A year ago, I started exploring holistic and health-conscious ways of taking care of my face. My goals were to look my best, keep the tissues in my face as plump and energized as possible, just the way I take care of the rest of my body with nutrition and fitness.

I found Candice of Ritual Skin and Soul, who is located in Hermosa Beach right on the Pacific Coast Highway. I walked into her spa right off the famous north-south California highway, and immediately the noise from outside fell away. Her space is meticulously curated for the most enthralling zen experience. I felt like I’d flown to Bali, frankly. Not only does the spa represent a meditative experience, but it is lined with the most beautiful, non-toxic products that I had already been eyeing. It was pristinely clean, warm and inviting.

I originally visited Candice in looking for an alternative to injectables. I was admittedly pretty aesthetics-motivated, although I was starting at that time to crave more of a ritualistic self care habit overall. I was in the midst of chronic stress, and starting to understand I needed better self care practices. Little did I know that 2024 would present such a nervous system crisis, that self care rituals and how they pertain to WHOLE HEALTH would take over much of my life (and work)’s trajectory.

Given that I was aesthetics-motivated, I opted for her Lift & Glow Buccal Facial. The service began with a short meditation and a thorough, massage-intensive double cleanse. It was one of the most relaxing services I had ever experienced. The buccal massage portion was less comfortable for me because of how tight the tissues were in my face at the time. Looking back, I was downing 3 espressos a day. Racing from one event to the next. Carrying such intense stress constantly, with no outlet, in my life of time-intensive entrepreneurial work and motherhood. It was really eye-opening how much tension I had been carrying in my jaw and face.

So much has changed since that first visit. After my big burn-out of 2024 (causes linked to chronic stress, autoimmune disease and perimenopause), I adopted several healthy rituals. I now meditate daily, massage my face daily, have changed my personal care products to non-toxic, have begun my schooling in Functional Nutrition and incorporate nervous system support for all of my clients in my business.

Candice’s spa, which I once sought for an aesthetic alternative, now serves as an indulgent addition into my whole health practice. As I continue to learn about stress and its impact on our bodies, the lymphatic system and its role as our body’s sewage system, my regard for her practice has bloomed even further.

Massage your face. Practice deep breathing. Both of these actions can improve your lymphatic system, which can and will improve your WHOLE HEALTH. If you want a health ritual that also serves as such a treat, check out Candice at Ritual Skin and Soul. I’ll be seeing her very shortly, and I just can’t wait.