Meet our Amazing Aestheticians | Ashley Mary
Ashley joins Province Apothecary as a Holistic Skin Therapist from The Lush Spa, UK. With a degree in aesthetics from Bryan College, Ashley’s passion is empowering others to understand and feel beautiful in their skin. She has traveled the world studying different healing modalities, drawing inspiration and joy from her relationship to nature. This passion for nature and the power of plant-based products are what led her to Province Apothecary. In her spare time, Ashley enjoys giving intuitive readings and shamanic base energy treatments, and hosting meditation and full moon circles. Ashley looks forward to connecting and supporting her clients on their journey towards holistic health and skincare.
What inspired you to become a Holistic Aesthetician?
I felt disconnected working as a Beauty Aesthetician when I first graduated from school. I was working with people every day doing hands on treatments and I felt like there was something missing. I started exploring different healing modalities to be able to understand my clients physical, emotional and spiritual needs. Self love and ritual have also always been important parts of my own self healing and I feel so grateful to be able to bring this into other peoples lives.
What are your favourite parts of being a skin expert / what's your favourite part of the job?
My favourite part is meeting new people and making beautiful connections. I love that people trust and allow me to treat there skin in a holistic way. I also love being able to use plants and natural ingredients to treat the mind, body and soul.
What's your #1 live-by-it-tip?
❤ Always follow your heart ❤
What is your daily skincare/beauty ritual?
I dry brush my skin as soon as I wake up, splash my face with freezing cold water to stimulate my lymphatic system, take a few deep breaths and spritz my skin with the PA toner, apply my custom blend serum that I will recreate every couple months (right now it is mostly made up of hemp oil + rosehip oil) then I will do a 2-3 minute self massage and finish with layering the PA moisturizer on top.
What do you do to stay grounded?
Being in nature brings me the most medicine and it always makes me feel so grounded. I love turning off my phone and going for a long walk in the forest or by the lake. I also love turning my music on really loud and dancing - I find this to be a really great way to shake off anything heavy and ground back into myself. My favourite album right now is Spirit - Rhye.
Do you have a favourite DIY skincare recipe?
I tend to be a little bit more prone to congestion - especially across my forehead. I love the natural enzymes that honey and papaya have that help to brighten and lift dead skin. My DIY recipe is: 1 teaspoon of raw honey, 2 tablespoons mashed papaya or pumpkin, 1 teaspoon filtered water, 1 tablespoon PA clay mask.
If you weren’t an aesthetician, what would you be doing?
I have so many dream jobs! A few of them would be a Sex & Intimacy Psychotherapist, a Buyer - travelling the world sourcing ethical ingredients, a famous Actress and a Death Doula. I’m a Scorpio rising! Can you tell?
What's your favourite botanical / essential oil and how do you like to use it?
YLANG YLANG for sure! It has such a sweet and sensual floral smell. I love using it before my Moontime. I like adding a few drops of essential oil in some coconut oil and rubbing it on my lower abdomen or adding 10-15 drops to a hot bath and soaking while listening to a podcast.
What do you like to do outside of work? / What’s your favourite non-work-related activity?
I love reading and learning - I’m always reading something and immersing myself in something new. Right now I’m learning Spanish on Rosetta Stone!
What's the best advice you've ever received?
That you never need to make a decision on the spot and that it’s ok to take a few hours or days to feel what is really best for you.
What do you think is the biggest skincare myth?
That sugar makes you break out! Your diet is important for healthy skin but your hormones, how much sleep your getting, the products you’re using, your stress levels and genetics all affect your skin.
If you could travel anywhere in the world tomorrow, where would you go and why?
I would go to an island in the French Polynesian called Moorea. I’ve never been there before but I came across it on Pinterest a few years ago and it looks like paradise. I’m always dreaming of laying in the warm golden sun.
__________________________