For most of us, work is stressful. But for Avani Nayak, her job actually makes her more relaxed. “We have a beautiful, relaxing atmosphere; and it always smells wonderful in here,” she says of her Avani Day Spa in Frontenac. “And I love seeing the looks on people’s faces when they leave: They’re smiling and have more self-confidence, and they feel relaxed and invigorated.” We asked her about the rough and dirty business of getting the best care for your skin.

With a background as a flight attendant, Terri Tatum’s current career as an esthetician might not have been the obvious choice, but it’s one she’s glad she made. “I’ve always loved helping people feel better about themselves,” she says. And as a consultant in the Renewal Room at Soft Surroundings, she does that every day. We asked her for insights on how to look and feel your best.

Sometimes we just need a little pick-me-up. If your face is looking a bit dull, regaining a youthful glow can be as easy as an hour or so in the esthetician’s chair, and you’ll likely walk away feeling refreshed and relaxed all over.

Caring for your skin is no easy task—especially when the cold winter winds hit. We turned to esthetician Alix Mancuso of the Four Seasons Spa for insight on the tools and tips to get the best skin of your life.

If you’ve never had a facial, you’re missing a relaxing, pampering experience that will leave your skin looking and feeling refreshed. Even people who have sensitive skin or problems like rosacea can benefit from a facial because when it comes to this type of personalized skincare, one size does not fit all.

Although the St. Louis winter hasn’t been as severe as some years, we still have a long way to go before spring. And if you’re longing for the sun-kissed look of summer, you do have options. In fact, since sun exposure is so damaging to skin, sunless tanning is your best bet any time of year.

You have an hour, and then it’s back to the office. What can you do during that time to improve your appearance without needing to hide afterward while you heal from the procedure? Surprisingly, quite a lot.

Whether you are preventing future skin aging or wanting to touch up a less than glowing complexion, there is no lack of skin care products to help you along. Natasha Shanayez, an esthetician at Jean Phillipe, firmly believes in prevention as the best approach to wrinkles. “People think it takes too much time to prevent skin problems, but if they apply a good skin care regimen consistently, it becomes a habit,” she says. “It is much easier to keep skin young than to deal with damage and the lasers and strong chemicals to try to repair it.” She believes that using sunscreen your whole life and wearing sunglasses to prevent squint lines go hand-in-hand with good skin care. 

Perhaps you think you’re safe once you enter adulthood. After all, acne is one of those adolescent annoyances you assume you’ve left behind. And then…it’s back.

Cosmetic procedures might be the first thing that come to mind when we tire of unsightly wrinkles and sagging skin, but there are other things in the anti-aging arsenal. Experts assure us that maintaining a youthful appearance is possible without invasive surgical procedures, at least up to a point.

Taking care of your face is not a periodic activity. Cosmetic surgery or clinical procedures can make you look years younger, but daily skin care is the foundation for maintaining a youthful, glowing appearance.

After months of short winter days, with their freezing winds and snowy streets, we anticipate the warmth of spring, eager to face the strengthening sun. And while it’s natural to seek sunlight at this time of year, we need to do so with appropriate caution.

NICK SHELLERT has joined GATECO Development as project manager.

  Let’s face it: Most of us will not keep up with a complicated skin care regimen. We are busy and have other things to do, but mostly we are woefully inconsistent. That means that anything we’re going to stick to has to be easy and show results.

Time management could make, or break, the grandest of wedding day plans. We turned to the experts for their advice on perfectly timing beauty and body care essentials.

It hit me on the road from Denver to the sleepy town of Edwards and Cordillera, the elegant resort that was to be our home for the next four days: I forgot the Dramamine. Not only is the drive a steep 2 1/2-hour climb into nosebleed country, but with activities like mountain Jeeping and whitewater rafting on tap, a Midwestern girl was going to need some serious medicating. ‘No worries,’ as I was to hear repeatedly that weekend. 

After enduring what seemed like an endless bout of cold, rainy and bleak weather, we’re all ready to embrace the sun. But for many women, the approaching summer months signal the arrival of a yearly ritual they’d rather skip: swimsuit shopping.

You might not recognize his name, but Dr. Neil Sadick has many skin care ‘firsts’ to his credit: using lasers to treat varicose veins, developing Vela Smooth, a technology to reduce the appearance of cellulite, and coming up with a radiofrequency technology that tightens skin. Sadick also sees patients at his private practice in New York City. And as global medical adviser to Christian Dior Beauty, he has pioneered some products well-heeled consumers are wild about. We talked with him about skin and how to properly care for it.

Swimsuits are on the store racks, and the weather is finally warming, which is why many a thought is turning to what else is soon to be revealed…skin. Let the shaving begin!

Jill Price Marshall knows a thing or two about fostering beauty. She started out at Whole Foods and transitioned seamlessly from eco-friendly food to environment-friendly skin care, always driven by a philosophy based on holistic practices. Now serving as public relations manager for Dr. Hauschka, she encourages women to do their research before buying products labeled ‘organic‘ or ‘natural.‘

There’s no other way to go but full-speed ahead when you’re juggling the demands of a career and raising a family. But according to skin care specialist Kym Palmier, there is a way women can slow down the hands of time, at least when it comes to how they look and feel. “We do it differently, but we all age, and I’ve made it my personal goal to help other women slow down the aging process,” she says.