Spa at Home with Arcona Natural Skincare Products

Arcona Spa recommends five basic products and easy steps for best skincare.

A few weeks ago I was treated to an elegant night at the Arcona Spa in Santa Monica sponsored by Arcona Spa and Glade Fragrance.  If you are not living in Los Angeles, you may not have heard of Arcona’s line of natural skin-care products. The line was founded in 1989 by a women named, you guessed it, Arcona. Way before Stella McCartney and Whole Foods bought organic beauty products to the masses, there was Arcona.  Today, you can buy Arcona Spa products at your local Nordstrom store or online at Nordstrom.com.

I have used Arcona on and off for the last few years, long before they invited me to their spa night.  Whenever I was stressed and had a skin outbreak, I used to love getting an Arcona facial with their Cranberry gommage  exfoliant and papaya enzyme facial at Spa Mystique (now Equinox)  in Los Angeles.   When Spa Mystique went out of business , I searched in vain to find a place to buy Arcona products.   For a while, I bought their wonderful products on eBay and even Amazon where they are sold at discounted prices.  I can tell you, when I use their products, my skin loves it.  Why?  Because it’s like putting natural vitamins and enzymes from plants, fruits and vegetables on your skin.  The products are cold-processed, which means they are not heated  or cooked before they come to you.  So the nutrients have not been cooked out. It’s an interesting approach to say the least.  Especially in an era when most of what we consume and use on our bodies is full of chemicals and preservatives.  I’m not a dermatologist, but I have spent a lot of money going to them over the years, and beyond prescription strength Retinal gel, there are a few things that I know my skin likes. Arcona is one of them.

The thing about Arcona is you can learn about the products in a spa, and then buy a few products to spa at home for less. My recommendations are the following products that I tried:

Arcona Spa Cranberry gommage exfoliant $42.00 US;  it sounds funky, but it works.  First it sloughs away the dead skin.  Then it helps protect skin with anti-oxidants.  It’s like putting some very grainy berries on your face, but it works.

Arcona Spa Raspberry clarifying pads and Raspberry resurfacing peel.  My skin tends to be oily and I still get little acne outbreaks.  As I age, I am grateful for the excess oil as it does help protect me from wrinkles.  These two Raspberry products not only smell delicious, they leave the skin ( at least my skin glowing.)  I use the pads to take off my make-up, although I admit it is a splurge to use these.  They are just a little extra treat.   However, the Raspberry resurfacing peel I view as more of an essential.   It improves skin circulation, and does leave you with a rosy glow. After you remove it, you won’t need make-up for quite awhile.   The resurfacing peel is $68.00 US, but the jar does last a while.  If you use it once or twice a week, you will see a difference.  It helps to smooth the skin and maybe even repair a little sun damage.  For my skin, I am willing to splurge.  If there is one Arcona product that I think is essential, at least for me, it’s the Raspberry resurfacing peel  If you have been paying big bucks to go to the dermo for glycolic peels, you might want to check this out.

Arcona Spa also makes a line of very pleasant cleansers and hydrating products.  Their Arcona Spa Wine Hydrating Mask won an Editor’s Choice award  from Allure Magazine.  I mean think about it, I love me some Oil of Olay, but this wine cream $38.00 US from Arcona is divine. Wouldn’t you really rather have some good wine on your skin? 🙂 I recommend trying it at home while sipping some good Pinot Noir.  Also, do check out their Basic Five for skin care.  It’s a good way to get  a nourishing skin care regimen at home.  I like the Basic Five as a prescription for skin care, but to be honest, I sometimes lack the commitment to stay with a phased-in skin care regime, regardless of who makes it.  My favorite, easy to use product from the Basic Five is the delicious berry smelling Arcona Triad Toner Pads ($30.00 US) for easy make-up removal.  It’s a little pricey, but it’s a nice splurge if you are willing to spend on taking off make-up quickly before falling into bed into a dead sleep.

Since the average trip to the Spa for a facial is about $100.00 US, you might want to treat yourself at home to a Spa night.  Light up the new Glade Lemongrass & Citrus Candle, which you can get at the drugstore, and turn on some Enya music and you are all set.  I actually enjoyed a little Arcona spa treatment at home over the Labor Day weekend, and it turned out, pretty good. Fool proof in fact.  Just read the label and follow the instructions, it is literally fool proof.

If you live outside Los Angeles, check the Arcona website  or Nordstrom to find out where you might be able to find the products in your area.  If you call the Santa Monica location, ask them for some advice on the products.  The Santa Monica Arcona Spa  team is very customer service oriented.   They accessed my skin, made recommendations, and helped me learn how to pick the best products for my skin type.  Even better, they advised me on the best ways to get savings.  If you order direct from Arcona Spa , just make sure they aren’t selling you a trial size. If it’s the same size as the Arcona website, and the seller has good feedback, then you’ve found a deal.   Although Arcona treated me to some sample products and a free 20 minute facial, that’s not why I am writing this review.  I now get many offers a week to receive free products, and I am getting very choosy about what I accept and write about. Arcona Spa offers quality products. They may be a little bit more pricey than other products on the market, but if you’re looking for natural products, that deliver results without chemicals or invasive procedures, you’ll definitely want to check out Arcona Spa.