Toward the end of the year, the scents tend to become sweeter, spicier and just more comforting…even in so-called Seasonless Los Angeles. Pumpkin pancakes and spice cupcakes replace the summer fruit flavors wafting from the 3rd Street cafes and spas change up services to include delicious autumnal treatments.

The Ginger Rub Bliss Los Angeles

The 135-minute Ginger Rub at Bliss in the W hotel Westwood rings in the season with a warming wrap and detoxification. Freshly grated ginger root and warm essential oils are scrubbed on briskly from head to toe, followed by a warming foil wrap, 20-minute soak and 100 heavenly minutes of body-melting massage.

Bliss Los Angeles
930 Hilgard Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90024
877-862-5477

Another form of hair removal in Los Angeles? Sure why not — We’re trailblazers. Pun somewhat intended.

Advanced Body Sugaring at Studio Alexandria∙LA is the latest craze to hit the west coast. It’s actually an ancient Egyptian practice that “Sugar Queen” Lina Kennedy has perfected and brought to new enthusiasts, who are now driving in from all over California.

What is Body Sugaring?
Body Sugaring is a safe, gentle and effective solution to hair removal. Sugar paste is rolled onto the skin and then flicked off in the same direction as the growth, removing the hair from the root – so re-growth is slower, finer and lighter in color.

Unlike waxing, sugaring is most effective earlier in the hair growth phase. The most important advantage of the Alexandria technique and sugar paste is that it eliminates breakage, unnecessary discomfort, irritation and ingrown hairs while exfoliating dry skin cells away.

Tucked away on a charming street in South Pasadena is the RejuvaYou Medical Spa (http://www.rejuvamed.net) – a wellness center where clients are treated with the utmost care.

On a personal note, as of a few months ago I was losing all hope that my complexion would ever look clear again. After years of visiting numerous doctors and spending countless amounts of money on products promising to be “the cure,” I was about to accept a life sentence of living with acne. The same day a friend recommended I pay Dr. John Shieh at RejuvaYou a visit. She had been going to him for about a month and her skin looked fantastic.

Now two months later, my breakouts are few and far between and on a daily basis I get compliments on how much clearer and tighter my skin looks.

Dr. Shieh is a leading expert in his industry with doctors from all over the country traveling to his facility to learn about the latest and greatest in laser and anti-aging treatments. His philosophy is the optimal YOU – approaching the patient as a whole, from the inside out. From the minute you walk into RejuvaYou, you are greeted by a warm and knowledgeable staff. The facility is sleek, modern and very relaxing. To calm any nerves, a technician walks you through the treatment, lets you know exactly what to expect and applies a topical numbing cream to make you even more comfortable.

To help with my acne, Dr. Shieh performed the first step of the Triniti skin series which focuses on blemishes and the under layer of your skin where the oil production is. Think Kris Jenner of Keeping up with the Kardashians – In one episode Dr. Shieh gives Kris a mini non-surgical face lift with this exact machine. Rejuvayou is one of the nation’s only facilities to use the Trinity- a blessing for anyone who lives in the Los Angeles area!

Looking to stretch a summer tan out as far into autumn as possible?

No matter how much we hide beneath the 30 SPF and floppy hats, you’d be hard pressed to find an Angeleno who didn’t appreciate a healthy glow this time of year.

At BNLA, there has yet to be a self-tanner that we’ve all agreed on – until now. We are unanimously thrilled with our golden brown limbs, thanks to the new St. Tropez Self Tan and Everyday/Gradual Tan collection.

There’s an Everyday/Gradual Tan for Face, as well as for body, plus a Self Tanning Bronzing Spray. All are formulated with their Aromaguard™ technology, which removes the usual indicative aromas of tanning, leaves only a light fresh scent and streak-free color.

As one might expect, the BNLA closets are filled with all the latest beauty products – ranging from eco-friendly to iconic classics to pheromone-enhanced. The thing is, when we’re actually asked to pick out our favorites, the piles diminish greatly and our picks aren’t necessarily the newest on the market.

West coast seasons change more than people think. There’s a pretty big difference between the moisturizers we need in January and the ones that work for July.

Being that July is here, it’s time to discuss. For those of us who want the SPF protection and armor against aging, it can be hard to find products that won’t sweat off within the first hour of a BBQ.

To be fair, a few of the below suggestions had some close competition, but overall these scored highest on our “BNLA’s Best Ways to Face L.A.” summertime poll…

BEST DAY CREAM:

Zelens Skin Science Cellular DNA Protection Day Cream, SPF 15
Only a little dab is needed of this potent day cream. We love how it absorbs and protects against the UVA/UVB rays out here. It evens out our skin, provides a clean brightened slate for makeup. Pick it up at Space.NK in Bloomingdales Century City or http://www.blissworld.com.

BEST NECK/DECOLLETE CREAM:

Peter Thomas Roth Un-Wrinkle® Neck
Even though the fresh fragrance was popular, it was the quick-absorbing, light-weight feel of this formulation that put it over the top for us. Wearing a lot of white in summer can cause women to be weary of décolleté creams and those dreaded seat belt cleavage marks. Un-Wrinkle Neck targets the delicate skin where we’re most susceptible to sun damage and “crepe paper” texture, leaving skin smooth & toned. Available at Larchmont Beauty Center in Los Angeles or http://www.peterthomasroth.com.

BEST MIRACLE NIGHT CREAM:

ReVive Sensitif Cellular Repair Cream
This might be intended for daytime, as there’s an SPF 15 infused, but we like it for nighttime. It’s said to be “the most effective reparative cream available for fragile and dry skin.” It’s perfect on delicate skin and if used post-operatively or on recently lasered/chemically peeled skin, it helps the healing process up to 40% faster. Within weeks, we saw younger brighter skin blooming. Available at Saks Fifth Avenue, Beverly Hills Hills or http://www.saksfifthavenue.com.