Wedding Count Down Is On
After attending the wedding of my very good friends this past weekend, I am suddenly acutely aware that I better get planning my own! We’re going to be covering a few things in our new wedding count down series.
My amazing friend, Summer Dhillon, looked like royalty alongside her king, Patrick Giesbrecht, and I am sure she had a few facials and make-up sessions along the way, and I had better ask her for some pre-wedding advice soon, but I fear I need far more sprucing, and I’ve got to put a plan in place.
There is lots to do, as every bride knows, in order to get to that day feeling you’ve put you are at your best. I haven’t even really picked a date or location, but we’re looking at February of 2017 or November or August 2016! and likely Mexico Bahamas or Kelowna. This changes daily it seems. It’s a way out (or not!) but I have a big list, including fitness and weight loss goals, skin primping, finding a wedding dress (yikes), wedding rings, and then of course day of hair, make up, jewelry and nails. AND all the logistics of day of, of course, but that seems like the easy part!
Beauty starts from the inside out, as they say, so I’ve been to Vital Wellness Clinic before for some fantastic nutritional advice from the lovely Patti Smyth, had some check ins and therapy with Rebekkah Stainton, reflexology with Coko Mayuko, and Qi Gong with Caroline MacGillivray. The clinic is also a full medical clinic with family physician and nurses, and you can actually schedule your drop-in appointments; super handy.
The latest addition to the team is Margo Dalinghaus, a Hormone and Aesthetic Registered Nurse, who has been trained by, and has trained some of the best Injectors from around the globe. Her style is “less is more” and her goal is to restore ones natural beauty, so I wasn’t afraid of leaving with lips that looked like they’d been hit by a frying pan, when I decided to have some touch ups done.
I went for a soft lift which combines the use of neuromodulators (similar to botox) and dermal fillers. Fillers were injected in and around my lips and in my cheeks.
Margo describes the treatment as such:
Neuromodulators typically work in the upper fact to relax muscles by preventing the release of acetylcholine which is responsible for muscle contraction. As the muscles around the frown lines, crow’s feet and forehead relax, moderate to deeper lines soften for a refreshed appearance. Dermal fillers are used in combination with the neuromodulators (Botox) to replace volume. With volume loss we lose hyaluronic acid and hydration – so, shadows and deflations can make us look more tired than we actually feel. Replacement of lost volume with dermal fillers improves hydration and also plumps up the skin from the inside out so that the skin is moisturized and smoother to reflect light and radiance. As shadows are reduced with replaced volume, skin appears more harmonious and fresh.
Both neuromodulators and dermal fillers are corrective treatments and do need to be repeated – Botox, every three months, and fillers every 9-12 months depending on product and how you metabolize it.
The neuromodulator used are Xeomin and a botulinum toxin type A, just like Botox, but it is known to be cleaner and produce less side effects. If used regularly every 3-4 months, you can soften the muscles on the upper face to prevent the formation of deeper lines in the face.
Since I have been in December I have received huge compliments on my improved looks and been described by my friends by the word glowing, over and over.
Caroline MacGillivray on vital silks (she teaches this too).
Vital Wellness even had a party to announce their new services and invited some local VIP’s to help spread the news. There’s another one coming up soon, and I can’t wait to hear what they are unveiling next.
Do note that there was some bruising, which sometimes happens, so be sure to leave lots of time before the big day for this treatment. Wedding count down is on! Now to work on that fitness and weight loss. At least there’s hiking and biking on my next trip; I’m off tomorrow to California wine country!
