Facial & Microdermabrasion Treatment at Entourage – The Best Salon in Carlsbad
As many of you know, as a professional keynote speaker my job when speaking from the platform is to inspire, motivate and encourage my audience to step outside their comfort zone, accept change, try something new and to not be afraid of anything—failure, rejection danger, traveling somewhere strange — you get the idea.
By the end of my keynote speech my audience should feel great, invigorated, alive and ready to tackle new challenges and overcome old obstacles. And given the feedback and my conversations with those members of the audience who decide to stick around and talk to me, they do.
And that makes me feel good: to have made a positive impact or impression on someone.
Today it was my turn.
So before you read on, please put your judgements, prejudicial feelings and gender expectations aside.
Today I had a facial. That’s right. I entered a salon, disrobed my shirt, laid down on a table and for over an hour a woman hovered above me and pampered my face and upper body. And I liked it, a lot.
Perhaps some of the male readers of my blog have taken the time to have a facial. But I suspect most haven’t. As for you women readers, most of you know exactly what I am talking about. So, for the benefit of those who haven’t and a reminder to men and women who’ve had facial, I’m going to gloat and share my experience. At the same time, I’m going to encourage—demand— you stop what you’re doing right now and schedule a facial treatment for yourself, a friend or loved one—now.
Sure, I’ve had a few facials over the years. But today I am happy to say I had the best facial treatment that I ever had. It was a very generous gift from a friend. I had my facial at Entourage Salon, and though I don’t frequent many salons, my experience today and the vibe I felt from customers and staff at this cozy spot in Carlsbad Village, just blocks from the ocean, I’m going to step out on a limb and make the bold claim that Entourage Salon is the best salon in Carlsbad, California.
Lisa greeted my in the lounge or lobby area and escorted me to the spa or relaxation room. As the only guy in the salon this morning, I whisked past women getting their nails or toes pampered, hair colored, shampooed or relaxing under driers while their new “do’s” processed.
Dimly lit and with the soothing sounds of pan flutes, chimes, delicate strums of guitars and runs of piano keys over breathy vocals set the mood. My esthetician, Lisa, after asking me to remove my shirt and any jewelry and to lie between the soft cotton sheets of the treatment table, exited the room so I could get comfortable.
Surrounding the table were several devices or machines including a massive magnifier, a vaporizer and among others a microdermabrasion machine. Once between the sheets, I closed my eyes and let the music begin to drift me toward a new place. I barely heard the “tap, tap” on the door, and with a whisper and a quiet shuffle Lisa put a round pillow under my knees, a warming towel under my neck and then stood above and examined my face.
She quickly observed my dry and damaged skin and outlined her morning treatment plan: a soft microdermabrasion, then an intensive hydration treatment, exfoliation and the usual poking and picking of clogged pores and extractions. I barely heard the low-frequency purr of the microdermabrasion machine, but could feel it doing its work; removing layers of dead skin while gently polishing my forehead, cheeks, chin and so on. Each time Lisa would move to a new area she’d softly whisper, “Wow, this is going to be so good for you.”
She explained that even if I used moisturizing lotion on my face, it wouldn’t hydrate or moisturize because the layers of damaged or dead skin would block it. I supposed like trying to paint a surface that hasn’t been sanded, primed or otherwise prepared—the paint just won’t hold.
After the microderm treatment, she began applying various cleansers, creams, lotions, sprays and protectants on my face. With the introduction of each new product, she wrapped a warm towel around my face and ever-so-gently used it to rub and clean off the previous product, explaining in a whisper each time. I don’t know how many treatments she did, I lost count and nearly fell asleep as she massaged my face, forehead, nose and even gently rubbed and tugged on my ears. With the sound of pan pipes, flutes and piano wafting in the room, combined with gentle strokes of fingers on my face, I fell into a meditative state and wondered if my breathing turned into snoring.
While some of the product treatments, perhaps they are called “masks”,required extra time to sit on my face, absorb and do their work, Lisa would massage my hands, arms, shoulders. With each touch I continued to fall into that meditative state of bliss.
I know. You think I’m crazy. Right? Well, I’m not. You need to try this.
The session slowly ended with further arm massage and gentle sprays of a hydration product that slowly fell, like rain drops on my face.
And with a whisper, “Wow, your face feels amazing,” Lisa exited the room while telling me to take my time, “relax and enjoy,” she said.
My face does feel amazing. So much, that I was inspired to write this quick blog post. It feels open, alive and those women still getting pampered and primped at Entourage Salon in Carlsbad, all were happy to tell me that I was “radiating.”
Truth is, I feel great and I’m sold. I think of more than 100,000 miles of riding a motorcycle and plenty of those miles with my visor open and my face exposed to the wind, bugs, smog, dirt, dust and nasty exhaust and soot of diesel engines, and I’m sure that there was much more than dead skin blocking my face from moisture and hydration.
Don’t be afraid guys! Step outside your comfort zone. Go get a facial. Ladies? If you haven’t had a facial in some time, pick up the phone and make that appointment. I will do this again, sooner rather than later: spend time with Lisa, listen to hear soft whisper and let her take me to that new place and leave me feeling invigorated, alive and WOW, radiating.
If you live in Southern California, San Diego or will visit here soon, get your face over to Entourage Salon in Carlsbad By The Sea (I swear it’s the best salon in Carlsbad or even San Diego and certainly the best facial in Carlsbad) and spend some time with Lisa and the other girls and get invigorated.
Entourage Salon
530 Carlsbad Village Drive
Carlsbad, California
760.729.9000
ps. I just noticed that they are offering a free microdermabrasion treatment like I had with every facial through November.
So happy you enjoyed your facial today AK! Sometime we don’t know what we’re missing :-)!
was a fantastic experience and I hope this post inspires men and women to indulge and experience alike!
This is fascinating. i’m going to have to try.
About time, dude. Hell, I would have suggestted it to you long ago if I thought you would have actually gone. I guess that’s one thing I’m light years ahead of Allan Karl on as I had my first ones back in ’81 or so.
TRUE. Actually, my first one was probably in the mid-90’s; once on a golfing outing that was planned for months, by the time the date came I had a broken bone and couldn’t play, so while the guys played golf, I hung in the spa and did facial. but we need to be reminded that this is a great thing and regularly scheduled like getting your teeth cleaned!
Was shopping at Nordstrom’s with my wife on Sunday; she needed some foundation or an eyebrow pencil or some such thing. Next thing I know the gal has her in a chair getting an entire makeover. So, I’m sitting there spinning in circles in one of the bar stool type chairs, attempting to amuse myself. You would think that with all those chairs and flat surfaces they’d at least serve beers for the bored husbands… The make-up gal, sensing my boredom (or perhaps getting dizzy watching me) asked me if I would like to have a “free” facial while I wait. Not one to pass up on an adventure, I quickly agreed (still..would have preferred a round of shots). This guy comes over and starts applying all kinds of lotions and cleansers and eye creams and masques on my face and neck. About 1/2 our later, I really felt like great; even the low pulsing headache that had been with me all day from the santa ana’s was gone. My “free” facial was over and $586 dollars in product purchases afterwards, my wife and I left feeling great! Now if I could just remember the sequence of the product application…
That’s awesome. Free facials at Nordstroms, sort of 😉
I’m guessing facials run anywhere from $50 – $150 or more at decent salons; so that product will likely go longer than the spa facials it could buy, but nothing like that massage and music!
Cold beer at Nordstrom on a Sunday, though. Now that woulda been the ticket!