Complimentary facials. Guided meditation. Scalp-to-Soul consultations. Aveda is betting on better with a new approach to the retail experience. Headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Aveda recently launched their newly designed Aveda Experience Center, the first retail store of its kind at Southdale Mall in Edina. I was thrilled when Aveda asked me to participate in an evening dedicated to the new services and experiences this innovated retail model is offering.

Each employee at Aveda Experience Center is knowledgeable about the company’s history, products, and services, with a handful of staff members specializing in hair care, skin care, makeup, and wellness. Their approach to beauty starts from within. The best part? There are tons of complementary services built into the shopping experience.

Here’s a recap of my experience.

6 pm: I arrive at Aveda Experience Center. The staff greeted me with a warm welcome and offered me tea and bite to eat.

6:05 pm: After introductions, I am asked about any top-of-mind issues regarding my hair, skin, makeup and wellness routines that I wanted to discuss with their experts. After taking a moment to think, I remembered I had been experiencing some dryness on my face and scalp which I’d chalked up to the winter season.

6:10 pm: I’m seated in a salon chair and draped with a cover. My hair is examined and tousled. We start with a “Scalp to Soul” questionnaire that walks me through a guided checklist noting the condition of my hair, scalp, and skin. In addition to the verbal checklist, she tests the porosity of my hair by backcombing a few sections. If the backcombing creates tangles, your porosity is poor. If the hair resists tangling, your porosity is good. I had a mix of both, with my ends being in worse shape.

They also perform an elasticity test to look at the overall health of your hair. The test consists of a pinch at both ends of a strand of hair followed by a tug. If the hair bounces back, it’s in good health. They test in different parts of the scalp because the condition of the hair varies.

Since I had complained about dryness, they offered to take a picture of my scalp to get an up close look at my skin. The camera zooms in on the surface 600x what is viewed with the naked eye. Much to my horror, my scalp needed some serious rebalancing. I was treated to a relaxing scalp massage with their scalp remedy™ dandruff solution (TMI, I know) but I was glad we tackled the problem. Plus, the treatment left me with voluminous hair.

6:20 pm: I’m intrigued by the “Find Your Balance Experience” offered directly across from the haircare section. The self-guided display walks you through selecting the right Chakra scent based on your needs. If you’re asking yourself “What the heck is a Chakra” here’s how MindBodyGreen explains it:

The seven chakras are the centers in our bodies in which energy flows through.

Blocked energy in our seven chakras can often lead to illness, so it’s important to understand what each chakra represents and what we can do to keep this energy flowing freely. — via MindBodyGreen

The Aveda Experience has a self-guided display that asks you to select what you need most: feeling grounded, nourished, intention, harmony, expressive, insight, and wisdom. Each aroma tab shows you where this feeling is rooted, what it feels like when you are balanced vs. imbalanced.

I select “grounded” and “intention.” I decide to purchase both scents.

6:30 pm: I’m asked if I have time for a facial. In my world, there is always time for a facial. Of all the offerings at The Aveda Experience, this is the one that sets them apart. Any customer can schedule 20 minutes with the esthetician on staff to discuss regimes, skin concerns, and a recommended program.

I sit in the chair and am treated to a shoulder massage as we discuss the complexion dullness I’ve experienced since giving birth. She recommends we start with dry brushing and detoxifying the surface of the skin before talking about skincare products.

The process of using the Aveda Dry Brush is relaxing in itself. I decide I prefer dry brushing to using my Clarisonic because you can control the intensity, which is especially nice in the winter months. After dry brushing, a heavy dose of oil is applied to pull out any toxins on the surface. It is left on my face for 1-2 minutes and then wiped clean.

This process also helps prep your skin for the nutrients in your serum and moisturizer. I am told to think of my skin as a desert. Water doesn’t absorb as efficiently as it does after the dirt has been broken up. The brush and oil are the best things you can do to make the most out of your expensive skincare products. The new analogy changes the way I look at my skincare routine, and I put the brush and oil on my list of goods to purchase.

After my facial, the regime suggested to me goes as follows:

Dry brush for 2 minutes
Oil- massage in for 2-3 minutes
Followed by cleansing (you can skip this step in the evening)
Add a toner
Follow with a serum
Finish with eye cream and moisturizer.

By the end of the night, I had a whole new take on the skin and scalp problems that have ailed me and a clear understanding of how best to use these products. I’ve been dry brushing every morning and night since Thursday, and I’m starting to see a brighter complexion with fewer dry spots.

The biggest takeaway from the Aveda Experience is that the brand understands that learning about their products and how to use them is the best way to serve their customers. While the Edina store is the first to launch, the new concept will be coming to Aveda stores across the country.

For Minnesota Residence
Book your complimentary facial by calling: 952-920-3411
Visit The Aveda Experience: Southdale Center, Edina, Minnesota 55435

Shop online or find an Aveda salon near you.

Disclaimer: This post was sponsored by Aveda. We received compensation to share a review of Aveda Experience Center, not the products we purchased. All opinions and thoughts about the experience and products are our own. Thank you for supporting our sponsors! These partnerships make it possible for us to continue to produce quality content on our website.

Kate Arends

Kate is the founder of Wit & Delight. She is currently learning how to play tennis and is forever testing the boundaries of her creative muscle. Follow her on Instagram at @witanddelight_.