Self Care: A quantum facial will leave you refreshed from the inside out

Natalie Millar offers Reiki — a Japanese energy healing technique — as part of a quantum facial at Her Knowing in Banff. Jacob Forlin

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I’m going to hold up my hand and confess that between my creepy neck and combination skin woes, I’m a bit of a skin-care junkie. So when I caught wind of a quantum facial, my first reaction was, sign me up! My second thought was, what does that even mean?

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If we’re talking physics, a quantum is the smallest unit of something (like energy). If we’re talking facials at Her Knowing, a holistic well-being facility located in Alberta’s Bow Valley, quantum refers to discrete packets of energy emitted.

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Online, I learned it would be a non-invasive treatment designed to support both skin vitality and whole-body balance. What that meant on the treatment table, I had no idea. I figured the worst-case scenario was spending two hours lying still, so I booked.

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What happens during a quantum facial

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Natalie Millar, a certified reflexologist and holistic facialist, began the treatment with a gentle oil cleanser, then worked a yin comb from my hairline down my scalp to calm my nervous system before the real work began. I immediately felt at ease.

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“We go into the deeper layers of the whole person, not just the outer layers of the skin. When we feel calm and safe, we can unravel and discover things at a much deeper level. That’s when our true radiance can shine,” says Millar.

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After the scalp stimulation, different reflexology tools were worked across my face to increase blood flow and stimulate what Millar described as the same meridian lines and energy fields that acupuncture targets, followed by acupressure at points corresponding to internal organs.

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Then came a lymphatic drainage facial massage, which felt both firm and gentle at the same time. The point, Millar said, was to help reduce inflammation.

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“This will help open the lymph nodes and stimulate lymph fluid, which will help drain the whole face,” she explained, adding that puffiness in the face often traces back to a sluggish lymphatic system.

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The procedure also involved gentle facial cupping, a mask and other tools applied acupressure-style to my face. It all felt rather lovely.

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During the treatment, Millar offers Reiki-style energy healing.

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“You’re going to be feeling a lot, but it’s all going to be gentle, loving and kind, helping to restore your natural essence,” assured Millar.
Partway through the facial, I noticed I was swallowing more than usual.

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“That’s a good sign that the lymph from your face is draining,” Millar said.

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Some of the facial and hair stimulation tools used during a quantum facial at Her Knowing, a holistic well-being facility in Alberta.  Jacob Forlin

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Unlike other facials I’ve had, this treatment didn’t include extraction or a moment of discomfort. What unfolded was 120-minutes of steady, deliberate touch. (I opted for the Quantum Immersion, which included foot reflexology and tacked on 15-minutes of ear reflexology, because why not?)

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The experience left me relaxed and noticeably glowier. Still, I wondered, was any of what I experienced backed by more than a good feeling? After I got home, I dug into what evidence exists for the different parts of the treatment.