L'Bel Spa Mobile
A San Diego date with a traveling spa
It’s three minutes before my 2 p.m. appointment and I’m racing through Horton Plaza. I’m familiar with this mall but there’s something unique about my destination: It has no stationary address. At 2 on the dot, L’Bel Spa Mobile, the 40-foot traveling wonder, appears around the corner.
The massive RV’s walls depict a pale blue silhouette of the Eiffel Tower and a gorgeous woman with the skin of my dreams. In the center of it all reads, “L’Bel: The Power of Your Beauty.” I’m greeted by a plethora of smiling faces, including that of L’Bel skin care expert John Krites, and I’m curious about what’s in store for me. As we board the mother ship, I can’t help but imagine my uncle’s fishing gear and ’70s motor home décor might be waiting inside.
I couldn’t be more wrong. The interior is sleek and modern, and equipped with every luxurious detail of a high-end spa. In the front are two colossal mirrors, a full make-up counter and a computer. I take a seat in a plush white leather stool and before I can ask what a computer has to do with my facial, John busts open a drawer lined with science-fiction-looking gadgets. He explains that L’Bel Paris’ unique approach to skin care mixes a deeply rooted Parisian tradition of fine beauty products with cutting-edge technology.
Placing several strange sensors against my skin, he turns to the computer to compile a detailed examination of my elasticity, moisture and fine-line levels. I listen intently to his feedback—I’ve never been so intrigued by my own skin. Based on the results of my report he explains which products will be most beneficial for me. He also describes one of the secrets of L’Bel skin care line: a focus not only on skin type, but age group as well. This allows L’Bel to break its products down into four distinct groups: prevention, correction, repair and counteraction.
With my skin officially documented, it’s time for my facial. I open a white sliding door to the back of the room, which is just as impressively sleek and well equipped as the front. Three luxurious salon chairs sit across from beautiful flat-screen monitors, each displaying a fresh and watery montage of L’Bel products. My aesthetician is extremely friendly and somehow, like all aestheticians, possesses an incredibly soothing voice. She applies a wonderfully fragrant foaming cleanser, a gel-based toner and a creamy moisturizer, all personally suited to my skin. I touch my face when she’s done and I don’t recognize the feeling.
Relaxed and refreshed, I head back to the front and take a seat at the make-up counter. A make-up woman reminds me it isn’t good to apply much make-up after a facial but assures me she’ll give me the finish I need to return to the public world. She also recommends I wear lavender eye shadow more often. Ingenious.
Thanking John and the rest of the staff, I hesitate for a moment at the top of the stairs of my motor asylum before descending into the bustling street. I’m more relaxed than I’ve been all day, which reminds me that pampering yourself isn’t frivolous if it helps replenish a sense of balance and serenity. L’Bel Paris has a unique approach to the spa experience and possesses a genuine passion for targeting an individual’s skin care needs and desires. In addition to its extensive skin care line, L’Bel offers fragrances and cosmetics. Launching a beauty line could be a daunting task in a country overflowing with products, but L’Bel seems to have found its own distinctive niche.
The L’Bel Spa Mobile will be in San Diego through November 25. For locations and times, visit eltondesigns.com/Lbel_IPK/mobile/sandiego.html.
For information on L’Bel Paris, go to lbel.com.
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