Spend a day in the Spa with McKenzie Westmore
Want to spring into spring?McKenzie Westmore (Sheridan, PASSIONS) knows how: Digest followed her to Giovanna-Jutta, a skin-care salon in Los Angeles, for a day of pampering.
By: Lori Latusek
10:30 a.m.
Westmore arrives at the spa with great expectations. "I've been looking forward to this," she smiles.
10:35 a.m.
Time for a body facial, "For the body facial, we use a line of products by Paul Scerri," describes the spa's manager/aesthetician, Dolores De Alba. First, we used a dry brush to get all the initial dead skin offer her body. It's a quick exfoliation, and it stimulates the circulation. This prepares the body so it can start to receive the essential oils. Then an exfoliating scrub is rubbed on the body to smooth out the skin."
Westmore heads to the shower. "A warm shower is taken to get the scrub off and open up the pores even more," explains De Alba.
11:00 a.m.
If she wasn't relaxed enough, Westmore gets a fabulous massage. "We used lymphofluid (different essential oils) during the massage," says De Alba. "These oils detoxify and tone the skin. The oil gets absorbed and makes the skin really smooth. Then we put a light hydrogel mask (moisturizer that is absorbed) on her body that she leaves with. Then we put moisturizing body milk on top of the mask. The hydrogel hydrates the skin, and the body milk moisturizes it."
12:10 p.m.
Now that the body is clean and refreshed, Westmore's face becomes the next focus. "Dolores did the whole facial with EmerginC products," relates the spa's co-owner, Jutta Mertens. "EmerginC has different herbs in its products that let the skin take it in and absorb it. It also has other gentle herbs and vitamins mixed in so that it's easy on the skin. These products are all based on vitamin C. We cleansed her face with an EmerginC cleanser, evaluated her skin, (rubbed on) an exfoliating scrub, then massaged her face with the vitamin C cream. Next, we put a vitamin C mask on her face and a gel mask over her eyes. We finished (the process) with a vitamin C moisturizer on the face and around the eyes. After the EmerginC facial, her skin will be glowing. It will be a little tighter and there will be a little more elasticity to it."
During the facial, Aesthetician Alla Babenko gave Westmore a foot and hand treatment. "The hands are massaged up to the elbow with a cream that has essential oils," explains De Alba. "The hand massage is really just for relaxation, but the foot massage does different things (for the body). The ankle and the top of the foot are massaged, but the concentration is on the bottom of the foot where each area correlates to a different part of the body. The pressure points are hit specifically for relaxation or to detox. Then her hands are wrapped in warm mitts, which she keeps on throughout the facial so that everything gets absorbed. This makes the skin very soft."
1:45 p.m.
Westmore gets finishing touches in the makeup chair. "I used a natural makeup on her," recounts Mertens. "The foundation by La Bella Donna is a powder that is made strictly of crushed minerals. I matched the foundation to her body tone. I used a very warm tone called Caterina. We prefer the loose powder because it goes on a little easier and it's lighter. It feels like you have nothing on your skin. I applied it with a very dense, short brush and then blended it in. She has beautiful green eyes, so I picked a very warm Café au Lait shadow that is a little darker (than her) skin tone. Then I outlined the outside of the bottom and top of her eyes with a grayish-green liner. She has incredible lashes, so I just put a little (coat of) brown mascara on. I used a Cinnamon lip liner and a very natural, light brown gloss called Truffle. Then, I matched the rouge to the lips."
2:11 p.m.
"It was wonderful," smiles a glowing Westmore. "What a nice treat. I'm so relaxed; I'm ready for a nap!"
