From a very young age, I have been scolded, warned and instructed to care for my skin. “You’re going to get wrinkles,” was a staple coming from my mother – especially when I came home as a teenager with a sunburn on my face and an attitude like I was so cool.
Once I entered my 20s, I began seeing the effects of those countless sunburns and days in tanning beds. Immediately I added moisturizers and different lotions to my routine to ensure no more damage would be done.
Then, at age 25, my life changed – I got my first facial. My skin felt magical, unlike it had ever felt before – smooth, glowing, hydrated. I was hooked.
“A lot of women view facials as an unnecessary luxury,” said Meggan Ory, owner of Makeup by Meggan. “This is far from the truth.”
Recently, Ory and I discussed facials and skincare when I went to try a mysterious new mask she now offers her clients. Once I got settled into the spa-like room Ory has in her studio in Kenner, she began by cleansing my skin and applying a clay mask to detox and extract impurities. After she toned, exfoliated and added serums and moisturizers to my skin, it was time for the main event.
I was instructed to close my eyes and lips tight, and the gold specialty mask was applied. Unlike a typical facial mask, this was applied to my entire face – eyes and mouth included. The initially sensation is unexpected. The mask is cold and thick, dissimilar to a typical facial mask that is light and airy. Ory explained that the mask is supposed to feel, and be, a bit heavier as to help the product better penetrate the skin.
I definitely had to find my happy place in order to not completely meltdown from the thought of something over my eyes and mouth. And because of the cold, I kept having a twinge of thinking my eyes were open under the mask. Once everything settled in and I became used to the sensation, I felt the benefits working. Ory took this time to explain that the mask is designed to drop the core temperature of the skin by 6 degrees Celsius, which allows for a drainage effect that firms and tones, while helping with under-eye darkness and puffiness.
The most interesting part of the entire experience was when Ory took the mask off. After about 10 minutes of letting it sit and work into my skin, she began to roll back the sides of the mask. It rolled off smooth, almost like rolling tape off of a box or sticker from a piece of clothing. “It looks like a pancake,” was my initial response as I looked at the outline of my face on the underside of the gold mask. My face instantly felt smooth and hydrated. I also had no visible redness anywhere on my face, which sometimes happens after a facial.
Though this was an unusual and new experience, Ory really stresses the health benefits that come from regularly getting a facial.
“Getting a facial once a month helps keep the skin smooth and free of texture,” she said. “It keeps the skin clean, which prevents blackheads and whiteheads from forming. Proper skin care also helps with anti-aging.”
For me, this was simply the most memorable facial I’ve ever received. I definitely found my happy place.
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NOLA BOARDS opens second location
NOLA Boards, 519 Wilkinson St., Ste. 105, 516-2601, NolaBoards.com.
NOLA Boards, the New Orleans “born and bred” company which specializes in locally inspired and handmade cutting boards, countertops and custom furniture has opened its second location in the French Quarter. The company, started in 2014 by Mandy Simpson, opened its first retail location last year on Magazine Street. All the NOLA Board products are manufactured by New Orleans Woodworking, led by Simpson’s husband, using as many local woods as possible. Both stores also offer a range of artisanal products from local and upcoming artists.
New Orleans Opera Celebrates 75th Anniversary
NewOrleansOpera.org
The New Orleans Opera is celebrating its 75th season (2017-2018) with seven new productions. Performances will range from Cavalleria Rusticana/Pagliacci at the Mahalia Jackson Theater to Tabasco: A Burlesque Opera at Le Petit Theatre Du Vieux Carre in the French Quarter. The association is hoping to reach more New Orleanians with new repertoire and much-loved favorites. The New Orleans Opera is also focused on education and is seeking to nurture student talent from grade school to college.
By Mirella Cameran
