Welcome back to Glowing Review – the first of 2022! If you’re new here, I’m so glad you found your way to this self-care column that explores all the incredible health and wellness providers here in our community. I hope you’ll enjoy this edition of Glowing Review, as well as previous reports too!

Last month, I introduced you to our fabulous new Glowing Review sponsor, Monarch Brow and Facial Studio. Angela, the owner of Monarch, is a wildly talented esthetician that takes very special and unique care of her clients and their skin. I’m really excited to tell you about a facial treatment I received from Angela recently called the “Monarch Signature Oxygeneo Facial.”

I’ll get this out of the way first: As far as options for a facial, this is on the more expensive side. It has a $200 price tag and takes just over an hour. I chose to feature the OxyGeneo Facial in January because I’m a) hoping that self-care fit somewhere in your New Years Resolution, but b) if you’re looking to work it into your budget – which you absolutely should – you should kick off the year by treating yourself. Start off with a huge boost to your beautiful skin, then maintain from there.

Here’s the description for the OxyGeneo Facial from Monarch’s website:

This specialty treatment offers an effective new skin rejuvenation therapy which works by inducing enhanced oxygenation of the skin along with effective infusion of therapeutic ingredients. Treatments can be tailored to individual skin characteristics so your skin gets exactly what it needs to glow from the inside out. Experience the 3-in-1 super facial professionals are calling better than microdermabrasion. Incorporating patented OxyGeneo Technology for unparalleled skin nourishment and oxygenation, you’ll see younger looking skin after your first treatment.

Your treatment will be customized with one of 4 unique options targeting the specific needs of your skin:
• Hydrate — with Blue Spirulina — ideal for dry and irritated skin
• Balance — with activated Bamboo Charcoal — ideal for oily and acne prone skin
• Illuminate — with Vitamin C — ideal for uneven and dull complexions/hyperpigmentation
• Revive — with Red Algae — ideal for fine lines and wrinkles

The Monarch Signature OxyGeneo Facial finishing touch is the application of a seaweed calming jelly mask for that perfect glass skin effect.

I don’t want to give anyone a math problem to solve in a column about a facial treatment, but do you know what you get when you combine a super skilled esthetician with an elite skin care treatment? The best skin of your life. From entering Monarch’s studio, to leaving feeling bright and refreshed, everything about this experience was top notch.

When it comes to any kind of treatment or procedure, I’ve found that I’m willing to sacrifice a bit of comfort for results; I suppose I want to feel it working. The OxyGeneo Facial strikes that perfect balance. I can feel my skin reacting to the products and the high-quality tools used, but it’s balanced out by results with a lot of relaxation along the way!

I know that everyone’s expectations with self-care investments are different. That is why I use the “Self-Care Scale” in each edition of Glowing Review, so you can choose what to try based on what matters the most to you.

Experience: “Monarch Signature OxyGeneo Facial”

Relaxation Level: 9. I found one part of my facial slightly uncomfortable, but overall, this is will still be the best hour of your week. Unless you book a massage in the same week – because that’s what you deserve – but it will still be pretty close.

Painful Meter: 5 – but only during one specific part. The nature of the oxygenation is that your skin cells will be rejuvenated & collagen production will be boosted. I would describe this feeling as “tingly” rather than painful, but you should expect to feel this process working. If you can handle 120 minutes of The Bachelor every week, you can handle this.

External Results: 8. The only time I’ve given a 10 on the external results rating was when I featured Botox in Glowing Review. Considering Botox is a medical treatment meant to change things about your appearance, I’d say an 8 for a facial is pretty impressive. My skin was plump and glowing, and I felt so refreshed!


Since we’re all friends here, I feel comfortable sharing that I unfortunately started off the New Year with the development of shingles on my forehead. If Glowing Review has taught you anything about me, it’s that I take good care of my skin, almost to an obsessive point. My mom is a professional make-up artist and the deal growing up was that I could wear make-up as long as I was willing to take it off each night.

It was tough to accept what was happening on my face, but I took a great deal of comfort in knowing that my skin was healthy, clean and well-cared for, and could ultimately handle what I was dealing with. Plus, I knew as soon as I was out of the woods, I could head to Monarch for a facial to get my skin back in tip top shape! I’m so grateful for all these incredible opportunities I have to take care of my mind, body and spirit that work overtime to keep me healthy.

I’ll see you next month for the next edition of Glowing Review, thanks to Monarch Brow and Facial Studio!


As an accomplished painter and sculptor, Angela Hugghins brings an artist’s eye to her work transforming how the world sees her clients’ faces. A professional aesthetician since 2000, Angela launched Monarch Brow & Facial in 2016, providing expert skincare treatments, organic facials and lash and eyebrow tinting. After intensive training under Francek Prsa and the pioneering Serbian Master Microblading artist Branko Babic, Angela is one of only a handful of professionals in North Carolina fully certified in PhiBrows microblading.

The Monarch studio is an intimate space, designed for private, personal attention. She uses only organic, hypoallergenic and sustainable cleansers and makeup, providing treatments and simple-to-follow guidance to achieve great looking, healthier skin with a minimum of regimen at whatever budget you can manage.