BY ANDREA PALMER
Rebecca Gray is the owner and practitioner
of Radiance Skincare by Rebecca in Saratoga
Springs.
Gray is a licensed aesthetician and alumni
of the Aesthetic Science Institute in Latham.
“There are so many blogs and YouTube videos
out there. It’s interesting to be educated and
then seeing all the at-home remedies on the
internet that are really so bad for your skin. For
example, lemon juice on the face… don’t do it.
Don’t do it,” said Gray.
“This work is my calling. It grew from a hobby
into a career. After graduating, I started out
working in a spa environment, but felt restricted.
It’s been freeing to work on my own and find
my own clientele. It’s been a challenge–but it’s
a great challenge,” said Gray.
“Each time I have a client, I give them all of
my knowledge, all of my best. Watching them
walk out looking like they are floating on a
cloud, it’s very fulfilling,” she said.
Gray practices in Saratoga Springs. She
grew up in the Berkshires. She fell in love with
Saratoga Springs during regular visits with her
parents as a youth.
“The fact that I’m one person and not a whole
bunch of people in a large facility, it brings
individuality to the process. I go above and
beyond to meet my client’s needs. I work with
a lot of different skin types,” Gray said.
Gray recalls her own struggle with adult acne.
“My personal experience sets me apart in the
industry. I struggled with major adult acne. I’m
talking about cystic welts across the face. It can
be caused by a lot of things, including stress,
but I have learned through my knowledge to
control it. So when I get a client who struggles
with any skin condition, I can understand what
it feels like every day to show your face to the
public. It really affects your self-esteem. I believe
I can help anyone get through any skin issue.
I’ve seen it with my own clients and walked
through it myself.”
“We all tend to put other people, or work,
or the craziness of life, ahead of ourselves.
It’s important to take time for ourselves and
say, ‘I’m going to take an hour out of this day
and make myself a priority, and let someone
else treat my skin’. There’s something about a
facial–I treat the face and then do a neck and
shoulder massage. To get that whole shoulder,
neck and face area treated releases so much
tension,” stated Gray.
“My primary goal with a client is to get
glowing skin. The best skin care investment
besides a cleanser is a Vitamin C serum. That is
what I have all of my clients using to get their
skin glowing. One of the greatest benefits of
a facial, if done regularly, is that it stimulates
collagen and elastic production. It changes the
skin tremendously if done regularly through the
working of the muscles, especially around the
jawline. It helps the blood circulation. The skin
care line I use have such a high concentration,
the ingredients penetrate to the live tissue of the
skin and affect the outer appearance of the skin,”
Gray stated. Gray uses the IMAGE skincare line.
Gray is available by appointment, and typical
hours are Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 7
p.m., and Saturday 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Radiance Skincare by Rebecca is located
in the Vanity Salon at 2 Franklin Square in
Saratoga Springs.