by Antoinette DeNise

12/30/08 9:51 PM

It’s considered the biggest day of a woman’s life. And with the attention of more than a hundred people, it seems almost natural for brides to seek professional beauty help to look their best.

But, when does a spa facial turn into Botox treatments, collagen injections, and liposuction? Just like eating your favorite Ben and Jerry’s ice cream after a bad breakup, it’s easy to overdo it.

So, to help you stay grounded, we’ve found an arsenal of natural products and noninvasive procedures that give great results—from glowing skin to a more svelte body. No needles or scalpels required. “People expect you to look your absolute best on your wedding day,” says Nancy Dugan, a New Jersey-based professional makeup artist with more than 20 years of experience (973-236-0304; nancydugan.com). “The best way to do that is by enhancing the bride’s natural beauty and illuminating their most attractive features, instead of masking their flaws.”

Dugan recommends a series of services that make a huge difference without an ounce of makeup. And the best part, all of these treatments will last through the honeymoon. The more simple services are shaping the eyebrows ($10 to $60) and eyebrow tinting ($10 to $60) if the hair has been lightened or darkened. For brides with long, light-colored lashes, Dugan suggests eyelash tinting ($25 to $50).

The color lasts for a month and makes lashes appear thick and long, eliminating the need for mascara. The solution for short lashes is eyelash extensions, where individual lashes are glued onto each lash. The extensions last up to a month, and shed with your natural lashes. A full set costs around $400, and corner lashes cost $200.

To create luminous skin without a pricey trip to the spa, try Dr. LeWinn’s Instant Beauty Radiance Booster ($39). Made from natural ingredients like aloe vera, olive fruit oil, witch hazel, and algae extract, the lotion reduces the look of tired skin and moisturizes to produce a healthy glow. The Australia-based Dr. LeWinn’s skincare line was just launched this fall in the United States, and is available at department stores nationwide and on their website (drlewinss.com).

If you’re planning to loose a few pounds for the big day, Parisi Sports Clubs, with five locations in New Jersey (parisiusa.com), have a new program that takes the guess work out of weight loss. It’s called the BodyBugg and it counts how many calories a person burns throughout the day versus how many calories are consumed. To lose weight, a person must maintain a calorie deficient, a formula considered hard to calculate before the BodyBugg. “The basic idea is to burn more calories than you eat,” says Mark Takac, a personal trainer and manager of the Parisi Fair Lawn location. “With this program, if someone can’t make it to the gym, it’s no problem. They can still be in the negative by eating less or doing additional activities like taking the stairs or parking far from a store.”

Participants can calculate their calorie ratio on the web and through a small armband, which calculates calories burned. The new program, which is offered in Parisi’s Morris Plains and Fair Lawn locations, is 94 percent accurate and includes a personal coach who keeps participants on track and recommends changes and additional options for optimal results.

A facial is undoubtedly one of the most popular pre-wedding beauty treatments, and the Spa at Hilton Short Hills (hiltonshorthills.com) offers the ultimate version. The Valmont Select ($325) is a full-body treatment, with a 90-minute collagen facial, reflexology foot massage, and a collagen treatment for hands, eyes, neck, and décolleté area. Results are instant firmness, elasticity, and vibrant skin. Valmont uses only pure, medical-grade collagen—the kind used by plastic surgeons for skin grafting—and is hypoallergenic.

To increase the overall health of your skin, try GentleWaves, a non-invasive and intense skincare treatment where a pulsating LED light is placed over the skin, stimulating collagen-producing cells. The treatment fixes a bevy of skin problems including sun damage, large pores, dark under eye circles, acne scaring, redness, fine lines, and wrinkles.

“GentleWaves is fitness for your skin,” says Rick Krupnick, CEO of Light Bioscience, the company that created GentleWaves. “It recharges the batteries of skin cells and really enhances the overall look of the skin, regardless of age or skin type.” Krupnick recommends ten five-minute sessions, with results lasting from six months to a year. Currently offered by thirteen dermatologists and medical spas in the state, prices range from $800 to $1,000 for a ten-treatment package.

Tag Topics: Antoinette DeNise, fitness

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