Beauty from the Inside Out: Julia March’s Alpha State Facial
The Treatment: The two-hour Alpha State Facial at Julia March Integral Skincare in New York City (http://www.juliamarchskincare.com/treatment-options.html).
The Backdrop: The bright little one-room studio is tucked into a nondescript (but newly-renovated) office building in midtown New York City. March, a longtime advocate for natural beauty and alternative healing modalities, has packed her space with products from natural brands like Tata Harper and MyHavtorn as well as a host of crystals and other healing tools that she’s collected over the years.
The Guinea Pig: A perpetually stressed out New Yorker, of course. I’m a major jaw clencher and, as a result, hold a ton of tension in my face and neck. So, a treatment that combines energy healing to work on my stress plus some serious soothing for my winter skin? I was sold.
The Scoop: March has studied energy work – including Vortex Healing – for years. She also grew up on a farm in the Czech Republic where her mom and grandmother taught her natural remedies to cure all her skin concerns. Now, she’s combined her wealth of knowledge to create this ultra-healing facial.
After an in-depth consultation covering everything from your diet to your daily skincare regime, she starts the facial off with an incredible facial massage, using products tailored to your needs. In addition to the typical extractions and masks, March uses laser, ultrasound exfoliation and micro-current to clean, heal and tone the skin. Meanwhile, she simultaneously works with light therapy and energy healing techniques to calm and relax your mind and body. During the treatment, you lay on a BioMat, a thin mat (placed under the sheets) with Amethyst crystals and Tourmaline, intended to help you relax (it does).
The Results: If you’re looking for a quick fix facial to prep your skin for a big event, this isn’t it (though she does offer those too). But if, like me, you need to work on the deeper stuff, this treatment is as good as it gets. Yes, my complexion was radiant, but more importantly I felt ultra-relaxed afterwards, and my chronic neck and shoulder pain let up a bit too. As an added bonus, I left with a whole host of wellness recommendations - from essential oils to help calm inflammation around my nose to the right brand of probiotics to buy (and some supplements that she generously gifted to me too) - tailored to my specific concerns, skin related and otherwise. I think of a visit to March more like a trip to a therapist, doctor, and esthetician, all rolled into one. In other words, I’ll definitely be back.
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