Why We Talk About What Comes Next

At the end of a treatment, we usually ask more than, “How was everything?”

By then, the conversation has already been going on for an hour.

Your massage therapist has learned where you’re holding tension and how your body responds to different kinds of work. Your esthetician has spent time looking closely at your skin, noticing what it needs and how it responds throughout your facial.

Those last few minutes are part of the treatment, too.

It’s why we don’t rush you off the table. And it’s why your practitioner will often talk with you about what they noticed, what you can do at home, or when it might make sense to come back.

Personalized care means paying attention to how your skin or body responds, not just during one appointment, but over time.

Sometimes that means another appointment in four or six weeks. Sometimes sooner. Sometimes later.

The recommendation depends on you.

If your esthetician feels your skin is in a good place to continue building on the work you’ve begun, they’ll tell you. If your massage therapist notices an area that would benefit from more attention, they’ll tell you that too.

That isn’t something we say automatically at the end of every appointment. It’s part of having experienced practitioners pay attention to what is actually happening in the treatment room.

And there is a real benefit to continuity.

The second visit is different from the first because we know more. We know how your skin responded after your facial. We know whether that shoulder tension returned immediately or gradually. We know what worked well, what we might change, and where we want to spend more time.

We don’t start from zero again.

For someone who has been coming to The Fifth Om for months or years, the conversation changes again. At that point, regular massage, facials or other wellness treatments may simply become part of the rhythm that helps you feel your best.

There is no one schedule that is right for everyone.

Our job is to give you good information, make a thoughtful recommendation and help you understand your options. What you choose to do with that recommendation is always yours.

That same philosophy carries through to the front desk. Rather than sending you out the door with a vague “come back anytime,” we’d rather help you leave knowing what your practitioner recommended and why.

Not because every visit needs to lead immediately to another appointment.

Because good care should leave you with a little more understanding of your own skin, your body and what supports you best.

And if you decide to return, we’ll know where we left off.

The Fifth Om
Holistic skincare, massage therapy + wellness
Downtown Kennebunk, Maine

Your Skin Has Been Working Hard This Summer

There are certain things we come to expect this time of year: cookouts, beach walks, more time at the park… Nearly all of it revolves around being outdoors. With our long New England winters, we happily accept summer's invitation to spend more time outside.

And that means our skin is out there too.

Over the past few weeks, we've noticed a common thread among many of the clients coming in for facials. Whether they're local or visiting for a few days, their skin is often asking for the same thing: a chance to recover.

Most often, it's simply the accumulation of a season well spent.

Sunscreen layered on and reapplied throughout the day. Salt water. Chlorine. Wind. Air conditioning. Long drives. Less water than we'd normally drink. More sun than we realize. Even the excitement of summer itself, with its later nights and fuller schedules, can leave our skin feeling a little depleted.

Sometimes that shows up as dryness, tightness, or minor inflammation. Sometimes it's congestion that seems to appear out of nowhere. Other times, skin simply looks a little dull or feels more reactive than usual.

None of this is unusual. In fact, it's exactly what we'd expect to see in July in Maine.

What We're Seeing in the Treatment Room This Summer

One thing we often remind clients is that healthy skin requires that we pay attention to its changing needs. We don't necessarily need another serum or an entirely new skincare routine, for that matter. We simply need a reset, and that can come in a variety of forms.

Summer is a season of protection. We wear more sunscreen, seek shade when we can, and do our best to protect against the sun's effects. That's all important. But there's another part of summer skincare that sometimes gets overlooked as our calendars fill up: restoration.

Just as our bodies appreciate a slower morning after a busy weekend, our skin benefits from an opportunity to reset.

That's one of the reasons we love our Elevated Facials this time of year. Every facial begins with an assessment of what's happening that day, because no two complexions walk through our door exactly alike. One person may need deep hydration after a week at the beach. Another may benefit from gently lifting away sunscreen buildup and congestion. Someone else may simply need an hour to slow down while their skin receives thoughtful, personalized care.

You may have noticed that before your facial even begins, we spend a few minutes talking. What does your skin need today? What do you love in a facial? What don't you love in a facial? How have you been feeling lately? Those conversations matter because they help us tailor every treatment to the person in front of us rather than following the exact same routine every time.

Our role is to meet you (and your skin!) where you’re at.

If you've noticed your skin feeling a little different this summer, you're certainly not alone. In many ways, that's simply evidence of a season being fully lived.

Sometimes the best thing you can do isn't add something new. It’s to give your skin the opportunity to recover.

Resoration looks different for everyone. We recently wrote about how restoration can benefit the body through massage, and summer skincare is simply another part of caring for yourself seasonally.

Throughout the rest of the summer, we'll be sharing more observations from our treatment rooms, answering common skincare questions, and offering practical tips for caring for your skin through the season. We hope you'll follow along. 

And if your skin has been telling you it could use a little attention, we'd love to welcome you in for a personalized facial here at The Fifth Om in Kennebunk.

Explore our facial offerings →