Soirée tries out the best women’s and men’s facials in town to keep skin in check during summer’s most humid and most dermatologically taxing month.
Advanced Aesthetics
Advanced Aesthetics is in the game of getting science-driven results and getting them fast. The HydraFacial MD takes a mere 30 minutes, so is ideal for squeezing into a lunch break, yet delivers outstanding results. The first phase cleanses the skin with a slight vacuuming motion. The second delivers a light glycolic and salicylic acid to further exfoliate the skin — with an increased vacuum if needed to clean out clogged pores. Next, the skin is infused with a Dermal Building Serum around wrinkle-prone areas, such as eyes, forehead and corners of the mouth. On problem areas they can also use Britenol, a serum to brighten skin and help with pigmentation issues, and a new serum called CTFG which contains human growth factors to rejuvenate the skin.
The treatment is finished of with LED light therapy — blue to kill bacteria in clogged areas and red to calm the skin, improve circulation and stimulate collagen and elastin production. The result is immediate gratification and a glowing complexion, with benefits lasting 28 days.
Pout
Pout prides itself in providing the perfect balance of relaxation and effectiveness, and this is certainly felt as you walk through the bustling Pout store — trying not to be distracted by the staggering array of cosmetics — and emerge into a serene, candle-lit treatment room. Every facial includes a relaxing 10-minute hand and arm massage, and Pout is the only spa in Arkansas to carry product lines such as Chantecaille, a high-end botanical French skin care and cosmetics line as luxurious as it is effective. “It’s the best anti-inflammatory line I’ve ever used,” says facialist Treece Beck. There’s also Biopelle, a targeted skin care line so effective that previously it was only available in doctors’ offices.
Beauty Geek
A brand new space means a brand new face. Well, not exactly, but walking into the new Beauty Geek location at 5709 Kavanaugh is like a breath of fresh air, and walking out after one of its lash extension, brow or facials treatments from licensed aestheticians is even better. The menu offers a full arsenal of chemical peels (salicylic or glycolic), crystal-free microdermabrasion, gentle and personalized eco-chic facials — many using products stocked in the lobby’s gift shop — but Beauty Geek’s queen bee is the HydraFacial. The relaxing treatment’s elements like DermaBuilder and Britenol leave your skin glowing. “I love watching my clients’ reactions when they see their new healthy and hydrated complexion for the first time post-treatment,” says owner Tess Wilmans-Higgins. “It’s the best!”
B. Barnett
The Men’s Fitness Facial is a one-hour treatment involving deep cleansing and exfoliation with a surprising (for a first-timer, at least) element of massage as aesthetician Aimee-Claire Quinney applies acupressure techniques to the face, neck and shoulders. Barber towels and aromatherapy add to a relaxing experience customized to one’s needs, whether that’s soothing redness, removing unsightly blemishes or repairing sun damage. Male-centric product lines by Murad and Sisley are available, and 30-minute microdermabrasions (removal of dry, dead skin) are available, either as a stand-alone treatment or added to any facial. Quinney, who fell in love with her profession while tagging along to her big sister’s spa visits and who previously worked at Spa Bellagio in Las Vegas, notes it is less common for men in Arkansas to seek out skin care treatments. But the aging of the Baby Boomer generation, as well as skin cancer awareness, has increased interest in male skin care. Whether it’s about health, vanity or simple stress relief, as a client once said to Quinney mid-treatment, “I can’t believe I’ve denied myself this for 84 years.”