Health and Beauty by Jean Stratton

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The Inside Scoop on Summer Styles: Tips From Our Area Beauty Gurus

Multi reflective tones for your crowning glory? Sugar to soften fine facial lines? You bet! Exposing more skin this summer? Waxing and pedicures are key. Need a lift? A new hair cut and color can do the trick.

It's summer and you want to look your best. It's all out in the open now. You've thinned down, toned those abs, and maybe even added a bit of collagen or Botox. Now it's time to concentrate on hair and skin. Your face may not necessarily be your fortune, but it can certainly give you a special summer glow.

And you don't have to go to New York for expert care and advice. Popular day spas in Princeton, Beauty Dreams and Mon Visage, have been helping clients to look their best for many years. They offer a wide range of services with a focus on quality products and skilled therapists and technicians.

Opened in 1982, Beauty Dreams is owned by Elena and Nick Vassilev. European facials, body massage, manicures, pedicures, waxing, electrolysis, and body wraps, as well as a hair salon, are all available.

Special Treatment

"Facials are not only good for the skin, but they are soothing and help reduce stress," notes Elena. "I do typical European facials, emphasizing exfoliation and extraction," she adds. "There are many different facials for different conditions, and we always customize to the specific needs of the client. The Hydradermie facial offers deep cleaning and moisturizing. It's very good for different types of skin conditions and helps sun-damaged skin. It is based on techniques developed by the French company, the Guinot Institute.

"Also, we offer a new serum, a special treatment to minimize wrinkles. In addition, alphahydroxy is an important part of our cleansers and moisturizers. It's natural, not synthetic, and is made from sugar cane."

Lighter skincare products are recommended for the summer months, she points out. In addition to the usual beauty treatments, Beauty Dreams offers an adjoining Princeton Wellness Center, directed by the Vassilev's daughter, Mimi Baker. Here, traditional Chinese medicine, including acupuncture, is available,

A certified acupuncturist, member of the New Jersey Acupuncturist Examining Board, and certified as a Diplomate in Acupunture by the National Board, she is committed to sharing the many benefits of combining traditional Chinese medicine with 21st Century health care.

For skin care, "We offer a constitutional acupuncture for the face," she explains. "It improves the underlying imbalance, helps to rebuild collagen, and helps reduce puffiness."

Mon Visage Day Spa also has a medical connection; it is owned by Dr. Marc Alan Drimmer of Princeton Plastic Surgery Associates. Mon Visage began in 1995, with a focus on skin treatment for the face, explains spa and surgical practice office manager, Elle Bard.

"People are becoming more and more educated about the benefits of having professional, regular skincare treatments," she explains. "No doubt about it, it makes a difference. Our skincare products cannot be bought over the counter because they are physician-grade products. Dr. Drimmer oversees everything."

Facial Massage

Different facials are offered for different skin conditions, from acne breakouts to dry, mature skin, she adds. "We also have an intense pulse light treatment – IPL – for rosacea, which dramatically relieves rosacea.

Ms. Bard is very enthusiastic about the benefits of a facial, including its relaxing aspects. "With the intensity and fast pace of people's lives today, especially of women, the one thing a woman can do for herself – and should do for herself – is take time for a facial massage. It is incredibly relaxing and soothing."

Pedicures also offer similar hands-on relaxing benefits, as of course, is the case with the many different body massages.

"If you take a Saturday, and have a facial, massage, and pedicure, by the time you are done, you feel you've been away for a weekend," says Ms. Bard.

Among the many services available at Mon Visage are waxing, electrolysis, alphahydroxy, glycolic, PCA, and Micro salt peels, make-up consultation and applications.

"All our make-up is 100 percent mineral, which means it is 100 percent natural, and with natural SPF 15. We also offer self tanning products, applied by a technician."

A variety of special spa packages is offered, including several for men. "You can also design your own package," notes Ms. Bard. "It's a wonderful gift."

There's nothing quite like a new hair cut and color for the start of the summer season, and the creativity and expertise of Princeton hair stylists is renowned.

Color and Cuts

"We're into beauty here," says Bob Lovuolo, owner of the popular Chelsea Crimpers hair salon. "We love the color and styling make-overs!"

Color and cuts are of major importance to an effective hair style, he believes.

"We design a cut around the individual, based on hair texture, life-style, and the person's needs. People want easy care today. It's very popular. We offer a lot of styling possibilities and tips to the client about how to take care of their hair, drying time, etc.

"Layering and texturizing are trends in cuts and styling today. You can create texture with a razor cut or root perm. It allows the short hairs to support the longer hair and give fullness."

Exciting new color products are available now, too, says Mr. Lovuolo. "We have a brand new color from L'Oreal – Luo Color. It only takes 20 minutes for the color to set. This is a real advance.

"It has a special technology, which protects the hair from the core to the surface throughout the coloring process, allowing for long-lasting results," he continues. "It also has chromophores, which activate multi-reflective tones. Unpigmented hairs and hairs with different proteins take on different hues. It's a full spectrum of color, and a very nice natural look.

"In addition, another great product is Serie Expert shampoo, which seals the color. It's done professionally, and lasts a month. This changes the hair in one to five minutes. You can see and feel the difference. It adds great shine."

Multi-Reflective

The owners of B & B Color, color specialists Tim and Kate Bricker, are also enthusiastic about the range of exciting new color possibilities.

"There are brand new color products out there, especially multi-reflective color, emphasizing shine and condition," says Mr. Bricker. "For the past five to eight years, color has taken a quantum leap in technology. For example, amino acids are in the color itself. Instead of having chemicals now, there are nutrients in hair color. We carry the best of the best!

"Each color line has its own niche," he adds. "You focus on the individual client's hair texture, amount of gray, etc. There are a lot of variables."

Color is really a fashion statement now, point out the Brickers. "Color is the one cosmetic you wear 24 hours a day! In addition, it is totally seasonal. We have clients on a regular basis who will lighten and brighten. In summer, they tend to lighten up, and in winter, we add richer tones.

"Regardless of season, what you want to achieve is multi-reflective color, whether working with blonds or brunettes. You want to include the tonal highlights. This enhances the natural color. You should always select the most complimentary hair color to go with the client's skin tone and eye color."

Color typically lasts four to six weeks, note the Brickers. "The best thing to do to preserve the color is a line of color shampoos and conditioners that we custom-mix for people according to their individual needs."

Perfect Harmony

At B & B Color, the focus is on blending the color and cut so that a perfect harmony is achieved. "You want to marry the texture and movement of the cut with the texture and movement of the color," says Tim Bricker.

Adds Mrs. Bricker: "People are interested in razor cuts now to give texture and movement. We find we can do everything with color, cut and styling products to achieve fullness and body."

The Brickers' expertise was recently acknowledged when they were asked to participate in a television program – "Make-Over Story" which will appear on TLC TV in September."

"The producers had learned of our work," they explain, "and we gave a new look to two people from the Princeton area. They had a total make-over on the show."

"The woman had mousy brown hair, which we changed to copper with platinum highlights, and we updated her cut. We gave the man a smooth 'rocker' look, longer on top, and added light highlights to his medium brown hair."

Whether on TV or in their salon, as the Brickers point out, "Our job is to give the client our vision. Our purpose as hair stylists, after looking at the client's hair, skin tone, and eye color, is to offer them our vision and expertise."