Every New Yorker has a favorite brunch spot, beauty salon and coffee shop, usually a stone’s throw from the apartment or office. Despite our pioneering spirits we quickly become convenience driven creatures of habit, orbiting within a quarter of a mile of work or home. But if you venture to the Elizabeth Skin Care Salon in lovely Forest Hills, which is just 30 minutes from midtown, a 60 minute tailored facial will feel like a trip to heaven and won’t cost the earth.

Good Skincare, It’s All In The Tailoring
European owner and skincare guru Elizabeth Dabrowski has been inspiring New Yorkers to visit her salon for the last 25 years in the quest for flawless skin. Elizabeth adopts a holistic approach wherein your diet is as important as what you apply topically. We discussed my daily routine, vitamins, diet, exercise and sleep pattern before she analyzed my skin under a microscope. The 90 minute facial followed a classic European routine: starting with a deep cleanse and draining massage then onto steaming and extractions before applying a natural peel followed by an oxygenating facial. After 15 minutes, the mask began to turn white and fizz, reminding me of cleaning the oven but this was intended to hydrate and firm the skin rather than remove burned chicken fat, I hope! The treatment ended with a moisturizing mask and few minutes of Red LED therapy to firm the skin and shrink enlarged pores. Afterwards my skin felt healthy and hydrated. She truly understands her products and took the time to understand my skin.

Expert Beauty Tips for New Yorkers
Elizabeth spoke ardently about how lifestyle affects the skin and what can be done to protect it. Here are her simple beauty tips, and her skin is flawless so take note:
• Take a Vitamin D supplement (at least 1,000mg each day)
• Drink a gallon of water a day.
• Eat a balanced diet full of a range of brightly colored fruits and vegetables.
• Cover your face from the wind with a scarf in winter.
• When moisturizing, just use the excess moisturizer from the rest of the face on the nose. The nose creates more sebum so too much product clogs open pores.
For more information visit http://www.elizabethbeautycare.com, 110-56 Queens Boulevard, Forest Hills, NY 11375, 718-520-0911.