Rescue Spa is one of my absolute favorite websites to buy niche, luxury beauty products. The renown Philadelphia spa sells coveted, hard-to-find European brands like Valmont, Biologique Recherche and Institute Esthederm. But what truly sets Rescue Spa apart from other purveyors is their incredibly personal, responsive online assistance. It’s unrivaled: live, one-on-one online skincare chats, every Monday through Friday.

Rescue’s cult online following is worldwide, but many people don’t realize the e-shop was borne out of Rescue’s brick and mortar spa in the heart of Philadephia’s chic Rittenhouse Square. Founder Danuta Mieloch is a force in the skincare field—she trained in Paris under Dr. Yvan Allouche, creator of Biologique Recherche product line. I had the opportunity to meet her and her amazing team at the striking 7,500 square foot spa recently. They are all so luminous, I just wanted to move in and become part of their glowy sisterhood. I am already planning a retreat back with some girlfriends. Yes, it’s 100 miles away from New York City—it’s that special.

Take a look at the waiting area:

Here’s a peek into the women’s changing room:

Rescue Spa is a quiet, hidden gem—you are transported the moment you walk through the door. The peaceful ambience is the result of sleek design and a warm aesthetic, with an air of respect for the serious pampering that goes on.

I was treated to a Biolift Facial with Shannon Robb. She thoroughly evaluated my skin (tired, dull, and inflamed) and used the uber amazing Biologique Recherche line of products during my treatment, as well as the line’s proprietary skin tightening machine. It was the best facial I have ever had. Not only did I feel amazing afterward, I looked markedly refreshed, my skin tighter and brighter. Even my husband said so, which you must understand, means it’s definitely true. After the treatment, I asked Shannon to recommend a regime of products to use as I had run out of most everything anyway. She thoughtfully prescribed a plan and I have been dutifully following it. You would too, if you saw her skin. (All hail P50.)

If you happen to be in Philadephia, the spa is celebrating all day with champagne, samples, trial treatments and discounts. And all week, Rescue Spa is offering 10% off their amazing brands that are hardly ever found on sale. Just use the code  “HAPPY10”. Go take a look around, take advantage of their personal online service (Hi, Kim!) and get inspired.

A lot of friends have asked me recently what I think of the Clarisonic cleansing brushes—do they really do anything? Are they worth the money? My answer, unequivocally, is YES and YES. And I don’t say this just because it feels good (it does) or because it seems more effective than using my hands or a washcloth (it is). And I definitely don’t recommend Clarisonic just because it looks so cute in pink on my sink. (You should see it against the white marble.)

I’m a huge fan of Clarisonic because there is actual science behind it. It’s no gimmick. There have been authentic studies conducted. The company has bonafide, proprietary sonic technology that powers the brush, separating it from imitators.

How it Works

Aforementioned proprietary sonic frequency produces over 300 movements per second. (This is not a rotating brush.) The flexing action works to loosen dirt and oil, enabling a much deeper cleanse, which leaves skin primed to better absorb your skincare. I use the Aria model shown above, which has three speeds, a timer to ensure even cleansing (unexpectedly helpful) and the ability to swap out brush heads.

60 Seconds to Use

Place cleanser of choice either directly on face or on the brush itself. Turn brush on speed of choice. Cleanse 20 seconds on forehead. 20 seconds on chin and nose. 10 seconds on each cheek. Rinse face, rinse brush. Voila!

Results

Smoother, more radiant and, yes, cleaner skin.

P.S. Clarisonic recently launched a new skincare line that I LOVE called Sonic Radiance, pictured above.

If I could, I would probably change my nail color every other day. I love dark and stormy nails as much as I do brights and neutrals. The trouble is, a good manicure only lasts about two days before the tolls of motherhood show up on my (chipped) tips. And then I just want the fastest, easiest way to make my hands looks neat and not like the baby used my nails as a chew toy.

Behold this uniquely amazing nail treatment from the very cool nail brand RGB. It mimics the look of well-buffed nails: clean and shiny. It’s one easy step—a base, top and “no color” in one coat. Genius. It also contains healthy doses of vitamin E, calcium and biotin. It’s free of formaldehyde, toluene, and camphor, and the brand is also cruelty free.

P.S. The key to a flawless manicure at home.

This Argan oil just might trump them all. It’s light, dries in quickly and can be used head to toe. I’ve been using it like crazy—on my cuticles, on my kids and lightly on my dry hair. My favorite part, though, is that it’s fairly traded and produced by an inspirational women’s cooperative in Morocco.

I really heart Neal’s Yard. Their products are organic, beautifully packaged and well priced. Find them here or at your local Whole Foods.

P.S. I also love their White Tea Facial Mist and organic body scrub.

1 in 133 Americans suffer from celiac disease, an auto-immune condition that renders a person unable to digest gluten, a protein found in certain grains. It’s only about 1% of the population, but I would guess it would be much more given the gluten-free food craze, don’t you think?

In response to the gluten-free demand, a few skincare brands have come out with gluten-free version of everything from shampoo and conditioner to face scrubs and lotions. I did a fair amount of research on this and was surprised to learn how many common skincare ingredients contain gluten, beyond the obvious wheat germ and oats. For example, some versions of vitamin E are extracted from wheat germ oil.

While the jury is still out as to whether people with celiac disease really need to avoid gluten on the outside of their bodies, you really can’t go wrong with this lovely line from JĀSÖN. In addition to being certified gluten-free by the Gluten-Free Certification Organization (“GFCO”), it is also chock full of certified organic ingredients like vitamin E, avocado oil and calendula xxtract. To boot, it is free of all parabens, phthalates, petrolatum and artificial colors—like all their products are— I’m a long-time JĀSÖN fan and use a bunch of their products.

This summer, I have been using the body wash and lotion on myself and my kids and really love it. It’s gentle but effective, with no fragrance.

What do you think of gluten-free skincare?

I am in love with this Seaweed Salt Scrub from the beautiful organic UK brand Neal’s Yard Remedies.

With a detoxifying blend of black pepper, grapefruit and ginger essential oils, it smells so subtly divine. It also has two different clays that draw impurities from the skin. The exfoliating granules, from pure pumice powder, are small and fine, which I prefer to larger scrubs I’ve tried that made my skin feel a little raw. This scrub washes away easily, leaving skin smooth and moist, but not at all oily, which I’ve also experienced with other body scrubs. What I truly love, though, about my new favorite body product is the infusion of seaweed and dead sea salt minerals that work to tighten and tone skin. It’s a really nice compliment to summer skin care—certainly a great prep to self tanner.

A great brand: Neal’s Yard is a 30 year-old brand and a pioneer of natural skincare. Today, the company has over 80 stores internationally and is sold in more than 800 outlets worldwide, including Whole Foods here in the U.S. They are as committed to the environment as they are organic ingredients, and have the most amazing state-of-the-art eco-factory in Dorset.