Cutie Beauty Esthetics: Kate Black

Kate Black might have the cleanest pores in Nevada County, which isn’t all that relevant unless you’re looking for an esthetician, in which case, it’s essential. 

Skin care has that luxurious sound that induces both guilt and desire, as if an acne-free, wrinkle-free, dry, flaky, and sun damage-free complexion at the hands of a trained professional couldn’t possibly fall below the peak of Maslow’s Pyramid of Needs, when in fact, we rely on our faces to represent us, properly, every hour of the day. 

To use myself as a martyr on the altar of neglect, I have spent the last five years remiss of any sort of facial routine. Internally, I take great pains to address the rest of my health––from kale, to grass fed, to local and organic––but my skin has been riding coach for half a decade.  Sure, I wash it, but do I serum, mask, and exfoliate? Never, no, and rarely, begging the question endowed to any teenager worth their salt, “Then what did you expect?”  

“Skincare is an essential form of self-care that not a lot of people treat themselves to,” says Kate, owner of Cutie Beauty Esthetics, who echoes my admission. “But I love my work, because it can really change the way people see themselves.”

The Experience

Kate’s one-woman all-organic show in downtown Nevada City welcomes clients into a retreat-space among rock walls, a sky-lit atrium, soft music, a heated table, a myriad of lighting choices (for any mood), and the calming presence of her spectacular sincerity.

While her business name might sound adorable, (inspired by her longtime nickname, “Cutie Kate”) her delivery is deeply grounded. From the first om of her singing bowl to the incredible smell of lemongrass in the cleanser, I’m instantly whisked into a state of deep relaxation, with Kate not far behind. “There are times where I’ll get into such a flow state during a facial that I’ve almost forgotten where I am,” she regails, “my mind is calm and it’s as if I’m not really present, my ego isn’t there and the universe is flowing through me.”

While facials are the name of the game, it wasn’t long before I was masked, massaged (on my shoulders, neck, face, and arms), and drifting off into a quick sleep. “There is an intentionality to the work that I do,” adds Kate, “from the products I choose, to how I go about placing and removing my hands on the face. Creating a space of intention and care is what I love most about my work.”

Kate’s experience with skincare reminds me that necessity can, at times, misread as opulence. After watching her older brother suffer through painful cystic acne in his teens, Kate’s mom took her to meet with an esthetician, afraid she would suffer the same fate. “She was so knowledgeable, I loved her demeanor and professionalism. I learned a lot about how to care for my skin,” Kate remembers, “that was the moment I started talking about one day owning my own spa.” 

Èminence Organic Skin Care

There are few estheticians as devoted to a product line as Kate is to Èminence Organic Skin Care. While mainstream products are loaded with chemicals that might offer a topical improvement, their absorption into the skin can cause longer term complications for overall health. Èminence Organic Skin Care, the line of products used in Kate’s glorious facials, is committed to sourcing ingredients from organic, and in several cases biodynamic, farms across the world. The line also meets the EU standards for skincare, which is considered among the strictest in the world, and a slew of celebrities, from Kristen Bell to Chris Hemsworth, are seen endorsing the products. “I knew I wanted to be with an organic line,” says Kate, “and Èminence was voted Favorite Skin Care Line by spa professionals for 16 years in a row.” 

The Results are In

I awake from my quick doze and glimpse the purple glow from the rooms ambient lighting before briefly wondering if I’ve embarrassed myself by snoring, grunting, talking, or the like while asleep on Kates’ ridiculously comfortable table where my legs are elevated, my back is warm, and my skin is (finally) free of debris. As my session ends, there’s another hum of the bowl, the twinkling of chimes––that sound as if a flight of birds have just perched themselves on a windowsill nearby––and the lingering scent of chamomile, sage, and calendula. I right myself, yawn, and stagger to my belongings perched perfectly on a yellow velvet chair. Kate returns to the room, brings up the house lights, and illuminates her handy-work. I’m floored. My skin, which previously dawned a vague likeness to an old shoe, has been transformed. What was once dull, congested, and dry is now bright, dewy, and refreshed of any former disregard. While part of me feared the result might induce a state of accessible vanity, the reality is, I feel nourished, guilt-free, and renewed––face, body, and soul.