Pelo West Spa at the Galt House

I recently had the opportunity to visit Pelo West Spa at the Galt House Hotel. This is not your typical generic hotel spa, y’all. It’s much, much better.

The edgy decor catches your eye immediately — black walls and green velvet sofas paired with local art. As you check in, you’re offered a choice of water, coffee, champagne or White Claw. I went with bubbles, since I was there to pamper myself!

Beyond the bubbles and the pretty decor, the spa treatments are wonderful! The esthetician, Andrew, was very attentive to my skincare needs and concerns, and he provided an absolutely fantastic facial. I was especially pleased with the microcurrent device treatment which left my skin feeling firm and fresh, as well as the take-home skincare samples. It was an absolutely wonderful experience!

If you’re staying at the Galt House or visiting downtown Louisville, book a visit with Pelo West. In addition to the fantastic facial, they offer massages, hair, nails, and a special Derby Weekend IV Hydration package! Cheers to Pelo West for offering fantastic spa services!

Magnolia Aesthetics PDO Thread Lift Review

I’ve partnered with Magnolia Aesthetics to provide HerKentucky readers with honest reviews and let you know about the latest services and promotions. Magnolia Aesthetics is located at 149 Chenoweth Lane in Louisville’s St Matthews neighborhood. You can keep up with all my Magnolia reviews on their HerKentucky Partner page!

Remember that scene in Steel Magnolias where Truvy tells Shelby “Honey, time marches on and sooner or later you realize it’s marchin' across your face!”?

Over the last couple of years, that’s felt less like a quotation from one of my very favorite movies, and more like a bit of a fact. I started to notice that the lines from my nose to my mouth — the nasolabial folds — were becoming more prominent. While I’ve been pretty fortunate to experience minimal wrinkles and lines into my 40s, I did want to address this area before the damage got worse.

Here’s my scary, mostly makeup-free “before” photo. You can see some very definite lines in this area.

When I consulted with Kimberlie Mobley, the co-owner and injection specialist at Magnolia Aesthetics, about these lines, I was adamant that I did not want to do something as invasive as fillers. As with my Botox treatments, I wanted to keep my face looking as natural as possible while giving it a bit of a “tuneup.” Kimberlie explained the PDO injection process, and I agreed that this was the best option for me.

A PDO thread lift is a minimally invasive facial rejuvenation procedure in which thin sutures of polydioxanone, a biodegradable synthetic polymer, are injected into the face. These “PDO threads” degrade in about 6 months’ time. The threads work by stimulating collagen production; this results in firmer, younger-looking skin. I saw results within 3-4 days on my first treatment and immediately upon my second round/ touch-up treatment.

I don’t love needles, and I especially don’t love having anyone mess with my face in a way that could make me flinch, so I asked immediately about the pain level. I was reassured that it wouldn’t be awful, and that was my experience. I would characterize each injection as feeling like a bee sting. There is slight swelling for about 24 hours, and I did experience a mild bruise with one of the injection sites. It was not a prohibitive level of pain, and I’d certainly undergo the procedure again!

Thread lift results improve over several months. You can expect the results to last up to two years. The downtime is minimal, but I’d schedule a week or so before an event where you want to look your best.

I’m so thrilled with my results, y’all. My lines look significantly softer and less dramatic. The PDO lift process took five years off my face in one process that took less than an hour! I would recommend this for anyone who wants to march time back off her face just a little, while still looking natural! I received my PDO treatments in early August; I can certainly see results after seven weeks or so! I could really tell the difference in this recent photo.

Thanks so much to Magnolia for partnering with me on this post. Visit Magnolia Aesthetics at 149 Chenoweth Lane in St Matthews, give them a call at 502-632-2244, or email them to set up your PDO thread treatments today!

You may also be interested in:

• LED Light Therapy for Pain Management

• My first experience with Botox

• My partnership with Magnolia Aesthetics

My Beauty Survival Kit

View fullsize

Macy's recently contacted me about their new Beauty Survival Kit. They've teamed with a group of social influencers to talk about breaking your beauty needs down to the essentials. I loved checking out the Beauty Survival Kit; I especially liked the part where a blogger whom I've read for years, Carly of The College Prepster, admitted that part of her "necessity" kit is a tennis ball for her dog. With two big ol' hunting dogs of my own, I can certainly relate.

View fullsize

Macy's Beauty Survival Kit

Another thing I can relate to is this Huffington Post statistic that Macy's provided: the average American woman has about 30 minutes to get ready in the morning. I don't know about y'all, but there are days when I'm running between meetings and obligations where 30 minutes sound like an outright luxury. That's why I've tried to pare my own beauty routine down to products that I know will work well for me.

Here are the things I can't live without in my own bag. Most of them, indeed, came from Macy's in Oxmoor Center. 

View fullsize

Ray-Ban Aviator Sunglasses. Love them; never go anywhere without them. They just make me look so much cooler than I actually am...

Benadryl: Crazy dog lady alert! My big Labrador retriever, Max, has severe food and seasonal allergies. I always have dog-safe allergy medicine on board, in case he needs immediate relief.

Notebooks: I wear a lot of hats -- freelancer, blogger, charity board member, crazy dog lady (see above!), fiancee, etc. -- and I am constantly taking notes, jotting down ideas, and, sometimes, writing a chapter or two while I'm waiting in a restaurant or coffee shop. I keep small notebooks handy at all times.

Estee Lauder Lip Conditioner: Oh my goodness; this product is a game-changer for chapped, weathered lips. It goes on like a creamy lipstick, with none of the waxiness of lip balm. 

Estee Lauder Lash Primer Plus: There are plenty lash primers out there, but this one gives you lashes that are "just right." Your lashes look long and thick, but never clumped or "fake."

Estee Lauder Modern Muse: In case you can't tell, I'm really on an Estee Lauder kick these days. I always thought of the brand as something my grandmother wears, but their recent products have maintained that classic sophistication while adding a polished edge. There's no reminder of my granny's old favorite Youth Dew in this fragrance -- it's a powdery floral with a crisp note. I just love it.

Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay-in-Place Liquid Makeup: Y'all, this foundation. It doesn't come off until I wash it off. And, yet, it doesn't clog my pores. It's pretty much magic.

Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette: These colors are just perfect. They're perfect for my coloring, and they're perfect for my wardrobe. They work for professional settings or for nights out. They're just wonderful!

Nars Blush in Orgasm: This is the only blush I wear. It's just the best shade ever.

Let us know what's in your Beauty Survival Kit by snapping a photo and hash tagging it #mybeautysurvivalkit on Twitter and Instagram!