Entering through those honey-wood doors to the now familiar embrace of cornflower walls and soothing stone grounds of Ole Henriksen - it was good to be back. Following my pedicure to end all other pedicures and the body treatment that turned me into a smoothie, I was all but jumping out of my James Perse. Sequel junkies, you feel my rush.

Natasha, who I'd bank was a former pianist (her fingers danced on my skin like Rachmaninoff tickled ivories), had an elegant finesse that sung of many years honing her expertise. She is an aesthetician with an education equaled only by her grace. Delicate when she needs to be, powerful when not. And her extractions are as close to painless as plausible in such a practice.

Highlights of the facial include the Lymphatic Drainage Massage, which brings vital nutrients stuck beneath your outer layer, to the surface. It feels like a little suction vacuum waking your skin up. This is followed by application of the Pumpkin Enzyme, which tingles something special, and results in something far more. I doubt it is actually composed of magical pore shrinking powers, but if touching is believing...

Ole Henriksen's Purification Facial is one hour of everything your skin deserves and nothing you wouldn't make time to give it, if you could. They always say don't schedule anything immediately after a facial (the blotchiness, the redness...), but I must tell you, I looked so glossy and glowy leaving the spa I almost wished I had somewhere to be. Some facials are an indulgence and some are plum luxury. While achieving both, this is the facial that convinces you facials need to be a regular part of your regime. The outcome is that astonishing. We only go around once in this world, with but one face to look it in the eye. It may not always shine kindly upon you, but at least you can do your part to shine brightly within it.

OLE HENRIKSEN
8622 A West Sunset Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90069-2031
310.854.7700
www.olehenriksen.com

Story by Jolie Loeb.