My visit to Origin Salon Spa
After spending two weeks on the east coast and in southern humidity for a work trip, it was time to come home and TREAT MYSELF. My skin felt extremely dry from the hot temperatures and from hours on a plane and was in need of some serious TLC. Luckily, Origin Salon Spa located in Redmond was already ten steps ahead of me and had already invited me in for a pamper day and boy, was I excited! I called and scheduled my appointment for the very weekend I arrived back home to Seattle.
I was greeted by Carly, the sweetest licensed esthetician who would walk me through the process of the Tulasara facial I had selected for my service. While I've only received one other facial in my life and would give myself a B rating for overall skin care, I knew I had plenty of room to improve and overall, was in need of some rejuvenation. Carly recommended the Tulasara facial after she learned I had extremely sensitive skin. I always voice my concern about my sensitive skin when shopping around for new skincare/beauty products or receiving any sort of treatment. Over the years I've discovered I'm extremely allergic to any parfum/fragrance found in products. It breaks out my skin, sometimes resulting in contact dermatitis or horrible eyes/swollen eyelids which means I have to take a trip to the doctor to get prescribed topical steroids or antibiotics. In other words, it's not fun and it makes me weary to go out of my comfort zone when it comes to the latest products or treatments.
While I am thankful that for my 26 years of life I have been blessed with smooth and primarily, acne-free skin, over the last year I've experienced some rather painful one-off cystic acne breakouts that have left my skin scarred in areas and tender to the touch. I mentioned this to Carly and she reassured me Origin's Tulasara facial would be the best treatment for me and not as invasive as other facials. The Tulasara facial targets dry, oily, aging, uneven and sensitive skin. It also targets skin conditions like acne and eye concerns. It's a 60 minute long facial which involves a consultation with a skin care specialist that will identify skin issues and determine which products and techniques are the most applicable for your skin. Post-appointment you will be provided with a customized treatment plan that will help you to achieve your healthy and happy (and glowing) skin!
After my initial consultation with Carly to go over what products I use, skin issues and what my goals are for my skin, we headed into the room for my facial! She examined my skin to identify my skin type which is called Combination Skin. Basically, this means I'm oily in my t-zone and chin and my cheeks tend to be on the drier side. And overall, my skin is sensitive. What I loved about Carly was how vocal she was about what products she was using on my skin as well as what I could expect out of my facial -- there were no surprises! She was also very considerate about any discomfort I may experience during the extractions process.
To give you a feel for what my ultra-sensitive Tulasara facial consisted of, here's the low down:
1. Cleanse. First, Carly used the Aveda all-sensitive cleanser (which I purchased) to rid my skin of any makeup and clean out my pores.
2. Exfoliate. For deep cleaning, Carly used a liquid exfoliant on a cotton pad to rid my pores of any left over makeup, dirt or grime. From there, she explained the next step which would be extractions using outer peace pads after she applied steam to my face with a hot towel.
*For those that have never had skin extractions before, I'd say do your research to find a licensed esthetician that specializes in this process. It can hurt depending on your skin sensitivity and your esthetician's experience doing them! I had never had extractions before so I had Carly explain to me what I could expect. Extractions are the process of removing blackheads or whiteheads by applying pressure on either side with a cotton-covered index finger or by using a tool to get into clogged pores. Extractions should only take place after the skin has been thoroughly cleaned, exfoliated and steamed which helps soften up dead skin cells that are clogging the pore. While I only received a few extractions since it was my first time and I didn't have a lot of noticeable clogged pores, there was definitely one extraction that hurt more than the others and is still on the road to recovery since it was a larger clogged pore. Word to the wise: if you want to avoid redness/a breakout post-extractions for a vacay, event or special occassion, time when you get extractions accordingly. It can take up to a week (at least) for your skin to bounce back and appear refreshed after you get them done!
3. Mask. Carly used an intense hydrating mask that was cooled down (at home you can achieve this by putting it in your fridge for 20 minutes) and it felt AMAZING after my extractions and the steam/hot towel.
4. Tone. After the mask was taken off with a damp towel, she applied a toning mist that made my skin feel refreshed and tight.
5. Concentrate. Will leave your skin feeling (and smelling) incredible with the use of essential oils! For my sensitive skin, Carly recommended the Aveda Bright or Aveda Calm. But it will vary depending on your skin type and preference.
6. Eye cream. To help reduce redness, swelling, bags or under eye circles, Carly applied the Energizing Eye Cream.
7. Moisturize. Using the Aveda All-Sensitive moisturizer (which I ended up purchasing) or soft creme, Carly ensured my skin was moisturized after my treatment leaving it smooth to the touch.
8. SPF. Lastly, SPF Shade in SPF 30 was applied on my skin (I plan on purchasing this when it's back in stock!) What I loved about this sunscreen was how light it felt on my skin which is a huge plus! It feels like you aren't even wearing any SPF but it keeps you protected the whole day!
I left Origin feeling refreshed and thrilled that I had updates to my skincare routine and more knowledge about my skin type and overall, skin care! To anyone else with sensitive skin who is nervous about treatments and skincare products in the Seattle-area, I highly recommend a visit to Origin and a facial or other skincare service with Carly. If you're hesitant about products, process or overall skincare, she's your gal!
*Collaboration note: Thank you Origin Salon Spa for collaborating on this sponsored blog post! All thoughts and opinions expressed on West Coast Aesthetic are my own and every collaboration is done with absolute integrity.