Coming Back to Life in Spring

The blue hour was settling over the far-off hills as I was approaching the BALNEA reserve. Isabelle Côté, master aesthetician, was waiting for me to give me my first care. She was recommended to me by several people for her great expertise and her more than twenty years of experience in the field.

Upon my arrival, I followed her to a room she had prepared for me with soft lighting, tea candles and ambiance music. Isabelle started by explaining to me, in her appeasing voice, which care she had specially concocted for me. She opted for an oxygen-infused serum care for a deep hydration and facial oxygenation. This treatment is performed in a series of steps to tone the skin: a serum infusion of pure oxygen followed by an edelweiss white clay mask and a heated stone massage. “What’s unique about these cares is that they are given with personalized products for each client; a selection of natural products, pure, vegan and non-animal tested. I love working with them; I create an amalgam according to the needs of each person’s skin.”

She choreographs the application of different medico-aesthetic quality creams, serums and masks that brought me to a state of immense wellness. Isabelle softly massaged the skin of my face, my neck and my shoulders. “My passion is to make people happy, to make them feel good.” She tells me, when I ask her where she finds the energy to be so attentive to her clients. “For me, it’s not just about beauty, but rather about wellbeing, more than anything else. I love knowing I’ve made a difference for the guests.”

Neem and coconut oil, cocoa or other antioxidant and hydrating masks that, each in turn, covered my body and my face. Isabelle alternated cold and heat with steamed towels and cold stones placed on my forehead: “They’re jade stones. Their purpose is to awaken the senses, to energize and firm the skin.”

Isabelle applied herself to oxygenate my face using a small instrument with a glass beak which, to my surprise, truly insufflated real oxygen! A new invigorating sensation with hallucinating results: my skin was hydrated, radiant and plump.

Through her know-how and her comforting approach, Isabelle inspired me to take better care of myself. I realized that this type of care has so many benefits and is accessible to everyone, no matter their age or lifestyle. I felt beautiful and toned; my skin was more radiant than ever, just in time for summer.