face massage

Woman Divine Touch as Medicine™

Over the years of my practice, I have learned to apply Touch as Medicine.
Mastery of an intentional, focused and skilled touch has been somewhat of an ‘obsession’ of mine. Even though I’ve been practicing for over 25 years I am humbled by the healing that touch can carry with it.

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In the skin care industry touch is often applied in a very practical and detached manner; product application, product removing, extractions, skin care machine operation. Utilitarian, non-personal and often without true consideration for the person on the receiving end.

Touch can be healing, touch can be hurtful, it can be soothing or stimulating, it can bring pleasure or it can be sensual... Loving and caring touch is absolutely essential for the proper development of a child and it is fundamental to the well-being of every living person.

At Woman Divine, we are very aware of its essence and we consciously choose to use Touch as Medicine. #mindfulbeautypractice


How mindful are you of the effect your touch has on others? .

How communism benefits your looks:)

Whenever I go to Poland I  try to find an interesting course to take there. Big chunk of my face massage training comes from Poland and Polish teachers. I was just chatting with someone about this explaining that Eastern Europe has a lot to offer in the area of face massage techniques. This is the case when something great comes out of something challenging. Since Eastern Europe was at one point very behind in matters of technology  (the consequence of communism) people developed amazing skills with their hands:) 

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Massage was always part of healthcare. And I remember that most common health clinics had a massage therapist on staff and doctors would prescribe massage to their patients regularly. A long standing tradition of manual therapies is definitely still very alive in my homeland.

I want to tell you about  the course which I have taken during my last visit.

After all this talk about Eastern European training lol, this one actually originated in Denmark and was created by a wonderful lady, Lone Sorensen. Her organization is very strong in Warsaw and she has two excellent and very devoted teachers offering training in Poland. 

Lone has put together facial reflexology protocols which address both health and beauty. It is a technique based on the neuro-bio-chemical action resulting from the stimulation of an area or point on the face which has a general or partial effect on various areas of the entire body. Facial Reflex therapy is based on seven steps that involve the observation and stimulation of various facial areas.

Lone and practitioners trained with her method do some amazing work around the world. This technique proves very effective in treating all sorts of neurological problems, developmental problems in children, autism, after stroke complications, anxiety, depression, hormonal imbalances, digestive problems, vision problems…. the list goes on. All of this happens through work with your face. It’s pretty amazing! 

What Lone Sorensen observed over the years was that as she worked with the face to improve people’s health the ‘side effect’ of improved skin tone, diminishing of wrinkles and general lifting of the face eventually took place. 

She then developed a protocol for beauty purposes, which also harmonizes body systems. The treatment is complex because all body functions are stimulated and also regulated while facial skin, tissue and muscle are treated. It normalizes the body dysfunctions, which may be the cause of wrinkles, sagging skin, loss of muscle tone, etc.

This is the protocol which I have learned. I believe at this time I am the only one in Ottawa certified in this particular technique. 

I will be continuing the training with Lone Sorensen systems because I trust it offers another dimension to my facial treatments and will ultimately bring more benefit to you, both health and beauty wise:)

Next time you visit, you may notice some new moves in your face massage:) If you are interested to explore this technique with me I will be happy to answer any questions you may have.

I am on a continuous search for beauty through improved health of both body and mind. Will keep on learning...  Thank you for reading!

Love, Magdalena

 

Woman Divine and my beloved oils featured in the Ottawa Citizen

Woman Divine's Magdalena Tomczak unveils the power of oil

JANET WILSON
More from Janet Wilson

Published on: November 5, 2014 / Last Updated: November 6, 2014 4:26 PM EST

Magdalena Tomczak, owner of Woman Divine, makes her own skincare line depending on the person's skin type.Jean Levac / Ottawa Citizen

Magdalena Tomczak, owner of Woman Divine, makes her own skincare line depending on the person's skin type.

Jean Levac / Ottawa Citizen

Magdalena Tomczak looks intently at my face, scanning for blemishes while running her fingertips across my cheekbones and forehead. I nod when she asks whether I have a headache.

“I can see it on your face, the stress around your eyes,” says the holistic skin therapist and aromatherapist. “For each client, I make an individual blend from my staples based on what is appropriate, based on your skin on any given day.”

Tomczak plucks ingredients — her handmade concoctions in pretty glass bottles of varying sizes — from a nearby counter to use in my face massage. She is a master at judging skin types and curtailing the treatment to fix any issue.

“Vegetable oils and essential oils are very effective skin remedies and form the base of the majority of organic skincare products you find on the market today.

“They definitely are indispensable in my practice,” says Tomczak, whose welcoming Westboro spa is called Woman Divine (womandivine.ca)

As the cold weather sets in, I’m here to get a lesson on oils.

Growing up in Poland, Tomczak says it was not uncommon for her mother to get monthly half-hour face massages.

“Sadly, training in North America focuses more on product application than massage.”

“It is an old European remedy for aging skin and has played a prominent role in the Eastern practice of Ayurveda and Chinese medicine. Face massage is the No. 1 aging preventative technique,” she says.

Nutrient-rich oils provide a pleasing lubrication during a face massage and hydration for those with dry skin.

Tomczak says massage helps to carry the oils with all of their benefits deep into the skin. With so many skincare products to choose from, she recommends you keep it simple and purchase only quality products or even make your own.

“It is good to get creams from someone who knows what they are doing. Base oil on its own is a great way to start and has plenty to offer. If you want to make your own concoction for every teaspoon of vegetable oil, only add a few drops of essential oil.”

In recent years, argan oil has been hailed as liquid gold and a miracle cure for a host of skin conditions. It has also spelled big business for the beauty industry. Rich in vitamin E and essential fatty acids, pure argan oil (harvested from the nut of an argania spinosa tree) was used by Moroccan women to hydrate their skin and to fight the effects of the relentless desert sun. It is said to reduce inflammation, minimize wrinkles and treat acne.

Tomczak began practising holistic skincare in 1996 and opened her business in 2008, merging her background in massage therapy, aromatherapy, herbal medicine and nutrition.

For my treatment, she used a gentle blend of “solar-infused” chamomile flowers in jojoba oil with a touch of argan oil to treat my slightly sensitive skin.

She explained that her flower concoction was made over a period of eight weeks with exposure to the sun and moonlight and stirred daily.

“Chamomile is soothing for both the skin and the nervous system. Since you have mentioned you were stressed, I felt this would be a nice one to use. The chamomile flowers I used are from a local organic herb grower and a lovely lady — Judy of Judy’s Organic Herbs. Both the jojoba and argan oils are organic cold-pressed and unrefined, keeping things simple, effective and beautiful.

“A lot of love goes into making infusions like this one.”

Before purchasing essential oils, Tomczak recommends checking labels for the Latin name and meaning and choosing oils made from organic or wild-crafted plants.

“There are often many species of the same plant. Oils produced from each species are different in their biochemical composition, which determines the healing properties of each oil.”

One of her favourite ingredients is organic sunflower oil from Les Huiles d’Amérique, a farm outside of Montreal.

“I use this oil in my treatments and in few of my formulas. It is one of the ingredients in my face balm. I also use it in my kitchen. It is very tasty.”

Another item she says everyone should own is a silk pillow, which keeps the face fresh and aids in your sleep. “Cotton tugs and sucks the moisture from the delicate skin on your face and neck.

“When you think of the health of your skin, remember that your body has basic needs: good food, sleep, fresh air and exercise. We need to be kind to ourselves.”

THE ART OF OILS WORKSHOP

What: Magdalena Tomczak explores oils and shows how to select the ones that are right for you.
When & where: Dec. 1, 6 p.m. / Woman Divine, 351 Churchill Ave. N.
Price: $20

613-216-7676 or email info@womandivine.ca

Magdalena Tomczak offers custom-tailored essential and vegetable oil formulas designed for the face, body, hair, feet, hands or bath.Jean Levac / Ottawa Citizen

Magdalena Tomczak offers custom-tailored essential and vegetable oil formulas designed for the face, body, hair, feet, hands or bath.

Jean Levac / Ottawa Citizen

Oils

1. Vegetable oil

Yes, you could cook with it. Oils pressed from unrefined and organic seeds and nuts, such as argan, sunflower and camellia, have been used on the skin around the world for centuries and have been picking up steam in North America over the past decade. “Oil is full of vitamins A, E, D and K as well as essential fatty acids.”

2. Essential oils

Known as the most concentrated form of herbal medicine, essential oils are produced by the process of distillation to get the essence of the plants. Essential oils offer impressive healing possibilities in skincare in balancing, regenerating, astringent, antiseptic and soothing action and protection of the skin, Tomczak says. “Some of the most lovely oils for the skin and for skin-cell regeneration are carrot oil and frankincense.”

Oils & skin types

DRY SKIN

Base oil: 
Rose hip, argan

Essential oil: 
Carrot seed, rosewood

COMBO SKIN (dry and oily)

Base oil: 
Sunflower, jojoba, camilla

Essential oil: 
Chamomile, ylang ylang

OILY SKIN

Base oil: 
Grape seed oil, jojoba

Essential oil: 
Lavender, rosemary