These four best beauty treatments have low-to-no downtime, which means you’ll be in and out in less time than it takes to eat your sushi.
Now more than ever does the thought of a spa day feel unattainable, especially with busy work schedules or crammed social calendars competing for our
Thankfully, there are plenty of worthy express beauty treatments on offer that promise to have you looking (and feeling) a million bucks. Touted as “lunch break beauty treatments”, these speedy beauty rituals take between 30 and 45 minutes and have little or no downtime — meaning you can head back to the office shortly after.
According to Olga King, co-founder and managing director of Clinic 1 Aesthetics, lunch-break treatments are on the rise, especially when it comes to one of the newer facials offered in clinic (more on that below).
“It’s amazing what modern technologies have to offer for beautiful, healthy skin,” she says, adding that Clinic 1 Aesthetics offers a host of traditional facials that can be done on your lunch break and are very affordable.
But just because they’re cost-savvy doesn’t mean they’re unsafe, Olga says. “Safety of all treatments in the beauty industry depends on the experience of the provider and the quality of the equipment. All our devices are high-end, utilise the latest technologies, and we have the best skin specialists.”
Below, we dive into four express beauty treatments said to leave you feeling ship-shape in less than an hour.
You have 15 minutes ... try Laser Hair Removal at Off & On
In the same amount of time as it takes to eat your sad wrap lunch, you could be having your underarms lasered at Off & On. If there’s pesky body hair you’d rather do away with, or have grown tired with waxing and shaving, then laser hair removal is an excellent option to permanently reduce fuzz.
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Advertise with NZME.Armed with the Candela Gentle Max Pro, technicians are able to zap away unwanted body hair in a (literal) flash in a process known as selective photothermolysis. Here, the light energy from the laser is morphed into thermal energy in the hair follicle, which targets the melanin (or pigmented region) in the hair, causing the hair follicle to be destroyed.
First, the area is cleaned and marked out, before a technician uses a laser applicator to pass back and forth over the skin, zapping away unwanted hair (but soothing skin at the same time thanks to the built-in cooling device that reduces pain and sensitivity). Any residual redness that shows up on skin is taken care of by the soothing aloe vera gel and sun protection that’s smoothed on post-treatment.
Most clients experience a permanent hair reduction for life after eight sessions. Blonde, grey, white or red hair cannot be treated, as the hair in question needs to be darker than the skin.
The price: Off & On Laser Hair Removal is priced at $60 for a single session ($165 for a course of three treatments, or $400 for a course of eight treatments).
The place: Available from all three clinics across Tāmaki Makaurau (Takapuna, Britomart and Newmarket). Visit Offandon.co.nz.
You have 20 minutes ... try a Brow Sculpt & Hybrid Tint at Bo Beauty
Brows take very little time to maintain but the results make a big impact. A full, fluffy brow creates balance within the face, especially when the arch and tail are groomed correctly.
The sister salon to Bo Injectables, Bo Beauty is helmed by Britney Vaughan, a brow specialist who made a name for herself after rising through the ranks at one of Auckland’s top brow studios before venturing out on her own. Now, the sister duo has taken up residence inside a light-filled villa on Jervois Rd, offering injectables on one side of the corridor, and brow, lashes and cosmetic tattooing on the other.
This 20-minute service starts with a brow measure and balance before the hybrid tint is applied and brows are waxed, tweezed and trimmed into submission. Compared to a regular brow tint, hybrid brow dye lasts between seven to 10 days on the skin, and up to seven weeks on brow hair.
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Advertise with NZME.Before you leave, brows are dressed and concealer is applied, meaning you won’t be shot any strange looks upon your return to the office.
The price: A Brow Sculpt & Hybrid Tint is priced at $60.
The place: Visit 37 Jervois Rd, Ponsonby, or see Bobeauty.co.nz.
You have 30 minutes ... try ClearSilk Laser at Clinic 1 Aesthetics
As Ponsonby’s premiere appearance medicine clinic, Clinic 1 Aesthetics offers a multitude of treatments to lift, firm and tighten skin — most of which require downtime. However, one treatment stands out from the rest as a true lunch break treatment, Olga says.
“ClearSilk is a gentle, non-ablative, pain-free treatment that involves using a specific laser wavelength for skin rejuvenation,” she says. “It’s great for sensitive skin and redness, acne and overall skin glow. We can do it all year round and for any skin type.”
The treatment calls for the use of a handpiece that delivers micro-pulses of laser energy to the different layers of the skin, stimulating collagen production and supercharging the cellular renewal process to address the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, whilst improving skin tone and texture.
Rather than be placed directly on skin, a Clinic 1 aesthetician will glide the handpiece over skin from 10cm away, which gently warms skin (but isn’t uncomfortable). It’s ultra-quick, too, with a full-face ClearSilk Laser treatment taking only 30 minutes.
Like most skin treatments, the number of sessions needed depends entirely on your skin concerns, but generally, Olga recommends a course of four to six treatments, spaced four weeks apart.
The price: ClearSilk Laser is priced from $245 for a single Half Face treatment ($675 for a course of three treatments) or $350 for a single Full Face treatment ($945 for a course of three treatments). No aftercare is required, besides sunscreen.
The place: Visit 76 College Hill, Freemans Bay, or see Clinic1.co.nz.
You have 45 minutes ... try The Touch Up Package at The Whitening Co. Ponsonby
We’ll be the first to admit that a few too many coffees have left our pearly whites looking slightly less so. The Whitening Co. in Ponsonby offers the full spectrum of services to leave teeth looking whiter and brighter, geared towards both first-timers or seasoned pros. The Touch Up Package is the speediest service on offer, promising to maintain a bright, white smile for existing clients.
Every service highlights a unique tooth-whitening formula designed and developed in Aotearoa, one which has been quickly adopted by other dentistry practices for its ability to banish surface stains without ruining tooth enamel or resulting in tooth sensitivity.
The price: The Touch Up Package is priced at $149, and can take teeth up to six shades lighter.
The place: Visit 4 Ponsonby Rd, Ponsonby, or see Whiteningco.nz.
Thinking about booking in for a treatment or two, or looking for some other options for achieving your skin goals? Read our guide to the best appearance medicine treatments to try in 2023.
