My every-so-often skin-fixing treatments: $831 a year
I do a face mask once every one to two weeks, or a couple days before a shoot or a big event. My favorite trick is mixing Aztec Secret's clay mask with apple cider vinegar—I get the clay on Amazon for like $10 a tub, and it can last you a really long time. My husband and I share it, and we go through maybe two tubs over the course of a year. You can mix it with water, but I prefer apple cider vinegar because it makes the consistency of the mud so much better and smoother. It takes off all the dead skin and creates a plumping effect too.
Sometimes I’ll also put on a lip mask before an event. I love the Skyn Iceland Lip Gels ($28), which are really plumping and smooth out your lips. I also do those great Dr. Dennis Gross exfoliating face wipe pads ($88) once a week, and Nads Facial Wax Strips ($10) to remove facial hair every two weeks.
I’m going to start getting a Pixel Perfect laser treatment once a year. I love it. I’ve only done it once so far, but it’s made my skin a lot smoother and more even-toned. I went to Natural Beauty Med Spa, and it’s pricey—about $500. I definitely want to keep doing it; although if I had to cut back, that would be the first thing to go because it’s such an expense. If you’re in the position to afford it, you have to check it out. It has five days of downtime, which is intense—you really have to stay inside and put on tons of Aquaphor ($10) for the first few days. I have kids, so obviously I had to go outside to drop them at school, and I fully wore a balaclava and a sun hat! I looked insane, but I didn’t care, because afterward you have baby skin. It's so worth it. I also get a Hydrafacial ($175) at the same med-spa once or twice a year. It's great for me because I have such dry skin and tend to build up a lot of dead skin and gunk.
My relaxation techniques: $637 a year
I get about three massages a year, which cost roughly $120 each time. There’s a woman I really like named Bria at Spa Soak in Wicker Park. If she’s not available, I’ll go to Allyu Spa. They have a really good range of masseuses there. And maybe two days a year I’ll have a Korean spa day at King Spa. It's awesome because $35 will buy you an all-day pass.
I'm also big on candles and hot baths. Three to four times a week I’ll use a cup or so of epsom salt ($5), light a candle—currently I have a Diptyque Jasmine one ($65) by the bath—and just soak. I candle-shop at Diptyque once a year. I’ve got one for the bathroom, one for the studio, one for downstairs. They’re all so good. My favorites are Jasmine, Feu de Bois, and Iris.
I also like to light palo santo ($7) in the mornings. It’s a very cleansing way to start the day, and I love the smell. I get it from a little wacky bookstore near my house called Space Oddities Chicago that sells vintage books, but also artwork from local artists, gemstones, candles, and tarot decks.
