the shower with a product like Kate Sommerville’s Exfolikate) helps prepare the skin for resurfacing, extractions, ultrasound. If those things sound intense, consider the manual lead-in a mental preparation, too. Domenden was warm and professional, and super informative. She let me know what she was seeing without making me feel like a 40 year-old getting her first facial. If you know what I mean, and certain among you will.

From there, the remaining components center on the Ultra Machine, also known as CACI or Computer Aided Cosmetology Instrument. First, ultrasonic resurfacing feels a little bit like a light, airy shave with a gentle electric razor. It’s actually a deeper exfoliation process that uses sound vibration to get rid of dead cells and dirt. Domenden says the results are similar to microdermabrasion’s, but there is no abrasiveness. Because of the sound vibration, changes happen “topically and deep within the skin,” with positive affects on “collagen and elastin, nutrient absorption, oxygenation, and cellular metabolism and renewal.”

Next up: a delivery of microcurrents that teach muscles to firm and lift—like pilates for the face. The technology used is based on treatments developed for stroke victims who experience falling of their facial muscles. From my point of view, stretched out on a warm and comfortable table, it seemed like a choreographed dance with two wands gently pushing, pulling, and shaping. Domenden says estheticians have been borrowing the technology from the medical world since 1992—you might have heard it described as a non-surgical face lift. There’s obviously a lot to understand about how this kind of thing accomplishes a facial workout, but in short, in the Four Season’s lead’s words, “the two wands are working in the origin, insertion, and belly of each muscle. They work together to help either shorten or lengthen the muscle, and to re-educate and remind the muscle to ‘lift’ as opposed to whatever our habits or tendencies have [taught] our muscles to do.”

It was then time to address the fine lines that tell stories about my smiling and frowning habits. Domenden searches out the most visible offenders and gently zaps them with a LED and microcurrent … well, let’s just call it a gun. It definitely didn’t hurt, at all, but the word ‘zap’ did come to mind. Even Domenden uses the ‘z’ word: “this essentially zaps the deepest part of the wrinkle to help stimulate collagen and elastin production in the area, which will in turn plump that area,” she says.

The Ultra facial ends with an ultrasound infusion; estheticians customize serum for your skin and use sound vibration to penetrate cells and get ingredients in deep. This delivery system is said to be 4,000 times more effective than a manual application, which makes me feel a little like ‘oh why bother’ before I climb into bed each night. But only a little.

Overall, the experience was a great reminder that there’s stuff going on in and on my face that I need to pay attention to. Obviously, science has been paying attention to it—and women all over Seattle are, too. The Four Season’s Ultra Age-Defying Facial goes for about $300 a pop (buying packages of multiples helps the bottom line). A lot has been invested on both sides.

Domenden says the best way to see long-term results is to get the treatment once a week (I’m amazed that people do this; if you’re doing it, call me, let’s have lunch), or to go through a series of intensive treatments and then stagger your visits after that. But if you’re about to say, get married or go away for a special vacation or … I don’t know, get on a paparazzi-lined red carpet (again, if that’s you: call me, we’ll have lunch), singular treatments are reported to have immediate short-term results. Domenden says the improvements are visible on the day of the facial and for three to five days later.

Over the weekend that followed I polled all my girlfriends to gauge their facial experience and decided that my newness wasn’t altogether abnormal. Although there’s a certain woman who starts early—say, 28 or so—most of us start thinking about wrinkles and extractions around the time that such things threaten to become in-your-face problems. In talking with friends about all this, we addressed ideas about visible aging, too. Does any treatment actually defy age? I think that’s probably a strong word. And I don’t think that modern women are interested in holding back the proverbial hands of time. I think we’re interested in working with them, not against them, though. And when the partnership includes steaming and sauna-ing in a highrise on the edge of Elliott Bay? Yeah, I think we’re pretty into that.

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Tags: Seattle Wedding Details, Health and Beauty Road Test

New: Yuan Spa in Bellevue

Eastern philosophy and ancient, traditional healing practices inform the Eastside’s new wellness and relaxation center.

Posted by: Laura Cassidy on Feb 16, 2012 at 08:50AM 0 Comments

The cure for winter blues and busy lives: the hydrotherapy room at Yuan Spa. Not pictured: the sauna and steam room, which complete the ritual circuit aimed at stimulation and relaxation.

UPDATED 2/27/2012

I’m no scientist but I do know that our bodies are comprised composed mostly of water, and I know that our skin makes up the largest organ in the bodily system. So as I considered the offerings at the new Yuan Spa in Bellevue, the Chinese Body Ritual, which includes an all-expenses paid trip through the in-spa hydrotherapy pools, was a natural choice.

And it did feel like a vacation. The two-pool, sauna, and steam room setup of Yuan’s newly unveiled gorgeous hydro area (think Banya 5 with an Eastern bent) is lit to evoke some otherworldly twilight, and the clock’s only there to ensure that you luxuriate for long enough to stimulate and soothe your muscles, to boost your circulation, and soften your skin.

You’ll definitely want that vast and important organ to be plenty supple when the aesthetician comes to get you and lead you into the tile-covered room where she’ll scrub off your winter layer and get you moisturized, pliant, and brand new for the coming season.

(Actually, Li, the woman who so graciously liberated me from a few layers of stress and less-than-radiant skin, mentioned that in her native China they get scrubs once a month, and/or whenever they’re feeling a little sluggish or under the weather.)

Sure, Yuan offers treatments focused on relaxation, and pampering, but there’s something about being scrubbed clean and rinsed warm that is totally edifying and calming. As you lay on a warm, waterproof massage table, buckets of water swish over you at regular intervals like bathtub waves. I was reminded of childhood baths—in the best way. Practitioners of this therapy say it’s nourishing and detoxifying, but it’s also sort of the ultimate luxury; someone else is in charge of your hygiene for a good 80 minutes, and the scrub mitts and sweet soaps become almost as tranquilizing as hot stones.

Of course, the scalp massage that follows a rigorous hair washing and conditioning and punctuates the service is pure indulgence.

Anyone who’s ever paid for a high-end spa service knows that it’s silly (I’m being polite—it’s actually idiotic) to rush when you’ve booked a treatment that’s meant to restore and renew. Have you noticed that a packed schedule and busy day are almost like status symbols these days? Leave all that behind when you call Yuan. Tell yourself you’ve got the entire day, even if you’re just booking a manicure. (But don’t just book a manicure; the hydro room comes with some services, and is available for an add-on fee with others.) Leave plenty of time around your facial and consider adding a tradition-informed Eastern-medicine treatment to something that is perhaps more strictly aesthetic. If you have time for hair removal, surely you’ve got time to gently jump–start your Qi.

Seasoned spa owner Zee Zhang spent the last two years creating this sanctuary of satisfaction and it shows. The large two-story facility with its modern/ancient decor and flow is both clinical and catering, and its a really, really good opportunity to press pause, clean up—systemically, holistically, and beautifully—and get back inside your body for a while.

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Tags: Eastside, Health and Beauty Road Test

New: Beauty Bar at the Fairmont Olympic

From hair services to high tech body slimming and natural healing, this new spa does high tech with a soft touch.

Posted by: Heather Fink on Jan 13, 2012 at 08:00AM 1 Comments

A spa bed at the new Beauty Bar in the Fairmont Olympic. You can see the vintage charm; not pictured: cutting-edge technology.

Last year around this time, a new resident moved into the Fairmont Olympic: that Tony Omega watch shop. This year the hotel’s new partner is the Beauty Bar. Located on the ground level of the landmark downtown property, the day spa claims to have some of the best aesthetic technology available in the city.

I went in for a facial to look into that, and I can definitely verify that they’ve got some great crystal chandeliers. Inside rooms made rosy by pinkish light that illuminates just enough to see well, but not enough to see too well, you definitely get the feeling that the decor is inspired by European elegance—a match, of course, for the hushed, Old World glamor of the Fairmont. In fact, I instantly thought of Audrey Hepburn in Sabrina. The space is open, with two large rooms that act as a reception area, and smaller service suites which are arranged around the reception. A comfy bathrobe waits on the back of each door. Of course.

But while the feeling is vintage Parisian, the services are anything but.

Take for instance the Sudatonic body slimming (“based on sound scientific principals using Infrared heat to increase metabolism”) and microcurrent non-surgical facelifts. I submitted to the latter, which uses conductive cremes to help push microelectric waves into your skin. Why? To stimulate and strengthen facial muscles. It doesn’t hurt; it’s a bit like your face is getting a massage.

The Beauty Bar claims to have one of the best microcurrent machines available on the market. Gunna Covert, my Icelandic aesthetician, mentioned that one of the reasons she came work to work for Beauty Bar owner Angela Rosen was the technology available there. Another, presumably, is that Rosen hunted her down and left her no viable options. Part of the lore at the salon is that Rosen relentlessly pursued top technicians around town and wooed them to the Fairmont Olympic.

The Beauty Bar has been open since November. If high tech beauty in nostalgic surroundings sounds like an appropriate post-holiday cure, consider giving them a ring.

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Tags: Health and Beauty Road Test

Road Test: Intraceuticals at Spa Nordstrom

Winter’s a great time to reoxygenate your skin.

Posted by: Heather Fink on Dec 01, 2011 at 08:00AM 0 Comments

The Intraceutical oxygen infusion in progress.

Overwhelmed by the hundreds of skin-care regimens available? How do you know which one will actually give you skin that looks as luminous as Katy Perry’s, and what does Justin Timberlake do to keep that face we love looking so young? Each of these megacelebs freely endorse Intraceuticals, an all-natural skin-care regimen, now available at Spa Nordstrom.

I went to Spa Nordstrom to see what all the hype was about.

Kym Dianovich, my aesthetician, recommended the standard infusion, a combination of two main elements: pure oxygen under light pressure and the Rejuvenate serum. Both target the lower layers of your skin with the purpose of firming and tightening from the bottom up. The oxygen helps force the serum into those lower layers, replenishing natural elements that your skin loses as you age. Dianovich explained that just as a mattress sags without a good box spring, the outer layer of your skin will sag without firm, healthy lower layers.

She performed the infusion on half of my face—it’s a completely pain free and relaxing experience—and then showed me the results before she finished, so I could compare my pretreatment skin to my post-treatment skin. I did see visible lift in my cheek and eyebrow, and my skin seemed a bit more luminous. I really noticed a new dose of life the next morning, as Dianovich had predicted.

The infusion is just as good for men as it is for women, and can be a good pick-me-up even for the skin hiding behind a beard. Good news for those of us who love a man in a beard. Intraceuticals also offers several lines of home care products, but the company recommends regular oxygen treatments by a professional as well for the best results.

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Tags: Health and Beauty Road Test