Joyce Marie of Beverly Hills

  

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In Beverly Hills, looking good is a magnificent obsession.  Well-heeled clients expect the best possible care from their teams of beauty specialists, which often include hair stylists, colorists, brow shapers, nail technicians, make-up artists, personal trainers, nutrition experts, yoga masters, dermatologists, cosmetic surgeons, and skin and body care therapists.  Competition is fierce for these clients, and the demand for results is stratospheric.

For the last 25 years, Joyce Marie of Beverly Hills has been one of the town’s preferred skin care providers, which speaks volumes about her prowess.

Joyce Marie’s menu encompasses everything from the cutting edge (the Oxygen Echo2Plus Facial, which combines exfoliation, cleansing and hydration with a shot of pure oxygen) to the classic (her Acne Clearing Facial is the talk of Beverly Hills High School).  But as the median age of salon clients coast-to-coast creeps closer to 50 and beyond, Joyce Marie finds that anti-aging treatments top her to-do list on most days.

As skin therapists know well, anti-aging can mean anything from slowing the spread of a few fine lines to a significant resurfacing of skin tone and texture.  That’s why, notes Joyce Marie, the consultation is possibly the most critical step in any anti-aging treatment. 

Take this client for example.  When she arrives at the salon, Ingrid fills out a comprehensive intake form, supplied to Joyce Marie by her skin care partner, Dermalogica.  Ingrid completes the form, and the consultation gets underway.  Joyce Marie discovers that Ingrid is in good health and observes many healthy habits.  

 She eats and sleeps well, exercises regularly, drinks eight cups of water a day and wears sunscreen.  Joyce Marie determines Ingrid’s pain threshold, skin sensitivity and preferences for steam treatments and massage pressure.  She asks if Ingrid tends to feel claustrophobic.  All of this information helps Joyce Marie customize Ingrid’s service.

Another important aspect of the consultation is to find out about the client’s skin care regimen.  Joyce Marie learns that Ingrid uses a few items from a popular department store line.  “I like to recommend products that are similar to those she might already be using,” Joyce Marie explains.  “And I can also suggest must-haves she may not be familiar with.  I generally formulate my recommendations in my mind and then talk to her about products during the treatment.  My feeling is that when Ingrid leaves here, why should she go buy department store products?  I will have been with her for an hour; I know her skin better than the salesperson at the department store counter!”

Once the consultation is complete, Joyce Marie formulates the treatment.  In this case, Ingrid’s goals are to leave with clear, glowing skin and to halt the progress of the lines that are developing around her eyes and mouth.  Here is Joyce Marie’s step-by-step solution.

Step 1:  Snip open ampoule of MultiVitamin Power Exfoliant and perform a patch test behind the client's ear.  Remove with cleanser and water.  If the client's skin appears extremely red or irritated, do not use this product in your service.

Step 2:  use Soothing Eye Make-up Remover to remove make-up from eyes and lips.

Step 3:  Direct light steam toward the face.  Cleanse the face, neck, nad decolletage with Ultra Calming Cleanser infused with few drops of Calming Botanical Mixer.

Step 4:  Remove all cleanser with sponges that have been dipped in a bowl of warm water and a few drops of Claming Botanical Mixer.

Step 5: Snip open a pre-measured bulb of MultiVitamin Power Exfoliant and apply it to face, neck and decolletage with light

         circular movements.  Concentrate application on areas where sun damage, hyperpigmentation and lines are most evident.  If the client experiences irritation around sensitive nose and mouth areas, gently rotate the skin with your fingertips. 

Step 6:  Remove the exfoliant after five to seven minutes.  (This is the recommended time for sensitive skin.  If skin is severely sun damaged, remove after 10 minutes.)  Use sponges soaked in the Special Cleansing Gel and Calming Botanical Solution.

Step 7:  Wearing latax gloves, perform light extractions if necessary.  Followed by an application of Post Extraction Solution where needed.

Step 8:  Perform a light pressure-point massage on the face, neck and shoulders to release residual tension and toxins.  Do not over-stimulate the skin with other massage techniques.

Step 9:  Apply MultiVitamin Power Recovery Masque to face, neck, and decolletage to calm and hydrate the skin.  Remove after 10 minutes with the Special Cleansing Gel and Calming Botanical Solution.

Step 10:  Balance the skin with a light mist of Multi-Active Toner.  Hydrate the eye area with MultiVitamin Power Firm for Eye and Lip Area.  Hydrate the remainder of the face and skin with Skin Smoothing Cream and finish with an application of Solar Defense Booster SPF 30.