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Meet L'Escape Spa CEO Jennifer Pham and
learn how to feel your best (Photos)
HEALTH & BEAUTY
FEBRUARY 16, 2013
BY: CINDY WARNER
5 photos
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L’Escape? (http://www.lescapespa.com/) If spring
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Cindy Warner SF Arts &
(http://www.examiner.com Culture
/topic/health-and-beauty) (http://www.examiner.com
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fever has yet to hit you even with the recent rays of
warm sun, how about something to re-energize
and beautify without a prescription, a visit to a
spa? If you are not the spa type or have never
been to one, like me, a bicycle commuter, Jennifer
Pham’s L’Escape Spa
(http://www.lescapespa.com/) is a serene little
experience tucked in between the upscale
boutiques and bistros of bucolic Burlingame Avenue in Burlingame.
Related: Get Healthy, Go Vegan by Dr. Barnard
I took BART to the end of the line in Millbrae. Once there I crossed the platform and took the breezy Cal
Train with it’s bike car one stop for three dollars. I rode my bicycle the 2+ miles back from the spa, in the
bike lane. It’s a picturesque ride to a picturesque destination, with a charming and immaculate Spanish
style little train station. As the Southwest commercial goes, wanna get away? Look no further. There’s
actually a lot you can do to feel your best from using new make-up tips to getting a prescription from a
psychiatrist.
Make a day of it-shop, eat
I was in a better mood by the time I arrived for my first visit to
see Jennifer Pham, whom one of my opera actor acquaintances
Katie Heibein, a serious bicyclist, referred me to.
Related: SF Opera announces Summer 2013 with sexy, lyrical
"Tales of Hoffman" (http://www.examiner.com/article/sf-opera(http://cdn2-b.examiner.com/sites/default
/files/styles/large_lightbox/hash/c3
/a7/c3a73a9c6fe4a16f1b706b6f9e0daf58.j
pg)
Relax and rejuvenate with a little spa
time or just new make-up tips
Photo credit: Cindy Warner
(#)
©
© 2012
2012
Nokia
Nokia
©
© 2013
2013
presenting-offenbach-s-lyrical-tales-of-hoffman-with-nataliedessay) starring Natalie Dessay
Heibein raves about what a sweetheart Jennifer is and how
wonderful her products are. Indeed, Jennifer’s appearance
instilled confidence in her health and beauty methods at her
spa, as she appeared petite with beautiful soft skin and healthy,
long dark hair. She’s been in the restaurant business as well as
nursing and she’s experienced in hospitality, running her own
business yet maintains a gentle, feminine manner that’s
soothing.
She’s a certified nursing assistant and aesthetician, pretty
enough to win beauty pageants while she’s actually a busy
Mom. Pham celebrates her ten years as CEO and co-owner of
L’Escape Spa, at the wine bar on toney Burlingame Avenue in
May, 2013. She treated me to this experience and Jane Iredale
cosmetics sent me wonderful samples.
Microsoft
Microsoft Corporation
Corporation
The specialty at L’Escape Spa: the computerized facial
Location: 1217 Burlingame Avenue,
Jennifer’s specialty is her electrical or computerized facial,
administered not in a clinical environment but a private little
nook with relaxing simple music, dim lights and a soft and warm
table with a blanket in which the subject remains wrapped and cozy for the hour. She sits on a chair at
the head of the table and works on the skin of the face upside down, quietly repairing tissue, unseen but
heard.
Burlingame, California
She and I chatted about the procedure as I am new to facials and the Electromyopulse. I do follow a
similar philosophy to Pham, in that she practices holistic health and teaches beauty comes from taking
care of yourself, it comes from the inside and with plenty of water, rest and the right foods.
She expressed concern about some other methods of tissue rejuvenation such as laser treatments.
Lasers burn the skin which with a common sense point of view seems to be damage. Pham also
mentioned that Botoxed skin has a different texture, it's tougher.
It’s in your head
The medical-grade version of electrical instruments used by doctors and physical therapists helps
reduce pain and the need for narcotic analgesics. These are the Electro-acuscope and the Electromyoscope while the home version is called more commercially the Renaissance. These home and spa
versions rejuvenate the skin in a similar way by stimulating cells. Stimulated cells release toxins and
take in oxygen, healing and beautifying. Facial skin, say spotted by sun or wrinkled, looks rejuvenated
as the new, healthy cells surface over time.
Medically, cranial electrical stimulation or CES helps in a myriad of ways.
One cardiologist/internist noted in the "Los Angeles Times" in the late 80s after the machine had been
out awhile, used it for diseases from shingles to herpes.
Plastic surgeons cannot replace their work with the myopulse but a cosmetologist will help heal the
scars and skin after with the cosmetic versions.
Pham has a nursing background (http://www.lescapespa.com/about/staff-bios) and explained how she
uses the myopulse on acupressure points on the face. The points on the face correspond to specific
organs or specific conditions such as allergies, mental conditions, headcolds. The myopulse probes
release micro-currents to the cells, stimulating blood circulation and carrying oxygen to the cells,
speeding elimination of toxins and healing.
Damaged cells have a different conductivity than healthy ones. The computerized machine reads these
differences and compensates by sending stronger micropulses through the damaged skin, equalizing
the stimulation. That electronically makes the damaged skin the same as the healthy skin.
She likes the myopulse for clients who don’t need plastic surgery and want to still look just as they are.
She notes that it’s used in Los Angeles.
Your body’s chemicals and a sense of balance, well-being
For the physiological benefits, the relaxation and stimulation, the procedure helps stimulate serotonin, a
chemical that helps keep a person balanced mentally. In layman’s terms, serotonin regulation is what
the widely prescribed psychiatric medication Zoloft is all about. It’s used to treat major depression,
anxiety disorders, post-traumatic stress and even a severe form of premenstrual syndrome.
Pham has worked with cancer patients, a client who tore up her forearm with a fall at Yosemite, a
terribly disfigured accident victim with traumatic facial injuries as well as clients with regular beauty
appointments. The system helps prevent scarring and reduces swelling and inflammation. Medical and
physiological benefits of CES include alleviation of symptoms of anxiety, depression and insomnia,
headaches, pain from drug withdrawal or alchohol rehabilitation. In turn the subject feels a return of
alertness, energy, focus and memory. It’s helpful with jet-lag.
Pham uses high-quality products for the facial that are available for purchase at her spa. She uses Yon
Ka, made in France. Pham cleanses the face gently with a non-comedogenic wash cream for very
sensitive skin, applies a gentle mask, applies the Yon Ka alcohol-free toner, then firming and instant-lift
serums by Shira. Pham also carries high quality sunscreens including a multi-protection cream from
Revision, SPF 50. It’s made in Texas. She finishes the facial with this protection.
The spa offers many different levels of skincare, massages, packages, some with wine or lunch. Her
specialty myopulse session with a facial (http://www.lescapespa.com/services/skincare) is 100
minutes and costs $245.
Gentle, healthy new cosmetics
Pham carries several cosmetic lines and I fell in love with an American made, non-irritating yet effective
line by Jane Iredale (http://www.janeiredale.com/) . The Glow Time mineral BB Cream
(http://shop.janeiredale.com/products/15701/glow-time-full-coverage-mineral-bb-cream.htm) sells well
especially to active women. It’s a full-coverage, tinted moisturizer that comes in many shades and just a
few drops covers the face. The cream evens skin tone, covers redness and adds a hint of color yet it
feels comfortable and natural. A mild grapefruit and apple scent makes the Glow Time pleasant to apply
and then the scent disappears. You don’t even know you are wearing make-up by the natural feel and
scent of it. SPF 25. $48.00 a tube.
The Longest Lash mascara from Jane Iredale comes in a matching gold squeeze tube with the fattest
softest mascara brush I have ever encountered. The result, long and feathery lashes. The mascara
works and does add fullness and length yet feels comfortable to wear even for we older ladies who have
become sensitive. The colors come in an array, from blacks and browns to a navy and a slate gray.
$33.00.
Jane Iredale sells at Jennifer Pham’s L’Escape Spa, at some local upscale pharmacies and on-line.
(http://shop.janeiredale.com/products/mascara.htm?)
This is a line developed in 1994 after Jane Iredale saw models and those in the entertainment industry
suffering career-threatening skin conditions and ill-effects of all the make-up.
Ideal Protein diet (http://www.idealprotein.com/)
Beauty at this spa comes from being healthy and Pham presented a new high-protein diet. The
representative Jennivive tried it herself and just started working at L’Escape. She analyzed in a few
seconds my body composition by testing my ratio of lean mass to fat mass, using a computer.
The diet actually does make sense and sounds sensible, jumpstarting the fat burning by reducing the
diet to basically non-sweet or non starchy vegetables and lean meats. No pasta, no rice, no potatoes,
legumes, breads or carbohydrates. No sweet vegies like carrots or beets, peas or corn. No fruit or fruit
juice, no commercial vegetable juice, no cheese or dairy, no nuts. The usual bans on candy, soda and
alcohol. You just do this until you burn the fat, it’s meant to be short term.
You get these items back in moderation when you hit maintenance weight.
The cost for consultations, supplements and supplies, protein meals and on-going support is $528.
Monthly cost after that is $445/daily cost $15.00.
For more stories by this writer check out CBS San Francisco's website under arts & culture "Best Of";
and San Francisco Arts & Culture on Examiner.com. Subscribe by hitting the SUBSCRIBE button at the
top of this article.
CBS SF: Best new restaurants (http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/top-lists/2012-tasted-good-thebest-new-restaurants-that-opened-in-the-east-bay/) in the East Bay that opened 2012
Dating via the internet and Christian Mingle
CBS SF: Best places for knitting (http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/top-lists/best-places-for-knittingon-the-peninsula/) on the Peninsula
Mirus Gallery shows art by women depicting women (http://www.examiner.com/article/temple-nightclub-hosts-art-show-with-women-depicted-by-women)
Jane Iredale Glow Time Mineral BB Cream
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Cindy Warner, SF Arts & Culture Examiner
Cindy Warner, a Bay Area native, writes about San Francisco theater, opera, arts &
culture via her bicycle. CBS San Francisco publishes her "Best Of" arts & culture pieces
and she has written about San Francisco theater, opera and arts & culture since January
2009.