SKIN feeling a little dull this time of year?
Welcome to the club.
Winter is an ideal time to get a facial because our skin can use an extra pickme-up, with all the cold weather outside. Recently, I met up with Angie Matthews, the North Shore's very own facial expert, for a treatment in West Vancouver.
Matthews has been a certified esthetician for more than 20 years and taught in the Spa Diploma program at Blanche Macdonald Center. Currently, she works at both at her home spa, Rainwater, located in Blueridge, and at Spa on the Rocks in Caulfeild Village.
After taking a tour around the latter, a sleek, modern salon that expands into several rooms for massages, tanning and laser treatments, I settled down onto one of the comfiest chairs I've ever had the pleasure of sinking into.
Next up, Matthews examined my skin and customized a facial that was right for it. She decided to use the stonecrop series from the Eminence line of organic skincare, based out of Hungary.
Stonecrop is a natural succulent that has been used for centuries as a first aid plant, according to Matthews.
"I use it a lot to calm skin and soothe irritations. It is great for clients with basic pigment concerns," she says.
My face, which tends to get quite dry and flaky at times, was exfoliated with a combination of acids and enzymes to remove the dead skin cells.
While the quince apple alpha hydroxy acid peel settled on my face, I was treated to a relaxing arm, shoulder and neck massage.
I left the room feeling refreshed and rejuvenated - mind, body and face, of course.
While Vancouver weather isn't as harsh as in other parts of Canada, Matthews says indoor heating can dehydrate even oily skin, causing redness, tightness and pain. To help ease the symptoms, she suggests using a protective barrier cream and serum.
Prices for facials at Spa on the Rocks range from $105-$145 and $40-$130 at Matthews' home spa, which offers Canadian-made True Essence skincare. For more information call 604-505-7252.
mkrishnan@nsnews.com
