Chocolate without guilt? It was too good to pass up. Perez Salon & Day Spa offered a chocolate facial for $125 that involved warm chocolate spread all over my face. I didn’t need to hear more before I signed up.
This new day spa—there’s also a location in Rockville—is part of the “collection” of upscale stores in Chevy Chase. The salon has wisely chosen not to compete with the glitz around it—everything is soft white and streamlined. My esthetician, Marilyn Carroll, led me to a spacious treatment room, settled me on a heated bed, tucked covers around me, and dimmed the lights. Before she began to cleanse my face, she made sure that I was comfortable with pillows under my neck and my knees. I felt pampered.
Carroll said that she loves doing the chocolate facial. The aroma was contagious. But I wanted to look delicious, too, and asked about antiaging treatments and ways to combat dull skin tone.
The chocolate was actually the dessert, she explained. After cleansing, exfoliation, extractions, and moisturizing, my face would be coated with a vitamin-C serum that combats signs of aging. A warm cocoa mixture was applied on top to help my skin absorb the serum. I was so warm and cozy that I was amenable to anything that allowed me to stay right there.
I normally have a hard time sitting still for an hourlong treatment. This time, 75 minutes went by in a flash.
At the end of the treatment, Carroll gave me samples of some Bioelements products she thought I might like to try to increase exfoliation and brighten my skin. There was no pressure to buy anything. As I left, she offered me some dark chocolate. There were healthier snacks, but I went for the chocolate. After all, when Carroll applied the warm cocoa to my face, I hadn’t even asked to lick the spoon.
