Skincare is truly the bread and butter of beauty. Without good skin, our general health and well-being (and not to mention makeup application) is amiss.
Ever in the quest for clear, radiant skin, I recently had the pleasure of visiting Amber Zoellner at Sage Organic Skincare in Phoenix for a rejuvenating facial that not only left my skin squeaky clean, but also infused it with completely natural ingredients (literally: Amber mixed a super moisturizing mask with a base of honey and pure goat’s milk yogurt bedside. You can’t get more natural than that!). A welcoming and stress-free vibe in a boutique spa environment makes the experience at Sage that much more special.
Read on to hear firsthand from Amber about her passion for skincare and the organic products she covets at Sage Organic Skincare.
AFM: Please tell us your story – a little bit about you and how you got started in skincare
Amber: I took a round-about way getting into skincare. It initially started with interest in the health and wellness field. After graduating college with a business and mass communications degree, I dove into beauty school. Beauty school was an artistic outlet for me and I could put my feelers out for what I could pursue or create in the future. I completed the entire cosmetology program but I mostly longed for the skincare side of things. Skin health is directly correlated with overall health; I started to take interest in this connection but shoved it in the back of my mind…
Discouraged in the cosmetology field, I submerged myself into dentistry. I was a dental assistant for two years with intentions of getting back into school to become a dental hygienist. Dentistry is actually both artistic and health related, though one would not think of such things. I enjoyed it, but I didn’t realize how many people have dental anxiety! I always loved going to the dentist, but the majority of patients aren’t super excited about it. I appreciated working with patients so closely and instilling trust in them. I connected with people at a different level and have been able to take that skill with me for my future & current endeavors. I was also given the opportunity to learn a lot about general health with this career. However, I didn’t like the fact that most people dreaded coming to see me, and I also concluded that I didn’t want to work for a doctor. My soul wasn’t being fed properly. I reverted back into the beauty field, worked for a couple salon-spas and any time off that I had I was studying, researching and creating my business. I realized I long for nurturing and pampering and I like to see healthy, positive transformation.
I became super passionate about pure, chemical-free, healthy products during this time, while working with Aveda products. I read a lot of stories, studied ingredients and researched, researched, researched. However, the majority of my passion blossomed from my personal life experiences. When I was 11 years old I had a married couple of homeopathic doctors enter my life and they changed it drastically. 20 years later, they are still a part of my and my family’s, life. At such a young age I became aware of the toxic environment we are exposed to regularly and how it adversely affects our health. I was fortunate to have this knowledge throughout my life and have implemented it into my business.
AFM: Please tell us about your spa, Sage Organic Skincare
Amber: My business is the culmination of every single job, class, degree, certification, seminar, and book I completed prior to its existence. After working for so many different employers over time (I’ve worked from the minute I was old enough to!) I longed to create an HONEST establishment; an environment that is truly pure, genuine and personal. I feel as though sincerity and honesty are lacking, or lost, in many companies. Glamour wasn’t important to me when Sage was just a vision. The experience, holistic environment and products are most important. Sage is my biggest accomplishment, created all on my own from my heart and soul. It embodies my personality from the decor, to the hand selected music playlists. Every minute of my guests’ experience is extremely important to me. It is an exclusive by appointment only operation and I use one product line, Dr Alkaitis. Honey, goat’s milk yogurt and other edible ingredients may be incorporated in my facials making for an exceptionally pure, raw experience!
AFM: What types of services do you offer? Are treatments modified depending on skin type / need?
Amber: I don’t think it is necessary to have a large menu of services/facials. I have a couple facials and add-ons, but consider my menu the Chick-fil-A or In-N-Out of spa menus. Though each facial is customized for each individual, I stick to a simple approach: It’s all about simplicity.
AFM: Is there a product you can’t live without?
Amber: One skin care secret/product I CANNOT live without is raw honey. It’s a necessity. If you could give one bit of skincare advice, what would it be? Skincare can be tricky. If I can give any advice it is to become in tune with your body. The majority of skin care issues are a result of poor diet, lifestyle, genetics and hormones. It can be a challenge and journey to achieve healthy skin. For some of us it may be harder than others. But it CAN be achieved and I encourage people to lead the healthiest lifestyle as possible to do so. (I still believe in moderation, though. 😉)
Saturday nap vibes. #sageorganicskincare mini #spa #beauty #skincare #relax #organic #things #az #arcadia #biltmore A photo posted by A M B E R (@amber_n_sage) on
AFM: Is there anything else you’d like to add?
Amber: For raw, uncut Amber you can find me on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. I enjoy connecting with my clients at an honest, personal level. I’m located in the Arcadia/Biltmore area and like to refer to my spot as “the neighborhood mini spa!”
Sage Organic Skincare
4636 North 32nd Street
Phoenix, AZ 85018
480.336.0042
www.sageorganicskincare.com
