Face Value

Buff your skin to polished perfection with a rejuvenating summer treatment

Carolyn Patten Health & Wellness

Summer facial regimens include moisturization and exfoliation.
photo by thinkstockphoto.com

The days are longer, the nights are sultrier, and it’s time to peel off those layers of clothes. Flirty little shorts and tank tops make a glowing, freshly buffed face and body mandatory — for both sexes. The experts agree on a simple, three-step program for transitioning skin into the summer spotlight: Exfoliate, moisturize, and protect. Kick-start the first two steps now with luxurious facials and body scrubs, and add a high-SPF sunscreen to keep the radiance through Labor Day.

Palm Springs spa treatmentsThe new anti-aging HydroPeptide facials at Spa at Mission Hills at the Westin Mission Hills Golf Resort & Spa cater to sensitive, mature skin types, nourishing away those fine lines and sun damage. The facial’s products — available for purchase for home regimens — gently resurface skin using peptides, botanical stem cells, and exfoliants. After a rejuvenating facial, enjoy a day of tranquility sipping fruit-infused water in the Relaxation Lounge, unwinding in the eucalyptus steam room, and sinking into plush chairs following a soak in the outdoor spa.
71333 Dinah Shore Dr., Rancho Mirage.
760-770-2180; www.spaatmissionhills.com

Polish your skin to a healthy glow at the two-story Ritz-Carlton Spa at the new Ritz-Carlton, Rancho Mirage, opening this month. Enjoy the Diamond Hydration Lifting Facial — a triple massage, Shiatsu-style treatment that promotes elasticity, tone, and hydration. Gentlemen can recharge their complexions with the exfoliating Rat Pack Facial, which uses diamond dust and a black silt mask to deeply cleanse facial hair growth areas. Refresh in the cold plunge pool, hydrotherapy shower, sauna, and steam room post-treatment. Cap the day by reveling in the mountain views from the outdoor coed whirlpool.
68900 Frank Sinatra Dr., Rancho Mirage.
760-321-8282; www.ritzcarlton.com/ranchomirage

The Kinara Red Carpet Facial at The Well Spa at Miramonte Resort & Spa delivers immediate, visible results for special occasions and helps get you started on a skin care program. A gentle peel banishes dead skin cells for a brighter, younger appearance, then finishes with a mineral mask to increase cell renewal. The Well’s customized facial for men acts like an extra eight hours of sleep, using high-quality zinc salts, vegetable extracts, vitamin B-8, and an active carbon mask to rev up skin cell metabolism and create a fresh, well-rested look.
45000 Indian Wells Ln., Indian Wells.
760-341-2200; www.miramonteresort.com

Dermal Quench, once available only at Kate Somerville’s studio on Melrose Place, is a new star at The Medical and Skin Spa at Hyatt Regency Indian Wells Resort & Spa. The facial uses an oxygen stream to aid the effects of a healing hyaluronic serum with antioxidants and vitamins, blasting away the woes of dry desert air and long plane rides. Book an Anti-Aging Fruit Enzyme organic facial at Agua Serena Spa and enjoy complimentary use of the private men’s and women’s facilities. Find your bliss in amenities such as a eucalyptus steam room, dry sauna, Jacuzzi, outdoor showers, relaxation room, and coed Reflection Patio.
44600 Indian Wells Ln., Indian Wells.
760-674-4106; 
www.medicalandskinspa.com, 
www.aguaserenaspa.com