I’ve been blessed to have skin that’s relatively “normal”; outside of the occasional breakout + darkspot, I don’t really have any problems. BUT, I wouldn’t call it perfect by any means. Depending on diet, water intake, and products that I test (plus age-I’m in my 30s), my complexion isn’t as bright or even as I’d like. I exfoliate like a mad woman, but I’m always researching products for better results. The skincare gods must have read my mind, because I was recently invited to tour Levy Dermatology, P.C. to learn more about their cosmetic + aesthetic services. In Memphis since 2009, Levy Dermatology, P.C. specializes in general, medical, surgical, and cosmetic dermatological work. They also have clinical aestheticians on staff, and I had the pleasure of visiting with Marcy Blen. Marcy’s “office” is quaint and cozy; you can see the products that she’s using, there’s a little seating area to place your things, and she plays music so that if you don’t want to chat, you can zone out and relax while she does her thing. I did a little bit of both because 1) she had a great playlist going, and 2) she’s a sweet, interesting woman to talk to. You feel like you’re meeting with a friend, so it’s a very comforting experience. Marcy can perform anything from facials and peels to spray tans, and so after discussing what my concerns where, we decided to do a Diamond Dermabrasion with a SkinMedica Illuminize peel ($125 combined). Both services are non-invasive and can be done on your lunchbreak, but the combination will still give you fantastic results. You will have some pealing, but you won’t walk out looking like Samantha from SATC (you KNOW that scene). Being that Marcy has flawless skin (seriously, she just glows) I was game. We talked about the current products I was using, so to be on the safe side to avoid any weird reactions, she gave me samples to use for a few days before I came back to get them done. We also discussed brows; mine needed to be cleaned up (Marcy liked the shape I have and didn’t want to alter it) so we decided to do a brow wax and tint. Full disclosure: I’ve never had my brows waxed. A friend experimented w/me years ago while she was in beauty school and gave me an upper-lip wax that broke me out days later, so I’ve stayed away from it and just plucked or used a razer. Marcy takes her time and talks you through everything (her voice is soothing, btw) so it’s still a pleasant experience. The combined process is about 30 minutes and as painless as a brow wax could be, but the results are amazing. These are the brows I came in with (I wore no makeup so that she could get a good look at my skin): And these are the brows I left with: And this is an hour later, when I put on makeup: I love how defined they are, and as long as I don’t scrub like crazy when cleansing my face, the tint results can last up to 3 weeks. I was a happy girl and couldn’t wait to go back in a few days for my other treatments. Day 2 Like the rest of America, I too was obsessed with Jennifer Anniston a few years ago, and ever since I read that she had microdermabrasion treatments to help with the tone and texture of her skin, I’ve wanted to try it. I always assumed that it was an extremely expensive service, but it’s not (it’s under $100). The Diamond Dermabrasion Facial exfoliates with a diamond-tipped wand attached to a vacuum to reduce the appearance of fine lines, acne scars, and sun damage. This process also stimulates collagen production and cell turnover, improving tone and texture. Basically, you feel a suction sensation as they go over your face (which is strangely soothing); your skin feels dry but not tight. For some people (like myself) you can see immediate results (my skin appeared brighter), and then over the course of a few days you will experience some peeling. After the exfoliation, Marcy then applied the SkinMedica Illuminizing Peel, which brightens the overall appearance of your skin and improve mild imperfections with no downtime. Because it is a chemical peel, you will feel tingling (for me it was mild but for some it can be a bit stronger), but you shouldn’t have any redness. This is a peel that you actually keep on your skin until the next morning (no washing or touching), so it’s very important to apply sunscreen throughout the day if you will be in the elements-the protective layer of skin that you have will be gone so to prevent sun damage, it’s a must. And because you actually want your skin to flake (that’s your dead skin coming off), you should actually avoid moisturizers as much as you can over the following 10-12 days. They have samples + products on site that work well with these services, so to avoid any kind of reactions, it’s best to take a little package home. This is me two weeks later. The only thing I have on my face is tinted sunscreen and some lipstick. Not sure if you can see the difference in the brightness, but the texture of my skin feels different (much softer and smoother), especially on my cheeks where the pores from hell live. While you can’t change the size of pores, you can change the appearance, and I feel like mine appear to be smaller. I will be popping in this week for a checkup so that Marcy can see my skin, and I will be picking up the cleanser she used; it’s medical grade but relatively inexpensive ($21) compared to some of the designer products that are out on the market. Having great skin not only makes your makeup look better but just boosts your overall confidence, so I definitely recommend […]