The elixir of Well-Being

Nothing feels quite so decadently luxurious as a facial. That’s just how it is. If you’ve ever had one, you know exactly what I mean. maybe it’s the cleansing, which feels so different when a professional is washing your face and gently massaging it. maybe it’s the Clarisonic cleansing, the vibrating brush gliding gently over your skin. maybe it’s feeling of the steam blowing ever so gently on your face, which makes you feel as if you are suspended in time. Perhaps it’s the microdermabrasion, which polishes your skin as soft and smooth as a shiny new stone. It might be the Venus freeze, which feels like a warm stone massage relaxing you even deeper. or the cool mask afterward, soothing your skin and causing you to feel alive and radiant. Whatever it is, whether one of these things, or a combination of all of the above, one thing is for certain, it is luxury incarnate.

There is so much variety in choosing a facial, too. Some of the components in a facial remain the same; most facials have an initial cleansing, a steam, extractions and a cleansing at the end, but it’s the juicy caramel center of the facial that is creatively changeable and malleable. The center of the facial can be filled with a 24K gold mask, a caviar mask, a cranberry mask or a collagen seaweed mask. It can be filled with an illuminating peel or a radiofrequency device, such as the Venus freeze. These choices are what make the monthly facial fresh and alive with possibilities.

Not to mention all of the wonderful benefits there are when you make a facial a regular part of your skin care regimen. As dr. Kathleen Griffin of The G Spa says, “A monthly facial is not only the foundation for maintaining good skin care, but can also be remarkably therapeutic for overall wellness. I highly recommend it on a regular basis!” from deep cleansing to gently coaxing pores open for extractions, to gentle massage and skin tightening masks, facials are the elixir of well-being for that most gazed upon center of attraction, your beautiful, fresh face. —Cynthia

Grancourt, Freelance Beauty Writer and Marketing Director of The G Spa, Santa Barbara

Off The Shelf

Ican excuse goofy, over-the-top marketing when it’s for a product that is inherently good for you. The subtly comical packaging and website hype for Nor-Cliff farms’ fiddlegreens [“What are fiddlegreens? (They’re) wild organic fiddlegreens—the healthy choice—as mother Nature intended!”] adds some additional interest to the otherwise staid promotion of a “new” vegetable. Circular definitions aside, fiddlegreens are known more by their common name of fiddlehead ferns, the budding spirals of new frond growth from the Matteuccia struthiopteris, or ostrich fern. Surprisingly, the company steers clear of mentioning that fact. (Perhaps it’s too strange a concept the wholesale eating of—eeek!—plants.) Yes, high in iron, potassium, niacin, riboflavin, magnesium, phosphorus and vitamins A and C, but how do they taste? Well, they smell remarkably like spinach when cooking and taste somewhat similar though with a strong addition of artichoke, and a hint of green bean. (The label says similar to broccoli, but sorry, there’s no brassica bite in those spirals.) The kids liked them, but then again, my kids like a lot of weird stuff. once the initial hype dies down, these formerly obscure menu additions are sure to gain acceptance and become yet another side dish—thanks to our national purveyor of interesting edibles, Trader Joe’s. Available at TRADER JOE’S for $3.99/bag.

Northwestern Mutual Permanent Life Insurance - the first step to a better feeling of financial well-being. It’s an asset that offers protection, along with cash value guaranteed to grow over time. That’s a foundation for life.

Robert G Dibley CLU®, ChFC®, CASL® Wealth Management Advisor CA# 0B88887 (805) 898-4400 robert-dibley.com open

05-3026 © 2012 Northwestern Mutual is the marketing name for The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company, Milwaukee, WI (NM) (life and disability insurance, annuities) and its subsidiaries. Northwestern Mutual Investment Services, LLC (NMIS) (securities), a subsidiary of NM, broker-dealer, registered investment adviser, and member of FINRA and SIPC. Robert G Dibley, Insurance Agent(s) of NM. Robert G Dibley, Registered Representative(s) of NMIS. Robert G Dibley, Representative(s) of Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Company®, (NMWMC) Milwaukee, WI, (financial planning, investment management, trust services) subsidiary of NM, limited purpose federal savings bank. Representative(s) may also be an Investment Advisor Representative(s) of NMIS. A.M. Best Company A++(highest), 4/2012; Fitch Ratings AAA(highest), 6/2012; Moody’s Investor Service Aaa (highest), 10/2011; Standard & Poor’s AA+(second highest), 6/2012. Ratings are subject to change.