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SAVVY WOMEN
in New York, Los Angeles,and Paris wait up to six months
to have their brows perfected byDominique Bossavy. Her semipermanent
technique clocks in at around $4,500, but that
does little to deter those obsessed with her trademark“born this way” results. Big-bucks brows are just partof a wave of expensive treatments that offer long-lasting
solutions. Though they may seem pricey at first, when you
factor in the time and money saved on maintenance, alongwith the undeniable confidence boost of a beauty problem
solved, acolytes maintain that the price of entry makes sense.
PERFECT BROWS Bossavy built up her lengthy wait list
through word of mouth. Her signature NanoColor Infusion
technique involves painting in brows with thousands of individual
brushstrokes, using a fine needle that deposits pigment just below
the skin’s surface. “Your best brows will instantly give you a lifted andrefreshed look,” she says. The process takes three one-hour sessions sothat Bossavy can observe how your skin reacts to pigment (better safe
than faux). Results fade gradually over two to three years. While that
other semipermanent brow technique, microblading, is having amoment, and is less expensive, Bossavy insists her approach is safer andmore natural-looking: “With microblading, needles are configured
into a comb that’s pulled across the brow. It tears skin, which is very
traumatic and can deposit too much color. I make tiny individual
insertions, so there is little to no risk of infection. The results aresofter and more predictable.” (Needless to say, micro mavens beg
to differ.) Be warned, though, for the first few days, brows appear
darker as the color settles in, and you must avoid any contact
with water and direct sunlight. Need justification for the Birkin
bag of brows? Monthly waxing and tinting appointments
over the same period could add up to more than $2,700.
SMOOTH, HAIRLESS SKIN For those looking togo hair-free, laser hair removal saves time, money—andstubble. “The new lasers are more powerful, lesspainful, and get better results,” says Chris Karavolas, owner of Romeo & Juliette Laser Hair
Removal in New York. Unlike electrolysis, which targets one hair follicle
at a time, a laser can zap up
to 200 hairs in halfa second. Each hairabsorbs the laser light,
which in turn damages the hairfollicle, inhibiting growth. It’s not foreveryone, however. “The laser will nottravel through hair that has no pigment, suchas white, light blonde, or light red hair,” Karavolas
explains. For those with paler skin, he recommends
an Alexandrite laser; for darker skin, he prefers a Nd:YAGlaser. The biggest risk is hypo- or hyperpigmentation if
the wrong laser is used, so make sure you’re going to aprofessional with extensive experience. Treating legs takes
about 45 minutes, and while you will leave hair-free after thefirst session, plan on four to six treatments spaced six weeks apartfor permanent results. Legs can cost up to $700 per session; underarms and bikini are $200 each. Considering that a leg and bikini
wax can run $150 a month, the beauty math is in the laser’s favor.
THE FAT ERASER CoolSculpting, a fat-freezing procedure, cantake inches off your waist, thighs, back, and chin, with none of thedowntime or risks associated with liposuction.“Results are permanent,
there’s no anesthesia, and you walk out the door with no restrictions,”
says New York cosmetic dermatologist Robert Anolik, M.D. While
CoolSculpting can reduce up to 25 percent of fat in a single area, it’s
not a weight-loss treatment and is best for people who are relatively
slender but have stubborn pockets of fat that don’t respond to diet orexercise. “The procedure uses a vacuum device to suck extra inchesin between cooling plates that freeze fat cells without harming surrounding tissue,” Anolik explains. “The cells die and are graduallyeliminated from your body.” Each session lasts 35 to 60 minutes
and, beyond some chilliness, is pain-free, though there may be
bruising and swelling. Two to three treatments are needed, andwhile full results can take three months, improvement can beseen after three weeks.Treatments range from $600 to $1,400
per session, depending on the size of the area (liposuction
can cost $3,500 or more).“For women who want to gosleeveless or who are covering up and self-conscious
about a double chin, it’s an amazing boost to selfesteem,” says Amy Wechsler, M.D., a New
York dermatologist.“And it’s gradual, sono one will know you had it done.
It’s hard to put a price tag
on all of that.” n

BEAUTY BAZAAR Chanel Rouge Coco Gloss in Chilli is a smart buy—it delivers the shiniest red ($30).

SITTINGS EDITOR: JOANNA HILLMAN. BEAUTY EDITOR: ANNE-MARIE GUARNIERI. MAKEUP: ERIN PARSONS FOR MAYBELLINE NEW YORK; RETOUCHING AND COLOR: CLINICSTUDIO.COM. SEE WHERE TO BUY FOR SHOPPING DETAILS

Investment beauty, like investment dressing, is all about the amortization. By Emily Listfield

Photograph by Kenneth Willardt
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