9 Fast-Track Beauty Fixes
By Didi Gluck
Photo Credit: Greg Delves
#8
You want: Cellulite-free thighs
Speedy solution: TriActive LaserDermology System by Cynosure, about $1,000 per treatment
"We have embraced the TriActive LaserDermology System because it has FDA approval [as of April 2005] and seems to work better and faster than anything else out there — though some people need up to 16 treatments," says Mona Spa's Sappenfield. The noninvasive laser treatment is said to break up the fat cells associated with cellulite, shrinking them and smoothing the skin. Plan on receiving three treatments the first week, two the next, then going weekly until you've completed 16 sessions. You may need a touch-up visit in subsequent months — and, of course, all bets are off if you gain a lot of weight. For more information, see cynosurelaser.com.
Road-tester remark: "I saw superficial smoothing after the first treatment — and real results after just three." —Misty, 33
Lower-cost option: Massage Olay's new Smoothing Concentrate Cream Gel, $9, onto dimply patches to better hydrate your skin cells and improve the look and feel of the area in an instant.
#9
You want: Longer nails
Speedy solution: A Creative Nail Design Custom Blended Manicure, $80 and up
"A custom-blended manicure allows you to walk into the salon with ragged, bitten nails and walk out with a perfect 10," says Roxanne Valinoti, celebrity nail technician for Creative Nail Design. The fake tips are made from powderized polymers that are painted on like acrylics. However, unlike acrylics, the powders can be manufactured in any color (including your skin tone). They feel about as thin as three coats of polish and can stay on for three weeks or more — at that point, you'll need the base filled in to mask regrowth. You can polish over them when you're craving a new color or, to remove them, just soak in an acetone solution. For information, see creativenail.com.
Road-tester remark: "My custom-blended mani looked exactly like my favorite sheer-pink polish, but it lasted for three solid weeks without a chip." —Valerie, 35
Lower-cost option: Pop on Revlon Flex-to-Fit Glue On Nails, $7.99. They adhere comfortably to your tips and come in four user-friendly shades.
