THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, April 7, 1995 TAG: 9504050180
SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER PAGE: 10 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: Eric Feber
LENGTH: Medium: 65 lines
``Rather than trying to explain the technique and possibly confuse you, why not let me give you a treatment,'' Robin Messano said. G1CPFAC07 Eric Feber
``Then you can experience it for yourself.''
Me undergo a facial treatment at a snazzy beauty salon? I've never had anything like that in my life.
My idea of facial cleansing is washing my face with Dial soap, and the only massage I ever get is when my cat walks over my chest trying to get to a cozy spot on our couch.
But I'll try anything once.
I arrived at the Chez Madeleine late one morning. Messano, looking professional in her white uniform, ushered me into a room that looked exactly like a white, spotless doctor's operating room in a hospital or medical clinic.
She closed the blinds to darken the room, began playing some soothing New Age music on a tape player and told me to take off my shirt.
First, she massaged my hands, rubbing in some type of moisturizer. Then she wrapped them in plastic and put each one in what appeared to be heated mittens.
Then I had to lie down as she placed a blanket over my chest, put a round cotton swab in each eye and aimed a steam machine at my face. The steam was very hot and took my breath away.
``This is to add moisture and humidity to the skin,'' she explained, as I lay there feeling like something out of an ``X-Files'' episode.
Here I was, a grown man, with a career, wife and teen-aged daughter, laying on a medical examining table with cotton swabs in my eyes and some type of weird-looking white machine breathing hot, wet air onto my face. There was a blanket covering my bare, hairless chest and my wet hands were cooking in thermal mittens.
Boy, if my basketball playing buddies could have seen me then.
Messano cleaned my face, right down to the pores. She removed skin impurities and even some tiny blackheads she said were on my nose. She applied various skin toners, cleansers and moisturizers to my face and applied a facial cream mask, which she later peeled off.
``This helps detox the skin and helps relieve the fluid retention of your skin,'' she said. ``It's good for those suffering from acne and people with allergies.''
Then came the lymph massage.
Messano plied her fingers firmly, yet gently over areas near my nose, sinus cavities and cheeks. The massage felt good and incredibly relaxing, soon the drainage began. Having a cold, I had to cough as I felt the drainage in my sinuses and in the back of my throat.
Finally, it was all over.
I never really slept but seemed to be in a sort of blissful unconscious state, aware only of the background music and Messano's skilled fingers.
``I've had clients fall asleep because they're so relaxed'' she said. ``This is perfect for people who have high-stress jobs. It makes people look better and feel better.''
When I left the salon, my face felt as if it were supple and glowing. In fact, I felt relaxed, free of stress and as if I could fold up my entire head and shoulders like a piece of origami paper.
I walked to my car with a limp head, a goofy smile and radiant skin. by CNB