SmoothShapes In New Beauty Magazine!!

Fine print reads:

SmoothShapes is another cellulite-fighting treatment, and one of the newest ones too. It relies on Photomology, a combination of laser and light energy coupled with rollers and vacuum suction to target cellulite at the source. Furing each of the eight pain-free treatments, enlarged fat cells are liquefied and collagen is regenerated to improve the skin's texture.

Well put, New Beauty!

ColoreScience In New Beauty Magazine!

We LOVE the new Let Me Be Clear Primer from Colore Science, and we are certainly not alone!

This is what New Beauty Magazine had to say today:

If there's anyone reluctant to use foundation primer, surely it's those with acne-prone skin. Just the thought of a smothering an extra layer can make a person break out. It's rather unfortunate, since many primers provide such a beautiful canvas for makeup; but now a new primer is standing out from the pack by going beyond prepping skin to help clear it up.

Like other primers, Colorescience PRO's new formula smoothes skin texture and lessens the look of pores with dimethicone polymers. Unlike other primers, however, Let Me Be Clear Primer for Problem Skin addresses acne with a touch of salicylic acid—the key ingredient in many, if not most, blemish treatments.

Because pimples aren't the only symptom of acne, other ingredients in Let Me Be Clear—such as vitamin E, minerals, aloe, algae, lavender, cypress, ylang ylang and melissa—tackle the redness, irritation and dehydration that often accompany the condition. Between the velvety feel and citrus scent, there's almost no way of knowing that this primer doubles as an acne remedy—that is until you start seeing clearer skin under your makeup.

However, what New Beauty did not mention was that the Primer is only part of a 3-Step Kit that will truly do wonders for ANY skin type. The Let Me Be Clear Kit includes not only the Primer, but an On The Spot Powder, and our favorite L.M.B.C. Finishing Brush (with SPF 30!)

Used synergistically, these three products will help clear problem skin wonderfully. And since they all contain salicylic acid, their light exfoliation helps tremendously with anti-aging, the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, and reducing pore size. 

As the New Beauty article mentions, those of us with acne-prone skin (or wrinkles) are reluctant to pile more products on, especially if our skin is on the oily side. 

Good News: the exfoliating properties of the salicylic are actually activated by our skin's natural oils. 

The Let Me Be Clear Collection comes in three colors: Fair Play, Middle Ground, and Deep Cover. However, the Primer itself is only available sans pigment. 

At first I was a little bummed out that it wasn't providing actual coverage, but after using the LMBC Kit for nearly two and half months now, I wouldn't have it any other way. Mainly, I have found that mixing the On The Spot Cover with the Primer allows the Primer to go on as smooth as silk, stay on longer, and provide me perfect coverage that I get to control. It also means that those of you afraid of wearing pigment on your face (hello, gentleman!) can rest assured that no one will know!

Plus, now that I have reaped the benefits of the salicylic and my skin is much clearer, I notice that I add less and less powder to my mix, using the On The Spot to only spot-treat my blemishes as they arise (hardly ever)!

I love that you get to customize how much coverage you have, and get to see your skin transform over just a few weeks (or less!). 

Stop in today to get your Let Me Be Clear Kit for only $99 (a $120 value!)

Eye Love ColoreScience!

In July of this year, ColoreScience launched their Sunforgettable SPF 30 Eyescreen, yet another way protection is made pretty. 

Kimberly has been using {and swearing by} the EyeScreen since we received it. It has done wonders for not only covering the dark spotsand circles under her eyes {hyper-pigmentation}, but also reversing it!

Not that I was skeptical because I, too, swear by the entire ColoreScience line- but I thought that as a 24 year old with minimal sun damage, it would just find its way to the bottom of my makeup bag. Until about 15 minutes ago. I got myself an orb and thought I would see what a difference it would make. 

And, oh my, what a difference it made!!!

Instantly, my eyes looked brighter, wider, more awake, and more evenly blended into the rest of my makeup. I initially put it on just one eye to see if I could actually tell a difference. I had to go back and put it on the other to even myself out. I looked quite strange with one radiant, bright eye and one darkish, tired looking eye. 

It's official. I'm hooked. 

And truly, this product is revolutionary in its essence. For, although we do our best to wear sunglasses, hats, and sunscreen, that oh-so delicate skin around they eye really needs special attention. And with EyeScreen's added bonus of concealing, this is honestly one of the best tools you can have in your makeup bag {or dopp bag, gentleman- you know you get dark circles, too!}. 

Here at the Spa we see this damage almost daily. With the help of our new Reveal Imager, we can see underlying sun damage, and the majority of the time the pictures come out and literally, the area around they eye looks almost black because the damage is so severe. 

Unfortunately, it is an easy area to neglect. We think our sunglasses have got us covered, and the last thing anyone wants is goopy sunscreen around their eyes with the chance of it getting in their eyes. Ouch!

Here's what ColoreScience says about their amazing new product:

The light pink powder plays tricks on the eyes, 

camouflaging dark circles and fine lines in just 

a few quick magical strokes. Velvety in feel, 

Eyescreen brightens the eye area while 

concealing. 

Merciless sun rays are often to blame for 

breaking down the skin’s elasticity and natural 

resistance around the eyes. This leaves an 

already sensitive area even more prone to 

dreaded wrinkles and age spots. Protect, 

diffuse and accentuate with Sunforgettable 

SPF 30 Eyescreen by Colorescience.  

And for only $20, this is a steal. The orb comes with its own lovely brush and is about the size of golf ball. I would guess that one orb should last at least eight months if not more. 

I think this is the ultimate Winter must-have. We tend to be more tired in these cold, grey days, so what could be better than perfect, bright eyes to combat the Winter doldrums?!

Fall & Winter: The Perfect Time to Repair and Prepare!

After such a beautiful Colorado Summer, chances are excellent that most of our skin resembles {or feels like} the autumn leaves that have recently peppered our sidewalks.

Now is the perfect time to repair the previous season's damage as well as prepare for the current and upcoming seasons.

Autumn typically begins the repairative season; due the influx of sun damage, discoloration and brown spots, photo-aging, dehydrated and dull skin, cellulite and loose skin, and even stained teeth.

While we repair last season's damage, it is important to also prepare for the Holidays as well as next year's Spring and Summer. With Winter comes many Holiday parties, travel plans, and for a lot of us- winter sports, which saturate our skin with cold, dry air.

So, how exactly do we repair and prepare this season??

Here are some great ways to stay ahead of the game and keep looking great year-round:

• Laser Skin Treatments
• Treatment Facials and Peels
• Professional-Grade Skin Care Products
• Laser Hair Removal of Unwanted Hair {Autumn/Winter is the best time for laser hair removal since we have significantly less sun exposure}
• SmoothShapes Laser Cellulite Reduction
• Laser Teeth Whitening

Refresh Laser Spa is your place to repair and prepare for the coming holiday and travel season! Call us today to schedule your complimentary consultation!

Skin Care: 101

Yesterday a conversation arose here at the Spa about poor skin care hygiene and its detriment. All too often we see clients (especially women) who come to us looking for instant, one-time, no-hassle solutions for their skin's problems. Unfortunately, even with the best treatments on the market, your results will never be maintained if you suffer from poor skin care hygiene.

The first step in conquering your bad habits is to follow the skin care ABC's- or shall we say... CTT's.

Step One: Cleanse

• Gently rub cleanser all over your face with fingertips for about 20-25 seconds AM and PM.
• Splash running warm water on your face several times to rinse off the cleanser until there is no more residue on you skin. Do not direct the stream of water onto your face (i.e.: holding your face under the shower head). 
• Take a clean towel and gently pat your face dry. 

Step Two: Tone

• Especially if you suffer from chronic breakouts and/or have oily skin, using a toner is crucial to your skin care routine. 
• Find a toner that is best for your skin type- there are many options on the market. (Our favorite? Queen Bee's Glycolic Toner, which is great for most skin types).
• Apply a small amount to a cotton ball and gently pat over face after cleansing and before moisturizing. You can also use the toner to spot-treat blemishes as they arise. 
• If you have dry skin, test the toner for a day or two. If it exacerbates your dryness, gently rinse it with cool water after applying to your skin, this will lessen its dehydrating nature. 

Step Three: Treat

• Depending on your specific needs, treatment for your skin will vary. For someone like me who is prone to breakouts, my treatment consists of salicylic moisturizer, salicylic primer (from ColoreScience), and salicylic mineral sunscreen powder (again, ColoreScience). 
• No matter what ails your skin (folliculitis, rosacea, dryness, hyper-pigmentation, sun damage, melasma, breakouts, uneven tone/texture, etc.), there is something we can offer you to help treat it.
• As highlighted above, sunscreen is a must for everyone. Treating is not exclusive to existing problems. It is imperative to include a product with at least SPF 30 into your skin care regimen to prevent unnecessary damage down the road. 

These three points -the CTT's- are essential to your new good skin care hygiene regimen. However, there are many more oft-overlooked recommendations to make your skin the best it can be!

Yesterday's conversation brought up many good points that can easily be forgotten, neglected, or missing in one's skin care regimen/make-up bag (AHEM- Women, we mean you!).

• Many of us with overly oily skin believe that compact powder is the solution to masking this problem. Wrong. While the powder may temporarily mask the oiliness of your skin, it is really just exacerbating the problem and guaranteeing more breakouts and more oil. --> Instead, pick up a pack of oil-blotting papers. For one, they are much cheaper than your powder, and they actually remove the oil instead of covering it and pushing it deeper into your pores. Total win-win. 
• Again, for those of us make-up wearers, it is so important that your utensils are clean, if not new. If you are using a sponge or brush to apply your make-up (which you should be doing anyway because your fingers are full of natural oils)--> you have got to make sure that you clean or replace these on a regular basis. If you neglect to do this, you are reapplying the same grease and bacteria onto your face everyday, worsening with each application. Hint: we sell a fantastic brush cleaner in the Spa for only $10.00 and most drug stores sell a bountiful bag of sponges for about $1.99
• Make-up has a shelf-life. Not only will your year-old mascara glob up or dry out, it also has been breeding bacteria for quite some time. Especially if your make-up bag is conveniently placed next to your shower. That is über-prime real estate for bacteria- warm and humid. Here's a brief guide to the shelf live of your make-up: 

Concealer: Up to 12 months

Powder: Two years

Pencils and Eyeliner: Should be sharpened regularly. Will last up to 3 years. 

Brushes: Wash at least every month with a brush cleaner or mild detergent.

Sponges: Change monthly

Foundation: Check the ingredients: A water-based foundation will last up to 12 months, oil based- up to 18 months. 

Lipstick: Most say 1-2 years, although apparently you can extend that by storing it in the fridge. I say try that at your own risk, or maybe just in the summer. 

Mascara: 4 months. And, please ladies, don't pump it- you are only drying it out and exposing it to more bacteria. 

I will leave you these tips for now- but there will certainly be more to come. 

And as always, for more information or questions- do not hesitate to call or email!

Refresh to be at Junior League of Denver's Holiday Mart!

This year, the Junior League of Denver’s Holiday Mart 2009 has moved it’s event up to Thursday October 15 through Sunday 18 at the Denver Merchandise Mart!

Each year, the Junior League of Denver organizes and hosts Holiday Mart; Denver’s longest-standing seasonal shopping tradition, that over the past three decades has earned a reputation for bringing together the very best of local and national merchants. 

This year, however, Refresh Laser Spa will be there, sharing a booth with our absolute favorite- the Queen Bee!! We will have ample literature on all of our services, as well as special discounts for those who visit our booth!

In addition to providing fabulous shopping for Front Range families, Holiday Mart is the Junior League of Denver’s largest fundraiser. 

Since its inception, Holiday Mart has contributed more than $4.6 million to community programs in the Denver-metro and surrounding areas. We feel this is not only a great opportunity to reach a wider range of clientele, but also to give back to this wonderful community we all call home!

For tickets, click here.

We hope to see you there!!!