| I'm
not a movie star, but it's nice to feel like one if only for a couple
of hours.
Rene Russo |
In
a recent People Magazine article featuring "older actresses who still
look great," like thirty-something Sarah Jessica Parker and forty-something
Rene Russo, several of the celebrities spotlighted credited their youthful
appearances to regular facials. Of course, when you're making 10 million
dollars a picture, a facial is a trifling expense and probably even tax
deductible.
Sarah Jessica
Parker |
Putting
aside the question of whether someone in their thirties is an "older actress,"
I can say that even though I'm not a movie star, it's nice to feel like
one, if only for a couple of hours. I first slipped into the addictive
world of professional facials on my wedding day. Like most brides, I wanted
to look my best for my special event. My sisters and I had booked out
the salon for the afternoon, and I had planned on splurging on my hair,
make-up and nails. When the make-up artist (who was also an esthetician,
a person who specializes in skin care) suggested that I spring for the
facial as well, I agreed, without really knowing what to expect. Goodness
gracious, my first time was *fabulous,* and my wedding night wasn't bad
either!
All
kidding aside, I was completely and utterly terrified down to my bones
the day of my marriage, and the gentle massage and subtle applications
of a mask and lotions and potions did something for me which my family
members and friends had failed to accomplish - calm me down. For me, the
magic fingers of the facialist had more of a positive impact on my attitude
than my perfect make-up and hair. But now I had a big problem. I'd discovered
something I really loved, professional facials, and for me, this was not
a cheap habit. I don't get married every day, so my big event excuse for
this indulgence was shot. I would have to come up with an alternate plan...
Twins
to the Rescue
A
short time after we were married, I discovered that our honeymoon had
been productive in more ways than one - I was pregnant! We were delighted
little newlyweds, but my happiness was marred by what I thought was a
serious problem - dark brown spots had begun appearing on my fair skin.
Petrified, I immediately made an appointment with my dermatologist, convinced
that I was being punished for my teen days of sun worship with skin cancer.
Fortunately, those scary spots were due to what is known as "melasma,"
which is associated with hormonal changes stemming from pregnancy, birth
control pills and menopause. These dark spots usually develop on the cheeks,
forehead and upper lip. Pigments can be superficial (epidermal) or deeper
(dermal). I was blessed with a remarkable set of forehead spots. "
Will
these go away?" I asked my doctor worriedly. "Maybe, maybe not," was my
reassuring answer. "Retin A can help with skin discolorations, but that's
out for you, now that you're pregnant," she continued. "A series of professional
facials can be helpful, however."
"Can you
write me a prescription?" I asked, trying not to look too pleased with
this diagnosis.
I'm
not one to disobey Doctor's orders (especially when it involves something
so incredibly pleasurable), so I immediately made an appointment at the
salon she'd recommended. Most women would consider this particular salon
on the Westside of Los Angeles a small slice of heaven. The chair where
they perform manicures and pedicures looks like a throne - your feet rest
in a large built-in bath tub rather than a simple plastic tub, while your
hands soak in basins attached to the armrests. Yummy.
This
place was tastefully appointed, featured tranquil piped in music, smelled
dreamy, and was in a word - luxurious. It was also fairly pricey. My first
facial there was about an hour and a half, and during the mask segment
(when the mask is drying, and the facialist basically has nothing to do
but wait), the esthetician rubbed my swollen feet.
"This
is the life," I remember thinking. It was during that first facial that
I also experienced the joys of an "extraction," which is a nice word for
"emptying every blackhead on your face of pus." Yuck. It sounds horrible,
and is not exactly the high-point of a soothing facial, but when you look
in the mirror afterward, you suddenly remember what your skin was like
before it was exposed to adult stress and pollutants. As a warning, don't
try to perform an extraction yourself, as the esthetician preps the skin
carefully before "squeezing" it. You can damage your skin, possibly scarring
it and breaking capillaries, if you try something like this on your own.
My
husband was sweet enough to buy me a series of facials from this fancy
salon, as we were newlyweds, and he was still in a mindset of trying to
please me. Those splendid facials were a memorable part of my pregnancy,
because they helped keep me sane as my body grew and expanded to support
the lives of two babies. Once a week, for an hour and a half the ministrations
of the esthetician helped me to forget how desperately uncomfortable I
was. Unfortunately, once my twins arrived, there didn't seem to be time
or funds in our budget for extravagances like expensive facials. $65.00,
which is about what a session cost, could buy a big pile of baby clothes
and diapers. It seemed that my brief stint into the heady realm of glamour
and opulence was over forever.
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My
Return to Sanity
When
my babies were about six months old, and my life was firmly entrenched
in the joys of motherhood (sleepless nights, no more spontaneous movies,
no sleep no sleep no sleep), a friend called me up and mentioned that
she had just had a facial, and felt so GOOD. I wavered between, "Tell
me all about it!" and "I don't want to hear about it!" When she said that
it had cost her only $10.00, that got my attention. "Where are you finding
facials for $10.00!" I demanded. "At the local beauty college," she revealed
nonchalantly.
I
had my first bargain facial that same day, and felt like my life had been
saved. The paint on the walls may have been chipping, the music squeaked
out of a cheap boombox rather than recessed Bose speakers, and the towels
were not as soft as fluffy as my expensive fancy salon, but the pleasure
was just the same, and for a fraction of the cost.
Years
later, I have now tested the facial waters at almost all of the beauty
colleges in the Los Angeles area, and have learned that the students at
the Newberry
School of Beauty in Granada Hills CA (818-366-3211), consisently
offer the best service. This is probably due to the fact that Angela Patience,
who manages the future estheticians, is English. In England, three years
of study is required before you earn your license as a facialist. In California,
you only need 600 hours (this varies from state to state). Angela also
has 28 years experience as a facialist, which she cheerfully shares with
her students. The men and women at Newberry are receiving superior training,
and you feel it, literally. The facials I've received there have been
as good, or better, than the ones I experienced at the high-priced salon.
 If
you decide to experiment with a beauty college facial, specifically at
the Granada Hills Newberry, I highly recommend the Dermalogica with the
glycolic peel (they use Murad for the peel). This service is $33.00. I
usually tip $5.00 or $10.00 to the esthetician. In the Los Angeles area,
a facial such as this one in a regular salon will run you from a minimum
of $65.00 to a high of $200.00. In other parts of the country, prices
range from $55.00 to $80.00. In other words, $33.00 for an hour and a
half of sheer pleasure is at a price you can't (and shouldn't) refuse.
When
you go for your first facial, here is what you can typically expect:
1.
Your hair will be wrapped in a towel, to protect it from goops and spritzes.
For long hair, I suggest bringing an elastic holder along, and tying your
hair up in a bun;
2.
A large steam machine will be settled somewhere over your face, to begin
that ever-loving process of opening up your pores for cleansing;
3.
Make-up on your lips and eyes is removed with a damp tissue;
4. The first cleansing on your face begins, in my case at Newberry,
with an Essential Cleanser gel, made by Dermalogica. This means that you
get to lie on a bed and have someone gently rub all the dirt and grime
off your face, the gel is removed with a warm towel, and you're patted
dry; - It almost makes me think I should get my face extra dirty before
I walk into the school, just so that the esthetician will have to spend
more time massaging me;
5.
The second cleanse begins, just to make sure that the face is squeaky
clean ("Many women come straight from work, and are still wearing a lot
of make-up," reveals Sam at Newberry, who performed my most recent facial);
6.
If you have the glycolic peel, a prepping solution is applied;
7.
The peel is applied with q-tips, and will probably sting slightly - this
is normal;
8.
The peel, which exfoliates (rids the skin of dead cells and unveils the
fresh skin beneath the gook) beautifully, is removed with cold water;
 9.
The extractions begin. At this point, the esthetician has spent a lot
of time softening your skin with steam and lotions, so that when she squeezes
any blackheads she finds on your face (and she'll be looking at your skin
with a high-power magnifying glass, which sees EVERYTHING), they "pop
out" easily. The esthetician should be wearing gloves during this procedure.
Again, if you try to do this yourself, you run the risk of damaging your
skin. Regular extractions are one of the best ways to keep your skin looking
movie-star perfect;
10. After the extractions are finally over (and believe me, after
you are all nice and relaxed from the lovely massage, the extractions
are quite a jolt), some estheticians use what is called a "high frequency
machine." Your face will be covered with gauze, and will be subjected
to what feels like electric spiders crawling over your face. It's not
terrible, but still not as enjoyable as the massage. Supposedly this kills
any bacteria left on your freshly exposed skin;
11.
Now that you've been poked and prodded and shocked, the student will treat
you to a European massage, which means that pressure points in your face,
neck and shoulders will be rubbed and kneaded. This part of the session
is delightful, to say the least. I've found that if my neck and shoulders
are sore, I get more benefit from this massage than I do from a trip to
a physical therapist or chiropractor - and again, for a fraction of their
prices;
12.
The lotion from the massage is removed with a warm towel;
13.
A mask is applied, usually for about 10 minutes;
14.
After the mask is removed, you're sprayed with a toner, to close the pores;
15.
The final moisturizer is ever so softly rubbed in.
After
your facial is over, lay quietly on the table for a couple of minutes,
as you may be (hopefully WILL be) a bit light-headed. Just relax and let
your mind drift. The real world will be knocking on your door soon enough,
enjoy the blankness while you can.
As
facials typcially take from one to two hours, it's a good idea to eat
a light snack before your appointment. It's really annoying to be distracted
by a rumbling in your tummy during a time when you should be giving yourself
over to complete comfort and relaxation.
Men
and women of every age, with virtually any mild to severe skin care issue
you can imagine (acne, fine lines, dryness, and excluding serious medical
conditions like skin cancer) can benefit from a professional facial. It's
almost impossible to get at home the kind of exfoliation a professional
esthetician can achieve - within an hour or so she will rid your pores
of the dirt, debris, excess sebum and trapped bacteria, which keep them
clogged and unhealthy looking. Although your body does shed millions of
dead cells every minute, they don't always fall off your skin - sometimes
they just sit there, and that's when the trouble starts. You may start
to notice fine lines around your mouth, or excess oil on your nose and
forehead. You might be able to deal with some of these cells with a good
daily washing, but a large portion will remain. Think of a regular professional
facial as a fitness routine for your skin. And at a beauty college, you
can look like a million bucks for around $30.00.
To find a
beauty college in your area, check out http://www.beautyschool.com.
When
she isn't having bargain priced facials, Sabrina Nelson is WebWitch
at lamasbeauty.com and mother to three children with perfect skin.
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