Hello loves!
So I will admit, I'd never heard of a "Mask Bar" before. The funny thing about this is, right before I decided to write this post, I was working with a client who mentioned a mask bar in NYC. I was obviously super intrigued and made a mental note to check it out the next time I'm in New York. A few hours later (no joke), while scrolling thru my insta feed I saw that Scratch Goods had opened a new location in the west loop and guess what they offer??? You guessed it! They have a DIY mask bar. I had to check it out!
Now don't be embarrassed if you haven't heard of this before- it's still fairly new and I literally just learned about it myself! And honestly, after poking around the internet, Scratch Goods is really quite a unique experience that I can now say was actually pretty cool.
CONCEPT:
Let me give you a quick backstory on what Scratch Goods is and what it has to offer. Scratch Goods was created by two cool Chicago chicks who saw a niche for natural, affordable skincare that WORKED (Right up my alley!) So they started creating and selling their own product line of natural, food grade skin products. Since the birth of this idea, they have recently expanded to this current location providing all sorts of wellness classes (Sunday Stretch class anyone??) as well as this DIY mask bar.
HOW IT WORKS:
A self service "make your own mask bar" using the brand's own product line of natural food grade products.
EXPERIENCE:
Walking into Scratch Goods was really refreshing! The door was wide open, feeling very welcoming and allowing the fresh summer air into the shop. Upon entering you can immediately see the schedule of services on the wall as well as all the products they carry. Amidst the products and accessories are badass books by the likes of Barack Obama and Malala Yousafzai. I already know I'm in love with this place!
I checked in with one of the girls working the register- all of the employees wear white t-shirts and black overall jumpers-- so cute! After checking in, you can switch your shoes out for slippers and get your hair wrapped up in a towel to prevent a big mess :) There's a drink bar in which you can help yourself to tea and water, and then you can pick your spot.
Bathroom selfie
Once sitting, in front of you is your own personal mirror, and a line up of products. Some concoctions are labeled, some aren't, but don't worry, Maureen will explain it all :)
Once everyone was settled in, Maureen handed us all a cold, tea tree oil soaked towel to clean our hands and faces. From there she gave us a breakdown of how the mask bar worked as well as all our options.
Basically, there are three clay mask options- offering something for everyone! The first was a Sea Mask, which she claimed was best for sensitive skin. The second was a Matcha and the third was a charcoal clay. All the masks help to restore and brighten skin, and each formulation has something different to offer.
I opted for a mixture of the Matcha and Charcoal. The Matcha claimed to tighten, tone detoxify and boost circulation. The Charcoal is used to help clarify and fight blackheads. Maureen mentioned the Charcoal was the most "aggressive" of the masks, and since I'm a bit of a mask novice and know my skin pretty well, I decided to include it.
Now to mix!
Maureen offers a couple different liquid mixers- You can just use water or coffee or tea if you like, but she creates these skin boosting elixirs to mix your mask with to get as much out of the experience! I don't remember what the first option was but I can tell you what one I used! (SORRY!) I opted for the turmeric coconut water-- claiming to be an anti-inflammatory, Turmeric helps to calm the skin and coconut water helps to hydrate.
My concoction!
We took our little mixing bowls and teeny tiny spoons (so cute!) and mixed our masks together. Once at the right consistency, we were instructed to wash with her oil cleanser. I've always been curious about oil cleansing so it was great to have someone instructing us on how to properly do it!
We took a palm full of this cleanser and rubbed it all over the face, then we were given a hot towel to lay on our faces and eventually wipe off the oil. This also helped open up our pores- it felt so good! We then applied a lash/brow oil to help stimulate growth, and a beautiful lip balm.
MASK TIME
From here, properly prepped, we took our little brushes and painted the mask onto our skin. We had a good 15 minutes for it to stimulate and dry so we could wander the store, as well as their event space upstairs. I opted for the swings because, why not??
My empty bowl :)
So cute 😂
After the mask was dry, we went back to our seats where we were greeted with another hot towel to wipe it all off. We misted with a hydrating facial spray and followed that with a skin oil of our choice for hydration.
Here's my face after...
Maureen warned of redness from the charcoal mask- shows it's working! My skin felt super silky smooth, looked luminous and glowing. I LOVED IT!
Overall, it was a super fun experience! I loved taking the time for myself. It was like getting a full facial for a fraction of the price, and now I have the know how on how to give myself a spa like facial at home. It's a lovely treat for yourself when you need a little "me time," that is still affordable, and supporting a local, sustainable business. It's also a super fun idea for groups! Birthdays, bachelorettes, you name it! Bring a friend and enjoy a relaxing afternoon at the mask bar :)
Almost forgot!
You get to keep your little facial brush for future uses at home, and you get a 10% discount on the products you purchase that day.
So of course, I took advantage and got myself some goodies :)
And look at this cool bag you get with it! Perfect for travel :)
So the next time you need a day to yourself or something fun to do with a friend (or two!) check out Scratch Goods
ps: Things have a way circulating themselves back to you, as you may be able to tell from this email I sent MYSELF back in early 2017 telling myself to check out scratchgoods! 😂😂😅I guess it was only a matter of time before making my way there! xo
