Cosmetic Care
Local spas offer new services head to toe, and in between
ThermiVa’s results are immediate and extend far beyond aesthetics, making women feel younger and more comfortable while wearing certain clothing or engaging in sexual activity.
Autumn is a season for crackling fireplaces, cooler nights and a general state of coziness. At its core, this time of year is about turning inward—and that includes pampering.
It’s also a great time for focusing on cosmetic care, including treating any damage from summer’s harsh rays of sunshine or extensive physical fitness outdoors. And with the winter holidays just around the corner, who doesn’t want to look and feel their best? Milwaukee-area spas offer cutting-edge treatments from waxing to threading, and microneedling and microblading, too.
SKIIN
Chris Zajdel, co-owner of Skiin, couldn’t be more excited about the feminine-wellness treatments she introduced at the Waukesha spa earlier this year, especially since Skiin is one of the few providers in the Milwaukee area. “It is trending nationwide,” she says about the non-surgical radio-frequency technology’s new application for vaginal areas (tightens soft internal tissue, using techniques long adopted for other areas of the body). “It’s very comfortable, non-surgical and takes very little time. Believe it or not, it’s extremely relaxing during the treatment.” That’s because staff members work hard to provide a spa-like environment. Referred to as ThermiVa on the spa menu, each treatment — multiple treatments are encouraged to get the best outcome — takes about 45 minutes and is provided in a private suite at Skiin. What typical-
ly happens is that clients report results before they’ve even left Skiin.
Clients at Skiin who opt for ThermiVa tend to be a mix of super athletes, aging women (particularly those with bladder issues when sneezing, exercising or laughing; or experiencing loss of sexual pleasure) or women as young as in their 20s born with malformations. However, “our (main) demographic is 40s and 60s,” she says, stressing that the results are immediate and extend far beyond aesthetics, making women feel younger and more comfortable while wearing certain clothing or engaging in sexual activity.
IMPRESSIONS SPA
At Impressions Spa in Mequon, microblading (a form of tattooing) for eyebrows costs a few hundred dollars on average and is performed in less than an hour. Effects last for 18 months. One example why someone might request microblading could be a scar in the eyebrow that affects one’s self-confidence when speaking with others or appearing in photos. “Microblading is perfect for those who want to fully reconstruct, define, cover gaps, or fill in over plucked brows,” explains Taylor, one of the spa’s technicians.
“I draw hair-like strokes with the tool to mimic natural hairs in your brows. This new tattoo technique reshapes brows and fills them out by drawing tiny lines that look like individual hairs,” explains Taylor. It’s much more dimensional than a tattoo, because instead of applying ink to the skin’s surface, pigment is implanted under the skin. Discussions about color, shape and more of one’s “dream brows” guides the process.
Patients report little to no pain. “It feels like little scratches,” explains Taylor. “You feel it, but it’s not unbearable. It feels kind of like vigorous plucking.” Still, to make patients’ time more relaxing and also to emulate a spa experience, she applies a numbing cream to the eyebrow area. She also blocks off two-hour time slots for the appointments so it’s not rushed. Expect between 10 and 21 days of recovery, but “your new set of brows will be selfie-ready immediately after the process,” says Taylor.
WELL SPA + SALON
Since introducing threading earlier this year, the service continues to be a popular way to address female clients’ eyebrows
and facial hair, says spa director Elizabeth Walsh Zimmerman, about the destination spa located in the lower level of The Pfister Hotel. Threading can be done so quickly that it is easy to squeeze in over lunch or on a busy Saturday. She points to many reasons why threading is worth the investment and time. “Threading can last longer than traditional waxing, depending on hair growth, as there is much more control of the entire hair and root, but without the vulnerability of breakage,” says Walsh Zimmerman. “Because of this control, we are able to achieve a better arch and shape.” Qualifying for the service holds few barriers: “Anyone is a candidate for threading, but especially anyone post-chemical peel, currently using anti-aging products or being treated by a dermatologist, as during these times the skin becomes incredibly fragile and vulnerable to lifting.”
At this particular spa, high-quality, hand-quilted cotton thread is used for threading treatments, providing less friction with the skin and going a long way to make the procedure comfortable and relaxing. Another benefit of threading is that any vellus or “peach-like” hairs covering the entire face can easily be removed.
CLINIC OF COSMETIC SURGERY
Microneedling continues to be hot — a fact that Dr. Mark F. Blake at the Clinic of Cosmetic Surgery in Milwaukee near Bayshore Town Center notices while attending national and international conferences, because it’s the subject of many panels and discussions among his plastic-surgeon peers. This non-surgical service (a device called Profound by Syneron Candela) uses radiofrequency microneedling, and Clinic of Cosmetic Surgery is one of only a few Wisconsin sites offering it.
The minimally invasive system employs patented Real Time Temperature Control to insert five pairs of micro-needle electrodes into the reticular (or lower) inner area of one’s skin, also where hair follicles, sweat glands and oil reside. This is where the concentration of collagen is the highest, says Blake.
There are many reasons patients might elect to try Profound. One common reason, especially with older clientele, says Blake, is to smooth facial wrinkles. A desire to eliminate or minimize the visual effects of jowls, nasolabial and melolabial folds, and neck strains can be met, too. Through the treatment, new elastin, collagen and hyaluronic acid are formed. “Studies have shown that a single Profound treatment has a 100% response rate for rhytides and 95% for laxity at six months after treatment,” reports Blake, adding that almost all patients resume normal activities after 24 hours. Surgical face lifts can take up to seven to 10 days of recovery.
EUROPEAN WAX CENTER
Have a beach trip on the horizon? Or just want to feel more confident in your appearance with smooth, hair-free skin? European Wax Center in Mequon provides body-waxing services in a luxury environment, beginning with its signature wax imported from Europe and based on a proprietary formula. Designed to reduce discomfort during treatments, the wax can perform well at a comfortable temperature, unlike traditional waxing services.
Owner Robin Grierson stresses the huge differences between at-home products and investing in a treatment with a trained wax technician, or licensed cosmetologist or esthetician. An expert’s time and attention can result in “a consistent, smooth appearance,” she says.
The most popular areas to treat with waxing for women are the bikini area, face and eyebrows, says Grierson, while men mainly focus on the back, chest, nose and ears. Clients are a mix of men and women. First-time guests receive a complimentary eyebrow, lip or bikini line wax for women or, for men, nose or ear services. But European Wax Center’s recognition is with eyebrows, creating the best shape for one’s face structure, with technicians providing patients with tips on at-home care to maintain the look. Strut 365 is the spa’s line of products that include lotions and washes, exfoliators, ingrown hair serums, eyebrow preparations, wax-treatment products and instruments to preserve newly glowing skin.
Owner Robin Grierson stresses the huge differences between at-home products and investing in a treatment with a licensed cosmetologist or esthetician.