New York may be the fashion capital of the US, but when it comes to beauty, Los Angeles reigns supreme. Those of you who don’t believe me should watch an episode of Bravo’s The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. These ladies have been nipped, tucked, tucked again, lasered, lifted, Botoxed, and Juvedermed–all in the name of beauty.
The great thing about being a native Angeleno is knowing where the movie stars, trophy wives, and reality queens go to get these procedures done–especially when they want to keep it on the down low. Though Bev Hills may be “Mecca” to L.A. beauty junkies, the Four Seasons Hotel in Westlake Village is the secret hideaway to where the elite flock when they must recuperate from plastic surgery.
It was only a matter of time until dermatologists from the 90210 took notice, which would explain my invitation to the Four Seasons Hotel’s most recent celebration. Dr. Ronald Moy–a board certified dermatologist, President of the American Academy of Dermatology, professor at UCLA, and a Fellow of the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery (I’m guessing he was voted “Most Likely to Succeed” in high school)–has just launched is signature treatment and product line DNA EGF Renewal at the luxury hotel and spa.
The event also showcased other brands like NuFace, Glo Minerals, and Yamaguchi hair product. Thanks to a complimentary blowout from Yamaguchi’s salon in the hotel, I got to test the goods and they were extremely gentle on my hair. I suspect this is due to the absence of alcohol in their products. They use sake in their hairspray to replace alcohol because it produces a very gentle, pliable hold. That’s great news to me because I try to avoid looking like a 1980s cheerleader whenever possible.
I’m going to skip over the remainder of event deets and get straight to what you should know about: the goodie bag.
Dr. Moy’s skincare line, DNA EGF Renewal, promises to repair aging and sun-damaged skin using enzymes (these increase cell turnover through nonabrasive exfoliation) and plant-based “Epidermal Growth Factors” that encourage cell restoration. Never one to appreciate empty promises, I kind of wish the line would not push the whole “I look ten years younger” approach–but they do. That type of marketing automatically makes me assume a product is all hype, but I figured that I’d try to be more open-minded. Moy is probably more of an expert than I, anyway, since he has published hundreds of articles on dermatologic surgeries and treatments.
I’m happy I got a sampling of his product line. Maybe I’m not exactly the target consumer age group (I can’t say my skin looks ten years younger per se), but it looks noticeably clearer, smoother, and brighter. These are reason enough to plunk down the Benjamins, because I LOVE products that show me major results. Since some of the products come with a hefty price tag, I suggest trying the Travel Companion Kit ($65) to sample a variety of DNA EFG Renewal products.
Here is my rundown of his products…
Renewal Foaming Cleanser: This is HANDS DOWN my favorite product in the line. I tend to get tons of clogged pores around my chin and T-zone and this took them out with sheer force. I spread the potent but gentle foam around my face, left it on for 3-5 minutes as I would a mask, then rinsed. I will not hesitate to spend $28 because it did the job!
DNA Defense SPF 30+: This is another great product. When shopping for a daytime moisturizer that has an SPF, there are usually two barriers to success–oiliness and a high enough SPF. Anything below SPF 30 is useless at protecting your skin from the harmful rays that age your skin. Unfortunately, many moisturizers with sunscreen leave skin with an oily residue. Thanks to micro-fine beads of zinc oxide, I was able to wear this product without feeling dirty or greasy at the middle or end of the day. Success! The price ($45) also leaves you feeling not-so-dirty.
Growth Factor Serum: I didn’t see much of a difference with this one, but I think that is because I’ve only been using it for a few days. It’s supposed to help with pore size and since my pores are like giant craters, that might take longer than normal. The price is steep at $145.
DNA Night Renewal: I actually liked this product more than the Growth Factor Serum that all of the aestheticians raved about at the event. I saw more results on my skin the next day from the DNA Night Renewal. I like products that make my skin glow upon waking up in the morning and that is exactly what this one does. My skin looks healthy every morning. It’s expensive, though, at $130 a pop.
Those of you who wish to be pampered directly can make an appointment with the spa at the Four Seasons for one of his signature treatments or dermatology services.
P.S. The desserts were nothing short of amazing at the Four Seasons. Mad props to the caterer who suggested I try the chocolate covered cheesecake bites. So GOOD!
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