Beauty
Face it, you need a facial
Montagne Jeunesse face masks. Photography by James Lourenço
I have a confession: The seemingly permanent real estate that the blackheads on my nose have claimed makes me fear they’ll never go away and I’ll have to start referring to them as freckles to avoid the shame of being a beauty director with clogged pores. Even with a finely applied layer of foundation I can’t hide them—a midday shine gives me away, uncovering my dirty little secret. So, in utter despair and, I’m not going to lie, 11 months of unwanted abstinence, I booked a facial ($95) with Jennifer Cueto, aesthetician for Concepts Salon & Spa (60 Bloor St. W., 416-922-1558, conceptstoronto.com).
For over an hour, I lay in utter zoned-out bliss (yes, even during the extraction portion of the facial) while Cueto’s magical hands smoothed and soothed with a combination of Dermalogica and YonKa skin care products onto my face, leaving my skin looking younger, feeling softer and blemish-free with nary a wrinkle, nor red mark in sight. Problem solved, right? Wrong. I’m hooked and while I also know that I need to make face time a priority, I travel too much. I don’t have the time.
This is where Montagne Jeunesse’s individually packaged pore cleansing, self-heating and spa-inducing facial masks ($2 each, at Zellers) come in. With quirky names like Fruit Smoothie, Blemish Mud, Fudge Sauna and Cherry Tonic, the masks are perfect for my carry-on business-travel needs, containing natural ingredients like raspberry, mango, willow, aloe vera, clay and cherries to help cleanse my skin, clear my pores and invigorate my complexion. Sure, they’re no Jennifer Cueto with her cocoon-like spa atmosphere and gentle, age-reversing touch, but who is? And until my blackheads pay rent for space on my face, a DIY mask is the only way my skin can go commando. Plus, I have another confession: For two bucks, I get a cheap thrill playing aesthetician with my reflection in hotel mirrors.
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5 Responses to “Face it, you need a facial”
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Perfect timing to hear about Montagne Jeunesse’s product. Coming home from Cross country skiing in the Rocky Mountains my girlfriend and I were talking about skin care. I announced that my current skin care line is working on every aspect of my skin – except my blackheads. Thanks for sharing the great news! I am off to Zellers and looking forward to seein the results.
Thanks for sharing Adriana!
Char Woodman
I love hearing about great facial experiences b/c when I do decide to splurge on a luxury treatment its helpful to know where the ‘experts’ go! And as for maintenance in between treatments, your tip on Montagne is on my list to check out –blackheads beware.
Tria Urnom
I can honestly say that I could possibly be the only woman out there who doesn’t like going to a spa… too time-consuming and not convenient. I love, love the idea of the do-it-yourself blackhead extractor!!!…
From one chaotic travelling career woman to another, Adriana, thanks so much for the advice. Much appreciated!
Thanks for this post Adriana. With Spring (hopefully) around the corner I’m due for a facial as well. My blackheads need to get an eviction notice soon as their rental space has come to an end. I will have to check-out Concepts, its near by, and I love Dermalogica & YonKa products. The price also sounds reasonable:)
Wow! what an idea ! What a concept ! Beautiful .. Amazing …