Baltimore-based aesthetician Arika Casebolt knows good skin in every season.

American beauty culture is teeming with rules. Always do this, never do that, and for the love of God, don’t ever do the other, and herein lies the rub, literally and figuratively. Americans in general take very little time for massage, facials and other bodycare; in my experience over the last decade, well over half my clients view getting facials as a special treat rather than a legitimate practice for their overall epidermal health. What’s more, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, at least 60 countries far surpass us in vacation time, whether paid or unpaid, and anyone who has ever worked in a service profession knows that there’s a tacit implication that it’s noble to work while sick, despite all evidence to the contrary. We get less sleep than most countries’ citizens, thus cementing Americans in our position among the least kind to our collective epidermis, instead always searching for the quickest fix. Read More →

Baltimore-based aesthetician Arika Casebolt knows good skin in every season.

The aging process is a vile, diabolical entity. It is stealthy, sneaky and seems to attack overnight — and the feature that most betrays us, shows the sins of the past and our undeniable genetics are, if a thousand love songs are any indication, the most significant. Jeepers, creepers, where did you get those bags? In your eyes, the light, the fine lines. Baby’s got dark blue circles. Read More →

Baltimore-based aesthetician Arika Casebolt knows good skin in every season.

Ah, autumn in Baltimore. So fleeting. So…schizophrenic. One day I’m putting away my summery clothes and reacquainting myself with cashmere cardigans, the next it’s 86 degrees again. For one day. Thanks to the bipolar nature of our local weather, Baltimoreans must be prepared to show some skin, during three of the four (alleged) seasons. Enter rejuvenating exfoliants. (Find a great homemade recipe after the jump.)

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