March 29, 2024

Feel Fabulous This Fall

Oct. 14, 2016

From cutting-edge skincare treatments and new hair and makeup services to rejuvenating massage therapies and luxurious spa getaways, here’s your guide to getting — and feeling —gorgeous in northern Michigan this fall.

Skincare


In addition to a range of traditional skincare services — including facials, chemical peels, waxing/brow tinting and injectables — Grand Traverse Ophthalmology Clinic is rolling out two new aesthetic offerings this fall. Dermaplaning is a noninvasive skin exfoliation treatment that removes the outer layer of dead skin cells, allowing for better absorption of skincare products. It also “removes peach fuzz and softens and smoothes the skin,” according to the company. GTOC — which has offices in Traverse City, Petoskey and Sault Ste. Marie — also has begun offering microneedling, a new skin rejuvenating treatment designed to reduce fine lines and wrinkles and improve the appearance of stretch marks.

Need some personal guidance to find which skincare treatments are right for you? The Center For Skin Care/Plastic Surgery at Copper Ridge in Traverse City and Petoskey deploys a team of licensed “skin care coaches” and healthcare professionals designed to help you select the right services. The company specializes in “northern Michigan’s most advanced cosmetic laser skin therapies,” including the new Halo and the Sciton Joule Laser systems. The cutting-edge therapies are aimed at reducing the recovery time of past laser treatment options while still producing visible skin brightening and tightening.

If you’re looking for a more natural path to improved skin, plan a visit to Notably Natural at Traverse City’s Village at Grand Traverse Commons. The boutique’s curated lines of skincare and beauty products are “hand-crafted in small batches” and feature “pure essential oils, herbs, spices, and allnatural ingredients,” many grown by hand or harvested from the wild by vendors. Try Creation Pharm’s Anna’s Skin Renewal Serum — made with jojoba and pure essential oils — for a facial toner or after-shower moisturizer.

Hair & Makeup

Sometimes a fresh set of eyes — and a minimakeover — is all that’s needed to completely transform your look. Interlochen’s Nancy Bigley, owner of Beauty By Bigley, used her Mary Kay business as a springboard to expand into a wide range of makeup and beauty consulting services. “Making people happy and caring for others has always been a life mission of mine,” she said. Bigley provides makeover/glamour sessions, skincare and makeup consulting, hair styling and pampering day sessions. Also a paramedic, Bigley has used her services to support and raise funds for domestic violence victims, the elderly and military members overseas.

In Petoskey, two beauty salons offer a full menu of hair, makeup and nail services — perfect for either special occasions or an everyday pick-me-up. Talulu Beauty Lounge in the Gaslight District, the largest retailer of Davines natural hair care products north of Grand Rapids, offers women’s and men’s cut-and-color services, blowouts, manicures/ pedicures, waxing and makeup applications (including airbrushing) in its stylish and cozy salon. La Dolce Vita Salon & Spa on Howard Street offers a range of unique services including professional hair extensions and eyebrow extensions, plus lash perms, add-ons, tintings and “X-TREME” extensions.

Meanwhile, those ready to invest in serious results should consider Traverse Beauty Bar, owned by Cosmetic Skin and Laser Center on Front Street in downtown Traverse City. The company specializes in brow shaping (even offering an annual Brow Membership for monthly visits) and carries starter kits for at-home care. It also can help give you celebrity-worthy eyelashes, offering treatments including the Babydoll Lash Lift (which curls and lifts lashes for two months) and Nova Lash and Lotus Mink lash extensions.

Aromatherapy Massages/ Essential Oil Treatments

A traditional massage can work wonders for your body, but a new crop of aromatherapy massages and essential oil treatments promise to further enhance those benefits.

At The Spa at Boyne Mountain in Boyne Falls, guest can choose from a 50- or 80-minute aromatherapy massage featuring essential oils derived from plant and flower extracts. The service is designed to stimulate the senses as the massage “allows the oils to carry specific healing properties throughout your body.” You choose the blend of oils to tailor the treatment experience to your personal preferences.

As a distributor for Young Living Essential Oils, Petoskey’s Harmony of Life Massage Center specializes in both wellness massages and aromatherapy and essential oil treatments. A Zyto Compass Scan of your hand looks for “76 bio-energic markers” to determine which oils will bring “optimal health and balance” to your body. Harmony’s Signature Massage experience incorporates a variety of oils to address issues ranging from respiratory pain and muscle pain to immunity and mental health boosters. The company also offers a starter kit with a diffuser and selection of oils for continued at-home use.

For a classic Traverse City twist on aromatherapy, try Grand Traverse Resort & Spa’s Cherry- infused Massage. With 50- and 80-minute options, the treatment incorporates Swedish massage techniques (think gentle strokes and light to medium pressure) incorporating the resort’s “signature blend” of cherry oil. The resort also offers an Aromatherapy Bar that allows guests to create a customized oil for use in a full-body massage that includes a foot massage and neck “unwinding” treatment.

Spa Retreats

Looking for a fabulous fall getaway? Considering booking a weekend at one of these luxury retreats Up North:

At The Homestead’s Spa Amira in Glen Arbor, guests enjoy sweeping views of Sleeping Bear Dunes and Lake Michigan and expansive outdoor amenities that include terraces, gardens, waterfalls, a fireplace, labyrinth and pool. During the month of October, Spa Amira offers a specialty menu of fall-themed services, including a Bourbon Bubbler (a body scrub of brown sugar and Kentucky bourbon, followed by a pour of the spirit), a Cinnamon Girl scrub (accompanied by a glass of the namesake cider from Left Foot Charley) and a Pumpkin Purifying Power Peel.

The renovated Crystal Spa at Crystal Mountain Resort in Thompsonville offers 18,5000 sprawling square feet of “LEED-certified oasis” — an environmentally sensitive destination that has earned the spa multiple national awards, including a spot on the Top 10 Green Spa Awards. Crystal Spa offers private transition rooms with heated floors, steam rooms and infrared saunas, an outdoor Mosaic Garden with hot tub, and a full range of services including massages, aromatherapy baths, body wraps, facials, and manicures and pedicures. Book a lodging package to take advantage of the resort’s acclaimed golf courses through the fall and ski hills in the winter.

Sure, you’ve been to happy hour, but have you ever had happy hour in a spa? The Inn at Bay Harbor offers the Happiest Hour of all each Thursday from 4pm to 8pm, offering complimentary light snacks and an adult beverage with spa treatment services. The award-winning lakeside resort features a full-service spa with “Lakesive Lovers” couples packages, Mama’s Touch maternity treatments for stressed-out moms-to-be, and an extensive menu of a la carte “Royal Treatment” options for day visitors. If you find yourself planning your next visit before you leave, consider a frequent massage plan: The Inn offers up to 50 percent discounts for frequent clients.

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