Treats for the Face
by Cait Johnson

I still remember the teen fashion magazine article that promised me I could achieve "the natural look" with step-by-step instructions, in about an hour, with the help of a dozen fabulous products. "But," I remember thinking, "I have the natural look right now." Given this oh-so-natural mindset, you will appreciate my mixed feelings when I agreed to write an article about facials. Surprise, surprise: I found out that facials can be about much more than just beauty. Here are two examples that I've personally sampled of the best that's out there, and a report about another that gets raves from local clients.

There's a famous French quote that, roughly translated, says "You must suffer to be beautiful." While this may go a long way toward explaining corsets, pointy-toed spike heels, excruciating cosmetic surgery, and grueling fitness routines, it's just not so if you have a facial rejuvenation with Amelia Robedee-Sydlosky.

Under Amelia's expert hands, blissful pleasure leads to startlingly beautiful results. Believe me, I should know: Amelia worked her magic on me after the Winter from Hell when, frankly, I was not a pretty sight. After months of sinus infections, stress, and snowstorms, I looked just plain droopy: sallow, lifeless skin, sagging facial muscles, dull eyes. If ever there was a candidate for some facial rejuvenation, I was it. But then Amelia gently breezed into my house like some Good Fairy of the Face (she actually makes house calls!) and gave me an hour of pure pleasure that left me with skin as smooth as a toddler's ("I make baby-tush!" Amelia told me with an impish grin) and a sparkling youthfulness I hadn't seen in my face for years. But, most importantly, our session left me feeling refreshed, revitalized, and deeply at peace.

Clearly, what Amelia does is not your ordinary facial. She is trained in cranio-sacral work, herbalism, massage, and Reiki. That explains, I think, why this is such a complete body/mind/spirit experience. Yes, if all you want is to look younger and more radiant, Amelia delivers; clients call her combination of massage and gentle pressure-point touch a "natural facelift." But making us look younger is not all Amelia does. True beauty is all about connection with the vital spirit inside all of us--and occasionally we just get out of touch. I know I had, but Amelia's delicious session (which included a warm steamy herbal wrap, gentle massage of my scalp, neck, and upper arms, knowledgeable strokes and patterned gentle touch of key pressure points, a honey mask to draw out impurities, and a sweetly sensitive and tender approach throughout) helped to realign my stress-skewed energy. Something about Amelia's special healing magic got me back in touch with my own inner fire. The process was like a blissed-out, deeply relaxing vacation (come to think of it, I don't think I've ever had a vacation this luscious) and the effects lasted for days.

Although Amelia says her work is "not about product" (she's right, there's so much more to it than that), still it's nice to know that she uses herbal honeys and oils and wraps that are all-natural, completely pure and non-toxic, an important consideration for people with chemical sensitivities like me. Plus they smell completely divine. (My room was sweet with lavender and honey and roses afterward: just breathing in the scent was transporting!)

Amelia's prices are very, very reasonable, and she only charges a small extra fee for those house calls (or B&B calls, if you are a visitor)--well worth it so you can bask in the afterglow without having to get in your car and drive anywhere. You can reach Amelia Robedee-Sydlosky at (518) 325-5126. She is a gem.

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After my wholistic bliss-out with Amelia, I wondered what other facial adventures were out there waiting to be discovered. Although I had never set foot inside a spa, state-of-the art Spa Haven is an easy walk from my Rhinebeck village office, so I decided to check it out. Behind the imposing oak and glass front door is a fascinating glimpse into the lives of the rich and pampered, but the experience is actually within financial reach for many of us--at least for an hour or two. The Spa Haven Experience started with fresh flowers and scented candles gleaming softly in the dim lighting, a kind of stage setting that gets you in the mood for some luxurious coddling. After a quick chat with the friendly receptionist, I was ushered upstairs to the changing room, where I found thick mushroom-colored velvet draperies, a soft terry robe and slippers, my choice of ginger tea or grapefruit water to sip, a poufy chaise on which to recline, and a stack of fashion magazines to browse. If I had harbored any doubts when I came in that I needed an utter and complete makeover, ten minutes of looking at the models in those magazines went a long way toward convincing me otherwise.

So off I went to the treatment room, where I was invited to slip between the cozy sheets and blanket and relax. Then in came the delightful Katrina, who gave me an enjoyable treatment with a series of products formulated with essential oils and mostly organic botanicals. This facial was a fascinating parade of different scents, textures, and sensations: warming, exfoliating, stimulating the blood-flow, getting rid of those clogged pores. I emerged from the session with smoother skin, a distinct gleam from the oils, and a pleasant contact high from Katrina's lively presence.

Spa Haven is located at 6464 Montgomery Street in Rhinebeck, and they offer many other sybaritic delights besides facials, including a hot stone massage that I've heard is just the ultimate. The number to call is 845-876-7369.

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I did not have the opportunity to experience the next skin care professional firsthand, but I did speak to Susan DeNardis, who does all-natural skin care facials at Alternatives Health Center at 5 Pine Street in Tivoli and at Tendrils Salon in Kingston. At Alternatives, working with a clientele that often has health issues has given Susan a unique perspective. Susan charges a low flat fee and then tailors her sessions to the individual needs of each person: you can decide if you want to target a skin concern--such as an all-natural chemical peel ("a fitness routine for the skin just like we have workouts for the body, aggressive but without being harmful") or if you want to focus more on relaxation. Susan says she loves her work because she can really help people, not only to look their best, but to relax and value themselves. "I really want people to get that they're worth the time," she told me. "It took me a while to realize that for myself."

Susan's clients talk about coming out from a session with "that special relaxation." According to Diane May, the products Susan uses "are very enriching, especially for sensitive skin, so you don't end up with that very red face. It's both very comforting and therapeutic. The whole experience is very positive for your whole self as well as your face."

You can book an appointment with Susan by calling 914-453-7946.