User post: The Pumpkin Perfecting Facial at the Eau Spa


Pumpkin Facial at The Ritz-Carlton Palm Beach
Pumpkin Facial at The Ritz-Carlton Palm Beach


I mentioned in my OOTD post earlier this week on Fierce, I had the chance to revisit the Eau Spa at the Ritz Carlton West Palm Beach this past Saturday to. The Eau Spa is the first spas I ever reviewed and I was happy to be back! This time I was treated to their season treat - The Pumpkin Perfecting Facial. It's part of the hotel's Pumpkin Palooza program going on just in time for Halloween. "Pumpkin is a super-ingredient for the skin and a powerful anti-oxidant," said Spa Director Kristin Carpenter, "it is high in zinc, beta carotene, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, and Vitamin A so not only does it help fight the free radicals that are believed to cause aging but it is also acts as a natural cleanser that exfoliates, soothes and softens your skin. Plus, it smells good enough to eat!" Nancy, who gave me my facial for the day explained to me that the acid in Pumpkin that forms once it goes passed its prime is what's used for glycolic peels (Learn something new every day!)


Eau Spa Swings
Eau Spa Swings

I arrived 45 minutes early, giving me enough time to get into my terry robe and flip flops and lounge around the Self Centered garden. The lounge areas are great but my absolute favorite thing to do there is sit in one of the water swings. You are literally sitting in an egg shaped chair suspended from a pergola with your feet gently splashing in ankle deep water. If you do nothing else when you come here, you have to check out these swings! Between the gentle rocking back and forth, the water on your feet, and the soft sound of the water wall in the background, you can't help but feel super relaxed.


Nancy showed me to the room and got it ready for the facial. Each room can be set to three different moods. If you choose Pause, you'll get soft Purple lighting, lavender aromatherapy, and soft music to enjoy during your treatment. With Play you have orange and pinkish lighting, a great smell of orangey type scents, and little more upbeat music. I chose Perfect with the cool blue and turquoise lighting with worldly music playing in the background as I breathed in a mixture of lavender and orange peel scents.


The 90 minute treatment started with cleansing my skin, which included using a Clarisonic type brush. I was like this cleanser's scrubber times ten, really getting into those pores. Next it was time to analyze my face for trouble spots. Mine are my hairline from using more oils in my hair than I used to, my nose which always has big pores, and my jaw line that likes to break out all the time. Nancy explained is from a change in my hormone levels which is very normal (man the big 30 is playing no games with me! LOL). After that I was ready to get the pumpkin and let me tell you, it smelled so good! It was like having a light pumpkin pie filling (with extra cinnamon!) on my face. It felt cool when it went on and then you could feel it go to work. Nancy warned me of a slight burning sensation and she wasn't kidding! It was a bit uncomfortable at first but after a few minutes it calmed down, feeling the way Icy Hot does when you put it on (sorry there was no other way I could explain that!) While the mask was on, I got a nice foot massage which is always awesome.


Once the mask was off, my skin was ready for extractions, which are never fun but necessary. It's like eye brow waxing - you hate the process but love the results. My skin was a lot smoother afterwards so I sucked it up and when the oxygen facial mask was put on, it made that experience go away! It was very similar to what I had at the Bliss Spa and Nancy explained that these masks help calm and soothe the skin, keeping redness and irritation away. While that mask went to work I had a much needed foot exfoliating scrub and a soy oil hand massage that left my skin super soft. Loved that!

Before having my facial. Notice the Shiny Monster in my T-zone. :)
Before having my facial. Notice the Shiny Monster in my T-zone. :)


After my facial in my comfy terry robe.
After my facial in my comfy terry robe.


Overall I really liked this facial. My skin was so nice and smooth I didn't want to put on makeup after! My T-zone was in check too, not as shiny as it was from my last facial. I was also so relaxed between the massages and the atmosphere of the room that I didn't go straight home. I took one more go on those swings and then forced myself to go home before I fell asleep!


Would you have a Pumpkin Perfecting Facial?


Photos courtesy of: Ritz Carlton

FTC Disclosure: Service mentioned in this review was received as a complimentary service.