On a scale of 1 to 10, I’d fall at a lowish 3 when it comes to maintenance. With two kids under 3 and a laissez-faire (make that lazy-faire) attitude toward beauty, I’m notorious for waiting 6 months, not 6 weeks, between haircuts, doing last-minute DIY nail decals and almost always opting for ponytails over blow-outs. Sadly, lack of sleep, stress and the hands of time have caught up with my skin and lately, I’ve been feeling far from glow-y.
So when Dove Spa invited a small group of fashion/beauty bloggers to give one of their new spas a test-drive, I jumped at the chance. I’ve always loved Dove for their simple approach to skincare and their celebration of real beauty. Plus, I was in desperate, DESPERATE need of a facial. “I’m in!” was all I had to say.
We arrive at the Yonge/St. Clair location, make-up free and ready to go, and after being handed a mugful of pretty blooming tea (an essential part of every Dove Spa visit) our fresh-faced Dove Spa Training Director, Kate, tours us through the clean, minimalist space. The white walls and uncluttered aesthetic inside a Dove Spa make you feel like you’ve walked into a shiny new box of Dove soap. Designer Ramsin Khachi wanted to give the space a modern feel with ’wave-walls’, rounded corners and contemporary touches throughout. And yet despite its clean aesthetic, the space feels far from clinical, with warm lighting, a cozy lounge complete with a roaring fireplace, cushioned flooring, and serene spa rooms that implore you to fall asleep for the rest of the day.
But where Dove really excels is in its products; With decades of research behind them, their approach to skincare is simple: avoid label claims and use unique products that actually work for each individual. We start our sessions with a Skin Diagnostic - an in-depth 15 minute skin consultation where they use a ‘dermascope’ to measure your skin’s oil, water, elasticity and pigmentation plus a camera that can see 150 times closer than the naked eye. My pores are terrified. What will they see under that thing? My Skin Care Expert, Faustin, tells me in a cheery tone that my skin is pretty parched and my fine lines are more a result of severe dehydration than age. Yikes. ‘Drink your water and you’ll be just fine’ she assures me. I vow to get back to drinking my 8 glasses - vanity’s a powerful thing.
Next up, we hit the spa room for my facial. Based on my skin diagnosis, Faustin has decided to give me a deeply hydrating facial mixed with blue and red light therapy to bring back the glow in my skin. If you’ve never tried a facial, I can’t describe how badly you must. In short, you spend an hour lying in a heated cocoon of a bed while you’re surrounded by chilled-out tunes (your choice of ocean waves, spa music or even R&B) and someone massages places that have never been massaged before - I mean, honestly, when’s the last time someone massaged the bridge of your nose? Hee! After an hour of heaven, you’re allowed to choose a special ‘treat’ from a menu of beauty extras and since my eyebrows have fallen under my ‘low-maintenance’ umbrella, I order a brow clean-up.
Will I be back? Absolutely. My skin feels better after only one visit and after a few years of focusing almost exclusively on the little people around my house, I’ve been reminded how much I need to take care of me. And, of course, Faustin told me I should.
Want to check out Dove Spa for yourself? Go to dovespa.ca to read all about it and be sure to take advantage of their 'Seasons Treatings' promo on now until Dec 24th, where you get a free $50 gift certificate with every purchase of a $100 GC. Sweet! Or even better, stop in at one of their real beauty havens in Oakville, Richmond Hill, Etobicoke or Yonge/St. Clair in Toronto to give yourself a much-needed break. Thanks to my fellow bloggers Septembre, Chenessa, Spiro, Chantel and, of course, DoveSpa, for a fantastic day. My pores (and I) thank you! xo
Thursday, December 15, 2011 at 2:20PM 
