The first half of 2020 has left me feeling about ten years older. And while the pandemic has brought on so many serious, heavy concerns and problems, it’s also taken a major toll on this mama’s look. I swear the bags under my eyes look worse than ever, and the lines of my forehead have deepened dramatically (there has been a lot of brow-furrowing going on). Apparently, I’m not alone in feeling this way: Evolve Med Spa opened in Hoboken in May, and the boutique aesthetics practice has quickly become a post-quarantine destination for tired moms looking for a pick-me-up procedure after these long few months. I was lucky enough to get an inside look at this gorgeous space and even tried one of their new treatments that left me feeling super-rested and happy to sneak in some self-care time. Read on to hear what I learned during my visit.
Couture feel, customizable approach
Co-owner and Hoboken mom Emily Fernandez says the goal for Evolve is simple: “We just want it to be a place where people feel good about themselves.” Emily and her husband, Dr. Oz Fernandez, a local obstetrician, set out to open an aesthetics practice that is beautiful, inviting and focused on offering a customizable experience to each client. The services range from injectables like Botox and fillers, to microneedling, and even a new body contouring treatment (more on that later). As soon as I stepped into the waiting room, I felt refreshed—with eye-catching graphic wallpaper, rich dark wood accents, and whimsical details like a pink neon ‘Love Your Face’ sign, the sleek, funky space feels like a mini-escape and a perfect place to decompress. Each client receives a free consultation about what procedures and treatments the team recommends. I went into the consult room and took a seat in the plush leather chair to get more details about what I could do to wake up my look.
The nurse practitioner and injectable specialist, Austin Jacobus, started the consult and asked me a few questions. Like Dr. Fernandez, she has a background in obstetrics and has worked with moms like me, who have babes under 1 at home. “Many moms post-baby say to me—I feel like I just don’t look like myself anymore, I feel like I look so tired with the bags under my eyes. When you go through pregnancy, there’s weight gain and loss, especially with breastfeeding. It changes the way your face looks, giving you that sunken, tired appearance. For that, I recommend injectables that restore volume to make you look more like you did pre-baby,” she says.
Another common concern moms have post-pregnancy is how they can get their pre-baby body back. “With the fluctuating weight change of pregnancy and after, we get a lot of questions about how to treat the abdomen area. We are now excited to bring new technology that will help with this,” says Dr. Fernandez. That includes the latest non-invasive body contouring technology using heat and radiofrequency treatment for fat reduction, skin tightening, and cellulite. It even helps with post-pregnancy conditions like diastasis recti.
Since I gave birth almost a year ago, I tried the skin tightening treatment mode on my abdomen. The treatment was not painful, and it was nice to zone out for 20 minutes (a welcome break for this busy mama). It takes six treatments to see results, but rest assured, coming back over the next few months will be safe. Throughout the whole visit, there were extensive sanitizing measures, masks, and social distancing protocols whenever possible.
The pandemic effect
Opening a business during the pandemic is not som ething many would recommend, but for Evolve, the pandemic effect has been interesting. “Initially, we didn’t expect a lot, but people are running in out of quarantine. I think what’s happened is that they’ve been staring at their reflection on Zoom all day, and it makes them zero in on the areas where they want to do something—they want a pick-me-up to make them feel better,” says Austin.
Emily says helping people feel better is her ‘why,’ so when she hears they’ve achieved that, particularly from another mom, it’s validating.”We had one client; she was a new mom, who said to us, ‘I feel like myself again because I look like myself again. And I’m able to focus a little more on what matters, and that makes me a better mom.’ That hit home for me because ultimately that’s the goal,” she said.
You can check out more about Evolve Med Spa on their website, Instagram, or Facebook, and remember their consultations are free.
This post is sponsored by Evolve Med Spa’s experts, who want to make every NJMom feel and look their best.
