ML - Vegas Magazine

2012 - Issue 6 - October

Vegas Magazine - Niche Media - There is a place beyond the crowds, beyond the ropes, where dreams are realized and success is celebrated. You are invited.

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YOU, EVEN BETTER "We don't use the 'm' word. Once these balms are on, they are invisible. —Lynda Moore " man's best friend GOOD NEWS FOR VEGAS'S SUN-AWARE, SKIN-SAVVY MEN: FIX-ALL BLEMISH BALMS HAVE CROSSED THE GENDER DIVIDE. BY VISHAKA ROBINSON I t's been called the Swiss Army knife of grooming: a one-bottle-fits-all answer to UV rays, lackluster skin, and wrinkles. And now that blemish balms (known as BB creams) have vaulted from women's makeup vanities into men's wash bags, no one is buying in faster than Vegas men. "I see every- one from flamboyant restaurateurs to rugged construction workers coming in for BB creams," says Lynda Moore, owner of SkinBar in Henderson, who estimates that one-third of her clients are male. "Men want something with tangible results, and blemish balms are just that, incorporating shine control and SPF with skin-smoothing and brightening ingredients." Still, there's no escaping the fact that inside each tube is something that looks alarmingly like women's foundation. "We don't mention the 'm' word," Moore says, referring to most men's aversion to makeup. "Once the creams are on, they really are invisible." To understand BB cream's runaway success, it's useful to thread back to its humble beginnings as a medical ointment developed more than 50 years ago by Christine Schrammek, a German dermatologist. Noting the problems patients faced after getting chemical peels, Schrammek developed a gentle multitasking cream to protect the skin, help it heal, and give just a hint of coverage. The skin-fixing properties of her original formula spurred a host of imitators and struck a chord in Asia, particularly South Korea, where BB creams now make up 13 percent of the cosmetics market. It was only a matter of time until they made their mark stateside—with companies from Clinique to Dior launching their own versions. Men have been buying Dr. Brandt's unisex Flexitone BB Cream in droves since it launched in March. "The water-based pigment looks very natural and covers all of the skin's imperfections," says dermatologist Fredric Brandt, the brand's founder. According to Brandt, these creams are well-suited to climates with intense sun year-round, such as Nevada's. "Men don't want to wear a lot of products," he says, "so to get anti-aging cream, sunscreen, and coverage in one product is invaluable." Before you raid your wife's or sister's makeup bag, take note of the next step in the BB cream's evolution: creams created specifically for men. Lab Series Skincare for Men first took the plunge last spring. "Men produce more oil and have larger pores than women," says Justina Mejia, executive director of product development for Lab Series, "which is why our BB is loaded with ingredients that control oil production and shine." "In years to come, these products will be an integral part of men's skincare routines," Moore says. "But Las Vegans are already ahead of the curve." V FROM LEFT: BB Tinted Moisturizer SPF 35, Lab Series ($38.50). Macy's, Fashion Show, 702-731-5111; macys.com. Premium Beauty Balm, Dr. Jart ($39). Sephora, The Venetian Resort Hotel Casino, 702-735-3896; sephora.com. BB Cream, Embryolisse ($39,). Mei Li Makeup (by appointment only), 702-900-4526; meilimakeup.com 82 VEGASMAGAZINE.COM PHOTOGRAPHY BY REBECCA SAHN

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