Many people choose to combat the signs of aging by getting injectables or surgical facelifts, but – despite having aspects of my skin upon which I would like to improve – this was never a route I wanted to take. So I was definitely intrigued when I heard about Province Apothecary’s Natural Facelift Ritual, which seemed to suggest results without needles, chemicals, or knives.
{A Natural Facelift with Province Apothecary}
Disclaimer: the Jade Facial Roller was provided to me at no cost for editorial consideration. All opinions are my own.
Here’s the thing: if you are interested in using injectables or getting surgical alterations, are financially able to do so, and are happy with the results – that’s great! Millions of people around the world use these methods to enhance their looks and feel confident and fabulous, which is awesome. For me, however, these types of procedures have never really been an option. I have incredibly sensitive skin, so I try to use natural products whenever possible; I definitely can’t afford the hefty price tag; and, perhaps most significantly, the classic “Before/After” photos often used to market these procedures trigger some emotional and health challenges I’ve faced in the past. And yet, despite not wanting to go the surgical route, the fine lines, discoloration, and uneven texture on my face really do bother me. What’s a girl to do?
Province Apothecary
Julie Clark, founder of Toronto’s Province Apothecary (PA), may just have the answer with her Natural Facelift Ritual. Through her own struggles with allergies and eczema, as well as years of working with clients as a Holistic Esthetician, Julie became intimately aware of the challenging and emotional relationship so many of us have with our skin.
This motivated Julie to develop the Natural Facelift Ritual, a simple, daily routine giving clients a way to nurture a healthy relationship with what they see in the mirror. Of course, the benefits are not solely emotional: use of this two-part routine can increase overall skin health, which in turn helps products and in-clinic treatments work with even greater effectiveness. “I try to empower all of our clients to truly love their skin,” says Julie on the PA website, “and that starts by touching it with positive, healing, loving intention.”
The Natural Facelift Ritual
Julie’s skincare philosophy really resonated with me, so I decided to give her Natural Facelift Ritual a try. I’ve completed the ritual twice daily for the past three weeks, supplementing it by using PA’s Dual-Action Jade Facial Roller ($44).
The Natural Facelift Ritual, consisting of acupressure points and facial massage, is designed to:
- encourage blood flow and collagen production
- help develop skin elasticity
- reduce fine lines
- improve skin texture
- ease tension held in the facial muscles.
Quite the big promises for such a seemingly simple routine! But, ultimately, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed going through the steps each day: the entire procedure is simple to follow, quick to execute, and requires nothing except your hands and some serum to help ease friction on your skin. (Julie recommends using PA’s Rejuvenating & Hydrating Face Serum ($26), but I’ve been using IMAGE Skincare’s ACE Serum). The acupressure portion of the ritual wakes me right up: I feel alert, refreshed, and ready to take on the day; after the massage portion, I feel calm, centred, and like a self-care queen.
Once you get the hang of the placement for the acupressure and the order of the massage steps, the whole routine takes only a few minutes from start to finish. PA even provides a handy infographic to help you remember the steps! (And an instructional video on their website, in case you want to follow along with that, too.)
The Jade Facial Roller
If you’re just looking to learn about the Natural Facelift Ritual, then you’re all set with the information above. If, however, you’re interested in making your daily skincare even more luxurious, I would definitely recommend finishing off your routine with Province Apothecary’s Dual-Action Jade Facial Roller.
First of its kind on the market to have two different textured ends, PA’s Roller helps amplify the benefits of the Natural Facelift Ritual. The smooth end cools and calms the skin, reducing puffiness and encouraging lymphatic function. The studded end is Julie’s holistic alternative to micro-needling. This end reaches the deep dermis layer of skin to improve elasticity and gently exfoliate without creating the tiny puncture wounds that traditional derma-rollers do.
Some of my favourite things about the PA Jade Facial Roller:
- It feels incredible. Cool and silky or invigoratingly textured, depending on the side you’re using.
- It’s gorgeous. The soft green and silver colours of the Roller make it a beautiful addition to a vanity or skincare kit.
- It’s easy it is to care for. Just wash with gentle soap, rinse, and pat dry.
- It’s sustainable. The high-quality Xiuyan Jade doesn’t have to be replaced after use, meaning you won’t need to repurchase or recycle any plastic roller heads.
If you’re planning on incorporating the Jade Facial Roller into your Natural Facelift Routine, simply follow your massage with the smooth end in the morning, and book-end your evening routine by using the studded end prior to the massage, and the smooth end afterwards.
A Surprising Outcome
So, did this routine give me natural facelift?
Well, after just a few weeks, I can’t yet say for sure if the ritual has sculpted my face or banished my fine lines. I can say, however, that it has already made a powerful change in my relationship with my skin.
As a beauty blogger, taking selfies is part of my job. Showing off a makeup look, demonstrating techniques, testing out new products – all of these things require my face as much as they require my writing. And, to be honest, that’s the aspect of this job that I struggle with the most. Posting a picture of myself on the website or on Instagram is the result of hours of work: dozens (or, sometimes, hundreds) of snaps taken, sorted through, edited, discussed, selected, re-edited, deleted, re-attempted. I love what I do, but, to be frank, I don’t love the face that has gotten me here.
Time to get a bit real with you: for years, I have been weighed down by insecurity and self-doubt bordering on self-hatred. Looking in the mirror meant me criticizing every little imperfection, whispering cruel comments to myself, and obsessively applying makeup to disguise what I saw. I spent a long time hiding behind a shield of products because I only felt acceptable when my skin was completely covered, and any time I touched my face, it was to poke and prod at what I didn’t like. So while it may seem like an insignificant change, to me it’s monumental: following Province Apothecary’s Natural Facelift Ritual each day has begun to shift how I treat my skin.
Over the past few weeks, I have learned to touch my skin gently and lovingly. I have taken time each day to care for myself and to try to look at myself in the mirror in a peaceful way. I have felt the unique geography of my face, noticing the details that contribute to my image and the small changes that occur on my skin from day to day. I have allowed myself – for the first time in a very long time – to see the acne scars, to see the areas of rosacea, to see the fine lines and irregular freckle clusters and a face wider than it used to be – and to not look away. By altering the intention with which I touch my face, I now know how freeing it can be to treat my skin with kindness. This feeling has, in turn, left me with a glow no highlighter or chemical peel could ever produce.
It may seem counterintuitive, but the biggest change I’ve noticed in my weeks of following Province Apothecary’s Natural Facelift Ritual is in my ability to look in the mirror and accept what I see.
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