My facial experience at “Jane’s Salon”

Whenever I move to a new city or town, I like to get facials in all the hot spots from those who would soon be my “competitors.” I actually don’t see other aestheticians as competition per se; we are all so individual both in personality and ability along with the products we use and sell, there really is no competition. I suppose if there was a great Yonka aesthetician working in an office next door to me I would have some reservations, but short of that I don’t feel competitive.

In my quest to do some research, I wanted to get facials from a few big-wigs to see what residents of my new location had been exposed to. I went into my exploration with high hopes—really; I wanted there to be great facials here in town. If for no other reason than I could get regular facials on my off days!

I’m not going to name names here. My point in publishing this information is not to bash fellow business owners; I want to give you my experiences with different facials—supposedly top notch facials—to show you what can happen even when you are going to the best. This all, of course, is my opinion and my opinion only.

I have certain likes and dislikes—as a client—going into a facial. And I cannot extricate myself from being an aesthetician when I get facials, either. I offer my clients the types of treatments and education that I personally would want if I was a layperson. Therefore all of this colors my opinions and decisions about what is a good facial and what isn’t. Because of the not naming names, I will call this aesthetician “Jane” from “Jane’s Salon.”

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Jane was knowledgeable and explained everything thoroughly in her broken English. At Jane’s Salon they have add-ons, something I’m not a fan of. I signed up for a particular facial, and with all the add-ons, I could have gone into debt. The extras were $25-$45 to start with. To her credit, Jane didn’t push me into anything, but there is certainly a lot of opportunity to spend big bucks at Jane’s Salon.

As I have done in other facial critiques, I didn’t write too much about the facial procedure itself in this article, and I wish I had. With this particular facial I had more opinions about how I felt more than what was done—such as:

• I liked the art mural in the facial room and the robes and slippers that were supplied.
• I was cold throughout the treatment, even though I did speak up and more blankets were applied.
• There was a constant and annoying chirping noise, which made it impossible to relax. The noise was coming from one of the facial machines, I was told.

After the actual treatment was over, a “facial finisher” came into the room to give me a hand massage; perhaps she was an intern. This lady said my skin looked amazing—yet it was dark in the room, as I mentioned to her. “I have a trained eye,” was her response. I inquired about a few ingredients in the products the salon sold, and she got flustered and left the room.

Over all, it was a sub-par experience. I’d rate it a 4 out of 10—not too good. It was a $99 facial with an additional $30 since I requested Jane herself. $129 total. It was interesting for me as an aesthetician, but disappointing for me and my skin as a client. If I didn’t understand the world of skin care like I do, I think this facial would have been confusing for me. Lots of machines, lots of foreign skin care talk. Oh, well. I’ll keep looking for the next best thing.

I actually wrote at the beginning of my notes (notes I jot down in my car after a facial treatment—otherwise I’ll forget): “Oy vey! My skin feels like I want to wash it after the facial treatment.” This, unfortunately, is a common experience. I have felt that way after many facials and I have heard from clients feeling the same way. This, by the way, is not how your skin should feel after a facial!

This salon is right next door to a popular hotel, so I’m sure they get a lot of business from out-of-towners who come in once while they’re in town and never come back to the salon. For the client, I would imagine even if it was a so-so facial, it’s of no major consequence since they probably won’t be back in town to get another treatment any time soon. That doesn’t excuse a sub-par treatment, but it does explain how someone can stay in business.

For more information, see:

• Where to look for a great facial
• One facial experience—not a great one
• My facial experience at “Mary’s Salon”

Oily skin and frequent cleansing: Good or bad?

My skin is so oily, I feel like I constantly need to wash my face during the day. Is this good or bad for my skin?

The answer to your question depends on what you are washing your face with and also why you feel the need to cleanse it throughout the day.

Washing your face in the morning gets the residue off your skin from the six to eight hours you were asleep. Even though all you were doing was essentially lying in bed all night, you were still eliminating sweat and toxins from the skin—albeit at a reduced rate compared to during the daytime. In order to start the day off right, you want to clean your face, just like you brush your teeth.

Regarding cleansing at night: you have a whole day’s worth of accumulated toxins—sweat, debris from the air, and possibly makeup. This has sunken into your pores throughout the day, and you definitely want to wash all of it off.

If in between your morning and evening cleansings you are washing again, you may indeed be washing too much. If you are washing with soap, more than likely it is alkaline, and it will actually strip your skin of all the oil and water, setting up the potential for more oil to be produced by your oil glands to compensate for the loss during cleansing. Can you see how this will immediately set up a vicious cycle? You wash (thinking it is a good thing) yet cause more oil to be produced; so you wash again to get rid of the oil, etc. One of the main things you want to be sure to use is a non-alkaline cleanser. Then hopefully you will not be experiencing the oiliness you are now.

If you have exercised during the day or for some other reason you have done something that has caused you to sweat, by all means wash your face. But if your skin just feels oily, consider changing your cleanser and continue reading to find out other things you can do to curb the oiliness. Sometimes constant washing, especially if you’re using the wrong type of cleanser (an alkaline one), you can set up a situation that makes your skin oilier.

Are you using too much moisturizer? Are you not using one at all? Either way, this can cause you to feel oily. If you use too much cream, obviously it is going to sit on your skin, then mix with your own oil from your face, which can cause you to feel greasy and look shiny or oily. If you didn’t put a moisturizer on at all, again, your oil glands may be overcompensating for the lack of oil on the surface of your skin and pumping out more oil to balance things out.

If you have true oily skin (not oil due to improper products causing oiliness), you want to use a light moisturizer formulated specifically for your skin type. In some cases, moisturizers for oilier skin can help inhibit oil production and even help to break down the oil sitting in your pores. This is especially true for products containing essential oils. They are natural lipid (oil) solvents and help to balance the oil being secreted by your sebaceous (oil) glands.

Finally, foundation can definitely make your skin look and feel oily by midday. If you do wear foundation, consider switching to powder—loose, not pressed powder. Mineral makeup (see link below) may be a good alternative to foundation as well.

To summarize, check the pH of your cleanser and make sure you are using something that is non-alkaline or acidic on the pH scale. Don’t use soap; this will simply increase the oiliness of your skin. Be sure to cleanse morning and night, and in between if you have sweated. Don’t use too much cream on your face, but do use some type of moisturizer to help keep your skin from becoming dehydrated. And consider not using foundation or switching to powder.

For more information, see:

• True or False: You only need to wash your face at night
• Here is a cleanser you DON’T want to use on your face!
• Mineral Makeup: a better alternative to foundation

Recently Discontinued Yonka-Paris body products

UPDATE:
Yonka has replaced or rebranded all of the products listed below. For ease, I have added the link to each new product after its discontinued counterpart.

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DISCONTINUED 4/2018:
Below are the body products in the Yonka line that have recently been discontinued. There is no inventory at headquarters, therefore none of the below can be purchased going forward.

• Huile Corps Body Oil: A lovely body product fragrant with essential essences and hydrating oils.
• Lait Corp Body Lotion: A ginseng body cream that for me was always a bit too light and not hydrating enough. Yonka did offer a travel size of Lait Corp, which was nice. Its replacement is LAIT HYDRATANT—regenerating, hydrating body milk.
• Nutri Protect Hand Cream: This one is a bummer. I loved this hand cream from the day I tried it. And I shared it with so many clients who also will be equally disappointed that it is no longer available. CREME MAINS: Repairing, Comforting Hand Cream is a replacement product now available and equally wonderful, however it is different.

When I received notice these 3 products had been discontinued, I was also informed that Yonka has a wonderful new body product line that will be launching soon. I have every hope these new products will be improvements in what I have always felt was a weak body product line. Time will tell and I will post articles on these new gems when I have more information.

For more information, see:

• Yonka—Discontinued: All links so far
• Are you forgetting something? THE FORGOTTEN PLACES—face & body
• Yonka Body Products: all links so far