Confession: until very recently I've been horrible about taking care of my skin. I'm too exhausted to follow the 5 step face washing routine that I'd sometimes (well, kinda more than sometimes) go to bed with my make-up on. I'd hide my complexion with foundation and concealers, and I'd never (gasp!) exfoliate. I know. I know.
Recently I witnessed a friend with some unfortunate skin problems undergo a serious skin transformation from just a few facials at Valley, a beauty spot in the Lower East Side that everyone is raving about. Emma Graves, the head of Valley's Skin Care department, convinced this friend to swap her bottle of Proactive Solutions for a few products from her own holistic skin care line, Between You and the Moon. Emma grows a lot of the herbs for her products in her little apartment and uses only fair-trade, organic oils and other ingredients. I was so impressed with her approach to skin care I booked a facial on intrigue alone.
And wow. I was not prepared for this level of treatment. Emma spent a good 15 minutes examining my skin, discussing my diet, and asking me about what products I used. She slapped a mask on me, then disappeared to hand mix some sort of secret potions tailored to my needs for the rest of the facial. Throughout the facial she told me some shocking secrets: sunscreen ages you (she says to wear a big hat instead), many face creams wrinkle you, and you really shouldn't exfolliate that often. She explained that like your body, your skin cleanses and exfoliates itself naturally and that it just needs a little help getting rid of the days "sins" at the end of the night. So I don't really need any of those serums, creams or peels that were bursting out of my medicine cabinet? She wasn't trying to sell me a 14 step nightly skin care line? Nope. She suggested two things. A cleansing milk and a little bottle of oil.
I left that day feeling refreshed physically and mentally. That night I eagerly followed her simplified plan which I have had no problem keeping up. My skin has become so even that I've stopped wearing foundation or any type of concealers! I'm such a convert I bought everyone on my gift list a facial for the holidays. She even does a vegan facial! I've fallen so hard for this place that the owners of Valley and I have worked out a special offer. Bring your BabyCakes NYC receipt in for a facial with Emma and you get a free manicure! If you think Emma's talented check out what their manicurists can do. You want airbrushed palm trees with with a sunset background? No problem.
Although I'm sad that I really have no reason to go to Sephora for the latest skin fix solution, I have to say I'm richer for it. If you live in New York, run do not walk to Valley pronto.