If life offered a replay button on its days, I might just have had a do-over day or would I? What I learned from this over-the-top spa experience are 8 things to know before you get a facial. I would now have a baseline to gauge all other spa experiences against, so the experience I am about to describe was invaluable and the basis for this article. Oh what a novice I was long ago, setting off to my first facial, not knowing what to expect. I can still see myself, checking my skin and skin tone before I left for work that day. My makeup was lightly applied; I was dressed for work, a all set to capture my new clients. To top off the day, a luxury-filled afternoon was almost in my grasp and my 1/2 day off of work would be great! Lavishly live beauty out loud and learn what 8 things to know before you get a facial, so your pampering is a success.
With my favorite work jacket and camisole duo, I was off to work, rushing out the door to meet my new clients. I had not brought a change of clothes with me because today was all about capturing those new accounts and that is where my focus was. The day ahead of my facial was going to be grueling with client meetings and my head was on the work game, not the end of day reward of a facial.
Makeup, well let’s just say that I had enough on to get through the day, well applied, and not overdone. For some reason I needed this article about 8 things to know before you get a facial before it was ever written. Can you tell we are headed for a real story here.?
The Appointment Or The Dis-‘Appointment’
One thing I had not experienced before was a facial, I mean, I had light facials, but this was to be a deep facial massage, so I was excited. While I was a newbie, this was to be the place to go. All I can say is going forward I will look for my OWN places and form my own opinions.
The place I headed to was in the city and supposed to be quite nice, my expectations were large, but once I got to the doorway they rapidly decreased. Honestly, the spa was quite antiquated on the inside, maybe it was supposed to be ‘classic’ looking but it was more like ancient looking and old.
I think I should have not continued in but I had waited all morning, through endless client meetings to get this and nothing was going to stop me! I had nothing to gauge my opinion against so I just stayed, thinking what could be wrong with this place, right? While the ambiance was nothing to toot your horn about this spa had come highly recommended ….sigh. I should have just taken another client meeting and passed this up.
Upon entering, the building was cold, there was no music, nothing calming, no coffee, no tea, just plain old water with a floating orange in it. The cookies on the table were those packaged in the basic cookie aisle and about 3 were left on the plate (no thanks for leftovers). There were 2 bathrooms, one was ‘Out Of Order’ and one was working with a dimly lit bulb(that might have been me, since I stayed there!)
Needless to say, I got my facial, but I also got makeup in my eyes because she had nothing to take my makeup off with. I had not packed clothing, the robes looked not so appealing (looking more moth ridden than fresh) so I kept my camisole on and well, I can tell you it got trashed. Luxury was not being defined here, trust me.
While there were many other lessons I learned in this SPA Experience I also learned what things I should have been prepared for, good spa or bad spa! Luxury is a facial massage, trust me, it is intensely wonderful, but you have to experience the luxury with a bit of knowledge.
8 Things To Know Before You Get A Facial
1) Do not wear make up as your are getting a facial, go bare bones, plain and suck up wearing that baseball cap! If you wear makeup have makeup removers in your bag.
2) Do not wear jewelry, especially with facial massages (earrings get caught up)
3) Do not wear your hair down or do plan on pulling it back. (I had worn my hair down and did not have a tie back with me, my hair did get some stuff of the cleansing in it so make sure to pull your hair back or even take a head band.)
4) Remember if you are in town and drove allow ample time to find parking, I did not allow for parking time and I was running late and so not relaxed when I arrived.
5) With a Facial Massage you can get as unclothed or NOT as you choose, but you will need to at least take off your shirt and under garments because your neck and shoulders will be massaged.
6) Remember to use the men’s or ladies room BEFORE your procedure starts, my girl was a bit snarky when I had to use the ladies room (sorry birthing three kids will do that ‘sweetie!’ )
7) Pack up with a comb or brush so you can pull yourself back together after all, if you are not wearing a cap, you need a way to keep the hair off.
8) Some places offer shower facilities, and dressing rooms, do inquire within. This particular place (and yeah it still exists) had none of those amenities.
While it may seem that this was a totally disaster filled Spa Day, and albeit it was for the most part, I need to take responsibility for not packing my purse that day with the bare necessities that are usually well-stocked in my handbag. Combs, sprays, makeup remover, and hair tie-backs are norms that are in my handbag and I just was really preoccupied with work and clients. I now go more regularly and the spas I have found provide beautiful robes, inviting atmosphere, hair ties, and makeup remover. Search and you shall find, right? Hopefully these 8 Things To Know Before You Get A Facial will help you enjoy what can be a most outstanding time. Lavishly live beauty out loud and indulge in a facial.
