Stepping into Skoah
Stepping into Skoah’s Yaletown location is like wrapping yourself in your favourite sweater fresh off the clothesline—you inhale its’ subtly fresh and clean scent, snuggle into its welcoming coziness, and let a gentle smile instinctively cross your lips.
A friendly face
When I visited the sleek, sunlit spa recently for a Power Hour Facial, I was immediately impressed with how friendly and helpful the staff were. Two staff members welcomed me with smiles and offered me something to drink while I waited (very briefly) for Erin, my skin care trainer. There was no pretentiousness or snooty airs, just a genuine interest in making sure I was comfortable.
Erin took me back to the gently-lit treatment room and took a few minutes to explain to me what she’d be doing and what to expect. Being an infrequent spa-goer, I had to ask Erin to refresh my memory about some of the more awkward things—like do I keep my underwear on? (The choice is yours.) Erin made me feel relaxed and comfortable and answered all my questions thoroughly.
Getting comfortable
While Erin left the room, I stripped down and snuggled up on the heated treatment table, loving the thick fluffy blanket on top (note to self: shouldn’t I really have this comfortable of linens on my own bed?). Sigh…
Getting my facial on
My treatment started off with a firm but gentle head massage that I wished would go on and on (and also left me wishing I had a hat with me for afterward). From there, it moved into thorough cleansing, toning, massaging, and moisturizing treatments for every bit of my face, including my tired eyes and my cracked lips.
My favourite step of the whole thing was a refreshing mask that tingled my face, making it easy to imagine all the dirt being sucked out of my pores and the moisture being zapped in to replace it (Ok, probably not quite what was going on, but it felt amazing). I actually enjoyed this step so much that I purchased a jar of the aha mask for home use and my skin has been thanking me ever since.
The facial ended with another heavenly head massage that reconfirmed my conviction that I just wanted to lay there and sleep forever. But, alas, after 60 blissful minutes, Erin told me my facial had come to an end. She told me to take my time getting changed and then meet her outside whenever I was ready.
Though there was no pressure to buy any products afterward, Erin made me a handy checklist of products she’d recommend and again explained to me everything she’d done to me.
And, to make sure I left feeling my absolute best, Erin even touched up my makeup before I floated out the door, leaving me feeling like a queen for the rest of the afternoon.
The verdict
That night, since I was feeling so fabulously relaxed, I decided I couldn’t possibly be expected to cook supper, so we ordered pizza instead. While we were eating, I insisted to my husband that he feel my skin every 5 minutes. He agreed it was amazing (although he was less enthusiastic after the fifth time I oh-so-subtly solicited his opinion). Skoah was a true treat and a welcome relief in the midst of the craziness of my week.
Want to pamper yourself? Be sure to download our 2011 All About Mom Guide for great tips, resources, and articles.
