There are two great excuses to utilize the summer season for a little pampering: While the harsh, blazing sun wreaks havoc on skin, the season also brings vacation time to many and a little downtime can go a long way toward looking and feeling good. Whether you want to relax with a day at the spa or take advantage of a day off to recover from a rejuvenating medical treatment, options for renewing the mind and body abound across the metro region. From full-service spas to local estheticians, physicians and medical aestheticians, professionals in skin care and pampering are here to help you look and feel your best.
Regional Spas & Licensed Estheticians
Over the past six years, Le Visage Day Spa has been an Uptown go-to for pampering that leaves you feeling and looking good. During summer months, their most popular services center on showing off the body: manicures, pedicures, waxes, body exfoliations and spray tans. Facials, massage and makeup applications round out their services.
For relaxation, Owner Marlen Almendares recommends the obvious: a therapeutic massage designed to release tension from stress.
“Several studies have shown that massage reduces levels of the stress hormone cortisol, which among many other benefits helps slow your heart rate and brings your blood pressure down,” says Almendares, adding that any time you slow the blood flow, it enables your body to start repairing itself. At Le Visage Day Spa, all spa treatments are all part of the healing process.
“It is a form of treatment for your mind, body and soul. Professionals that live in this crazy world with high stress should indulge themselves with a day of beauty,” she says.
A full-service spa, the Waldorf Astoria Spa at The Roosevelt New Orleans offers a comprehensive menu of services, from quick treatments to full-day spa packages. One of their most popular summer treatments is Sun Undone body therapy, which nourishes the skin with a hydrating full-body cooling wrap and serves to help the skin heal after a week at the beach or days in the sun.
Known as the New Orleans home to product lines such as Carita skincare and Kevin Aucoin makeup, the spa is excited to carry a new product that will appeal to spa-goers hoping to avoid mosquitos in their every day. Aromaflage is an insect repellent that also functions as perfume and contains botanical essential oils and no harsh chemicals.
The Waldorf Astoria Spa now offers the Spa Club, a monthly wellness program that affords local guests six- or 12-month memberships that include one treatment (50-minute Custom Massage or Custom Facial), access to spa amenities, access to the fitness center and rooftop pool, retail discounts and more.
On the Northshore, Covington is home to Stone Creek Club & Spa, which opened in 2009 to provide a comprehensive fitness, social and relaxation experience.
“Part of the vision of Stone Creek was to become an integral part of the community, and to be an everyday getaway for members and guests. The club now has more than 5,000 members and the Spa, which welcomes non-members, too, is continuing to grow year after year,” says Katie Santangelo, Spa Director.
The Spa at Stone Creek offers a wet treatment room complete with Vichy Shower. The Vichy Shower sends cascades of water that massage the whole body at once.
For those with an hour to escape, Santangelo recommends the Glowing Body Buff, which features SpaRitual’s Yuzu Rose products and gently exfoliates skin with organic sugar crystals before a swaddle and head-to-toe lotion application moisturizes the body. A relaxing scalp massage and a complimentary glass of rosé top off the treatment.
Located in Metairie, About Face of New Orleans is a cosmetic and skincare studio offering makeup applications and lessons, lash extensions, facial treatments, face and body waxing and lash and brow tinting. Facial treatments include dermaplaning and chemical peels as well as customized facial treatments. According to Licensed Esthetician Jaime Schultz, the About Your Face treatment is most popular in summer. A customized treatment, it entails deep pore cleansing, restoration of balance and moisture and a clear complexion. Chemical peels may be added.
“For a subtle pick-me-up, I would definitely recommend dermaplaning,” says Schultz. “It will remove all peach fuzz and dead skin leaving behind smooth, glowing skin. Also, you’ll get more results from all of your products at home post-dermaplaning,” she says.
For more dramatic results, Schultz recommends a series of chemical peels every four to six weeks for healthy skin maintenance. Summer promotions for About Face of New Orleans can be found on its Facebook page (AboutFaceNOLA).
Physicians & Medical Aestheticians
According to Chantel Bales, Medical Aesthetician at Aesthetic Surgical Associates, lifting, tightening and toning skin is a great way to pamper the body, especially the aging face. Ultherapy uses ultrasound technology to promote collagen production without affecting the outer layers of the skin. For someone seeking a comprehensive renewal process, Bales recommends a combination of CO2 fractional laser or micro-needling for skin resurfacing, Ultherapy® for tightening and fillers for volume.
“We think of treating the aging face as a triad,” says Bales. For suspension, she recommends Ultherapy. For volume, fillers and fat grafting can be helpful. For resurfacing, options include micro-needling, CO2 laser, dermabrasion, microdermabrasion and chemical peels.
“Skin care is the most important step in the anti-aging process,” says Bales. “We offer a full array of products for dry skin, sun damaged skin, oily skin and the list goes on.”
Body contouring and skin care is also the focus of Dr. Kyle Coleman at Etre Cosmetic Dermatology and Laser Center, where he specializes in minimally and non-invasive cosmetic dermatologic procedures.
“For patients desiring a more dramatic transformation, body contouring procedures such as minimally invasive liposuction paired with fat transfer procedures can create lasting results,” says Coleman. With summer vacations in full swing, Coleman says that CoolSculpting treatments are in high demand. CoolSculpting can reduce unwanted pockets of fat without the extended downtime of surgery.
“We are lucky to have a lot of tools at our disposal at Etre to provide results from subtle changes to dramatic results. For subtle improvements, laser procedures such as IPL photofacials and facial injectables can make an immediate impact,” says Coleman. Etre is proud to be one of the first providers in the US to offer Silhouette Instalift, a non-invasive procedure to lift and contour the jawline and create a more youthful appearance without the need for removing skin.
Subtle treatments repeated over time is a strong method of rejuvenation recommended by Dr. Sarah Jackson of Audubon Dermatology.
“I like to compare them to exercise – one day of exercise will make you feel better, but a lifelong regimen will give you the cumulative results,” she says.
LEFT, Audubon Dermatology RIGHT, Khoobehi & Associates
Examples of such treatments include chemical peels and Audubon Dermatology’s Clear + Brilliant treatment. According to Dr. Jackson, the process all depends on your concerns. An initial cosmetic consultation will enable both the physician and the patient to work together on a thorough plan for the year. From injectables to laser treatments and body sculpting, there are a variety of options for people seeking comprehensive treatments and dramatic full-body results.
This month, Audubon Dermatology is offering a Christmas in July promotion, which includes discounts on favorite treatments and products.
“There are so many studies on the havoc stress can have on one’s health. Taking the time to relax, rejuvenate and feel good about yourself is important,” says Jackson.
“Not to mention, most people feel better when they look better,” adds Dr. Kamran Khoobehi of Khoobehi & Associates. Along with Dr. Jules Walters III, Dr. Khoobehi offers advanced surgical and non-surgical cosmetic procedures from offices in Metairie, Uptown and Beverly Hills, CA. With minimal side effects and downtime, the SkinPen procedure is popular at the practice in summer. Using micro-needling technology, SkinPen is a skin rejuvenation procedure available for all skin types and addresses wrinkles, acne scars and stretch marks. According to Dr. Khoobehi, SkinPen is safe for summer because it doesn’t damage or remove the outer layer of skin, which protects from harmful UV rays.
Khoobehi & Associates is excited to offer a new service, ThermiVa, which restores feminine wellness without surgery or downtime.
“Our clients, especially mothers, tell us that ThermiVa has given them a new lease on life when it comes to sexual function, urinary incontinence and vaginal laxity,” says Dr. Khoobehi.
The practice prides itself on offering the latest technologies and rejuvenation options for every budget.
About Face of New Orleans
701 Metairie Road
Metairie
304-1556
AboutFaceNola.com
Aesthetic Surgical Associates
3223 Eighth St., Suite 200
Metairie
309-7061
AestheticSurgical.com
Audubon Dermatology
3525 Prytania St., Suite 501
895-3376
AudubonDermatology.com
Etre Cosmetic Dermatology and Laser Center
1224 St. Charles Ave.
227-3873
EtreCosmeticDerm.com
Khoobehi & Associates
4500 Magazine St., Suite 1
517-7504
Khoobehi.com
Le Visage Day Spa
8110 Hampson St.
265-8018
LeVisageDaySpaNola.com
Stone Creek Club & Spa
1201 Ochsner Blvd.
Covington
(985) 801-7100
TheSpaAtStoneCreek.com
Waldorf Astoria Spa
130 Roosevelt Way
335-3190
TheRooseveltNewOrleans.com
