I had never heard of Protective Nourishment until I walked into Sava Spa a few years ago (Go to Spa Section for a review of Sava Spa). As it turns out, Sava is the only place, outside of two spots in Los Angeles, to carry Protective Nourishment in this country! (Hence the relative anonymity). For some, this air of mystique is enough to get you on the A train and up to northern Manhattan, but for those lacking such wanderlust, let me enumerate the many reasons why you should start looking for your Metrocard.
Protective Nourishment produces two amazing products with pumpkin – Pumpkin Enzyme Mask, and Pumpkin Wine Toner. For those who wish they could do microdermabrasion facials at home once a week, you’ve got your wish in the Pumpkin Enzyme Mask. The natural pumpkin enzymes exfoliate, detoxify, nourish and tighten the skin. This is the best facial mask to use before any big event, like a wedding, reunion, etc. since the results bring “skin perfection” in any weather. Pumpkin, that amicable character, is great for all skin types, and this mask is particularly a god-send for rosacea sufferers.
Joanna Czech, owner of Sava Spa and sole retailer of Protective Nourishment products in New York, sums it up enthusiastically and succinctly. “Pumpkin is a miracle for skin care!’ Czech goes on to say, “In my 22 years of experience, these are the best products I have ever come across.”
About two years ago, while getting a facial at Sava, I asked Czech, “If I asked you what one product I should not leave this building without, what would you tell me?” Without even a pause, she replied, “The Pumpkin Wine Toner.” Well, with such conviction, how could I discount her advice? She applied the toner after my facial, and for the rest of the day I could not stop touching my soft, supple skin! Aside from the pumpkin wine, which is one of nature’s best anti-oxidants, the other key ingredients in this toner are amino-guanidine, which supports healthy collagen structure, and green tea extract, another potent anti-oxidant. All of this adds up to softer, smoother, younger-looking skin. Like all pumpkin products, this toner is also beneficial for all skin types, but it’s especially useful for combination skin.
A few helpful tips:
1). Shake the bottle well before each application. The parts settle so you need to shake ’em up and blend ’em before use.
2). Don’t even think of wasting this product by applying it with cotton swabs! Instead, pour a small amount into the palm of your hand and apply with fingertips. You don’t have to rub it in – toner works best left on the skin to be absorbed, not rubbed across it.
3). Apply the toner twice a day, and remember the night-time application is the most important. According to Czech, “No one knows exactly why, but it has been discovered that our faces lose the most hydration between the hours of 1:00am and 3:00am.” Therefore, it is important to have proper hydration in place for maximum absorption. You’ll wake up to soft skin!
4). The Pumpkin Wine Toner is 100% natural, so that means the product has a more limited shelf-life. It should keep for approximately nine months, but honestly it won’t last that long once you get it into your regimen!
5). Put a small amount of toner in a spray bottle and spritz some on after applying your makeup for a healthy, youthful glow.
As Czech advises, “The Pumpkin Wine Toner should be the first thing every woman reaches for in her skin regimen for nourishing and hydrating the skin before applying moisturizer.”
In the two years now that I’ve been using Protective Nourishment’s Pumpkin Wine Toner, I haven’t even looked at another bottle of toner. Normally a “try everything that looks interesting” kinda gal, I have found my toner and I’m sticking to it! Aside from the vast benefits to my face, I am also a sucker for that spicy pumpkin scent, and have giggled to myself when my boyfriend has remarked that I smell “delicious.”
Now, for those less adventurous souls who still can’t see themselves making the journey up to 187th Street, let me ease your suffering and tell you Protective Nourishment products can also be purchased through their website at http://www.protectivenourishment.com.
For the wilder at heart, Sava Spa is at 211 Pinehurst Avenue, between 186th & 187th Streets in Manhattan, just a couple of blocks from the A Train.
