Located on Beverly Blvd in sunny LA, Skin Camp, which opened in December, is the newest skincare destination for women who want to take care of their skin.
Founded by Karina Sulzer, Skin Camp provides facial massages with an emphasis on sculpting and training your face – effectively, a “workout” for your face. Coming from a family of European estheticians, Karina founded Skin Camp and Skin Gym (Skin Camp’s sister is Skin Gym, a brand of face tools which are used during the treatments) in honor of her grandmother. As a firm believer in the natural old school European way of taking care of skin, she wanted to create tools and solutions for women to have a spa day at Skin Camp or at home.
I was able to experience the Train Workout, which is a “Level 3” workout designed for anti-aging and hydrating purposes. The Train is a multi-tasking service which includes enzymatic cleansing, custom exfoliation, and contour massaging. Train was 45 minutes long, but they also offer speedy treatments like the CEO, a 15-minute long Level 1 session ideal for lunch breaks. Karina assures that 15 minutes is enough to have an effective face workout, and that for best results clients should come in once a week for noticeable improvements.
I arrived at Skin Camp on the way from a meeting, and Karina emphasized that women should come as they are – be it from work or home, and wear whatever they feel most comfortable. The salon is beautiful and clothed in millennial pink. The mirror across from the salon chairs reads “Look at you glow.”
My “Skin Counselor” Sonia first wrapped me in a (pink) blanket before starting with the “workout”. All of the products used during the treatment were from Body Deli, an all natural very clean brand made from fruits and other natural ingredients. Sonia was able to personalize my treatment to my skin type and concerns. Facial procedures such as exfoliation were done in tandem with face massage movements to help with lymphatic drainage and blood flow. The first part of the massage included rolling and gua sha. The roller and gua sha stone used were from the Skin Gym brand, and come in different crystals – Jade, Rose Quartz, Amethyst. The three crystals have various meta-physical powers and benefits for the skin, and the energy of the crystal will let you know if it is right for you. Jade helps calm the skin and brings about deep relaxation and tranquility. Rose Quartz helps with anti-aging, increases self-love, and promotes feels of well-being. Amethyst is great for skin that has been stressed out and helps to ease tension and anxiety. Rollers help with de-puffing skin, while Gua Sha, an ancient Asian practice involving a crystal scraper tool, helps to sculpt the face.
In addition, two other specialty rollers were used: the Goldie Face Roller, a spiky gold roller which helps to boost collagen production and help the skin better absorb serums, and the Face Trainer Beauty Roller, a hot pink wand with little germanium stones which helps to tighten and revitalize the skin. The Face Trainer was my favorite tool – the Trainer sends micro-current through the geranium stones and leaves a subtle, calming vibration.
Next, Sonia performed acupressure. This involved pressing firmly on pressure points, such as those around the brows, to release tension and built up stagnation. This also involved small pinching movements along the jawline and heavier pressure around the jaw muscle. Finally, and perhaps the most interesting and innovative part of the treatment was face cupping. Small plastic suction cups were adhered to my skin and moved along my face. The gentle suction cups ensured that skin would not bruise like in traditional cupping and helped draw blood flow to the surface of the skin.
After my treatment, my skin felt extremely soft and hydrated. It was red for a few hours given the increased blood flow and I felt that my face was noticeably more sculpted. For the week following my treatment, my face was less puffy and more angular, and I’ve been incorporating the techniques that Sonia taught me into my routine. As Karina told me, just as you do not workout once and quit, jade rolling is a commitment. I’m now inspired to incorporate face massage into my skincare routine and use my face roller for 5-10 minutes a day both at home and when traveling! If you’re in LA, don’t miss the chance to workout your face at Skin Camp!