Tonic Spa-tique

Today is a day to slow down and listen.

To listen without rebuttal.
To listen with caring ears.
To listen without needing to explain, defend or fix.

To hear the stories and voices that have been here long before us.

Reconciliation asks us to learn, to sit with uncomfortable truths, and to keep showing up with respect. It’s not something we acknowledge once a year and move on from.

Tonic Spatique is located on the traditional territory of the lək̓ʷəŋən peoples of the Songhees and Esquimalt Nations.

I’m grateful to live, work and build community here. And I believe that gratitude comes with responsibility.

So today, I’m listening.

With an open heart, caring ears, and a willingness to keep learning.

With respect, today and every day.

Well. There it is.

Because life can very easily become emails, appointments, errands, bills and whatever fresh little crisis has shown up today.

There will always be something that needs doing.

But life is also wandering around. Sitting in the sun. Laughing until you snort. Taking the long way home. Doing absolutely nothing useful.

Making a living matters.

But making a life?

Kind of the whole point.

I had a conversation recently about how easy it is to get caught up in the “ASAP” thing.

ASAP this. ASAP that. Get it done. Figure it out. Move on.

Meanwhile, we’re standing right in the middle of our actual life.

I’ve been trying to catch myself doing this lately. To stop mentally sprinting ahead and actually notice what’s happening right now.

The good stuff. The weird stuff. The ordinary stuff.

Because apparently not everything needs to happen ASAP.

Who knew?

So today, I’m trying to stay here.

Okay September.

We see what you’re doing.

The mornings are cooler. The light is changing. Summer is slowly packing its bags.

Which means we’re getting ready for fall at Tonic.

New facial specials with Kisses To Go.

Our Peel Series for post-summer skin.

Botanical treatments designed for the season we’re actually entering, not the one we’re pretending is still here.

Fall is coming.

We’re ready.

Your nervous system deserves a little downtime.

A slow facial, a warm table, relaxing massage and an hour where nobody needs anything from you.

Your shoulders drop.

Your breathing gets slower.

The skin gets some love, your brain gets a little quieter, and for a while, you can just exist.

Honestly, not a bad way to spend sometime with yourself.

Summer leaves souvenirs.

Some are lovely.

Some are sun spots , uneven tone, rougher texture & skin that has generally decided it has been through enough.

Our Peel Series is coming back this fall. With treatments designed to gently soften some of the effects summer. Allowing skin to appear hydrated & calm.

No aggressive “let’s punish your face” nonsense. These peels have zero down time. Just thoughtful exfoliation, good botanicals and a plan to get glowing.

Something new is steeping at Tonic.

Next week we’re introducing our fall facial specials featuring our friends at Kisses To Go.

Botanical skin care meets tea.

And yes, we have been having entirely too much fun figuring out how to make this work on your face.

Details coming next week.

Stay curious.

Meet one of the little powerhouses in the Replenish line : sea buckthorn.

These tiny orange berries are packed with fatty acids, antioxidants and carotenoids, making them a beautiful ingredient for skin that is feeling a little depleted after a summer of sun, heat and general outdoor nonsense.

Sea buckthorn helps support the skin barrier and gives tired, dry or stressed skin some much-needed nourishment.

Basically, Replenish is the botanical equivalent of saying:

“Okay skin. We’ve had our fun. Let’s get you balanced”

Monday reminder:

Your nervous system does not care that you have emails to answer.

It would actually prefer that you unclench your jaw, drop your shoulders and take one decent breath.

At Tonic, we’re big believers in skin care that gives your nervous system a little room to catch up too.

Warm table. Quiet room. Slow massage. No one asking you to be productive.

Honestly, pretty reasonable.

Henry Rollins gets it.
September is a weird limbo time
where I am saying, “Summer isn’t over!”
while I am also quietly putting away the patio furniture.

I will hang onto these last warm days, wander around, soak up the light and watch the leaves gently fall.