Need a miracle worker to turn your Frida Kahlo brows into two separate yet equally beautiful works of art? Looking to fight the fuzz down there without the hassle of a razor or a hedge clipper? Look no further than Glamourella NYC, a glamorous and professional beauty boutique I recently discovered in New York City.

THE BACK-STORY: Glamourella NYC is the brainchild of two NYS licensed estheticians and BFFs, Maxine and Lizzy, who got their start in the spa industry over a decade ago. After waxing celebrities and starlets became a total bore, the pair decided to reinvent the industry by taking their skills directly to their clients with by-appointment-only house calls. After a few years of romping all over the city making beauty miracles a reality, Maxine and Lizzy decided to make 5th Ave home and opened their own beauty boutique with a full menu of quick and painless waxing services and 100% organic airbrush tanning. With over 20 years of combined expertise, Maxine and Lizzy have turned their customized waxing art into a science.

Last week, I headed over to Glamourella’s new 5th Avenue location for a seriously-needed eyebrow shaping. I wasn’t even planning on covering them for a feature; I just had to get my eyebrows done. They were so tragic!

THE BROW-STORY: Right off the bat, when I walked into the reception area I could already tell I was going to have a blast. Maxine and Lizzy greeted me like an old friend! Maxine and I waltzed into the treatment room, adorned with diva pink and retro girlie glam. Literally, half way through the wax (when Maxine was just about done with my left brow), I told her I work for Spa Week, and if she wanted, I could take some pictures and share my experiences — I got such a good vibe from her that I knew I would have to share. It’s so refreshing to walk into a spa and KNOW you’re going to be in good hands.

Did you know there is a uniquely flattering eyebrow shape for every type of face? Well, I didn’t. And that’s exactly what Maxine taught me when she was inspecting my brows under a large florescent magnifying light. I pretty much have an oval face, so using some serious-no-ouch wax, Maxine sculpted, plucked and trimmed my brows to face flattering perfection. This was HANDS DOWN the  least painful wax I have ever experienced. Here’s the before and after picture:
I always get red after waxing, but I noticed that this time I only got a little pink and it only lasted for 15 minutes or so. Here’s a look at both eyebrows completely done:
THE NOW-STORY: They’re brushed, fluffed and tamed… hooray! And just so you know, this wax was absolutely lovely and totally worth the minimal $20 price tag, here’s a look at my brows one week later (with a little added definition and color from Benefit’s Brow Zings):
Even with the The Glamourella Girls’ fabulous and fun vibe ( you should check out their hilarious blog full of tips, tricks, musings and more), you can rest assured that in addition to giving you the most drama-free wax of your life, Lizzy and Maxine adhere to the most of strict sanitary procedures by using single-use implements and absolutely NO double dipping. After just one visit to Glamourella NYC, you’ll be perfectly smooth and completely hooked, just like me.

Glamourella NYC
303 Fifth Avenue (near 31st Street)
Suite 803
New York, NY 10016
(347) 899 7275

Lifting, contouring, slimming and rejuvenating your face and body is a medi-spa’s specialty, zapping you into shape with treatments like Zerona, Lipomassage and Microcurrent facelifts. However, when nonsurgical nip-tucks aren’t enough, spa-goers turn into patients taking their cosmetic pursuits to the next level.

Ladies and gents, I introduce to you the busiest man in Beverly Hills: Dr. Gabriel Chiu. This most-trusted, multi-talented plastic surgeon of Beverly Hills Plastic Surgery does it all, breast lifts to tummy tucks to nose jobs and beyond.

When writing this article, I learned just how crazy busy dedicated this surgeon is: “Dr. Chiu is in surgery every morning at 6 am, and sees 25-40 patients until 8 pm at the office, followed by our social and philanthropic commitments in the evenings.” Wow – that’s one heck of a schedule! But after checking out all the before/after pictures in Dr. Chiu’s photo gallery, I can certainly see why he’s in such hot demand.

So, in 2011, which 8 procedures topped Dr. Chiu’s most requested list? Count them down, along with some of his impressive works of “art.”

8) Removal of Undereye Bags

For people who are tired of hearing “you look tired!” this cosmetic surgery is an increasingly popular one. It’s done to improve puffy lower eyelid “bags” and reduce wrinkling of the skin. In this procedure, excess tissue is removed or repositioned, and muscles and tendons are reinforced. New York may be the city that never sleeps, but in Beverly Hills they’re looking wide awake.

Photo: 53 year-old female wanted to correct the tired look of her eyes. Upper and lower blepharoplasty were performed and she is now much happier with her “bright-eyed” look. “After” photo was taken 13 months post-surgery.

7) Brazilian Butt Lift

For a perkier, fuller derriere, people of all ages are seeking out the Brazilian Butt Lift. In this procedure, fat is removed from selected areas of the body (bonus!) and deposited in your buttocks with hundreds of small injections. The areas around the buttocks are also lipsuctioned to make them smoother and more sensual – such as the back, abdomen and thighs, which alone gives your lower body a more attractive look.

Photo: 41 year-old female wanted a more shapely and fuller butt. Liposuction of the abdomen, hips, flanks, and posterior thighs was performed. Fat was purified and transferred to the buttocks. 4.6 liters were liposuctioned and 1.02 liters were injected. “After” photo was taken 4 weeks post-surgery.

6) Liposuction of Inner and Outer Thighs

Liposuction is currently the most popular surgical cosmetic procedure in the US, and in 2011, inner and outer thighs were a hot procedure. Liposuction is an option for those who are unhappy with excess fat deposits unresponsive to diet and exercise. Localized fat deposits may be due to inherited family traits, rather than a result of the lack of weight control or exercise. Ideal liposuction patients are healthy, non-smoking adults within 30% of their ideal weight.

Photo: 29 year-old female, 5’0″ tall and 106 pounds, wanted liposculpturing of her inner thighs. She complained that it was hard for her to fit in most jeans and she didn’t like the way her thighs rubbed together. 700 cc was aspirated from her medial thighs. Post-op photos were taken one year later.

5) Make My Saggy Breasts Perky (Breast Lift)

Perk up, ladies! The Breast Lift, technically known as mastopexy, is a surgical procedure to raise and reshape sagging breasts by the removal of excess skin and by repositioning the nipple and remaining tissue. This procedure is intended to reverse negative effects factors such as pregnancy, nursing, and the force of gravity.

22 year-old female wanted perkier and more shapely breasts. An inverted “T” mastopexy was performed. “After” photo was taken 4 weeks post-surgery. Read about Breast Mastopexy (Lift).

4) Tummy Tuck

An abdominoplasty is the anchor of a Mommy Makeover. Hear that, #HotSpaMoms? The 3 components of abdominal wall deformity are: (1) loose or wrinkly skin and stretch marks, usually a result of aging, pregnancy, or significant weight loss; (2) fat tissue, commonly accumulated in the lower abdomen; and (3) muscle weakness and/or separation, which can occur as a result of pregnancy. A tummy tuck procedure will remove excess fat and skin, tighten abdominal wall muscles, and eliminate stretch marks between the belly button and pubis area. If recommended by Dr. Chiu, liposuction of the flanks, hips, and/or thighs can be performed in conjunction with an abdominoplasty for an even more dramatic result.

Photo: 37 year-old female, 5’6″ tall weighing 150lbs. wanted tummy tuck and liposuction. 2.7 liters were liposuctioned, 11.5 inches of vertical skin were removed, and abdominal muscles were tightened 4 inches. “After” photo was taken 6 weeks post-surgery.

3) Bulbous Nasal Tip Correction

Correcting a prominent hump of the nose has been a standard request of rhinoplasty patients, but according to Dr. Chiu, patients have increasingly been asking for correction of a nasal tip that is too large. A bulbous tip overpowers the face from the front, side, or any angle. As a patient analyzes their nose, the desire for a tip that compliments the rest of their face and brings out the attractive features becomes just as important as reducing the hump.

Photo: 26 year-old female, 5’8″ and 115 pounds, wanted to fix her nose. She says that it is too long, too large, and wanted to get rid of the hump. She was also bothered by the cleft in the tip and says, “it looks like a butt crack”. Open rhinoplasty was performed. The dorsal hump was reduced and the radix (take-off point of the nose) was lowered. Reduction of the lower lateral cartilages and caudal septum were done to raise the bottom of her nose and decrease the tip volume. Correction of the nasal tip cleft was also performed and infracture of the lateral walls decreased the overall volume of the nose. Post-op photos were taken 5 weeks later. The patient is particularly pleased with her results!

2) Liposculpture of the Abdomen

One of the most common of all cosmetic procedures, abdominal liposuction, is a technique for recontouring the body by permanently removing fat deposits from the abdomen. The tendency to accumulate fat in the abdomen may be inherited, and this fat is often especially resistant to diet and exercise.

A few months ago we shared with you the wellness Teachings from the Spa-Obsessed Real Housewives. Yes, we admit, these often ridiculous, over-dramatized women aren’t always the epitome of health, but we concluded that they definitively know a thing or two about taking time out for themselves to relax and rejuvenate. One housewife in particular, Atanta’s Kim Zolciak, found time to pamper herself using, what she calls, the “Get Skinny Laser,” or “Pizza Laser,” aka Zerona. With the hectic holidays behind us, it’s likely that we’ve all packed on a few extra pounds during the festive season. So I decided to investigate Kim’s go-to laser to see if it stands up to the hype and should be considered as a viable option for all of us looking to “get skinny” and most importantly, healthy in the new year.
After some research, I discovered that Zerona uses five “cold lasers” to target voluminous adipose tissue or subcutaneous fat (fat that is close to the skin’s surface). The lasers create small pores, or holes, in your fat cells causing the fat cells to collapse, expelling the liquefied fat contents into interstitial space (the no-man’s land between your body’s cells). The smaller your fat cells, the more inches you lose. It is recommended that you get a minimum of six sessions, every 2-3 days for the best results.

A fat cell's journey during Zerona Laser Treatments.

With the basic knowledge of Zerona in my back pocket, I made an appointment at Spa Jolie in NYC’s West Village, where they are offering Zerona Laser Treatments for $99 per treatment in January as part of Spa Week’s Spa Deals. After being graciously greeted by Jodi, the spa director, and filling out a quick waiver form, I was lead upstairs by my technician, Morlie. Being around the same age, we instantly clicked and she told me about her own experiences using Zerona treatments to help support her weight-loss goals, “I’ve lost 2-3 inched in my waist and hips and am starting to see an hour-glass contour to my body I didn’t have before.” She reassured me saying that the best thing about Zerona is that it is painless, “You just lay there and take a 40 minute nap. It’s that easy.”

The Zerona Laser

As we entered the treatment room, Morlie let me know what was going to happen, step by step. First, I disrobed down to my undies and bra and wrapped myself in a cozy fleece blanket. Then, Morlie asked me which areas I wanted to focus the laser on, “You can do up to four areas at a time, 20 minutes on the front and 20 minutes on the back. You’ll be out of here in less than an hour.” Obviously, I chose tummy and hips/inner thighs – because who doesn’t want Marissa Miller’s body, right? Next, Morlie took my measurements with a nifty measuring tape. It wasn’t as daunting or intimidating as I thought, as a I found out that Morlie was a pro at the slightly-awkward task of measuring strangers’ half-naked body parts. “I used to work at Victoria’s Secret,” she confessed, “I had to measure people all the time, so I’m used to it.”

The Zerona Laser up close and personal

After recording my base measurements on my chart, I laid down on my back on the treatment table and nestled my head into a cozy pillow. Morlie swiveled the Zerona machine over to me and maneuvered its centrally located laser to hover directly above my tummy. Then she bent each of  the four malleable arms with laser on the end about 2-3 inches above my inner thighs, hips and side-tummy. After a few minutes of tweaking each laser arm, I asked her if there’s a skill or science behind the positioning of the laser arms. “Knowing how to position the lasers is a big part of what we are taught during our mandatory Zerona certification courses. You want to make sure the lasers pass through each other or “feather,” sort of like Venn Diagram. The technician needs to know what they’re doing so the client gets the best results.” Once the lasers were positioned for optimal fat-busting, Morlie handed me this sweet pair of protective glasses:

Me in my protective eyewear - so chic!

The most unexpected part of the laser prep was when Morlie placed rolled-up towels under my thighs and on the slides of my tummy, to essentially “prop up the fat,” it was a little strange having someone finagle my problem areas, but any weirdness was overshadowed by the reasoning behind the towels: the more fat that is exposed to the laser, the better results you get. I couldn’t argue with that!

Zerona Laser being positioned by technician

Then she turned the laser on. The beams of red light started rotating in methodical circles over my lower-half. No noise, no pain, no sensation, no nothing. I just laid there. It was great. I checked my email, Twitpic’d, updated my Facebook status, checked out my favorite gossip site and took these pictures:

Side view of lasers

Ariel view of lasers

Laser treatment on hips/thighs

After 20 minutes, Morlie came back into the room and had me flip over onto my stomach; she re-positioned the towels and the Zerona machine and left me for another 20 minutes of unaccounted-for-bliss. I could have even called my mom and chit-chatted, it was that quiet, but, knowing my mom, calling her would take more than 20 minutes. So I texted her instead.

When the second 20 minutes was up, the machine turned off automatically with a beep, and Morlie came in and moved it into the corner and told me I could get dressed. She also gave me these great tips/info on aftercare:

• Water: Drinking at least 60 oz of water (one of those large Poland Spring water bottles) a day will help your lymphatic system absorb and discrete the liquefied fat that is released from your fat cells
• No caffeine, alcohol, soda or fast food: These foods negatively affect your body’s ability to flush out the fat that is released during the treatment
• 72 hour rule: Don’t skip treatments or go more than 72 hours (three days) between sessions as this can affect the effectiveness of the treatment and some of the fat can be reabsorbed into your fat cells

And that’s it; I was done – granted I only had one session and will need more than six to see results, but the process was super quick and easy. However, the major health benefit Zerona can concretely and confidently boast is that it helps reduce belly fat/belly circumference which in turn reduces your risk of heart attack, cardiovascular disease, type two diabetes, hypertension (high blood pressure), stroke and some types of cancer. Whether it’s through diet, exercise and/or spa treatments – no matter what way you do it – reducing body fat can save and enhance the quality of your life. In conclusion, Kim Zolciak may be a little wacko, but she’s on the right track. Bravo, Kim! For Zerona deals in your area, visit www.spaweek.com/deals

Spa Jolie (Previously Randee Elaine Salon)
180 7th Avenue South
New York, NY 10014
212.229.1389
http://www.nylaser.net

It’s the first weekend of 2012! Last weekend you made your mighty resolution, and if you haven’t broken it yet, I think you should reward yourself. With a spa treatment. That lasts for a really, really, really long time.

This January as I browsed through our monthly Spa Deals, I noticed the number “90″ popping up with much frequency. Let me tell you – an hour of pampering is great, but an hour and a half feels like everlasting love.

So enjoy your dose of Friday cheese à la the above, and check out these 90 minute STUNNAS in SoCal, New York, Minnesota, Massachusetts, North Carolina and New Jersey. Go book yourself an everlasting spa treatment to kick off what could be your most awesome year yet! Find more deals all over the country where these came from…

90 Min Hot Stone Massage – $100

Hair Professionals Salon/Spa
3035 White Bear Avenue
Maplewood, MN 55109
651.748.0338

90 Min Total Indulgence – A Spa Merge Exclusive Signature Treatment. Includes Full Body Dry Brush Exfoliation, Heated Body Wrap with Scalp Massage and Organic Facial with Hot Stone Face and Neck Massage – $150

Spa Merge
102-108 West 57th Street
New York, NY 10019
646.484.4104

90 Min Fall on Your Face Facial – $82.50

Verabella Skin Therapy
301 North Canon Drive
Beverly Hills, CA 90210
310.278.4733

90 Min Wrapped To Perfection Detoxification and Slimming Compression Botanical Body Wrap. Includes 55 Min in Far-Infrared Sauna – $100

Body by Melisa
4414 Piedmont Avenue, Suite 2
Oakland, CA 94611
510.655.BODY

90 Min Deep Tissue or Swedish Massage – $75

Essential Skin Electrology & Day Spa
1064 Centre Street
Newton, MA 02459
617.332.2212

90 Min Package including 60 Min Body Massage plus 30 Min Foot Massage OR 30 Min Facial – $65

Bahn Sabai Day Spa
1937 Hillhurst Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90027
323.665.1937

90 Min Muscle Melt Massage – $120

Synergy Spa
2603 Glenwood Avenue, Suite 121C
Raleigh, NC 27608
919.510.5130

90 Min Package: includes 55 Min Massage or 55 Min Facial with 25 Min Reflexology or 25 Min Body Scrub – $99

@ease Spa – Hillsdale
142 Broadway
Hillsdale, NJ 07642
201.722.8848

And you’ll be singin…

Happy, healthy New Year to you! Let’s take a look back: In 2010, over 150 million Americans visited the spa (according to ISPA). We are still waiting on the exact numbers for 2011, but with the growth of the industry reported in ISPA’s 2011 report, we’re pretty sure a lot more of you experienced the wonderful healing powers of the spa this past year. How many times did you visit the spa in 2011? An even better question: how often do you plan to take some time out for yourself and visit the spa in 2012? We’re hoping you resolve to make regular spa trips a integral part of your health and wellness regime in 2012! Or, at least twice a year…

In support of your 2012 wellness goals, Spa Week is here (and has been since 2004) to help you keep your healthy spa-going resolution with our bi-annual national events, when thousands of spas across North America offer their most coveted health and wellness treatments for just $50 each. And – for the first time ever – Spa Week’s directory of participating spas and their $50 treatment offerings will launch not 4, but 5 weeks in advance of the week-long event so EVERYONE will have enough time to choose and book the treatment(s) of their choice, and ample time to get ready and excited.

Mark your calendars! The 2012 event dates are as follows:

SPRING 2012 SPA WEEK®: April 16 – 22

The directory of participating spas and treatments will launch on March 12, 2012 at spaweek.com, when you can start to book your appointments directly with the spa.

FALL 2012 SPA WEEK®: October 15 – 21

The directory of participating spas and treatments will launch on October 10, 2012.

Make sure you’re subscribed to the Spa Week newsletter and stay tuned to Spa Week Daily too for all your Spa Week® news and updates. See you at the spa!