RED DOOR SPA DEBUTS SKINCARE COLLECTION
Ever since it’s cameo appearance in George Cukor’s 1939 film The Women, the Elizabeth Arden Red Door Spa has been a worldwide icon for the best in skincare. Now, under the guidance of Cornelia Zicu, global chief creative officer for Red Door Spas, the venerable brand is launching its first spa-based skin and body care collection.
Comprising 42 face and body items, the Red Door Spa Professional® formulas are conceived as an extension of the services offered at the spa’s 30 nationwide locations. The goal is to help consumers extend the results of their treatments at home.
Cornelia Zicu says that this line has been decades in the making, and involved culling information from the spa’s many experienced estheticians. The result is a comprehensive collection that features three categories: Intensive Solutions, Customized Daily Essentials, and Body Renewal.
Intensive Solutions:
This features 16 concentrated products that target specific skincare concerns from premature skin aging to redness and discoloration. One of the range’s stars is Age Defense Multi- Peptide Moisturizer, which contains peptides to help relax wrinkle formation and liphophlic vitamin C to moisturize, improve skin tone, and stimulate collagen production. One of my favorite products is the Age Defense Hyaluronic Intensive Serum, a veritable waterfall of moisture for thirsty skin. In addition to hyaluronic acid, the humectant or all humectants, the serum contains vitamins A, C, and E, as well as beta glucan, which stimulates the functioning of the immune system and acts as a UV protectant. The prices of the Intensive Solution products range from $26 to $120.
Customized Daily Essentials:
With targeted systems for sensitive, oily, normal, and dry skins, Customized Daily Essentials offer cleansers, toners, moisturizers, masks, and sun protection as the basic building blocks of a personalized skincare regimen. Each of the specialized systems contains a cleanser, toner, moisturizer and mask. The Sensitive Skin System draws on soothing botanicals like chamomile, willow extract, and kola nut extract to calm and restore. Prices for Customized Daily Essentials range from $26 to $120.
Body Renewal:
This is one of my favorite line-ups in the collection, with extremely luxurious products ranging from three different body creams (a must!) to body washes, scrubs, balms, gel, and sprays. There are 10 luxurious body care products in all, and actually are the exact products used in the Red Door Spa’s treatments and services, which means both luxury and professional expertise in a jar. The idea behind these products is a healthful, youthful and toned appearance. It is the most affordable of the Red Door Professional categories, with price ranges from $22 to $45.
The Red Door Spa Professional collection is available exclusively at Red Door Spa locations nationwide.
ESSIE INTRODUCES SPECIALIZED BASE AND TOP COATS
Customization is the name of the game for beauty this year and nail care is no different. Whether you have fragile, split, short, or strong nails, Essie has a top coat, base coat, and treatment plan that targets your specific need.
Pick and choose from the Essie Everyday, Anti-Aging, Strong and Grow ranges to create a personalized nail regimen.
Essie Specialized Base and Top Coats
The Everyday collection is suitable for all nail types and includes All in One Topcoat, Apricot Cuticle Oil, First Base Base Coat and Good to Go topcoat. Personally, I love All in One, a combo base coat, top coat, and nail strengthener. I keep it on my bathroom shelf as a handy nail fix when I’m on the go and need a speedy touch up. When I use it, my manicure does indeed last for at least a good week without chipping. For the complete treatment, apply Apricot Cuticle Oil first for soft and nourished cuticles. First Base Base Coat contains rubberized adhesives to make your nail polish stick, and Good to Go top coat dries like a breeze to give you a finishedlook touch.
The Anti-Aging category is highly specialized, and yes there’s a way to fight aging of your nails. Fill the Gap is formulated to visibly sculpt and plump nails for younger looking hands, and contains nutra-keratin and bamboo extracts. Follow it with Ridge Filling Base Coat, which will smooth out ridges and discoloration and create a perfect canvas for nail lacquer.
The Strong lineup works to nourish nails and prevent them from chipping and breaking. The collection comprises Grow Stronger and my personal favorite Millionails, which basically gives you “bullet proof” nails. Formulated with iron, amino acids and kevlar, each bottle contains 1 million fast acting molecules to help resist peeling and splitting for visibly stronger nails.
The Grow category aims to help nails grow stronger and more beautiful thanks to two product stars: Grow Faster protects and prevents breakage, and No Chips Ahead promotes long lasting color with an extended wear color shield that prevents fading and chipping.
It’s time to put the spotlight on primers and nourishment for nails. With all these base and top coats retailing for $8-$10 a piece, you’ll never have a bad nail day again.
SUMMER BODY PREP TIPS FROM B. KAMINS
Whether aiming for the smoothest of legs to show off flirty skirts and short shorts, or readying your body as a canvas for self-tanner, smooth and silky is a summer skin must.
B. Kamins, the excellent cosmeceutical brand from our neighbors to the north in Montreal, is, as I write, launching two new products to get skin warm weather ready.
B. Kamins Rice Body Polish ($26) is a creamy exfoliant so easy to use you’ll forget your are spending time on body prep. Apply in the shower or bath and massage gently with a circular motion, then rinse off. The gentle buffing will stimulate circulation for a healthy glow, dead skin will be removed, and fresh smooth skin revealed. It’s the perfect prep for self-tanning to ensure even application, and great to use just before shaving.
The polish’s exfoliating action comes from rice beads, recommended for the body, but a little too harsh for the face. Like all B. Kamins products it also contains the company’s BioMaple™ Compound, a proprietary blend featuring AHAs derived from Canadian maple trees. Jojoba oil and rice bran extract are added as moisturizers.
For those tough to keep smooth areas, like elbows, feet, hands, and knees, try B. Kamins Maple Butter Body Wrap ($24). It’s a super-hydrating cream for dry, parched skin. Winter is not the only cause of dry skin; too much time in the water, sun, or even playing sports can leave skin rough and flaky. In addition to the BioMaple Compound, the body wrap features the hydrator of all hydrators, shea butter, as well as cocoa butter and vitamin E.
Maple Butter Body Wrap can be used all over the body or just on super parched spots. But remember not to apply the butter wrap until your self-tanner has completely dried and the color has developed.
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