This week we thought we’d share the experience of a new Kindred client and our Grounded ritual with our lead therapist, Natalie. Enjoy!
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I arrived to my appointment at Kindred Toxin Free, for the new Grounded ritual, after a freezing cold ferry ride from the CBD so I was absolutely delighted to be greeted so warmly by Natalie who quickly ushered me into the softly lit treatment room. After giving me a moment to strip down and get comfortable on the treatment table,I felt myself instantly start to relax as I tucked myself underneath a thick fluffy blanket. Natalie began the treatment with a thorough skin assessment, and by asking me how I was feeling this week, whether my energy levels were up or down; whether I was feeling stressed. It was a nice departure from regular facials that tend to focus entirely on the products I was putting on my face and whether I drank enough water (I never do). Once the formalities we’re taken care of Natalie dimmed the lights down and began by resetting the energy with some grounding inhalations. The woody incense was deliciously light and earthy and immediately made me feel at peace as Nat gently guided me to slow my breathing down and let go of the day’s worries.
She then began to prepare the muscles in my legs and feet for their massage by gently wrapping them in hot towels before putting her magic hands to work. Using the Lux Aestiva Gypsy Oil, she went to work easing the tension out of my legs and feet that plague me constantly (the perils of working on the third floor of a building with no elevator). Feeling lighter than air,Natalie then tucked me back under the blanket and proceeded to give me a scalp massage using the Endless Summer Hair Hydrator, also by Lux Aestiva,which she left in as a treatment while she went to work on my skin. I was 20 minutes into my 60 minute treatment and I was already starting to feel the tension in my back and neck dissolve with Natalie’s skilful care.
Now came for the main event, starting with a gentle oil cleanse, Natalie began to gently remove my eye makeup and sunscreen, prepping my skin for a gentle microdermabrasion. Carefully going over my face in smooth strokes, Natalie’s diamond-head micro was thorough but not as aggressive as some of the other micros I’ve had in the past. We then followed with a honey apple mask to soothe skin. It smelled so good I could easily have eaten it!. As she left the mask to do its work, soothing and rehydrating my tired skin ,Natalie continued to massage my neck and shoulders, working out the kinks and knots that have built up from bending over a computer for 8 hours a day. It should go noted that at this point of the ritual I had melted into the bed with all my worries seeming far away
Then came my favourite part, the rose quartz massage or ‘Gua Sha' a gentle and cooling facial massage performed by gently yet firmly 'scraping' a rose quart tool cut specifically for this purpose, and following with the rose quartz roller all over your face, which doubles as a form of lymphatic drainage to give your skin’s circulation a real boost and detoxify any nasties that have been lurking beneath the surface. Then, another sensory element as Nat misted the room with an essential oil spray which was light and pleasant, before placing a wheat bag lightly over my eyes and tucking me into the blankets for the guided meditation. From my snuggly little cocoon I couldn’t see a thing but I could smell the gentle and earthy aroma of white sage as Natalie moved about the room cleansing its energy.
Gently placing her hands on my feet, she then gently guided me through a brief but thoughtful guided meditation urging me to bring mindfulness to my actions, to ground myself in the present and to let go of any negativity - quite frankly at this point I was in such a deep state of relaxation she could have told me to change my name and move to Canada and I would have agreed with her - such is the magic of the ritual.
Just as I was drifting closer and closer to a state of complete comatose Natalie misted the room again, this time with an invigorating mix of oils that immediately sharpened my senses and reminded me that A. it was time to come back to reality and B. I was going to have to somehow muster up the energy to stay awake on the journey back home. Removing the wheat bag from my eyes, Natalie gave my skin a final wipe down to remove any excess product from my face before urging me to return my consciousness back to the room to dress and enjoy a light refreshment of kombucha and an artisanal vegan chocolate by LOCO LOVE.
After giving me a moment alone to re-dress and enjoy my tea in peace, I rejoined Natalie in the waiting room where she greeted me like an old friend and sent me off back into the cold night with a warm hug. While I still can’t quite remember how I made it home that night - though I have my suspicions that it involved floating - I will never forget how the Grounded Ritual made me feel ready to tackle the rest of the week with a calmer mind and noticeably glowing skin.