Pasadena Magazine is the bi-monthly magazine of Pasadena and its surrounding areas – the diverse, historically rich and culturally vibrant region that includes Glendale, the Eastside of Los Angeles and the San Gabriel Valley all the way to Claremont.
Issue link: https://read.uberflip.com/i/648495
As I've aged however, I'm not sure whether my needs have grown more acute or the available professional options for addressing them have become far more numerous and convenient. A little of both, no doubt. From a tiny strip-mall mani-pedi parlor to a sumptuous, luxurious full service day spa, the options have grown varied and endless. In any case, when it comes to what were once purely private and personal activities, I increasingly fi nd myself in the hands of a third party. I've heard it said that "beauty is pain." That's partly to refl ect the idea that you have to work at it, but also I think a nod to specifi c items of torture like under-wire bras or 8-inch sling-back stiletto heels. I also believe it's a clever strategy to make men think that much of the vaunted "beauty regimen" is a burden, rather than acknowledge the sublime pleasure available in a superior pedicure and foot rub. Of course the secret is now largely out, and many men have discovered, as I have, the real pleasure behind the "pain" of manicures, pedicures, exfoliations, hydrations and derma-masks, etc. The U.S. is the largest consumer of beauty products in the world, spending over $62 billion annually on hair care, skin care, color cosmet- ics, and fragrances. And with over 5 percent annual growth predicted through 2020, the beauty market shows no signs of slowing. EDITOR'S NOTE the B Y C U Y L E R G I B B O N S The Beauty Game ∫ I MUST CONFESS TO ARRIVING AT THE WHOLE "BEAUTY" THING A LITTLE LATE. WHILE I'VE NEVER CUT MY OWN HAIR, FOR NEARLY ALL MY ADULT LIFE I FOUND A TOOTHBRUSH, COMB, AND NAIL CLIPPERS, PERSONALLY WIELDED, TO BE PERFECTLY ADEQUATE TO MY HYGIENE NEEDS. So, as we enter a new year full of promise, and the expectation of better of things, we begin our year with three of the best things, as we present our Beauty, Love and Money issue. Inside we take a look at all things "beauty" from several different perspectives. Amber Nelson helps explain the differing hair, face and skin issues we encounter as our age and lifestyle changes, and discusses how some Pasadena locals are addressing those changes. We meet Ruby Polanco, who at 17 was an unwed mother and 8th grade drop out, and now owns and runs the Ruby Makeup Academy, one of Inc. Magazine's top 5,000 fastest growing businesses in America. And Nina Lares, co-owner of The Factory, helps us match makeup pallets based on personal skin tone. Of course this time of year love is in the air, and to commemorate the spirit of love, we got Mark Brown of Parkway Grill to create a special love based cocktail just for us. This Valentine's Day, stir up a little romance with the Evening Jewel. And because nothing says true love like a diamond, we take a look at the diamond trade down through history and how, whether as mystical object or uniquely lustrous gemstone, the diamond has had a singular hold on the hu- man imagination. Finally, for a romantic change of place, we take a ride on the Venice Simplon- Orient-Express with travel expert Catherine Addé, and experience the real romance of the rails. There is more, a lot more, as usual. From rare books to feng shui, and from Pop Art, to the art of the full body scrub, and from couture-candy, to couture rich second hand stores—you'll fi nd a little bit of the beauty and the romance of Pasadena on every page. Thanks for reading, Cuyler 4 FEBRUARY 2016 frontmatter_Feb16.indd 4 1/20/16 1:59 PM