Beauty Spot: Skin so happy in Kailua

Nadine Kam photos
A cake celebrates the opening of SkinHappy MediSpa in Kailua.

Julie Kenner was afraid she's throw a party and no one would come. But her worries were over nothing. In one of the sun capitals of the world, the grand opening of her SkinHappy MediSpa in Kailua not only drew a crowd, but guests from the beach town lined up to make appointments for corrective Botox treatments, facials, spray tans, and more, during the event that took place Feb. 5.

Guests enjoyed pupus, champagne, a sampling of products carried by the medispa—including Neocutis, NIA24 (a niacin-powered skin therapy line) and Environ— and had an opportunity to win one of nine facials valued at $140 each.

The new business is the medical spa extension of Kenner Dermatology Center, located in Castle Medical Center. The clinic is owned by Kenner, M.D., Ph.D., FAAD, a board-certified dermatologist and diplomat of the American Academy of Dermatology.

Due to the demand for skin cancer treatments at the Kenner Dermatology Center, Kenner said she was running out of space and wanted to look into establishing a focused skin cancer center, while taking the aesthetic branch of services closer to communities where its needed.

The new SkinHappy MediSpa now shares space with Kai Boutique, next to the Kailua Post Office. The MediSpa is in a loft space upstairs from the boutique. SkinHappy is a medically-focused MediSpa using a variety of facial treatments and skin products to primarily treat two of the most common skin complaints in adolescents and adults: acne and facial pigmentation.

She's done all this in spite of being a mom juggling 9-month-old twins. When I asked her how she's managing the multitasking, she said, "As a woma, we just do stuff."

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SkinHappy MediSpa is at 319 Hahani St., and is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays to Fridays. Parking is available in front and back of the building. Call 263-3222 or visit www.skinhappymedispa.com

Dr. Julie Kenner with her twins, Marcella Renee, left, and Abby Rose.

While waiting for an appointment, clients can browse the racks at Kai boutique for clothing, accessories and small housewares.

The treatment room at SkinHappy MediSpa.

'Lines in Time' fiber arts exhibition in Kakaako

Nadine Kam photos
One of the works by Marques Hanalei Marzan on view at ii gallery in Kakaako.

"Lines in Time," a solo"exhibition of fiber arts by Marques Hanalei Marzan will have its grand opening from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. today, Feb. 7, at the intimate ii gallery at 687 Auahi St., also home to the renovated R/D and Morning Glass Coffee.

Marzan studied traditional Hawaiian fiber art for years under such notable kupuna as Elizabeth Lee, Gladys Kukana Grace and Pat Bacon, and this exhibition shows the evolution of his work as he incorporates traditional weaving, twining and netting techniques to create works with a contemporary focus.

The show will continue 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesdays to Fridays, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays, through March 6.

While there, check out R/D's array of art and fashion books. In addition to photo books about photography, Kate Moss and Grace Coddington's memoir, Sarah Honda point out one of the best sellers for the innovation center, the Magma Sketchbook suited for designers, graphic artists and illustrators. The $15.95 book has plenty of blank pages to fill with ideas, and some practical tools, as you'll see below. It would make a great gift for an aspiring designer you know:

The Magma Sketchbook is being snatched up by many an aspiring designer. Among its features:

In addition to note pages, there are line drawings to help the artistically challenged render their designs.

And in case you can't decipher all the symbols in a clothing care label, a handy-dandy guide tells all.

Scenes from NYFW: Day 1

New York Fashion Week has begun. Check out some of the images culled from Twitter at my Storify page: http://sfy.co/cDuR

A group of more than 30 designers and fashion personalities are participating in title sponsor Mercedes-Benz's Fashion Plates initiative this season to benefit amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research.

Each created a custom license plate to showcase their fashion forward thinking within the lobby of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week at Lincoln Center from February 7-14, 2013.

The Mercedes-Benz Fashion Plates initiative reveals insight into key personalities within the fashion community. The list includes designers Anna Sui, Badgley Mischka, Betsey Johnson, Carmen Marc Valvo and Jenny Packham. Mara Hoffman acknowledged Hawaii on her license plate.

Says Hoffman: "I love the idea of working with other designers to create an installation that shows our unique personalities in a collaborative way. ALL IS1 is to remind us that we are all waves on the same ocean."

Mercedes-Benz Facebook Fans can participate in a Mercedes-Benz Fashion Plate Scramble. Fashion plates will be posted to www.facebook.com/MercedesBenzUSA with the original word sequence scrambled with clues to whose plate it is. The first 100 winners to identify the plate correctly will receive the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Plate CAR2URE featured on the SLS AMG Black Series.

Designer Mara Hoffman's license plate.

Relaxology at Moana Lani Spa and Boutique

Nadine Kam photos
Moana Lani Spa specialists treated guests to hand massages using Rice Force skin care products at a grand opening party for the Moana Lani Boutique.

After my last spa experience, I was thrilled to counteract the stress by retreating to the Moana Lani Spa at the Moana Surfrider, A Westin Resort & Spa, which was hosting a grand opening party for The Moana Lani Boutique on Jan. 31.

First stop on the tour was the ground-floor Moana Lani Boutique, in the resort's Ewa-side Tower Wing, where lights were dimmed so guests could enjoy a sampling of the spa's Relaxology foot treatment, which had the therapists tilting us back on zero-gravity chairs, then pampering our feet with hot towels and a bit of aromatherapy.

Those on the go, who want to rest their feet for a few minutes, can now enjoy the Relaxology foot treatment for 15 minutes ($30) or 25 minutes ($50), or full European Reflexology Treatment is now available for 25 minutes ($55) and 55 minutes ($120). It's a great no-fuss treatment because if you're in a hurry, there's no need to remove or stow clothes, etc.

The ground floor location also makes it easy to shop for spa products without heading to the second-story spa up the escalators. Some of the spa brands carried are Dayna Decker, Kashwere, Tasha & Co., and Kauai-based Malie.

Upstairs, Travis Kono, director of spa, had a few surprises waiting, including hand massages showcasing Dayna Decker aromatherapy lotions, Rice Force skincare, and the creation of personalized Salt of the Earth salt and sugar scrubs. As an added surprise, the president and CEO of Rice Force was there, so I got the chance to thank him for coming up with a beautiful product that works for me.
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For more information, visit www.moanalanispa.com/services/boutique.htm or call 237-2535.

A few minutes of foot "Relaxology" set the event on the perfect footing in the Moana Lani Boutique. Guests could take the weight off their feet in zero-gravity chairs.

The boutique's overhead lights were shut off and the lighting was via candlelight to create a serene experience.

Moana Surfrider Director of Operations Cynthia Chow, and Noritaka Numata, president and CEO of Rice Force, prepare to crack open the celebratory sake barrel.

Director of Spa Travis Kono, Chow and Numata show the Rice Force products, shown below, recently introduced to the Moana Lani Spa.

Rice Force photo

Salt of the Earth custom blend scrubs and lotions will be available to those who get a manicure or pedicure at the spa. Here, a salt and sugar scrub is blended with a choice of scents such as champagne/strawberries or rosemary/mint, with displays echoing the scents, below.

Guests were offered pupu from the Beach Bar. Loved, loved, loved this chawanmushi with lobster, in which I could actually taste the lobster. So savory, creamy and delicious.

Scallop with ginger and edamame puree.

Inside a couples suite with whirlpool bath.

More treats to eat: A Thai beef salad.

Coffee mousse covered bite-size pieces of chocolate cake.

Almond tofu with fresh fruit.

Beauty spot: This spa's results don't come easy

Nadine Kam photos
By the end of Herbal Spa & Saunas special treatment, I was happy to retreat to the salt cave.

After reviewing Ngon Vietnamese Cuisine this week, I thought, why not multitask? The restaurant is inside the women's building at Herbal Spa & Saunas in Kakaako, so I wandered over to the spa counter to study the menu and the owner explained the three-hour, $100 special (usually $120) she was offering that included Korean-style body scrub, a massage, cucumber and milk and yogurt facial, head massage and hair wash, and unlimited use of hot and cold Jacuzzis, sauna and the spa's Himalayan salt cave sauna. Deal, right?

I was sold and made an appointment right away. If I had thought about it longer, I may have reconsidered. I'd heard from second-generation Korean women how much their mothers love the communal Korean bathhouse tradition and exfoliating scrubs, but they've found it excruciating.

I think most pampered Americans tend to think of the spa experience as being geared toward relaxation, but here, it's geared toward the fix, pain and loss of dignity be damned. Screaming in pain will not deter the non-English-speaking women—stripped down to bra and panty due to the liquid mess and workout this all entails—from their mission to pummel you toward perfection. And, you pay for all of this in advance lest you take up two hours of their time and they find you didn't have the money in the end.

They do have private massages here, but if you go with the package, everything is done in a public area where everyone is naked and the most relaxing moment is sitting in the heated Jacuzzi before "treatments" begin.

New season brings skin experts to town

Nadine Kam photos
Hourglass Cosmetics founder Carisa Janes, right, and her VP of Sales, Laura Chisholm, were at Sephora Saturday afternoon.

One of the great things about living in Hawaii is that we often have the opportunity to go straight to the source for beauty information. The strong sun and other elements tend to sap skin of its youth and elasticity, making this an important market, as national leaders in consumption of cosmetic fixes.

That's why, in the past few weeks Nordstrom has welcomed RéVive Skincare founder Dr. Gregory Bays Brown (he'll be back again in summer); Neiman Marcus welcomed Dr. Ava Shamban, consultant for Dior Beauty; and Sephora brought in 10 artists from the Hourglass Artistry Team to perform makeovers and introduce the brand.

On Jan. 25, I had a great interview with Dr. Shamban, who shared, among other things, that Viagra is singularly responsible for bringing more men to her Santa Monica and Beverly Hills practices. Apparently, returning to the game has them more concerned about appearances.

Then, on Jan. 26, I headed to Sephora to meet Carisa Janes, founder of Hourglass Cosmetics. It was interesting to hear her story about starting the brand. With so many brands on the market, I often get confused when shopping for cosmetics. I may go in for one specific thing, but looking around I see so many options I can't make a decision and end up leaving. So I wondered, what did she see that was missing?

One of the Hourglass artists' makeup kit.

After spending nearly two decades in the beauty world, working for brands like Urban Decay and the local Body & Soul, she said she noticed a gap for homegrown luxury cosmetics fusing skincare technology with high-quality makeup.

Her products certainly feel rich and luxurious, but she's also kept health concerns at top of mind, formulated without parabens, animal-testing or gluten.

One of biggest sellers here is Hourglass Immaculate Liquid Powder Foundation, geared toward those who want a matte finish that stands up to humid weather. It goes on in liquid form, and dries to a silky powder finish that's best for those with a normal-to-oily complexion.

There's a lot to like about the line. I'm most excited about her Ambient Lighting Powders (below) that add a sheer, luminous glow to skin, mimicking the effect of various forms of light, such as pink lightbulb (Mood Light) to moon light (Ethereal Light).


Hourglass photos

The Hourglass Opaque Rouge Liquid Lipsticks have intense, long-lasting color that are perfect for red carpet wear. Because many women in Hawaii prefer a natural look, it was a shock to my system to try on. But I'm getting used to the intense pink of this Ballet color, and I'm liking wearing the strong lip/subdued eye look this spring. It totally fits in with the bright colors of the season.

Prabal Gurung: On Target

Target photos
Sleeveless blouse in First Date print $26.99; pleated skirt with lace in Sulfur Spring $29.99; wedge sandal online only $29.99; bangles $16.99 each.

Someone just sent me a restaurant recommendation, ending with, "Maybe keep them private for a while?"

I hear ya. Sometimes I really hate the job of sharing information I'd rather keep to myself, like the arrival of the Prabal Gurung for Target collection on Feb. 10. As if I want to get in line with 60 to 100 fanatics, when it could be just me and a quiet group of maybe 15 other devotees.

The collection was inspired by a love story, offering women’s apparel and accessories suitable for all occasions from the initial crush, to the first kiss, to everlasting love. List prices range from $19.99 to $199.99 for apparel and $12.99 to $39.99 for accessories and shoes, although historically, Hawaii customers have been greeted by a markup, allegedly due to shipping costs. At any rate, the cost of living here is higher all around.

The pieces are so beautiful, feminine and fresh. I would grab the entire collection, but in my experience, I've never been fast or aggressive enough to get what I really want. The killer instinct isn't there because I know I'll be able to find all the pieces on eBay the same day.

Here's a small sampling of some of my favorite looks from the collection—keep in mind listed prices are likely lower than what the Hawaii price will be—as well as the Target video:

Click for video: http://bit.ly/13OfKHm

Lace-front blouse in White/Sulfur Spring online only $34.99; shorts $26.99; lace-up sandals $39.99.

Blazer in Floral Crush print $49.99; long-sleeve tee $19.99; shorts $26.99; teardrop pendant necklace $19.99; shoes online only $39.99.

Sweatshirt in First Date print $29.99; skirt in Dresden Blue/Sulfur Spring $16.99; tote in Nolita print $39.99; wedge sandal online only $29.99.

Dress $49.99; shoes $39.99.



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