Something different today.
Well hello there! Something different today. A couple of weeks ago, I got the chance to get a facial treatment (‘gezichtsbehandeling‘) from Treatwell and went for a Connective Tissue Massage (CTM), better known as a ‘bindweefsel massage’ in Dutch. Because of the good reviews, I chose to get the CTM done at Éclairé huidverzorging in Arnhem. For today I thought it was fun to tell you a little more about this kind of facial treatment – so you know if it’s for you – and my experience with it. Disclaimer: you are about to look at a shitload of pictures, since my beautiful mom was very happy to click her afternoon. Thank you, mama!
So when you walk into Éclairé, skincare specialist Patricia is welcoming you with a cup of coffee/tea and a quick quiz on your skin type. It’s important for her to know which products you’re currently already using for your skin, if you’re using medicines that might influence the condition of your skin, if you have (or have had) any skin troubles in the past, et cetera. For myself, it was important for her to know that I’ve started using Isotretinoin back in September 2014 and that the results so far have been amazing. I was so happy to hear that she told me my skin looked really good. Suddenly I realized how much my skin has changed since I started seeing my dermatologist back in September. I’m so grateful for that. So yeah, after this quick chat and a caffeine shot, we went to the actual treatment room with the massage table where ‘all the magic’ was supposed to happen. The atmosphere was intimate and clean and the relaxing music helped me get into the right frame of mind.
We started off with cleaning and moisturizing my face. As you can see, Patricia works with products from Maria Galland, which I love, so instant skin happiness for me. Once she started, the massage felt so intense and wonderful that I almost instantly felt sleepy and relaxed at the same time. My mind was completely at ease and all my to-do-lists seemed very far away. I could easily imagine myself in Thailand on a beautiful beach or so. Then, Patricia went onto the actual CT massage and explained me how this facial massage can lessen wrinkles and expression lines, improves circulation and flushes lymph and toxins. During the treatment, over ninety face muscles are massaged while also acupressure points are activated. After just one treatment, your skin is already supposed to glide more smoothly over the deeper layers of facial muscle and bone and will thus feel and look much more healthier.
As you can see, the facial CT massage works by sort of ‘rolling’ the skin in tiny movements, which is releasing deep-seated tensions, freeing layers of muscle and connective tissue so that there is space for the muscles to relax, encouraging an opening so that micro-circulation and lymph drainage can begin again and the tissues can glide smoothly over the deeper layers of muscle and bone. Hence, the red face.
When the massage session ended (lasted for about an hour), I received a gentle mask suitable for my skin type, a day and eye moisturizer, and Patricia applied a bit of make-up here and there. A little on my brows, little on my eyes and the cheeks.
Yeah, good to go! So, what’s the verdict? Honestly, booking at Treatwell is super easy and convenient. First you go to the homepage and search for city and type of treatment. Or search directly for the name of the salon. This brings you to a search results page. Then you can filter and sort to your heart’s content. Once you found your favorite salon, you just click on ‘Book now’, choose your preferred treatment from the list of treatments and your preferred date and time in the calendar. Voilà! You have booked your treatment and will receive a confirmation e-mail. What I really like about Treatwell is that you can compare so many salons within minutes. When it comes to the Connective Tissue Massage, I can now tell you by experience that it does give you instant results. Don’t except your skin to look years and years younger right after one treatment, but do except a noticeable improvement of blood circulating to the surface and the total appearance of your face, which looks smoother and less puffy, which is awesome! 
So tell me, you, yes you, do you have any experience with (Deep) Connective Tissue Massage (again: ‘bindweefselmassage’ in Dutch)? And if you do, tell us your horror / success stories! If not, do you think it’s something you would like?
