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The Skin Flick

Dermapeels and facials rejuvenate and refresh at Spaghetti & Ravioli By Dara Colwell Late hours, days locked into the computer downing sugary soft drinks and exposure to the elements (be it MUNI or its dense human cargo) can assault even the best of complexions, leaving dull, wrinkled skin in its wake. But in the few minutes most of us grab for lunch, skin rejuvenation can be as easy as slipping off the streets and into Spaghetti & Ravioli's salon and day spa. An upscale experience for the fashion-forward dermacentric, a facial or body treatment is as therapeutic as it is cleansing. I waltzed (extremely caffeinated) into the salon's spa room, and the flickering candles and blue cobalt bottles filled with aromatic creams instantly put me on a relaxed track. I happily de-robed and slipped onto the heated massage table, ready to slough off some skin. There are a number of treatments to choose from depending on how problematic your skin is and, of course, where you would like it to be revived. From detoxing herbal body wraps to glycolic acid peels, treatments range from $25 for a 30-minute hand and foot job to $125 for a 90-minute, might-as-well-take-the-entire-afternoon-off head-to-toe reviver. Estheticians Leslie Nichols and Devin Romero run the show: Nichols specializes in neck-down body treatment, while Romero prefers to work from the neck up. Admittedly, he says, he likes to squeeze. "Blackheads just aren't macho," he reflects. Nichols, wrapped in a silver apron, gave me a hydrating body polish--a shower-free treatment which began with a cool and cleansing exfoliation gel, followed by an all-over loofah and a foot massage. The gels and body oils, mostly from the Parisian Yon-ka line, are an incredible concoction of fruit-based, organic cleansers laced with rosemary, lavender, geranium and cypress. Between the gels and the flannel-covered down blanket Nichols wrapped me in before the facial, I forgot what it was to have ever been unhappy. The skin resurfacing facial Romero gave me was similarly aromatic. Again from the Yon-ka line, the facial cleansers are fruit-derived exfoliants which make the skin tingle, leaving it smooth and young enough to get you carded at the local liquor store. Romero says the process is analogous to being on an escalator: skin cells move up through layers to the top but if the top is crowded by dead skin (like, for instance, some diva with too many shopping bags is blocking the way), the cells get stuck and never make it to lingerie. By stripping dead cells off, there's motion and the skin looks renewed, whatever the state of your wrinkles . Spaghetti and Ravioli is located at 210 Fillmore @ Waller. [ San Francisco | MetroActive Central | Archives ]