Urban Zen at The Organic Pharmacy, Beverly Hills

Urban-Zen-Organic-Pharmacy[Image: Courtesy of The Organic Pharmacy]Situated in the heart of Beverly Hills, a pleasant stroll from palm-fringed Rodeo Drive, The Organic Pharmacy feels like a secret hideaway. Zipped in by boutiques on North Beverly Drive, the skincare shop/urban spa is one of only two locations in the U.S.—the other is in New York—for the London-based brand, which was launched in 2002 by licensed pharmacist and homeopath Margo Marrone.

The storefront resembles a dispensary for its rows of amber bottles filled with tinctures, salves and supplements, all made in the brand’s London factory with pharmaceutical-grade herbal extracts. Such an organized space would be a respite for anyone’s busy mind. And because mine seems to whirr with thoughts of work, news and world affairs continuously, I visited on a Wednesday for a tune-up: first a wellness consult; then, a signature Rose Crystal Lymphatic Facial.

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First Impressions
Who knew the scent of tuberose could quiet a chatty mind? That, and the prompt attentiveness of two staff members (wellness consultant Urvi Radia and esthetician Akemi Yagi), calmed me right away. Urvi ushered me to a quaint waiting area at the back of the shop, where I sipped mint tea and filled out a personal consultation form. Directly to my right were two doors, one that opened to a cozy office and the other to a treatment room. And with just enough room in the space for me alone, the one-on-one attention felt like a rare treat. I didn’t even miss the robes and slippers.

The Services
The Health Assessment/Quantum Electro interstitial Body Scan (90 min./$200; Spa Week promotion: $50) started with a discussion about my lifestyle. Urvi, who holds a Masters of Science in Homeopathic Medicine, talked me through my completed form, asked what ails me, listened as I unloaded my burdens, and navigated what ended up being a frank and open conversation that felt therapeutic in itself. The session ended with the Quantum device: As I placed both palms and bare soles onto metallic plates hooked to a laptop, a very low voltage electric current passed through my body, scanning interstitial fluid for acidity and alkalinity. This would provide feedback on the state of my hormones, digestion, toxicity, body mass and more. “It’s absolutely noninvasive and doesn’t include any blood work or radiation. However, the results are 95%-99% accurate to blood work,” Urvi says. The results were revealed after the facial.

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All the products used in the Rose Lymphatic Facial (60 min./$150; Spa Week: $50) smelled like fresh flowers, which felt comforting and nurturing. Akemi washed off my makeup with the brand’s best-selling carrot butter cleanser before analyzing my skin (lots of blocked pores from too much travel, apparently!) and applying an exfoliating flower petal mask paired with a relaxing hand massage. Then, under steam, my skin soaked in rosehip oil, both to protect it and also to make extractions easier. (Later, I could feel my skin “breathing.”) While a seaweed clay mask purified, drawing out toxins and tightening my pores, I drifted off to sleep during the scalp massage. Rare is the therapist who makes me feel comfortable enough to doze; Akemi continued with facial acupressure and a lymphatic drainage massage using the rose quartz, said to remove waste and brighten the skin. My face did look glowy, and I am sure it was also thanks to a nourishing honey and jasmine moisture mask and rose rejuvenating cream with SPF 25—which allowed me to walk into the sunshine, makeup-free, under sunglasses.

Noteworthy
A 15-minute follow-up of my Quantum results with Urvi showed that increased blood lipid concentration could be the underlying cause for potential hepatic troubles. Basically, I needed to cleanse my liver. Also, among other things, potential emotional disorders could be helped by reducing stress. Urvi not only armed me with a sample of the carrot butter cleanser, but also recommended a list of what I should and shouldn’t eat (more almonds; fewer croissants) plus Detox capsules, and stress-relieving B Complex capsules. The cherry on top? I’d gained back some headspace!

‑by Marina Kay

 

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