Flawless finish

Get wedding-ready with Leanne Cashmore’s

ultimate bridal skin plan.

words HAYLEY BARNETT photos SALINA GALVAN

Weddings are a funny thing. For many brides, when the big day finally rolls around, even the calmest of demeanours has withered away and a main character is left in its place, hellbent on criticising everything around her, mainly herself. I’m not saying it’s right, just accurate.

This is where Leanne Cashmore from Cashmore Clinic comes in. “The last thing you want to worry about on the big day is your skin,” she says wisely. When I rock up to the clinic to ask what she suggests I have done, a mere month out from my wedding, she looks sympathetic. “You should have come to me over a year ago.”

Great. So what can you do just weeks away from your nuptials, to ensure your skin looks 10 times younger and more rejuvenated than ever, even after the hen’s party? “There’s a few elements you want to focus on,” she replies. “How you would like your skin to look on the day, how you want your makeup to sit, and where your skin is starting from.” Then she analysed my maturing skin and made some suggestions. Behold, 40-something brides! Here is your ultimate bridal beauty plan.

Photo Finish

This V2 beauty booster is a combination of hyaluronic acid and Botox which is injected into the superficial layers of your skin to smooth fine lines and minimise the appearance of pores. While it’s not the most relaxing treatment by any stretch of the imagination (the stress ball Leanne passed to me apologetically before we’d even started the treatment really had its work cut out for it), in just a couple of weeks I could already see a huge difference in the appearance of my skin. And on my wedding day, when a friend shot me a dirty look while getting ready, asking, “Why don’t you have any wrinkles?”, I knew it was all worth it.

The best part is that it lasts up to three months. Small lumps can form after the treatment, but are typically gone by the next day, along with any bruising. Admittedly, I did have a few tiny bruises pop up around my face, but I can say, wholeheartedly, that a few tiny bruises are a small price to pay for photo-ready skin.

Dermaplaning

Dermaplaning is the miracle treatment

that turns your skin into a smooth canvas, ensuring makeup sits and stays for much longer than it normally would. It involves removing dead skin and that peachy fuzz, or hair, that covers your face in its annoying, wispy sort of way. This is done using a special surgical-grade blade, resulting in a refined, glowing appearance. Typically you would have this done just one day before the wedding, to get the full effects.

HYDRAFACIAL

In addition to the dermaplaning, Leanne suggests having a hydrafacial treatment the day before the nuptials. This is a non-invasive treatment designed to promote healthy skin and leaves your skin feeling soft, smooth and hydrated, giving you a healthy glow for your big day.

A little redness and tingling goes down in a couple of hours. This treatment is just the relaxing activity you need right before the wedding and, by including a booster and LED treatment, your skin will be primed and ready to party.

Of course, these are the last-minute options. Ideally, what you would normally do in the case of a wedding is lock in a skin membership (like a gym membership) at least a year prior to your nuptials, giving you monthly treatments to ensure your skin is in tip-top condition.

Cashmoreclinic.co.nz

Invest in your skin

Cashmore Clinic’s
Leanne Cashmore reminds us that beautiful skin requires commitment
– not a miracle.

It surprises me how many people start their skin journey with botulinum toxin and dermal fillers. Often they want a quick fix, the easiest option, with instant results. If you’re willing to invest that money into injectables, you should be willing to invest it into your skin first. Your skin is an investment, not an expense.

There are so many devices, machines, facials and supplements available to enhance our appearance, which also help our botulinum toxin and fillers last longer and look better. Here are just a few that will get your skin in tip top shape.

SKIN PEN NEEDLING

People get put off this procedure as it involves needles, but the depth is controlled so as to not inflict pain that requires anaesthetic, but deep enough to stimulate collagen and elastin production. It's a slow burner requiring regular treatments to see the long-term results of a firmer, plumper and more hydrated appearance with minimised fine lines, pores and pigmentation. You can buy pre-purchased packages that make it inexpensive and with monthly treatments. 

RADIO FREQUENCY NEEDLING

Radio frequency needling is a medical grade needling experience where you get two treatments in one. Needling creates microscopic wounds in the skin which trigger collagen production. Radio frequency technology is emitted through the needles to penetrate deeper layers of the skin, triggering the skin's natural healing process (this treatment includes numbing cream). The heat has a tightening effect on the skin and can help acne by shrinking the sebaceous gland and reducing oil production in the skin. It’s an FDA-approved treatment and considered gently stimulating and minimally invasive.

FACIALS

The list is endless. These treatments are a relaxing, rejuvenating experience that takes an hour or less and does wonders for your skin.  

Dermaplaning: Removing the fine hair and dead skin cells to help your skin better absorb products, creating a radiant glow and ensuring flawless makeup.

Peels: These are amazing for gentle exfoliation and personally tailored to
suit your skin, whether it’s acne, pigmentation or just general dullness and lacklustre.

Hydrafacial: This amazing machine deep cleanses, exfoliates, and extracts impurities from pores with a painless gentle suction, hydrating the skin with intense moisturisers. The skin looks incredible afterwards, especially when combining treatments with dermaplaning, creating the perfect facial that is amazing before an event.

SUPPLEMENTS

Collagen powders have proved their worth, having a controversial history but recently backed with reinforcing evidence. During treatments, the addition of collagen supplements will aid the healing of the skin. For premium absorption, look for hydrolysed marine collagen, including extras like zinc, keratin, silica and vitamin C to offer more benefits. 

Great skin is in! It takes time and persistence; you will see results and prevent further damage by starting regular tailored treatments. 

Cashmoreclinic.co.nz

Plump and smooth

Local beauty expert Leanne Cashmore from Cashmore Clinic reveals all you need to know about Botox and fillers.

After years of administering injectables, I’m surprised how many people still don’t know the difference between botox and fillers. Firstly, Botox® is a brand name. Other brand names that are widely used in New Zealand are Dysport®, Xeomin® and Neuronox®. They all fall under the umbrella of neuromodulators (muscle relaxants). 

But what is a neuromodulator? A neuromodulator is a tiny protein that blocks the communication between a nerve and muscle cells. As a result the muscle cannot move. Don’t get too fixated about what brand to use – so long as you are going to a reputable clinic, you are in safe hands. The baseline ingredient (botulinum Type A toxin) is the same. The difference is their molecular makeup, but essentially they all achieve the same result. 

Muscle relaxants are used to temporarily stop an expression that is causing the creases you want to get rid of: frowning, squinting, raising your eyebrows, pursing lips (also known as dynamic expressions). Once the expression is halted through a muscle relaxant, the creases soften.
It is also used for jaw clenching (TMJ) and excessive sweating (hyperhydrosis). Neuromodulators have been used in the medical field for all sorts of conditions outside of beautification. 

Now to understand more about dermal fillers. One example is Restylane®, but there are too many on the market to name them all. As an overall statement, they are used to add volume to an area that has lost volume, to lift the skin, lips, cheeks, chin, jaw, fine lines. The product is made up of a substance called hyaluronic acid that is already found naturally throughout our body. Our bodies produce less of this as we age. Once it is injected under the skin, the hyaluronic acid works by attracting water to the area, which causes the skin to plump out the wrinkles, hollows and folds. This can last a lot longer than neuromodulators – up to 18 months.

Both products work well together. Though there is only so much we can do with neuromodulators, it is becoming very popular to use as a preventative. But once we get to a certain age, losing volume in our face and elasticity in our skin is inevitable and dermal fillers and skin boosters, such as Profhilo®, are the best ways to improve this.

Don’t let the fear of needles get to you. It’s quick, easy and relatively painless. We can use anaesthetic creams to make it easier.  The amount of people who say I wish I had done this sooner is far too common.

If you do choose either, or both, I recommend you go with someone
who has experience. We are regulated in this country so only medical professionals can inject. I myself have worked in a private practice dermatology clinic for nearly 21 years. This was after completing an 18-month internship at Tauranga Hospital shortly after graduating from nursing.

While working in dermatology, I specialised in appearance medicine.
Here I learned about injectables and everything about skin, skincare, and
what works from the best in the field. They taught me everything I know and I’m forever grateful for that experience.

After my children had grown I decided I needed to learn some new skills.
I opened my own business in 2018, which went very quickly from renting a small space with a hairdresser friend to buying my own building and having staff to help me. I concentrate on all the injectables and I have a nurse, Ann, who does everything skin, peels, needling and PRP, with lots of new treatments on the horizon.

Keep an eye out for my columns in UNO, where I’ll be giving you the lowdown on everything from skincare to cosmetic enhancement. 

Remember, when you look your best you feel your best, and summer is
right around the corner! 

Cashmoreclinic.co.nz

Botox®, Prescription Medicine for the treatment of frown lines and crow's feet. Botox® has risks and benefits. Botulinum toxin type A 50, 100, 200 units. For product information check 
 with your doctor or consumer medicine information on www.medsafe.govt.nz. Allergan, Auckland. Restylane®, Medical Device Class lll to smooth facial wrinkles and enhance lips by restoring volume and fullness. Restylane® has risks and benefits. For product information check with your doctor or from product details with the supplier. Galderma, Auckland. Dysport®, Prescription medicine for the treatment of frown lines and crow's feet. Dysport® has risks and benefits. Botulinum toxin type A 300 or 500 Ipsen units. For product information check with your doctor or Consumer Medicine Information on www.medsafe.govt.nz. Click for further details. Galderma, Auckland.

A new era

Registered nurse Leanne Cashmore from the Cashmore Clinic has more than 26 years' experience in women’s skincare. Here she takes us through the challenges that menopause can have on skin, and what we can do to combat them. 

Menopause can have a dramatic effect on the skin. Without hormones, our aging accelerates by around 30 percent. Because our skin is so visible, being the largest organ on the body, it is one of the areas we first notice the most rapid changes. 

Often people tell me they feel like it happened overnight. One of the reasons for this is that oestrogen receptors are very abundant around the face and the decline of oestrogen is part and parcel of menopause.

Tell-tale signs can include thinning skin, wrinkles, skin laxity and dry skin, as well as hair loss, thinning of the hair and hirsutism (abnormal hair growth in women on the face).

The best way to treat perimenopausal and menopausal skin is to find a good skin therapist, and make sure it’s someone you can trust. Take a hormone replacement if your doctor recommends it for you, too.

There are many cosmetic options these days, including amazing bio stimulator hyaluronic acid dermal fillers that promote hydration. This involves basically injecting moisturiser into the skin and stimulating your own collagen by way of regular needling appointments. 

Needling helps with tightening and minimising the visibility of fine lines, and it has been scientifically proven. So if you don't already do it, start now! The latest technology, Secret RF radio frequency needling, uses heat to tighten the skin and needling to cause collagenesis.

Peels and resurfacing treatments brighten the skin and diminishes
pigment and irregularities.

Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) is another way to promote collagen. Your own blood is full of growth factors that can be injected or infused into the skin, to produce collagen for fine lines and thinning skin.

Low-level light therapy promotes skin rejuvenation by stimulating
collagen production.

Outside of the clinic, it’s a good idea to consistently stick to a skincare regime which includes lots of hydrating serums and moisturisers. Never use soap. Use a cleanser that is suitable for your skin and try to use a mild cleanser at night, which will allow serums and moisturisers to absorb.

Use an SPF daily, take oral supplements such as zinc and collagen powder, and adhere to a healthy diet while getting plenty of sleep and limiting alcohol and sugar. All these combined will have an amazing effect on the skin.

You can get away with ignoring these health principles when you're younger, but it's impossible after 40.

Treating your skin is a journey. It's maintenance that is no different to maintaining a car or a house. It’s no different to colouring your hair or
whitening your teeth. It's a commitment, and the changes don't happen overnight. If you’re considering using botox or fillers, a good canvas to work with is important.

We have to remember it has taken years to get our skin to get to where it is today, and it's going to take some time and patience to bring it back to life. But it's never too late. Small changes over a course of time make big changes to your confidence when you see the results.

Visit Leanne at Cashmore Clinic and have your skin analysed with the latest technology, Observ 520, or simply get some skincare advice. 

cashmoreclinic.co.nz