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Photo Perfect Handsby Martha Blanchfield What tosses the bouquet, models the diamond, A bride's hand, from perfect nail tip to the curve of her wrist, will be on display more than ever come wedding day. Aside from a bit of lotion and a fresh manicure, brides are adding more than just a coat of polish to cultivate a contemporary finished look and nails are probably the first thing a bride concerns herself with. Whether she goes au natural or seeks help from a professional, today's bride has many options. The-Day-Before-PuristBrides blessed with wonderful healthy nails, accented by long fingers and divine skin, may opt for the simplest and purest of treatments. A 45-minute appointment with a salon can include exfoliation to refresh and renew, plus a basic manicure that includes cuticle treatment, nail shaping and a light coat of clear polish. An upgrade to that routine might include a hot wax or paraffin treatment. To perform the same treatment at home, consider Therabath Professional Paraffin Bath, followed by a slathering of lotion and a hand massage. A fun, rich lotion to consider is Lucky Chick Mandarin White Orchid Shea Butter Hand Cream (whew!) or try Mavala Hand Cream for during the day with the same company's Repairing Night Cream for Hands while you sleep (if your hands need extra help). The night cream pricing hovers around $42. All of these products can be found at www.folica.com.If You've a Bit More Time...For the bride with a bit more time, money and concern for attention-to-detail, pampering will start earlier than the day before.An at-home start can include the incorporation of a daily instant sloughing/resurfacing treatment, such as Clinique Body Sloughing Cream or QTICA Intense Hand Rejuvenating Peel. These inexpensive scrubs promise to remove dead and tired old skin. Add a weekly manicure, whether at the salon or home to bring hands and nails into tip top condition. Regular professional attention will yield spectacular results. Brides today have several choices when it comes to enhancing the look of their nails. Acrylic tips remain a favorite, but new options are emerging.
“We feature Calgel in our spa for five years. We love that there's no mess and no odor. Customers love the smooth application. It costs a bit more that acrylics and silk wraps, but the organic treatment is far less damaging to nails,” says Avancé Day Spa owner Sally Miller in Napa. Still within the realm of the average bride's budget are minor laser and microdermabrasion treatments. Through simple in-office treatments, a laser can lessen the look of sun and liver spots and eliminate or reduce broken capillaries. Microdermabrasion is also a popular option that smooths out fine lines and temporarily plumps the skin. The procedure causes minimum pain and requires no anesthetic. Done on a regular schedule, microdermabrasion can dramatically improve the complexion and extend the skin's youthful appearance. “You will see an instant result following a microdermabrasion treatment,” says Carol Leong (LE, CPE) of Carol Leong Electrolysis and European Skin Care in San Mateo, California . “Tiny microcrystals and a powerful vacuum wand are used to aggressively exfoliate and eliminate the dull top layer of dead skin, leaving it smooth and glowing. A client can come in a few days before her wedding, or she can indulge in a regular regimen that includes microdermabrasion for a few weeks or months prior to her wedding." And finally, don't forget your grandmother's old tried and true method of going to bed with heavily-lotioned hands placed in cotton gloves. All the great movie stars of her day practiced this routine at their dressing table each night! Technology PleaseOn the higher rungs of the beauty ladder, some put faith in injectables for giving youth to hands. One such popular filler is Restylane. Similar to its cousin Botox, Restylane fills out shallow and hollow areas. Results are immediate and last about six months. Other dermatologists recommend Sculptura for its long-lasting effects of up to two years. However, outcomes for this newer product have been unpredictable. One other (and very personal) option, is the transplanting of one’s own fat. This procedure is very pricey and here, too, results can be mixed.Get Your Fruit Acids!A few finals steps...don't forget your fruit acids and sunscreen! Lotions and serums that contain alpha hydroxy acids, or AHAs, rejuvenate the skin by encouraging the shedding of old sun-damaged surface skin cells. One lotion to consider is NeoStrata Ultra Smoothing Cream AHA 10. No matter what practices you adopt for your nail/hand care, most skin care professionals agree that you gotta have sunscreen on a daily basis. Follow your AHAs with a healthy dose of sunscreen and you'll be creating the bedrock for a lifetime of beautiful hands.About CalgelCalgel comes in clear and tinted gel and is applied by brush directly to the nail after a bit of buffing. It can be used to coat the nail only, or as an extension to lengthen. Once applied, Calgel is cured for 30 seconds to three minutes under a UV light. Nails are filed to the desired length and the surface can then be painted to suit a client's particular style. Calgels also come in tinted shades. Ask your technician for colors.When fully-cured, the gel becomes a thin, nail-like substance that is as natural looking and flexible as a real nail, yet strong and durable without looking thick and false. Calgel does not contain the chemicals and ingredients used in other products that seal off and inhibit the biological nail. Where to find Calgel in the Napa ValleyAvancé Day Spa Bella Capelli Napa Valley Day Spa Opulence Day Spa Panache Salon Where to find Calgel in the Sonoma ValleyDeanna at the Powder Room For more information, visit: www.marthablanchfield.com |
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