BY JENNIFER & JOHN BURKHART
Let’s Face It
Self-care can certainly get back-burnered when life comes at you from all directions. Needless to say, you’re probably overdue for some pampering! Seriously, it isn’t “spoiling” yourself or “selfish.” Schedule time for your mental and physical health on a regular basis to be truly your best self. That might mean a simple walk at your favorite nature preserve, laughing with friends during game night, or a spa session. Whatever you fancy, put it on the calendar! We did just that and tried a relaxing, holistic skincare facial.
She Said: I was looking forward to my relaxing session with Destiny, who was very sweet and created a cozy, welcoming space: Warm lighting, a bubbling water feature, natural elements like seashells and crystals, soothing music, and of course, that wonderful heated table. Ahhh…. After some light conversation, she said the best thing: “Don’t feel like you need to keep me company. This experience is for you.” Oh, the introvert in me jumped for joy! You bet I just wanted to zone out and not talk — thank you! So I’ve had one facial before, but I was still surprised at all the new sensations I felt. I can tell you I’ve never felt anybody fluttering their fingertips along my jawline before. I think that was part of the lymphatic drainage? Either way, pretty cool. The best feeling was the paintbrush tool, smoothing a cool cream over my entire face. Who knew that would feel so calming? Honestly, it was all great. I could truly relax with each layer of cleanser, moisturizer, and cream because I knew none of it would be painful (unlike a full body massage – usually many tender spots, ouch!). Destiny incorporated sound healing as well, with tuning forks. She coordinated songs to match the frequency of the forks and held them beside each ear as they rang out. One set was for relaxation, the other was for healing. They sounded amazing and sent tingling waves and goosebumps through me. So cool! The session ended with a crystal reading from a card I randomly picked when I arrived. I got “apatite,” which is helpful for many things, including clearing brain fog. Perfect for me! Especially in that moment, because after such an awesome session, I was definitely in sleepy mode, asking, “Where am I?” and, “Do I really have to drive home now?” Don’t worry, I made it home with my renewed, dewy skin and uplifted mood. I highly recommend it!
He said: Jen scheduled this and didn’t tell me. So I found out about this facial via an ominous email titled “You have an appointment with Destiny.” I thought, ‘Really? I have an inevitable future event or encounter that is likely to be momentous?’ Okay, then. It turns out Destiny was the name of the esthetician at our neighborhood skin care spa. Boy did she have her work cut out for her with me, because I have zero skincare routine. I never use lotion and I’ve worked outside in the Arizona sun for most of my life. I’ll bet she felt like she was breaking in a brand new baseball mitt. I had no idea what to expect for this, because I have never had a facial before. I figured it would just be a quick scrub, some lotion, a pat on the back, and ‘have a nice day.’ But there was way more to it than that. I rested on a heated massage table for well over an hour while my esthetician massaged in so many different toners, scrubs, masks, and creams that I lost track. The only one I remember was the DOLA Citrus Bloom Enzyme Mask because it smelled like orange juice and made my face all tingly. My favorite parts, by far, were the hot towel and head and neck massage. Talk about momentously relaxing. We chatted for most of the session about what Arizona does to one’s skin, and what I should’ve been doing to take care of mine. I left feeling good, looking good, and with a better idea of how to keep this face of mine looking marginally okay for the rest of my life. So to all my dudes out there: Do this at least one time in your life. Especially if you’re like me and are clueless about skincare. The education alone is worth it. No one is going to pull your man card, I promise.
