Making Sense of Skin Care

Skin Sense Wellness by Marion Simms is tucked between a hair salon and St. Nicks Pub on Third St. near the Beverly Center – it's easy to miss if you don't have an eye out for the unassuming purple awning above the front door. But business has been thriving in this location for the past 15 years, so plenty of people seem to have had no trouble finding it.

And they're lucky they did, as were we when we arrived for our appointment with Marion Simms herself in early November. With her charming British accent and solicitous manner, Marion made us feel well cared-for as soon as we stepped through her door. What's more, she's been tending skin for over 20 years, so we felt supremely comfortable in her capable hands.

Marion treated us to a Hot Stone facial, a 90-minute-plus treatment that incorporates soothing massage elements into a comprehensive facial. We became more and more deeply relaxed as she went about the process of cleansing, moisturizing, extracting (her extraordinarily light touch was much appreciated here), and more moisturizing. Skin Sense incorporates essential oil aromatherapy into their treatments, and their facial products smell divine without being too perfume-y.

As a moisturizing mask nourished our skin, Marion went to work massaging our feet and lower legs, and our head, neck and shoulders. Her touch was so calming that we were resisting the urge to fall asleep by the time our treatment ended.

Review originally published 1/19/2006.