Take A Load Off…Your Face | By Holly Pacey

August 20, 2017

This post is presented in partnership with The Spa 654 Club

I love being pampered (who doesn’t?) and I am not one to shy away from a spa treatment. In particular, I am huge fan of facial treatments, because since having children and entering my thirties I am noticing massive changes to my face. I tend to use more natural products but when it comes to a trip to the spa, my face is basically an open book. There are no shortage of trends and products nowadays and it can be hard to find something that works best for your skin. Not only that, but as a mother, it can be next to impossible to find the time and money to make regular visits to a spa to have your skin worked on by a professional. A couple years ago, I began asking a friend of mine who recently turned 50 and who has the most beautiful youthful skin what she uses. Amongst other things, she told me about her regular dermaplaning treatments. For those who don’t know about this treatment, dermaplaning is a non-invasive exfoliating treatment that uses a sharp medical blade (read: scalpel) to remove the dead skin and peach fuzz from your face. What is particularly appealing, aside from the undeniable glowing results, is that individuals with sensitive skin do not need to be as concerned about redness and irritation post-treatment. When the opportunity arose to receive this treatment myself at The Spa 654 Club, I all but jumped at the chance. I am not ready for Botox (yet…) but I am more than willing to have my face worked on in other ways. And after a summer of sun exposure, busy schedules, and extra alcoholic beverages, I know my skin needed it.

On the day of the appointment, I walked through the front door of the spa and was immediately greeted by the owner Maureen. I felt very warm and welcomed, and it wasn’t long before Tina, the skin specialist who would be treating me, greeted me as well. I love prompt service and this was no exception. Tina was very engaging and kind, and I felt right at ease. When I entered the inviting treatment room, I laid down on the spa bed and immediately closed my eyes. As the mother of two young kids, if someone offers me a bed, I accept and all but fall asleep. This wasn’t possible considering shortly after there was a bright light shone on my face, but it wasn’t harsh at all and I very willingly kept my eyes closed. Tina was fabulous, walking me through each step and explaining what was happening. The initial solution used on my face to dry and open my pores had a strong but fleeting smell. After that, she began with the scalpel but it felt much more like an eyebrow brush brushing against my skin. I can assure you, it felt fabulous. She was gentle but firm as she did a full, comprehensive scan of my face. Each fine line and sun spot was gently scraped and in some cases removed altogether. Once Tina completed the first round, she proceeded to go over my face again, removing yet another layer. When she was finished that part of the treatment, she applied two separate masks onto my face to maximize the results of procedure. The icing on the cake? While the masks were setting, Tina offered me a few moments of reiki, something I have experienced many times and welcomed the opportunity to receive again (for more information on Reiki, check out fellow Mom Talk contributor Lucenda’s experience here). If you haven’t had the chance to experience reiki, you are missing out.

When the mask was removed and the treatment was complete, I was encouraged to look at my face and see for myself the results. I was amazed! My skin felt so incredibly soft, and looked fresh and glowing. I was able to see the number of dead cells she removed from my face, which was weirdly cool. I have had many facials before with masks and exfoliants, but never before has a treatment gone to the level that this did. I felt better after 45 minutes in this procedure than I have in an hour long facial at any other spa. My only complaint in this experience was that it didn’t last longer. I would gladly have laid there for an hour or more, and cannot wait to go back in 4-6 weeks to have it done again! If you are thinking of doing this but aren’t sure, I would encourage it. At this rate, I think there is a chance I will never age.

Holly

For more information or to book your appointment, contact The Spa 654 Club today!

Meet Holly!

Hi everyone! My name is Holly Pacey (Goodwin), and I was born and raised here in Fredericton, New Brunswick. I am an educator by trade with a Bachelor of Education from Saint Thomas University (2010), but consider myself a life-long student rather than a teacher alone. I am the mother to two young children – my son Desmond and my daughter Marigold. I consider myself pretty outgoing, fairly sarcastic, extremely nostalgic, a massive dreamer and fiercely loyal. I have a number of interests and passions. On a professional level I have a keen interest in areas such as sustainability, the local food movement (Holly’s Whole Food Kitchen), environmental issues and community growth. On a personal level I love spending time with my family and friends, being outside, and experiencing new adventures with my husband and children. I love(/hate) to run, practice yoga, and experiment in the kitchen. Not to sound too cheesy but my family and I have a strong love of New Brunswick and believe in our potential as a province. I am thrilled to be part of the Mom Talk team and look forward to interacting with many of you going forward!