EAT, DRINK AND BE PRETTY: Friends and finger foods help get Big Day Soiree guests in the mood to learn about anti-aging skin care and solutions. Floral design for the event was provided by Florentina Flowers (973-835-0733; florentinaflowers.net) in Pompton Plains.
Partygoers enjoyed tuna tartare served on wonton chips from Pinnacle Caterers in Morristown.
Guests went home armed with skin care information and goody bags of products.
A skin care consultant takes a closer look at one guest’s skin.
At first blush, a party at which our crow’s feet and enlarged pores are scrutinized would not appear to have the makings of a good time. In fact, it’s the kind of suggestion that would give some of us night sweats. So deeply ingrained in many women is the desire to look pretty that the thought of attending a social event expressly to take stock of one’s facial flaws is downright offputting.
Those fears can fade if that party is happening at the Peer Group (973-822-3000; peergroupnj.com) in Florham Park, and if your invitation is for something called the Big Day Soiree.
Recently, five friends from towns including Kinnelon and Mendham accepted such an invitation. Their big day was not organized around anything as momentous as an upcoming wedding or a birthday with a zero on the end. It was more like a deluxe version of a girls’ night out. Still, the results were big, and, not unimportantly, entirely free of humiliation.
”This was a major bonding experience,” said one guest, a glossy-haired color consultant from Bernardsville. ”I love massages, but I usually have them at a spa during a weekend getaway.” She never would have considered gathering the girls to determine whose skin was acting older than its actual age and who might be a candidate for injectables like Botox, Juvederm or Restylane, she said.
The Peer Group is not a spa but, during Big Day Soirees, it can feel like one. It’s actually a medical practice shared by four plastic surgeons and augmented by five skincare consultants. A fragrant massage room creates a Zen mood and, prior to services, that same space is transformed into a serene sitting area, where partygoers are invited to enjoy light appetizers and beverages.
At this recent event for five, caterers Jeffrey Falivene and his brother Francis Falivene, co-owners of Pinnacle Caterers (973-598-5886; pinnacle-catering.com) in Morristown (the French Culinary Institute-trained team behind the now-closed but highly regarded Morristown restaurant, Ora), served chilled spring-pea shooters on a platter decorated with chives and clipped tulips. Those were followed by equally pretty plates of smoked salmon mousse on cucumber discs, tuna tartare on wonton crisps and vegetable spring rolls. As a grand finale, guests enjoyed luscious carrot cupcakes from Palermo’s Bakery (201-641-1654; palermobakery.com) in Ridgefield Park.
Big Day Soiree invitations offer a menu of treatment options, and invitees personalize their three-hour experience by pre-selecting up to three services, offered at a discounted rate of $50 each. Those choices include Visia Complexion Analysis, in which a sophisticated machine generates a personalized “complexion profile”; microdermabrasion with a clarifying clay masque; a clarifying clay masque without the microdermabrasion (some skin types are not suited to microdermabrasion); dermaplaning, a manual exfoliation with a lactic acid peel; a half-hour massage; or a consultation with a board-certified doctor to determine whether an injectable such as Botox is an appropriate option for keeping the signs of aging at bay.
Massages are a favorite choice of those who attend spa-like events at the Peer Group because, in addition to the tranquil setting, there are the credentials of the resident massage therapist Joy Hepburn, a masseuse for the New York Jets. “I practice in a lot of integrated modalities,” she said, meaning that she offers party guests a choice of deep-tissue, Swedish, sports injury and other types of massage.
“Amazingly wonderful” is how one attendee described Hepburn’s deep-tissue massage. “Joy has incredible hands,” said another.
But if the massage option leaves guests feeling blissfully putty-like, the Visia analysis is likely to wake them up. Especially those who worry about the condition and appearance of their skin.
After donning a surgical cap, a 30-year-old boutique owner from Gladstone situated her face on the Visia machine’s chin rest for a series of high-tech photos, with the help of skin care consultant Karen Barilari.
“You’re doing 87 percent better than women in your age group for surface spots, 42 percent better for wrinkles, and 96 percent better for enlarged pores,” Barilari said, reading the statistics. More results followed. Then came Barilari’s recommendation for “a good eye cream” to combat crow’s feet as well as suggestions for a daily regimen.
“I feel pretty good about my results,” said the boutique owner. “My husband is always yelling at me for getting too much sun, so I thought it was going to be bad. But hey, I’m doing good.”
A couple of her friends also enjoyed their treatments after undergoing microdermabrasion and dermaplaning treatments to smooth their complexions.
“I’ve had microdermabrasion before, but at a spa, not a doctor’s office,” said an interior designer from Kinnelon. “But I think it’s nicer here because you get a whole picture of other services, of what it’s possible to do down the road.”
Dr. Francisco Colón, one of the Peer Group’s plastic surgeons, was on hand to confirm some of those possibilities.
“People come in for consultations because they want something to make them look younger, and we offer that through injectables and procedures including eyelid lifts and minimal-incision facelifts,” he said.
The stigma surrounding cosmetic procedures is diminishing, Colón added: “We have patients who look very young for their age, not artificial, and we’re very proud of that. It helps allay the fear that plastic surgeons might make you look unnatural.”
A Big Day Soiree with friends is a fun way to learn about solutions for aging skin. At the end of the party, each guest goes home with a gift bag of skin products and significant discount offers for future services including, for suitable candidates, injectables.
“I’ve never done a group thing like this before, but I love it,” concluded a guest. “You know that everything’s valid, because you’re at a doctor’s office. And it’s intimate—before you get anything done, you can discuss it with your friends! I like that.”
Taking the Plunge, Head First
TAKING STOCK: A consultation with Dr. Colón puts it all in perspective.
If you’ve already taken the plunge into the world of injectables, you’ve experienced the phenomenon of visiting your physician’s office—perhaps over lunch hour—and emerging with a younger look. Whether you dabble in Botox to rid your forehead of horizontal wrinkles and ease the furrowed “elevens” between your eyes, or try fillers such as Juvederm and Radiesse to soften laugh lines, these treatments are pretty amazing.
During our Peer Group soiree, I tried a Visia skin analysis which, thankfully, reported minimal facial wrinkling (which I attribute to limited sun exposure and tons of moisturizer). Then I experienced a soothing dermaplaning facial treatment which was new territory for me. I emerged with clean, soft, glowing skin.
Next, my skin was evaluated by Dr. Francisco Colón, and he deemed that I was a candidate for Botox. (A physician must review your medical history and examine your skin prior to injectables.) Later, I met with Dr. David Lange and he agreed that my forehead and brow area could be improved with several tiny Botox injections.
The injections feel like little bee stings and are perfectly tolerable. Since I’m not crazy about needles, I applied a dollop of over-the-counter LMX numbing cream prior to the injections, and that worked like a charm. Dr. Lange also alleviated my laugh lines with Juvederm XC (which contains numbing agent lidocaine).
I saw immediate, natural-looking results. Fillers ease wrinkles for three to six months, and also help prevent new ones from forming. It’s kind of like plumping up a worn upholstery cushion. Voila—good as new! I wasn’t looking for anything drastic, and my simple and non-invasive treatments at the Peer Group made me look and feel years younger—but I still look like me. —Susan Brierly
