‘Tis the season for family gatherings and holiday celebrations, of fresh starts, and bringing a new sense of purpose into the new year. If we’re honest with ourselves, a little recharge and self-care is on all of our holiday wish lists this year. And who better to help than Quincee MacGibbon, owner of Awaken Aesthetics and Wellness and a Certified Nurse Practitioner? We asked her how we can freshen up our look for the holiday parties, festive celebrations, and photo opportunities that are sure to come our way. Turns out there are numerous ways to do it, and not all of them require a big change. Quincee says that how we look on the outside is often influenced by how we feel on the inside. She says feeling our best isn’t just about an aesthetic treatment—it’s taking better care of yourself overall.
What are some simple ways to freshen up your look before the holidays?
You don’t have to make a dramatic change to look and feel refreshed. Some of my favorite options are treatments that enhance what you already have—softening expression lines with Botox or Dysport, improving skin tone and texture with BBL HEROic or MOXI, or doing a hydrating facial or microneedling treatment for an overall glow.
I also remind patients that how we look on the outside is often influenced by how we’re feeling on the inside. Staying hydrated, prioritizing sleep, eating well, managing stress, and addressing things like fatigue or hormone changes can make a difference in how you look and feel.
If someone only has time and money for one treatment, what would you recommend?
This really depends on what the person is looking to improve. If expression lines are their main concern, a neuromodulator like Botox or Dysport may give them the biggest impact. If they’re more concerned about sun damage, brown spots, redness, or overall skin quality, I love our BBL HEROic/Moxi laser.
But sometimes the answer isn’t an aesthetic treatment at all. If someone comes in telling me they’re exhausted, not sleeping, experiencing changes in their weight, or simply don’t feel like themselves, I may recommend we look deeper into their overall wellness instead and start with our comprehensive lab panel. At Awaken, I look at the whole picture and help patients decide where they’ll get the most value for their individual concerns, goals, and budget.
What skincare mistakes should people avoid before holiday parties?
Don’t suddenly overhaul your skincare routine right before an event! The week before a holiday party is not the time to try a strong new retinol, aggressive exfoliant, peel, or other product your skin hasn’t used before. You risk showing up irritated, dry, or peeling.
Keep things gentle, moisturize well, stay hydrated, and wear your SPF. And don’t underestimate the basics—sleep, hydration, and nutrition all play a role in how healthy and vibrant our skin looks too.
What should people know about timing treatments around a big event?
Plan ahead! This is probably one of the biggest things I tell my patients. Ideally, we love seeing patients 4–6 weeks before an important event so we have time to create a plan rather than trying to squeeze everything in at the last minute.
For Botox or Dysport, I recommend allowing at least two to four weeks before an important event so the treatment has time to fully take effect and any potential bruising can resolve. With filler, even more time is necessary because swelling and bruising can occur. Treatments like BBL, MOXI, and microneedling also have some visible healing time, so those should be scheduled well in advance.
What’s one underrated way to look more polished for holiday gatherings?
Focus on your skin and your overall wellness! People often immediately think they need injectables to look refreshed, but healthy, hydrated skin can make one of the biggest differences too. Improving hydration, tone, texture, and overall skin health gives you that natural glow and can even make your makeup sit better. We carry a variety of medical-grade skincare products and treatments in our office and help our patients navigate which are the right choices for their skin type.
What advice would you give someone who wants to feel confident without overdoing it?
My philosophy has always been that aesthetic treatments should enhance your natural features, not change them. You don’t need to do every treatment before the holidays. Sometimes one thoughtfully chosen treatment, great skincare, and taking care of yourself is all you need to feel refreshed.
At Awaken, we take a conservative approach and would much rather start small and build gradually if needed. My favorite compliment for a patient is when someone tells them, “You look so good!” but they can’t pinpoint exactly what they had done.
Confidence also goes beyond aesthetics. When you’re sleeping better, have more energy, and genuinely feel good, that shows on the outside too.
What’s your best advice for someone thinking about aesthetic or wellness treatments for the first time?
Start with a consultation. You don’t need to walk into Awaken knowing whether you need Botox, laser, skincare, hormone/wellness testing, or something completely different. Tell us what’s bothering you and what you’d like to improve, and we can help you understand your options.
Sometimes a patient comes in wanting to improve something aesthetically, but during the conversation we learn that they’re also struggling with fatigue, poor sleep, brain fog, or other changes. That’s where my background in family medicine and wellness allows us to look beyond the surface. I want patients to feel educated and comfortable with their plan rather than pressured into doing more.
What makes Awaken unique?
What makes Awaken unique is that we truly combine aesthetics and wellness. My background as a board-certified Family Nurse Practitioner in family medicine allows me to look at patients through a medical lens while also helping them achieve their aesthetic goals.
We offer advanced aesthetic treatments, injectables, and medical-grade skincare, but we also offer comprehensive wellness and hormone optimization. For someone who says, “My labs are normal, but I still don’t feel like myself,” we take the time to listen, look deeper, and identify areas where we may be able to optimize how they’re feeling.
Whether someone comes to us because they want healthier skin, more confidence, better energy, improved sleep, or support navigating hormonal changes, our goal is really the same: helping people look good, feel good, and age well.
We are also very intentional about keeping our approach personalized and conservative. We never want someone to feel like they need every treatment we offer. We listen to what is actually bothering you and create a plan that makes sense for your goals, lifestyle, and budget.
I’m also fortunate to have Tonya, Registered Nurse, as part of Awaken. She shares that same patient-first philosophy and provides aesthetic and wellness services, including injectables and IV therapy. As we continue to grow, it’s important to me that every provider at Awaken maintains the same personalized, conservative approach and that patients feel comfortable and cared for no matter who they’re seeing.
Follow @awaken.aestheticsandwellness on Instagram for upcoming aesthetic and wellness specials. They’re planning on doing some exciting things during the holiday season. Quincee says to book early! Fall and the weeks leading up to the holidays are some of their busiest times of the year, and appointments can fill several weeks in advance.
My philosophy has always been that aesthetic treatments should enhance your natural features, not change them. You don’t need to do every treatment before the holidays. Sometimes one thoughtfully chosen treatment, great skincare, and taking care of yourself is all you need to feel refreshed.