To my delight, it did the trick. My skin became literally transformed overnight. Better still, it did so without feeling heavy or greasy and with no unwanted side effects. I use it about five nights a week under the Guava and Bamboo Age-Defying Moisturizer, which I also use as my day cream at the moment.

Antioxidant and Repairing

The Eminence Organic Tomato Seed Oil is lightweight and just perfect! It’s a modest $28 investment and you just need about three drops per application to cover your entire face.

03/30/2012 Very prompt and warm greeting. Very professional and clean. I will definitely return!

Apr 4, 2012 B.W.
Top-Notch Skin Care
Marie is a smart and skilled professional – she knows how to care for skin and has chosen excellent, effective organic products. The treatment was pleasurable and I am enjoying using the products she recommended.

Apr 2, 2012 Marleen Haverty
Facial
Great experience. My face felt awesome after the treatment, and still looks and feels better than in years. I really notice the difference in hydration. The home products have also been very useful.

Mar 17, 2012 E.S.
Cyrotherapy
I had a wonderful session yesterday! Pain was minimal, more of just a mild discomfort. Anxiously waiting to see results! Great experience thus far. After just 24 hours, the freckle is now darker and a bit more raised. The skin there looks a bit leathery so I hope that within a week or two, my freckle will fall off. Hoping for the best!!! Marie was very kind, professional and fast! I’d go back to her in a heartbeat.

Feb 25, 2012 Wendy S
My first time
My facial with Marie was my first time ever. She explained what she was doing as she went along. Marie made is good at what she does. The eye massage was wonderful and it all felt great. She told me about the products and the benefits. Loved the experience.

Feb 25, 2012 Nicole T
Marie was great!
Loved the Microfuse Peel & Marie was very knowledgeable about all of the products. My skin feels amazing & the products Marie suggested for my rosacea are already beginning to work. Would definitely recommend!

Feb 20, 2012 amanda cressman
Facial
Marie gave me a wonderful facial. She spent time with me after the appointment and explained the products and how to use them. She is very knowledgable! Can’t wait to go back for another facial!!!

Jan 9, 2012 JULIE M
Great Experience
My face felt reborn after a visit with Marie. I already set my next appt and can’t wait to try her products too. I live on the West side but it was totally worth the drive over. Highly Recommend!

Jan 8, 2012 Michele S
A great experience.
I found Marie to be so knowledgeable. I arrived a few minutes late and she was still so sweet. Her service is really designed for a personal experience that will benefit you individually. I must find a way to get this into the budget!

Dec 8, 2011 Steven R
Wonderful
Marie was great. Very friendly and informative. The facial was awesome and felt amazing. Marie adjusted the service to meet the needs of my skin. Will definitely be back for regular visits.

Nov 16, 2011 S.L.K.
Acorn is A Winner!
Marie gives a great facial. She is experienced, knowledgable, thorough, and gentle. The environment is peaceful and calming. The quality of the products is top notch and Marie has gone to great lengths to make sure of it. Expect to spend some time relaxing while your skin drinks in nourishment and know that you will leave sporting a healthy glow. My only suggestion: I would eliminate the scented candle and offer more scent-free products. Overall, a great experience! Enjoy.

Nov 5, 2011 Susan Porter
great massage.
I did not realize what a gem was located just around the block. Marie has a relaxing cozy setting and puts attention to detail in her bodywork, making the experience a pleasure. Thank you !

Oct 17, 2011 Geri W.
My First Facial.
I had my very first facial, (at age 69) what a wonderful experience! Marie explained what she products she was using and why she chose them. Her touch was so soft and the music so soothing. I will definitely be going back!

Sep 4, 2011
Heather J
Wonderful Facial!
Best facial I have ever had, so professional and modern but very relaxing. i will definitely be coming back monthly for these. Marie was so helpful and educational about my skin needs and I loved the products used.

Aug 27, 2011
J.L.
Great facial treatment
My skin looked great after the microdermabrasion treatment. Marie explained everything and I highly recommend her. I’m 73 and my skin felt and looked great. Do try it.

Aug 8, 2011
A.M.
Great Shiatsu
I felt energized and relieved after getting my Shiatsu Massage at Acorn Organica. I definitely plan on going back going back to experience some of the other available services.

Aug 5, 2011
C.N.
Facial treatment
Wonderful facial, fully explained the process, gentle and thorough. Love that she uses organic line, Marie is very knowledgeable. Highly recommend Marie.

May 15, 2011
Patti DeAngelis
Facial-great experience
Wonderful facial, fully explained the process, gentle and thorough. Love that she uses organic line, Marie is very knowledgeable. Highly recommend Marie.
Acorn Organica
4110 SE Hawthorne Blvd – Upstairs, Portland, OR 97214, http://www.acornorganica.com

May 8, 2011
jt
facial
very relaxing and thorough. i fell asleep during my facial. My face was glowing afterwards and so far i have enjoyed the products i purchased there as well.

Apr 10, 2011
E.H.
Quick, knowledgeable
Everything was explained to me before I had the procedure done. Very calm atmosphere in Marie’s office. I felt like I was in good hands and would go again.

Apr 4, 2011
Karen J
What a Find!
Thank you, XXX, for making me aware of Acorn Organica! I’ll be back for more! I had a cryo treatment on some facial sun spots, and had a great outcome – better than IPL at the doctor for 3X the price!

Mar 30, 2011
Ruby B
Great facial service!
Highly recommend Marie & Acorn. Relaxing setting, easy parking (not common on Hawthorne Blvd!), and true pampering.

Mar 28, 2011
Lindsay Shutt
I loved my facial
My experience at Acorn Organica was fantastic. The atmosphere was soothing, I felt totally relaxed and pampered. I absolutely loved it! My skin looks so much better. I wish I would have discovered this place years ago. Thank you Acorn Organica!

Mar 26, 2011
L.T.
Get rid of those nasty sun spots
Spring is coming and I want to look my best in those flesh baring fashions, so I head to Marie to remove them with cryotherapy. While there, I had her lumilift facial and a lip plumping treat. I have total trust in Marie to recomend fab. products, and to tailor treatments to the condition of my skin at the time. Not only do I love getting treatments from her, I enjoy spending time with her because she’s just a cool person

Mar 16, 2011
N.R.
Excellent…highly recommended
I purchased a certificate [online] . . . and am oh-so-glad that I did. I have been wanting to get back into the habit of quality skin care but as a mom to young kids my time and funds often go elsewhere. My skin has suffered! Marie gave a wonderful rejuvenating facial (the Pure Plus) and educated me on potential products to soothe my skin. She uses and sells *wonderful* products and has them all in stock. My skin is happy and so am I. I will be back. : )

Mar 10, 2011
Terri Tyler
Couldn’t be happier
My son need warts removed by his eye. I talked with Marie before booking the appointment. When we arrived Marie was professional and caring. She has amazing product knowledge and did an expert job on a tricky problem.

Mar 9, 2011
Amy F
Wonderful massage!
I recently has the Shitazu treatment, it hurt a little but I knew the kinks were getting worked out. I can not believe how well I slept last night and how energetic I feel today. Feel like all the negative energy is gone and replaced with a feeling of zen.

Mar 5, 2011
T.K.
Amazing!
I have never had a facial before and I really liked it. It was very relaxing. The place was nice and the esthetician was good and gave me good advice.

Feb 27, 2011
Carla
Fabulous facials
As a long time client of Marie’s, I always have a good experience with her services. The facials are incredibly cleansing, and my face looks and feels wonderful for a long time after her treatments! I also think the moisturizers she sells are better than any others I have tried. I highly recommend Acorn Organica!

Feb 23, 2011
Deborah H
Always Wonderful
Getting a facial from Marie is the best! She provides the most thourough facial I’ve ever had for deep cleaning my oil prone complexion. The organic products she uses as well make for a luxurious experience which really pamper the senses.

Feb 7, 2011
Elaine Armstrong
great
I thought is was a very good facial and she was very knowledgeable as well. Very relaxing and I hope to do it again soon. she didn’t try to sell me a bunch of products either. Mainly just left it to my own budget.

Jan 22, 2011
Denise E
Wonderful facial experience!
I had my first facial with Marie and will be a return client. I love her products and it was a wonderful experience. The only think I would like to suggest is to have a neck and shoulder message while the mask is on. That would be perfect! Thanks Marie!!

Jan 8, 2011
Anne A
Excellent facial and quality products
Excellent facial and wonderful organic products used at the salon and available for purchase. Highly recommended. I’ll be sending my husband for his birthday!

Jan 7, 2011
Kathy H
Acorn Organic is a new found friend
Love the shape of my brows and can’t wait to come back for a facial and to experience your other services. You took your time and it felt like you took pride in what you did for me. I just laid there and got pampered. You shared information with me that will help me make better decisions about my skincare program. Thanks!

Dec 25, 2010
Lisa T
The best there is!
Love Marie and her new location on Hawthorne. I’ve been getting facials and buying fabulous products from her website for a few years now and my skin has completely transformed. She customizes each facial for the condition of my skin at the time, sometimes a focus on exfoliation, other times moisturizing, but my skin is always radient afterwards. It’s such a treat to be pampered by Marie. She really cares and goes above and beyond to service her clients.

I am not one of these people who thinks that you should never extract a pimple, especially if it is ready. In my skin care practice, several of my clients refer to me as the “extraction queen.” I have been asked about proper procedure for home extractions by many people, so I decided to put it up for all to see.

Extracting pimples is much different than picking them! Picking often causes scars and infers the use of fingernails and dirty fingers ripping off the top skin cell layer of a pimple, and can take place on the bus, in the office, or anywhere where your hands are searching for something to do. Extractions are done in a sanitary environment using sterile or at least highly sanitary practices.

Aside from letting your pimple heal on its own or, when ready, extracting it, the only thing you can do is use cover up. Mineral powder concealers are great since the pure mineral products cannot harbor bacteria. If a pimple has been there for a while, sometimes the only thing that will work is to get it out so it can then heal. Sometimes this means that it will get a little more red before it gets better, but not much and usually only for a couple of hours.

If a pimple is ripe for extraction (if you can see puss under the skin or if you have a large blackhead), here are the steps to take:

1. If your index fingernails are long, trim them so that they will not poke against your skin while doing this procedure. If you are unwilling to trim them, please do not proceed.
2. Cleanse your skin and follow with non-alcoholic toning lotion.
3. With super clean hands, take a cotton round and tear in in half as if it were a mayonnaise sandwich and you were pealing the pieces of bread apart. Now you will have two thin cotton rounds.
4. Apply a medium hot (not scorching) compress to the area for about ten seconds.
5. Moderately soak the cotton with non-alcoholic toner.
6. Wrap your index fingers in the cotton.
7. Place your fingers on either side of the pimple and gently squeeze. If nothing comes out the first time and you are sure it’s ready repeat from step 4.
8. If nothing comes out still, discontinue and try again in about 12 hours.
9. If you see results (puss or white/blackhead coming out), it’s okay if there is a bit of blood that follows. This means that the infection is flushing out.
10. If you see blood, apply a Q-Tip with alcohol to the spot. Do not use alcohol all over your face as this will trick your skin into thinking it needs to produce more oil which equals more pimples for some people.
11. Use a good clay mask after extractions that contains soothing ingredients like azulene and chamomile. The Pevonia Skin Care Sensitive Skin Mask is excellent for soothing red, irritated, problem skin. For full on acne, you could use the Pevonia Purifying Skin Mask.
12. After the mask, tone your entire face and apply your moisturizer.
13. Now, do not touch your face or area again until it is time to cleanse again, like the next morning.
14. Make sure you use fresh pillow cases often to avoid excess bacteria.

There are comedone extractors out there, but they are difficult to use in a mirror and are for blackheads. Improper use can lead to scarring. Leave these for estheticians to use. If you have acne or more than a few pimples, make some calls to some skin care clinics and ask if the estheticians are trained and comfortable doing extractions. Much to my own amazement, many estheticians refuse to do extractions. This reduces most facial treatments for blemished skin to nothing more than fluff, in my opinion.

I hope this helps. You might want to print this out so you can follow the steps and have a reference. Once you learn the steps it becomes second nature.

Good luck.

View some highly effective acne skin products at Acornbodycare.com

Eminence Organics is one of the pioneers in the cosmetic industry, offering USDA certified products that rely on time-tested and unrefined ingredients. Rather than manufacturing chemical components in a lab, Eminence uses only raw extracts from fruits, vegetables, flowers and herbs. This means that a consumer can be sure that the product they apply to their skin is incredibly safe and devoid of detrimental chemicals such as parabens, sodium lauryl sulfate and other harsh chemicals.

Acornbodycare.com has been partnering with Eminence Organic Skin Care since 2000 and has become a leading authority on the line’s efficacy and protocols. With a full selection of Eminence cleansers, toniques, exfoliants, masques, serums, moisturizers, as well as eye care and body lotions, Acornbodycare.com has a full array of skin care products that combat a number of skin-related conditions.

Additionally, Eminence Organics is a member of the Organic Trade Association (OTA), the principle organic advocacy and commerce association for organic products in North America. Amongst other things, Eminence also distances itself from mass production, where external contaminants are often introduced to consumables. By relying on a handmade process, without the use of extreme manufacturing, Eminence is able to produce skin care products that are safe, effective, and not detrimental to our precious environment.

As organic products become increasingly regular, it is important to consider those companies with a substantial history of promoting organic ingredients as it provides a measure of insurance that the products you are purchasing are, in fact, made with naturally-occurring ingredients and without an environmentally-detrimental manufacturing process. It is, indeed, now possible to look and feel good without running the risk of harmful chemical side-effects.

Organic cosmetics have been shown to be just as effective at reducing wrinkles, age spots, and other signs of growing old. However, for the purposes of a direct comparison, one need not look any further than the active ingredients in organic anti aging creams and traditional products. Take for example Eminence Blueberry Soy Night Recovery Cream, with the principle ingredients of blueberry and soy. Both are full of active, naturally occurring anti oxidants which the body is accustomed to ingesting and processing. Many manufactured ingredients, on the other hand, are not thoroughly tested and have no long-term backing that suggests they are more effective at deterring wrinkles.

One should likewise show scrutiny when purchasing general wrinkle creams. In trying to manufacture quick acting wrinkle creams, many producers utilize highly toxic ingredients including, in the case of some products, petroleum which cannot be properly subsumed by the body. When looking for a safe wrinkle cream alternative, find products that are derived from natural fruits and vegetables such as carrots and coconuts. Aside from the obvious benefit of using an anti aging product that can be properly absorbed, these base ingredients provide valuable nutrients and naturally occurring protection.

One of the primary reasons our bodies become marked by age is because of the sun. Hence, sunscreen should be part of anyone’s daily routine particularly if you spend any reasonable time outside. In traditional sunscreens, active ingredients are held in place by skin by oils, polymers or waxes, which can clog the pores. Organic sunscreens, conversely, are safe and actually moisturize while protecting your skin from UV rays. Additionally, they are fragrance free, won’t rub off, are waterproof, and provide a wide spectrum of protection.

It is almost everyone’s dream to stop the signs of aging, but before you make a rash decision and spend hundreds of dollars on a variety of wrinkle creams and anti aging moisturizers, consider the long term health benefits of using traditional cosmetics. Before making any purchase, make sure the ingredients in any product are thoroughly presented and avoid catchy, yet misleading terminology. The signs of aging can be diminished, and it can be safely done with the use of organic anti aging moisturizers and creams.

Check out Eminence Organic Skin Care and Pevonia products online.

Many traditional cosmetic products are made of synthetic preservatives and other highly processed ingredients, many of which are not significantly tested nor particularly rejuvenating. Some non-organic skin care products use core ingredients such as petroleum based derivatives and other substances health conscious consumers attempt to avoid. Even products which claim to be “natural” may, in fact, contain only trace “natural” ingredients and instead rely on artificial or genetically modified elements.

Fortunately for those who do wish to buy and use unrefined products, a wave of organic skin care moisturizers, body lotions, wrinkle creams, acne treatments, and other anti-aging products have recently hit the markets. Like other organic products, organic skin care and beauty cosmetics only use ingredients organically and naturally grown. These products have a number of advantages over traditional cosmetics in that they have higher levels of natural antioxidants and, additionally, have fewer irritants for sensitive or allergy-prone skin.

Consumers are becoming increasingly aware that there are direct correlations between the ingredients one eats or, in the case of organic skin care products, puts on their skin and their overall well-being. The human body is extremely absorbent—so much so that it is estimated that a woman who regularly wears makeup absorbs, on average, 5 pounds of chemicals each year.

It is now easier than ever to find and buy organic cosmetics with a vast array of sites offering the products such as, for example, www.AcornBodyCare.com. Many of these sites only sell organic skin care products, consequently eliminating the guesswork a customer must go through in selecting organic moisturizers, wrinkle creams, and other anti-aging products. A slate of brands, including Eminence and Pevonia Botanica, use only certified organic ingredients which additionally help consumers in choosing a distinct brand.

For those worried about quality and results, organic skin care cosmetics are proven to be just as effective as synthetically manufactured products. The added fact that organic products only use time-tested, naturally-grown ingredients with significant health benefits should be reason enough to make the switch to organic skin care products. The organic trend is, indeed, alive and well, further providing consumers with safe and effective life-style alternatives.

Buy organic and other very pure skin care products at our sister site, www.acornbodycare.com, where we take the guesswork out of the search for great products by searching out and hand selecting the purest and most scientifically sound skin care treatment products on the planet.

An injury in 2005 caused me to place my massage license on “inactive” status until just recently when I attended the necessary continuing education courses to make license renewal happen. I will be taking a different approach than before in that I will offer just two different body work sessions: Shiatsu and Energetic Balancing.

Shiatsu has always been the form of body work that has brought me the most relief. This was confirmed yet again a few weeks ago as I received a Shiatsu at one of my favorite spas in San Francisco. I will be offering Shiatsu as well as energetic balancing treatments as my new course of massage treatments as soon as my new license arrives! Shiatsu is like acupuncture without the needles. It loosens muscles and joints and releases energetic blockages bringing back the bounce in your step and the smile to your lips. I am excited to continue my Shiatsu practice and education and will be offering reduced rates for a short time as I re-build my practice. These rates will be locked in for one year with your first visit.

My mission during all treatments is to help you attain a sense of well-being and lightness so you can put your best forward and have the life you desire here on our most generous planet, Mother Earth.

With love and health,

Marie Swan Black
OR LMT#6565

Hawthorne Fair, August 2010

I am very happy to announce the pre-grand opening of my new skin care studio in SE Portland. Located in the second floor loft of the UPS building at 41st & Hawthorne, and directly across from the New Seasons currently being built, I have taken this somewhat unlikely space from a stark, all-white, industrial bank loft and turned it into a swank, cozy skin care spa. With lots of natural sunlight and a huge amount of space I will be able to conduct all facets of my business (skin care center, retail & online boutique, formulary, and gathering space) in one location.

I simply cannot wait to receive my friends old and new here, where I will be performing skin care services and energetic balancing as well as formulating my own cosmetics. It is my wish that with every visit, whether for a service, a product, or to say hello, you will feel lighter, brighter and more positively grounded in achieving your life’s mission.

As the tiny acorn grows into a strong, vibrant and beautiful oak tree, so may we all flourish. I’ll tell you the story about why I’ve kept the acorn as a theme in another post. Till then be well! ~mb