Face to Face
Four high-desert facials fight the summer sun
DANA WALDON
The Rejuvenating Cherry Blossom facial, offered at Absolute Nirvana Spa and Gardens
What does your skin need in the summer? Santa Fe delivers a triple threat: The intense sun attacks your largest organ while it’s deprived of moisture and, given our high
altitude, oxygen too. That’s why, says Ten Thousand Waves Spa aesthetician Fatima Phillips, mid-summer facials should cleanse and moisturize without leaving you too sensitive to solar rays. Here’s how four local treatments work these wonders.
Detoxify: Japanese Organic Massage Facial
While European facials are the norm in this country, Japan has its own skin-care traditions that rely on manual action, rather than applied products, to stimulate the skin to replenish itself. What this looks like: fingertips gently fluttering over my face in a circular pattern. What this feels like: a full-body experience. According to Phillips, who performed the exotic treatment, this finger work flushes the lymph, detoxifying your entire system—including your skin. Alternated with components like a hot-water mist and applications of cleanser and toner, as well as lymph-draining neck and shoulder massages, her flitting fingers were mystifyingly relaxing (I was nearly nonverbal when I left) and clearly effective. My skin was fuller and clearer, and I spent a thirsty next day chugging water—a sign that the impact was not simply sensory but a holistic step toward vibrant skin. 60 or 80 minutes, $119–$169, Ten Thousand Waves, 3451 Hyde Park Road, 505-982-9304, tenthousandwaves.com
Renew: Rejuvenating Cherry Blossom Facial
In possibly the most idyllic spa setting in the downtown area, with a walled garden at the end of a quiet street, Absolute Nirvana hides in
a casita beside a porch-wrapped Victorian—the Madeleine Inn. Inside the Asian-styled casita,
aesthetician Janis Gordon’s touch
is gentle but her words are blunt: “This climate is one of the worst,” she says. “It wreaks havoc on your face.” To that end, she personalized every step of the Cherry Blossom facial—touted as a means to revive dull skin—to the needs of my face. This included following the title enzyme peel, which combines cherry puree with extracts of pomegranate and red grape seed, with a seaweed mask to calm my sensitive skin.
Plus, Gordon is a doctor of Oriental medicine, and performed acupressure on facial points to support the regenerative work of the peel. The result? Renewed skin and a second chance to take care of it the right way. 60 minutes, $105, Absolute Nirvana, 106 Faithway, 505-983-7942, absolutenirvana.com—Marin Sardy
Moisturize: Caviar Facial
While erasing time’s evidence is impossible, a fabulous facial should unwind the clock by at least a year or two. Or ten. That’s the difference I saw after receiving a facial, from aesthetician Dawn Carter, that is based on international spa queen Kerstin Florian’s
signature series of caviar antiaging products. Designed for dry, aged skin, this decadent treatment’s cornerstone is its protein-rich caviar extract. Mixed with rose oil, coenzyme A, antioxidant vitamins, and the Chinese botanical chai hu extract, it makes a powerhouse cream that nourishes and firms the skin. To this, Carter added surprise delights: a papaya-and-pineapple enzyme peel to brighten skin without harsh exfoliants, a deep Acu-Lift facial massage to tighten and tone muscles, and the moisturizing Moor Mud Masque (made from organic peat). Lesson learned: Locking in moisture prevents the clock’s hands from advancing too far, too fast. 90 minutes, $175, SháNah Spa, Bishop’s Lodge, 1297 Bishop’s Lodge Road,
505-819-4000, bishopslodge.com/shanah
Protect: Desert Enchantment Facial
Fact: The elements that have created Santa Fe’s stunning landscape are also incredibly rough on the skin. The Desert Enchantment facial strengthens the skin’s barrier defenses against UV rays, wind, and lack of humidity. Omegas 3 and 6, vitamins, and hyaluronic acid—which repairs skin tissue damaged from overexposure to the sun—form the basis of this moisturizing treatment. Plus, two special enhancements, the Eye Supreme and Lip Bloom masks, hydrate to reduce puffiness and boost elasticity. The eye patches reduce dark circles and wrinkles by stimulating collagen production as well as cell
respiration—and felt cool and soothing. But nothing says “desert” like rough, chapped lips. The answer? A gentle exfoliation,
followed by an ultra-hydrating gel with rose and jojoba oils, olive butter, and vitamin E
to give lips a plump fullness. The process also created a silky-soft feeling that could easily become addictive. 80 minutes, $195–$205, The Spa at La Posada, 330 E Palace, 505-954-9630, laposada.rockresorts.com
