Mpls.St.Paul Magazine - Shop + Style - Beauty

Must-Have Skin Care

Fri, 05 Apr 2013 09:32:36 GMT

Spring Beauty Preview

Fri, 29 Mar 2013 11:10:20 GMT

Beauty Advice

Wed, 20 Feb 2013 10:18:10 GMT

BEST BETS

It’s hard to remember a time when there wasn’t a Caldrea or Mrs. Meyer’s product at every sink in my house. This month, the Minneapolis-based company that put high-design homekeeping on the map is expanding into personal care. Caldrea Hand & Body combines the brand’s signature aromatherapy with Park Avenue packaging for a collection of body crèmes and fragrances that are altogether vanity-worthy. Find them at Bibelot Shops, General Store of Minnetonka, and caldrea.com

Q. Do people still use Noxzema? Do you recommend it?

A. Unfortunately, yes, and absolutely not. I could’ve been the poster teenager for Noxzema—anything for that squeaky-clean feeling. But most adults aren’t oily anymore and even if you are, stripping your skin with alcohol-laden toners and cleansers such as Noxzema will only cause skin to overcompensate by producing more oil. It may seem counterintuitive, but some of the most effective cleansers are actually creamy or oil-based formulas. The oil gently breaks up and lifts dirt and makeup while leaving skin soft and hydrated. Juicy skin, I like to call it. Pick up Eminence Coconut Milk Cleanser (eminenceorganics.com) at salons including Jon Charles Salon or Nude Perfect Cleansing Oil Face & Eyes at local Sephora stores.

Q. Can you recommend a good colorist in the Twin Cities?

A. I rarely color my hair, but the remarkably patient Mi Shaun Schmidt-Schwab at The Beauty Room (4300 Chicago Ave. S., Mpls., 612-724-4111) has rescued me from botched box jobs (research has its price) and has a gift for giving people the color they should’ve been born with. At Evolution (2836 Lyndale Ave. S., Mpls., 612-870-2979), my gorgeous and wildly talented stylist Mel also happens to keep my besties looking like a million dollars even in the carpool lane. I only recently discovered that one of them isn’t a natural blonde.

BLUSH BEAUTY ROOM

If your makeup routine is older than Taylor Swift (no really, do the math), schedule a “wardrobing” session at the new Blush Beauty Room, around the corner from Sebastian Joe’s in Uptown. Bring in your makeup bag, and the Blush makeup artists will put together looks and make product suggestions. Or leave it to the pros: full face makeup plus lashes is $30. Spacious and contemporary, Blush is an ideal setting for parties—schedule a group or rent the whole place. Blush sells affordable accessories and jewelry along with beauty products and tools. 2004 Hennepin Ave. S., Mpls., 612-871-2688
—Allison Kaplan

Photos by Stephanie Colgan

Where to Get Pampered

Thu, 24 Jan 2013 15:48:29 GMT

Forget the overpriced floral arrangements. Put down the bottle of Kendall Jackson chardonnay (you know the one). And don’t even think about making dinner reservations unless you’ve already ordered the corsage. All your significant other really wants on Valentine’s Day is to get naked and have her feet rubbed. Fortunately, the Twin Cities is a hotbed (ha!) of spas that offer the royal treatment—from impossibly plush to profoundly therapeutic.

• Book your favorite girly girl for an afternoon of head-to-toe pampering at The Beauty Room. I recommend a cut, color gloss, Arcona facial, and gel mani. 4300 Chicago Ave. S., Mpls., 612-724-4111, thebeautyroom mpls.com

• Get worked over from head to toe at Spot Spas, where ashiatsu, an adaptation of an ancient form of barefoot massage, is popular with guys, who tend to like the sensation of someone walking on their backs. 401 Hennepin Ave. E., Mpls., 612-331-4182; 1600 W. Lake St., Mpls., 612-823-7768, spotspas.com

• If you’re trying to impress, splurge on one of Ivy Spa Club’s luxury services such as the Collagen Booster Therapy or Oriental Ceremony, a Balinese-inspired body treatment straight out of Eat Pray Love. 201 S. 11th St., Mpls., 612-343-3131, ivyspaclub.com

• I don’t know a single woman who doesn’t love a good facial, and I only trust my pores to Sara Mattson Skin Therapy (6420 W. Lake St., St. Louis Park, 612-922-1511, saraskin.com), Sonja Eileen Aesthetics (4748 Chicago Ave. S., Ste. 13, Mpls., 612-799-3588, sonjaeileen.com), Kristin at Bespoke Hair Artisans (3918 W. 49 1/2 St., Edina, 952-224-4062, bespokehairartisans.com), and Kate at Phresh Spa Salon (Shops at West End, 651-288-4040,phreshspasalon.com)

• Escape to Fusion LifeSpa for the best kind of couple’s therapy: healing bath rituals in a Japanese soaking tub, followed by fluffy robes and green tea before a roaring fire. 18142 Minnetonka Blvd., Deephaven, 952-345-3335, fusionlifespa.com

Ask local beauty guru Elizabeth Dehn a beauty question at elizabeth@beautybets.com or @beautybets on Twitter, and check out her blog at beautybets.com.

Best Bet...

Perfume on Vday can be so cliché, but I’d happily make an exception for this intoxicating elixir in the prettiest of bottles, new from local designer Laura Nelli. Spicy, warm, and exotic, it’s definitely not for the faint of heart. One of Two ($85), by Nelle, nellehandbags.com

Beauty Resolutions

Fri, 21 Dec 2012 14:14:30 GMT

As we welcome 2013, much will be said about eating less, sleeping more, and hitting the gym harder. But you won’t hear it from me. This is a beauty column, after all, and I resolve to encourage only habit-forming products and treatments that make you feel good—not guilty. With that, here are a few ways to show yourself some well-deserved love in the coming year:

Don’t go to bed without washing your face. How can you possibly sleep knowing that your pores are clogged with blemish-causing dirt and makeup? All I can think is, you’re tired. Very, very tired. Solution: Keep a pack of face wipes on the nightstand (I like Yes to Blueberries) so you can swipe one across your face before it hits the pillow.

Wear sunscreen. Every single day, no less than SPF 30, even in winter—no excuses. Unless you want wrinkles, age spots, and saggy skin? Didn’t think so.

Get a massage. Or a facial. Or acupuncture. Whatever you need to feel more centered and relaxed needs to move to the top of your to-do list. Taking care of your mind and body isn’t selfish (unless you drag your husband to your waxing appointment); it’s essential for a happy, productive life.

Don’t leave the house without makeup. I can hear the protests now. Makeup is fake and oppressive and you are real and beautiful just the way you are! True, but if you don’t walk just a little bit taller after concealing those dark under-eye circles and slapping on some lipstick, I will leave the house without makeup.

Ask local beauty guru Elizabeth Dehn a beauty question at elizabeth@beautybets.com or @beautybets on Twitter, and check out her blog at beautybets.com.

Best Bet...

Bobbi Brown’s new Pretty Powerful Uber Basics collection of universally flattering blushes, glosses, shadows, and lipstick is foolproof for even the most novice beauty.
$21–$25, from Macy’s, several metro locations,
macys.com

Intelligent Nutrients

Thu, 29 Nov 2012 10:34:48 GMT

With Horst Rechelbacher, the ideas are big and the drama is high. So it was no surprise that a conversation about opening a store at Mall of America for Intelligent Nutrients, his follow-up to Aveda, bounced from global warming to preservation to the very essence of consciousness.

“I’m in my 70s,” Rechelbacher said over herbal tea at IN headquarters in Northeast Minneapolis. “I’m preparing to leave my body. And I don’t want to leave with guilt.”

Rechelbacher has spent the years since selling Aveda to Estée Lauder on a mission to prove to the beauty industry that it’s possible to make food-grade organic beauty products that smell great and work well. He built Intelligent Nutrients slowly, starting with a chemical-free shampoo and expanding into anti-aging products made with a biotech process that cultivates antioxidant-rich plant cells without using soil. In all, the line has grown to more than 100 products. Enough to fill a store.

MOA was the company’s first choice, and plans got pushed up to the holidays when a prime spot suddenly became available on the first floor, south side, where the most upscale brands tend to be located. As of press time, the store was scheduled to open on Black Friday.

“Mall of America is as critical as having a store on Fifth Avenue in New York City,” says Tyler Heiden Jones, president of Intelligent Nutrients. The brand has a passionate global fan base but remains under the radar, especially beyond Minnesota. In New York, where a second store is already in the works, Intelligent Nutrients is currently available through just one retailer—ABC Carpet & Home.

The Intelligent Nutrients store, like the company, isn’t only about products. There’s an oxygen bar, as well as iPads with which to research product ingredients. A treatment room will be used for select salon and spa services including cranial massage, aromatherapy, skin analysis, and even hairstyling. The space itself, decorated in rich woods and metals, was acoustically designed to block noise pollution from the mall.

“The days of just opening a store are gone. There’s got to be a reason to send someone there vs. buying online,” Jones says. “It’s experiential. It’s about gaining information and making intelligent decisions.”

Don’t be surprised if you see the founder himself working the counter.

“I’m a professional retailer,” says Rechelbacher, who grows product ingredients on his organic farm in Osceola, Wisconsin. “The best way to make an introduction is in a store.” Mall of America, intelligentnutrients. com

Bee Venom Facial

Fri, 26 Oct 2012 14:22:22 GMT

The Scoop: The beauty world has been buzzing since Kate Middleton reportedly received a facial with bee venom prior to her royal wedding day (her stepmother-in-law, Camilla, is also a fan). Although the treatment has been hyped as a needle-free alternative to Botox, in reality it acts as a natural skin plumper. According to Dr. Jess Prischmann, who began offering the facial this fall at her Edina practice, the bee venom lightly “stings” the skin, temporarily increasing blood flow for a healthy English-rose glow. “Just like in nature, the body responds to the venom,” says Prischmann, “so the science makes sense.”

The Service: This isn’t the first time I’ve slathered something exotic on my face in the name of beauty (I’m looking at you, bird poop). A little bee venom couldn’t hurt. At Prischmann Facial Plastic Surgery, it’s administered as part of “The Royal Treatment” facial. After a luxurious cleansing balm and gentle exfoliation using British-based Organic Pharmacy products, my aesthetician applied the creamy bee venom mask using a brush.

I was almost disappointed when it didn’t sting. Right or wrong, over the years I’ve developed a no-pain-no-gain mentality about facial treatments. A few minutes later, I started to feel the slightest tingle and was told that my face was flushing nicely. Satisfied, I dozed off for a 20-minute hand and arm massage. The treatment finished with the Duchess’s favorite oxygen-infused moisturizer. So that was what it feels like to be queen bee for a day.

Our Take: My skin was plump and pink in all the right places when I emerged from my cocoon. In addition, the hydrating manuka honey in the mask has imparted a red carpet–level dewiness—the sign of a good facial. My skin looked even more radiant the next day, like a blushing bride’s.

Small Print: $95 for The Royal Treatment; $35 as an add-on to any facial service. Prischmann Facial Plastic Surgery, 5201 Eden Ave., Ste. 170, Edina, 952-567-7151, mnfacialplastics.com

Ask Elizabeth a beauty question at elizabeth@beautybets.com or @beautybets on Twitter.

Fall Hair Trends: Long, Sleek, and Embellished

Wed, 26 Sep 2012 15:13:31 GMT

Twin Cities Mobile Beauty Services

Thu, 06 Sep 2012 11:34:30 GMT

Getting prettied up can be time consuming, so beauty pros are hitting the road and bringing the salon to you. If you can order duck confit off a truck, why not a spray tan? Here’s our little black book of mobile beauty services in the Twin Cities.

Bavia

Serving 14 metro hospitals, Bavia massage therapists offer pre- and post-natal services to new moms, including a range of massages, foot treatments, manis and pedis, and more. They even offer some services for non-maternity patients in all areas of recovery. At Park Nicollet Methodist Hospital, all orthopedic and birth center patients receive a complimentary mini Bavia spa service. Some services are also offered in-home.

$45–$199. bavia.com

Glow Mobile Beauty

Before a vacation or a night on the town (bachelorette party, anyone?), get your glow on! A member of the Glow team will come to you for custom airbrush tanning and now lash extension needs as well. It’s efficient and neat—they set up a tent in the middle of your office or living room to avoid any mess. When you and your friends get tanned together, everybody gets a $20 discount. It’s $65 for a single-person airbrush session, $45 for two to six people at a time, and the host’s services are free when you have six or more people.

Lashes are $225 for a full set. goglow.co

Jett Makeup

The team at Jett does phenomenal work. They’ll beautify you and your ladies onsite with airbrush makeup and lashes for special events and parties. The studio is also a great place to host the start of a bachelorette or birthday party, so you can all get your makeup and lashes done together before going out on the town. In-studio pricing starts at $75 per person. Onsite special event pricing (non-bridal) is $65 per person, with a minimum of four people, and a 20 percent gratuity is added to the party total.

Lashes are $20–$195. jettmakeup.com

Emily J. Hair + Makeup

Create a custom package depending on your needs. Just want a makeup lesson? No problem. Looking for full makeup, lashes, and an updo for an event? Emily J.’s team can do that too. They do everything from galas to boudoir sessions.

$30–$85 per person, per service. emilyj.com

Blow-Dry Bars Heat Up

Wed, 25 Jul 2012 09:09:56 GMT

This has become the summer of the blow-dry battles, and I haven’t washed my own hair in weeks. Two blow-dry bars recently opened in the Twin Cities, with two more to come before summer’s end. These salons specialize in shampooing and hairstyling for $35—no cuts or color. Meanwhile, full-service salons responded with blow-dry specials—undercutting the blow-dry bars before they even opened.

It’s fascinating to watch this trend play out. For starters, three sets of local entrepreneurs were planning blow-dry bars simultaneously, all thinking they’d be the first in town. Then there are the rookie mistakes of the ones that announced they were opening in May only to find they were still not ready in mid-June, which gave full-service salons time to put together deals and steal a little thunder. Looming over it all is the cultural question: Are Twin Cities women going to spend $35 to get their hair styled often enough to sustain four dedicated blow-dry bars . . . or even one?

“We modernized a behavior that our grandmas used to do.”

Before Minneapolis had blow-dry bars, it had Jon Charles Salon, home of Blowdry Boot Camp, a class designed to expose women to the movie-star moment that is a good blowout and empower them to wield a round brush. Jon Charles Salons in Uptown and Wayzata are known for blowouts, and yet Charles believes blow-dry bars are a losing proposition in this market. Not enough Minnesotans are willing to pay for someone else to do their hair every week, he says. Salons make their money on higher-priced services and add-ons. Charles has found that blowout clients don’t buy hair products, either—they don’t need them.

But Alli Webb, founder of the original blow-dry bar, Los Angeles–based Drybar, considers blowouts an affordable luxury, like a manicure. Salons were charging as much for a blow-dry as they would for a cut, which prompted Webb to open her first Drybar in 2010. Now there are 15 nationwide. By the end of next year, 50 are projected (but no plans for the Twin Cities just yet).

“Women will come in for an event but leave feeling so amazing they start coming back every week,” Webb says. “We modernized a behavior that our grandmas used to do.”

The blow-dry bars in Minneapolis, St. Louis Park, and Edina, like most that are opening across the nation, closely mimic Drybar’s formula. They offer a menu of blowout styles and frequent buyer incentives. Blowdry! in Uptown starts each service with a pampering scalp massage. Blast at Shops at West End has a VIP room for parties.

“Salons can’t offer the same type of experience that we can,” says Krstin Neafus, co-owner of Blast.

“We were expecting competition,” Neafus acknowledges. “Maybe not quite so soon.” I’d love to see blow-dry bars thrive here—it’s easier to get in at the last minute, without offending your own stylist. Surroundings are sleek and upbeat.

Even if some don’t make it, the onslaught of blow-dry bars has prompted major salons such as Juut, New Reflections, and Spalon Montage to reexamine their services and reduce the price of a blowout. And that is capitalism at its finest.

Where to Get Blowouts: Twin Cities Blow-Dry Bar Guide
A guide to the newest blow-dry bars, and where to get a blowout in the Twin Cities.