About me: Dual Licenses
My name is Stephanie Wenger and I am a 1994 graduate of The Virginia School of Massage and loved the school so much that I worked there for four years. In 1998, I decided to spread my wings and began working at Body by Nature in Waynesboro until I created Health Matters Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork in June of 2006. I continued to grow my business while pursuing a college degree. After obtaining my degree, I closed the door of Health Matters and opened another. After three and a half years, I knew in my heart that Massage Therapy, and the wellness field, is my true passion. So, January of 2016, I reopened Health Matters. Shortly after, I enrolled at Blue Ridge School of Esthetics to become dual licensed as a Massage Therapist and an Esthetician. Upon graduating, the name HEALTH MATTERS Esthetics & Massage came to be to reflect both licenses.
I am always in a continuous quest of becoming the best version of myself, personally and professionally. And I have found that these two actually go hand and hand. One of the things I learned in Esthetics school is that our skin is our largest organ, and what we put on it actually matters. Toxins that are so prevalent in our hygiene products, from shampoo to deodorant to skin care, are being absorbed through our skin into our bloodstream. I also learned that these over-the-counter products can be filled with toxic ingredients without the approval of FDA. For example, fillers to extend the amount of product and preservatives for a longer shelf life, because they are made for the masses and for the company to make a profit. Personally, I am very conscience of what I put IN my body, through nutrition, exercise, and lifestyle, but I never thought about what I was putting ON my body. Esthetics school had us working with a skin care line that is okay, but I knew I wanted to find an even cleaner line. I tried several until I found Osmosis, in 2018. It is a medical-grade skincare line with the whole concept of feeding your skin healthy, clean ingredients for your skin to be healthy and begin the process of healing. Osmosis provides the tools needed to create the ideal environment to encourage permanent change and overall radiance. Their unique philosophy is based on analyzing the skin and body as a whole to treat skin conditions at their source, restoring beauty and wellness. Their wellness system is a program designed to optimize the skin and body's rejuvenation process. Osmosis holistically takes aim at the origin of imbalances to impart real change. Ultimately, your skin will become radiant and youthful because your body and skin are healthy.
In 2019, I ordered my first wellness products from Mountain Rose Herbs, Avena Botanicals, Forrest Green Farms, and CBD Livity. This is when I started getting into herbs and using products that were ethically and sustainably grown. In 2021, for a New Years Resolution, I enrolled in an online class, Botanical Skin Care Course, through Herbal Academy. This course took my passion for herbs and my constant pursuit of cleaner products to the next level. I began making my own skin care products, starting with a lip balm. By then, I was also reading books by Rosemary Gladstar, Rosalee de la Foret, and other herbalists. Somewhere along this time, I learned about oil cleansing. This concept was interesting to me. Cleaning my face with an oil. I tried it and I have not looked back since! It was a game changer for my skin and I knew I needed to let my clients in on this!
So basically, I bought some Jojoba Oil because it is the carrier oil closest to our own human sebum and it is good for all skin types and, therefore, will not cause clogging and/or breakouts. Then I infused dried Lavender and Calendula, because these two herbs have wonderful skin rejuvenating and healing properties. I also made a Holistic Facial Serum with ingredients healthy for the skin. I started using these in conjunction with the Osmosis line. In early 2023, I took a class on how to make my herbal oils even more potent. From these oils, I now make salves, body butters, and body wash, etc. I essentially have created a non-toxic skin care line called Botanical Skin Care. I use all the knowledge I have learned thus far and I know this is just the beginning! I cannot wait to see how this continues to organically evolve!
Massage wise, in 2019, I took a class on Cupping, and in 2022, I took a course on IASTM (Instrument Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization). These are two more modalities in my arsenal that I am trained to use to help reduce muscle tension. I use an eclectic approach to each massage session, making it personalized to each individual.
In mid to late 2023, I noticed my body changing. I was extremely dry and I was having trouble with my digestion. This wreaked havoc on my skin. I first went to a dermatologist, who did not know what I had but prescribed a topical ingredient. And although it calmed my skin a little, I wanted to get to the root cause. That is when Ayurveda came into my life. Throughout my massage therapy and esthetic studies, I had come across Ayurveda. It always interested me, but it seemed too vast to comprehend. But when I started seeing an Ayurvedic Practitioner, everything fell into place. Ayurveda is a preventative system of care that teaches us to maintain our health and well-being with a diet and lifestyle that is in harmony with our constitution, our environment, and the changing cycles of nature. There are daily routines of self-care (Dinacharya) designed to maintain and connect us to our innate circadian rhythm, our internal body clock. And there are seasonal routines (Ritucharya), where we modify our dinacharya for the upcoming season.
In April of 2024, I completed the "Initial Women's Six Month Holistic Health, Natural Hormonal Balance & Vitality Program", that was offered through my Ayurvedic Practitioner. Daily Ayurvedic practices helped my dryness, hormone imbalance, and digestion. My body, mind, and spirit was feeling better, but my skin was still having issues. This is where Osmosis enters the picture, once again. I reached out to Dr. Ben Johnson, the founder of Osmosis, and sent him a picture of my skin. Through skin mapping, he diagnosed me "you have H-Pylori that developed and lead to candida acne". He also asked what supplements I was taking. Turns out, Ashwaganda, which is a very common herb in the Ayurvedic world, stimulates candida. Who knew?
Today, my skin is happy and healthy. I addressed the H-Pylori and candida holistically through Osmosis wellness. I used Immune Defense, Recovery, Skin Clarifier, and Skin Perfection. The combination of Osmosis skin mapping, topicals, and wellness protocol and Ayurveda daily practices, I holistically addressed my digestion issues, which ultimately cleared my skin issues. The gut and your skin (and mind) are all connected.
During this time, I enrolled in an online Ayurvedic Acupressure (Marma Therapy) class. Marmas are centers for the vital life force, or prana, the master power behind physical and psychological processes. They are a juncture where two or more types of tissue meet, such as muscles, veins, ligaments, bones or joints. If our prana flow is disturbed or meets obstruction in its course, these blockages may affect our health over time. but when our prana is high and flows through energy channels without obstruction, our body gains the strength to heal itself quickly from injury and illness.
In July 2024, I obtained my Advanced Marma Practicum: Ayurvedic Acupressure certificate.
What is next? Now that I know first hand that the holistic route works, I am diving deeper into Osmosis and taking their Holistic Skin Specialist Certification Course.
For me, Massage Therapy and Esthetics are rewarding professions that complement one another. I cater my work to my client's individual needs and my ultimate goal is to create an oasis and a moment in time where stress is left at the door.