Gateway Laser Center’s Elise Wilcox reveals some of her favorite skin care products for brides, maids and moms .
Botox, fillers and lasers, oh my. Every gal wants flawless skin, especially for the big day. What works? Physician Assistant Elise Wilcox of Gateway Laser Center breaks it down.
“Skin care is the best starting place for young brides,” Wilcox says. “Depending on what her sun exposure is like from the time she’s in her teens to early twenties, a young woman may need a light-based treatment.” Wilcox suggests photofacials (also known as intense pulse light or IPL) to diminish pigmentations like freckles, acne lesions and fine red capillaries. “[It] clears the complexion, so you have a refreshed and youthful appearance,” she explains.
“Light-based treatments take about three to four weeks for skin to rid itself of the pigment and metabolize any redness,” she says—complete five to six weeks before the wedding, leaving plenty of time for bridals and other photo ops.
Botox and fillers may also be options, especially for older brides and wedding guests. Botox is injected into the muscle, while fillers are placed into soft tissue.
“Botox takes about a week to start working. Depending on how deep your creases are, you may need a month or two for those wrinkles to soften and flatten out,” Wilcox says to her older clients.
Fillers are superficial injections that “fill” or plump areas like laugh lines. “Fillers tend to last six months or longer, so you could have it done months before and still reap the benefits.”
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Featured Image: Regenica eye cream, $92; SkinMedica facial cleanser, $34; SkinCeuticals Triple Lipid Restore, $125, Epionce Renewal facial, $94, iS Clinical ProHeal, $90 (trial size shown); Cosmion Acnion pads, $49; Colorscience stick, $64, all from The Apothica at Gateway Laser Center, SLC. Makeup bag, $25 and Rose Petal lip gloss, $15, Tabula Rasa Stationers, SLC
