beauty addict

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The latest trends, techniques, and insider secrets—revealed.

Get Smart
With a few savvy investments, any girl can succeed in beauty without really trying.
By Nissa Botthoff

We all know her...the girl who considers bubble baths part of her daily routine. She’s got the perpetually perfect manicure, consistently flawless skin, and every day’s a good hair day for her. She’s the goddess of glam, a mythical creature who dwells on red carpets and always flies first-class. Yes, we all know her, envy her, and every once in a while—on very special occasions—we may even get to be her.

The rest of the time, however, this level of maintenance has been heretofore unattainable to those of us who work for a living. But in recent years, the beauty industry has been using cutting-edge technologies to develop long-term treatments that streamline our daily maintenance. The result? With a couple of key investments, any gal can roll out of bed these days looking like she’s already spent hours on her looks. And just think—with all that extra time, you can join a club, take that yoga class you’ve been putting off, or just catch up on your beauty sleep.

Streamlined Strands
The first step to great hair is a fabulous cut that allows you to wash and wear with minimal styling. Ideally, every woman would learn to love her natural hair texture, but in reality, many want what they don’t have—and for them, the news is surprisingly good. Curly-haired girls who long for silky straight locks can opt for thermal reconditioning (or Japanese straightening), which uses heat to help reconstruct hair texture and reduces the need for the high levels of chemicals required for traditional relaxers. Depending on length and thickness, the process takes about six hours and costs from $400 to $700. New York City’s Peter Louis Salon also offers a “mini-straightener,” a similar process that takes half as long and costs half as much. “Some clients don’t want pin-straight hair,” Louis says. “They just want to remove the frizz and have smoother hair, so this process is for them.”

If more curl and body are what you crave, the new digital perm uses the same heat technology to produce healthier, more even waves. Perm rods are individually heated from within, as opposed to the old method that required clients to sit under a dryer hood. And the shape of the rods has seen much improvement since the ones that yielded that poodle perm forever preserved in your high-school yearbook. The Hiro Haraguchi Salon in New York City specializes in using flexible curlers of varying sizes to create a natural wave that reflects the client’s wants.

Time-Saver’s Bottom Line
Regular blowouts: 200 appointments at 30 minutes each, or 100 hours total per year.
Thermal hair retexturing: 1 to 2 treatments, or 6 to 12 hours total per year.
Bonus project: If you color your hair, try integrating a color-depositing shampoo, such as those made by ARTec, into your routine. Used once a week, it helps to keep color looking salon-fresh and, over time, will save you a few touch-up trips to your colorist.

Hair-Removal Savvy
Hair-removing lasers have been around for a while now, but improved technology has made the method effective for just about every skin and hair type. Combined with competitive pricing, that leaves no excuse not to get on board. And yes, most clinics now offer Brazilian bikini hair removal. The newer lasers and IPLs (Intense Pulsed Light, an effective “laser equivalent,” according to the Institute of Laser Medicine) are virtually, if not completely, painless. Moreover, hair grows back progressively finer and sparser in between treatments, sans stubble or ingrown hairs. Knowing that, do you really want to book another waxing appointment?

Time-Saver’s Bottom Line
Laser treatments: 6 treatments at 20 minutes each, or 2 hours total for a minimum of 2 years results, with significantly less to no regrowth.
Brazilian waxing: 24 salon visits at 20 minutes each, or 8 hours total for 2 years maximum results, sometimes with slightly reduced regrowth.
Bonus project: For the appearance of improved skin tone and texture, switch out your usual body lotion for Jergens Natural Glow Daily Moisturizer. Its light-reflecting particles and subtle dose of self-tanner leave you with a healthy head-to-toe radiance.

Hand and Feet Cheat Sheet
If you want to streamline your routine, save the cherry-red polish for a special occasion—because in reality, that’s about how long it will last. For every day, stick with sheer neutrals or translucent pastels, such Essie’s cult favorite Baby’s Breath, that won’t show wear and tear as quickly.

Time-Saver’s Bottom Line
Weekly salon mani-pedis: 52 salon visits at 45 minutes each, or 39 hours total per year.
DIY nails with occasional salon mani-pedi’s: 12 salon visits at 45 minutes plus 30 at-home polish changes at 15 minutes each, or 16.5 hours total per year.
Bonus project: Stave off ragged cuticles and rough calluses in between visits with Bliss Glamour Gloves and Softening Socks. They deliver a high-power surge of healing moisture while you sleep...and what could be easier than that?

Photo credit: Kateryna Govorushchenko

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