It's not every day you get an email like the one I received from Holly Green, owner of Norabloom Botanicals and Beauty Lounge in Ithaca, NY. "I am not a full resort or destination spa, however I offer a heck of a facial :) I am an Esthetician and Makeup Artist and I have designed and created my own organic skin care line. Would you be interested in visiting?" Would I? Heck yes!
I had already discovered that Ithaca has quite the spa scene in the summer and fall of 2009 when I made the rounds of the Ithaca Spa Trail.
If I had to create my personalized weather forecast for my visit to Norabloom Beauty Lounge, it would be cloudy, rainy, and in the mid-50's. And that's exactly what Mother Nature delivered the day I drove from Syracuse to Ithaca in early June to experience Holly's famous pampering. The weather was made-to-order for tucking into the spa-like setting of a warm, thickly cushioned massage bed for my facial.
I didn't even have my rain-soaked self completely in the door yet and Holly's Southern hospitality and charm were already evident. She offered a cool shot of carrot juice, vanilla chai or mocha cappuccino or a warm sip of organic tea. You can take the girl out of North Carolina, but you can't take the sweet sound of the south out of the girl. After almost a decade in Ithaca, you can hear the faintest sound of the south that is part of Holly's charm. I settled into the calming setting that Holly has created with moss green walls, dark furniture, and chocolate brown accents to learn about how Norabloom got started.
" I started my career in North Carolina (my home state) in Massage Therapy in 1997. I was asked by a local spa in NC to assist Estheticians in making their facial treatment more graceful and enjoyable and ease them out of their "textbook facial routine". I was so excited because I had never even had a facial before, this was my first real spa experience as well. I worked with the lead Esthetician for a few weeks. By the end of the "training or tweaking", not only was I hooked on facials, I was so moved and inspired that I signed up for beauty school/Esthetics the very next day. It happened to be the last day of registration and the last spot. It was truly meant to be. I was so moved by the combination of flow, grace, nurturing and all the aspects of Esthetics."
Another year passed and Holly moved to Ithaca, where she wanted to be a stay-at-home mom to her three-year old daughter, so she began giving facials in a shop in her home so she could have flexibility. The unintended business began to grow and after a few more years, Holly wrote the self published book "Goddess Glow" and started her own natural skin care line called Norabloom Botanicals. Eventually, she relocated to the downtown Ithaca location where Norabloom Beauty Lounge is now. Holly sees female clients four or five days a week for her signature facials, microdermabrasion, organic fruit peels, waxing, and mineral makeup services.
How to describe one of Holly's Signature Facials? "A holistic-style approach to modern, results-oriented natural skin care". It's not just about topical skin care and massage - these treatments have the capacity to unlock inner beauty and treat the client from the inside and out. Holly is one of the most nurturing professionals I've worked with. My relaxation and comfort while I was under her care was of the utmost importance. The facial was anything but perfunctory. And she gives one of the best, most vigorous facial massages in the business. My experience was nothing short of fantastic. The true testament to Holly's work came later that day when I visited some relatives I only see a few times a year who commented that I looked just like I did when I was 15 years old. Thanks Holly!
The 18 face and body products that make up Norabloom Botanicals and the 14 mineral makeup products are made with the same passion and care that Holly puts into her facials: natural, organic, paraben-free and petroleum-free. When my facial was over and I had to emerge from the most comfortable treatment table ever, I was already planning my return visit.
Norabloom Botanicals, LLC
& Beauty Lounge
web: www.norabloom.com
email: norabloomskincare@yahoo.com
beauty blog: http://norabloom.blogspot.com
location: 313 N. Tioga Street, Ithaca, NY 14850
phone: 607-592-8222
Current Beauty Lounge Hours
By Appointment Only M-F 9 to 5
As is common in the spa industry, the writer was provided with a facial at no charge in order to write about her experiences at Norabloom Beauty Lounge. While it did not influence this review, Examiner.com believes in full disclosure.
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