Express Yourself: Holistic Facials vs. Botox

We say it often, but we also can't say it enough. There are no shortcuts or cheat sheets to perfect skin. There is no one-size fits all approach to confidence. One salad and one Soul Cycle session will not help you reverse age à la JLo – who, by the way, denies plastic surgery.

Our philosophy is centered around holistic living; to enhance what you have, rather than dramatically change it. And, let's dispel one mistruth right off the bat – there is absolutely nothing "ugly" about aging. Sure, no one wants to look older than their age and we all strive for that youthful glow. And yes, if you don't protect your skin and tan all day every day, you probably will resemble a reptile 20 years your senior. But there is great beauty in aging naturally and gracefully and as your mind and memories are enriched with age, your expressions tell the stories.

Our deep-rooted history as a spa-brand has allowed us to engage with and understand our celebrity clientele. In fact, many actors report that Botox actually hinders their ability to excel in their profession – a career where expressions are a vital communication tool. A recent Vogue article touches upon just that – how Clare Danes' extensive emotional display is integral in gripping twist turner, Homeland. To fill in wrinkles and deep lines Botox mutes muscle contractions, therefore inhibiting your face to display emotion.

We sat down with our brand ambassadors the sisters Sadie & Tess Adams from Take Care Spa to discuss the powers of healing botanicals in lieu of synthetic Botox.

On expression lines... 

Self expression and the ability to communicate both health and disease are important functions of the face. At Take Care we are very interested in healthy and high functioning tissue. A balanced fresh face with subtle expression lines where appropriate.   

Have you ever been intrigued by Botox?

It never sounded like a good idea to me. When it first broke, the news said it was botulism and that always stuck with me. It still seems counter-intuitive. Many years ago I had a client who came seeking help with a droopy eyelid as a result of her Botox injection. She shared that her Doctor told her that this risk was in the fine print of that papers that she signed. I have also observed in extreme cases of over use to diminish character and self expression.  

Among your clients, are there people who stress to you that they value their real expressions and that’s why, in part, they’ve gone the holistic route even with the pressures of anti-aging? 

Part of our work is to offer support to beauty icons and actors who are aging in the public eye. We have very expressive clients, and many that value communication skills and an authentic range of expression. Most are choosing a healthy and natural approach, and are actively engaged in processing the emotional aspect of aging. 

Do you find yourself puzzling at frozen faces in real life or when watching television?

Yes, as an intuitive practitioner who connects directly with the consciousness of people's tissue, I am very sensitive to the vibration of botox both in and outside of the treatment room. I am also struck by a trend in society, that one would begin to feel that frozen is natural because a drug company is supporting sales over health.  

With so much use of botox in the population, is there a possibility of losing touch with the ability to read facial expressions?

Yes, I feel our cultural development is changing in this way, due to Botox. There are relevant questions, especially in the larger field of entertainment, about how we are educating the public to what is natural and what is expected.

Do you offer any tricks or treatments that can help ease those muscle contractions and stimulate the skin so that one might be able to stave off outside intervention.

At Take Care we use cranial sacral therapy, which can clear the passage ways of the blood, tissue and nervous system. We use microcurrent with Sonäge Collagen Serum which is extracted from Spirulina, to stimulate and tone the tissue. Self care massage techniques can be extremely supportive as well as the home use of Sonäge R&R Peptide-Packed Eye Serum (with Argireline &Acetyl Hexapeptide 8 as a key ingredient). It is a natural muscle relaxant that reduces the appearance of expression lines, producing a Botox like effect. The Sonäge detox stem cell facial at Take Care has been effective in this way and clients can use the protocol at home which includes their Patagonia Berry Stem Cell Mask. 

Are these treatments okay to explore if one has botox?

Absolutely. Our treatments are compatible with Botox and fillers. Our clients that do use Botox feel that they can maximize the time in between injections, by coming in for treatments and by the home use of Sonäge Biosyl Peptide Booster (with EGF epidermal growth factor as a key ingredient). It boosts cellular regeneration and helps alleviate wrinkles and smooths age lines.

Photos: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images, Steve Granitz/ WireImage/ Getty Images