Laura Bellendier brushed her fingers across my forehead and dipped down to circle my cheeks. I sensed she was disappointed that I didn’t have any blackheads for her to extract. She complimented my brows, and for some reason, it didn’t sound like a sales pitch when she asked if she could clean up the strays. “I just want to make sure your brows are as fresh as the rest of your face is going to appear after this treatment.”
It was only the beginning of what was easily one of the best facials I’ve ever experienced.
I tried the Vitamin C facial at Lili Salon Spa’s new LivSkin MedSpa in Minnetonka. The atmosphere is calm and inviting; the service menu is results driven, including peels, laser treatments, and injectables administered by a nurse, along with massage and facials (the Vitamin C facial is most popular).
“People are looking for alternatives to plastic surgery and there are so many great options today,” says Bellendier, who isn’t only co-owner of Liv, she’s also master esthetician with years of experience on both the retail and spa sides of the beauty business.
Which is perhaps why I felt my brows were safe in her hands. She reassured me that she was simply following the arc created by my guru, Jessie May of Uptown Hair District. Forgive me, Jessie, but know Laura diligently deferred to your lines.
Then, in another spontaneous spa chair decision, I gave the green light to dermaplaning. I know I’m late to this popular exfoliation method, but I am now a believer in the blade. It doesn’t hurt! It doesn’t tickle in a squirm-away-from-the-scapel-and-risk-getting-an-eye-poked-out sort of way. It just feels like a gentle scrape, made almost calming when coupled with the knowledge that an entire layer of dead skin cells is being removed. Also, peach fuzz—cute on toddlers; not so much on grown women. While it is a physical exfoliation, it feels less invasive than microdermabrasion. Everything I’ve read promises skin will glow after dermaplaning, and that beauty promise is actually true.
The facial itself included two different masks, and both were lovely, but honestly, she could have slathered jelly (non-organic!) on my face and I wouldn’t have cared, because while each mask set, Laura gave me the most amazing massage. No perfunctory brush of the shoulders that often accompanies a facial. Laura seriously dug in there, massaging my head, neck, arms and feet. She left me smelling like Hawaii, thanks to a soothing lotion with a fresh, beachy aroma. My arms tingled all afternoon.
When given the choice (lucky day!) of a facial or massage, I’m the girl who picks the massage. Every time. Sometimes I feel irresponsible about it—like I know I should tend to my face, but to me, a facial seems like maintenance and a massage, when administered with a firm hand, is pure, stress-relieving bliss. Laura’s facials do double duty: brighten and refresh the skin while also feeling like a treat. I left feeling radiant, relaxed and energized, and had people commenting on my glow for days after the treatment. I'll be back!
LivSkin MedSpa, 5757 Sanibel Drive, Suite 2 , Minnetonka, 612-443-3211, livskinmedspa.com
