Facials Education with Agape Wellness Cottage

By Carly Meyers

Meet Amanda Frampton, co-owner of Agape Wellness Cottage and a Licensed Esthetician who specializes in skin health. Now a fulltime operation o ering nail and lash services, massage Amanda Frampton therapy, facial waxing and yoga classes in addition to Amanda’s facials and skin treatments, Agape began from a much smaller vision. After obtaining two bachelor’s degrees from the University of Central Florida and living and working in Orlando, Las Vegas and Alaska, Amanda returned home to Lake City to attend Florida Gateway College to pursue a career in esthetics, which encompasses the wellness, beauti cation and preservation of the skin. Unable to travel and unsure of what the pandemic had in store for her new future, she began Agape Esthetics in June 2020, a humble tenfoot by ten-foot room with a small service menu, as a temporary plan. Amanda, her mother and sister decided to join forces. All renting their own suites next to one another for their correlating specialties (facials, nails and massages), they decided to pour their own blood, sweat and tears into transforming an old o ce space into the now relaxing and welcoming Agape Wellness Cottage. “We had to take a leap of faith and believe we could change the space into how we envisioned it,” Amanda said. “It needed a lot of TLC, but now it feels like home. Every detail of the Cottage is intentional. Not just how we’ve decorated, but the colors, plants, scents and sounds are meant to make you feel calm.”

Facial Treatments

Before the healing can begin, Amanda likes to start with a quick consultation. She wants to take the time to learn about your skin and structure a treatment plan that both of you feel con dent in. “You see your skin every single day, but I don’t,” Amanda said. “I want to get to know your skin, so I know how to best treat it.” Amanda likes to combine relaxation with corrective work in her skin treatments.

There are varying treatment options that correlate with di erent skin issues, but they all start with the same foundation.

Traditional Facials

• Double Cleanse • Exfoliation (Chemical, Manual or Both) • Toner Application to Balance PH • Extractions, If Necessary, to Aide With Acne or Blackheads • A Form of Massage; Pressure Points • Lymphatic Drainage, etc. • Customized Mask • Finishing Products Such as Serums, SPF, • Oils or Moisturizer

This is the foundation of a facial, then you can move forward from there. “Basically, the goal is to cleanse, treat, balance and protect,” Amanda said. “The steps are the same, but the products and modalities will di er. Every single treatment is customized. My services are not one-size- ts-all.” The following are some of the treatments Amanda off ers, though much more intricate than summarized and not all are mentioned.

Dermaplaning

Dermaplaning is an exfoliation method that involves taking a surgical blade and gently scraping away the top layer of dead skin cells and peach fuzz. This treatment o ers instant brightening and is Amanda’s most popular treatment. Dermaplaning can o er smoother makeup application, better penetration of skincare products and is a noninvasive treatment that 98 percent of clients with all skin types can have done.

Microcurrent Treatment

Microcurrent uses small electric currents to help the skin ght gravity. Amanda uses the 7e Wellness Myolift device which has been described as a “noninvasive facelift”. Typical microcurrent results include contouring the jawline and cheeks, improved complexion, as well as softer, rmer, smoother skin. This treatment is Amanda’s personal favorite due to the signi cant results she’s seen rst-hand for herself and her clients.

Chemical Peels

A chemical peel is a treatment where an acid formula is applied to the top layer of the skin, encouraging dead skin cells to slough away, revealing newer, regenerated skin. Chemical peels can be used to treat a variety of skin conditions such as breakouts, hyperpigmentation and more. “Think of chemical peels as a controlled burn in a forest,” Amanda said. “You’re encouraging new growth.”

Bene ts of Facial Specialists

Letting a professional assess your skin is much more bene cial in the long run. Some over-the-counter brands use dangerous llers that can cause long-term damage to your skin. Not all brands are bad, though, and the same product does not work for everyone, so it’s important for a professional to help guide you through a healthy skincare regimen, in addition to treatments. Estheticians also have access to professional- and medical- grade products for facials, which have both more active ingredients and e cacy in terms of product potency.

Agape’s Outlook Even though each specialist at Agape o ers a di erent service, they all have the same, ultimate goal: to make the building a place of healing, rest and self-care. Whether you’re visiting Agape for an hour for one treatment or coming to visit each specialist and take a yoga class afterward, they want their clients to feel better when they leave than when they arrived, and they’re very passionate about that.

“We want our clients to see Agape as a place of healing where they can come relax and renew,” Amanda said. “It’s so important to take care of your family and community, but rst you must take care of yourself. Put your oxygen mask on rst. We hope that something as simple as a facial, massage or pedicure can o er our clients an hour of rest and relaxation. When you’re resting, you’re at peace. And we just want to spread love and light to make our corner of the world shine a little bit brighter.”

“We like to thank our clients for taking some time for themselves,” Amanda said. “It’s an honor to straighten their crown and ll their cup when they give so much to others without taking the time to receive for themselves.”

She continued, “Agape (pronounced uh-gahpay) is from the Bible. It is unconditional, pure, perfect love. It is the kind of love that God has for mankind, so it’s not anything that we can even fathom because we’re human and we’re awed, but it’s something we can aspire to every single day. This isn’t just a business to us; our clients are our family, and we love to take care of them.”

Agape Wellness Cottage is located at 1106 SW Main Boulevard, Lake City, Florida 32025. You can book with Amanda online at agapewellnesscottage.square.site or call 386288-0358 to learn more about their services. Follow @agapewellnesscottage on Facebook, Instagram and Tik Tok. Agape Wellness Cottage is open Tuesday through Saturday by appointment only. ■