ROCKLAND — On Thursday, April 10, I attended a makeup party at Rheal Day Spa at 453 Main Street in Rockland. Though this type of story is not my forte, I found the experience fun and enlightening. Rhonda Nordstrom is the spa owner and was gracious as I moved around the room speaking to people and taking pictures.

Lindsay Jones said simply that she liked it there.

"I come back because the service is great," she said. "I get pedicures, I get my makeup here. I've had a massage here. I think they know what they're doing and I like buying local."

“I love Rheal Day Spa and I came for the chance to sample their different offerings,” said Sarah Baldwin. “I come here for yoga twice a week. The spa is beautiful and relaxing. It’s a calming and serene atmosphere and the treatments are high-quality.”

Nordstrom said that Rheal has been an established business in Rockland for 12 years; five in their current location.

“This is my home town and I’m proud to have a business here,” she said. “I love my town and it’s just so amazing how it keeps getting better and better. We’ve maintained a good client base over the years. People come and go and people move away. When I opened I was the only business of this kind in Rockland and now there are tons. People move around and find the one that fits them. We are the holistic one, so people come here mostly to relax. There’s also the beauty end of course, we’re doing makeup tonight.”

Nordstrom said her tag line is, “healthy is beautiful.”

“It comes from if you’re healthy, you’re beautiful no matter what you’ve got on your face, or what God gave you,” she said. “If you’re healthy it’s all good. Facials are the most popular thing we do here. Facials are part of skincare, so the most popular things we sell here are skincare products, a lot of cleansers and moisturizers.”

Leah Smith was busy doing a patron’s eyes, but took the time to answer a couple of questions.

“I’m the spa coordinator here so I do a lot of behind the scenes things,” she said. “I’m out front a lot selling products and helping people with skincare and makeup. I help people get into rooms and I do a lot of cleaning. We like it clean here. Pretty much everything is my job; I have to know everything. Today, I spent a lot of time getting ready for this party, moving things around and putting lots of things out.”

Smith said she had fielded many questions about eye makeup.

“I’m helping a lot of people with their eyes,” she said. “It really just depends on what type of questions they’re coming to me with. The first person I helped was just for evening skin tones and foundation, but a lot of people are coming to me with questions about their eyes. I think people are having a lot of fun with this. I know I’m having a great time. I think they’re enjoying seeing the difference a little makeup can make and it doesn’t have to be a big change to make it work. I’m seeing a lot of clients, but new people, too. People who usually come in for skin care are interested in makeup tonight. We really love to show you how to take care of your skin, how to make it healthy, vibrant and beautiful.”

Nordstrom said she couldn’t be happier with her staff.

“I have the most wonderful women working here,” she said. “Over the years people have come and gone. It’s never easy managing people and it’s a big challenge for me, but I can very proudly say that right now that I have the strongest and most wonderful staff ever. They’re young and I love helping young women find their way and build their careers. It’s rewarding and one of my staff has been with me eight years.”

I noticed on the spa’s brochure that they offered teen facials. I asked what the difference between a teen facial and a regular facial was.

“That’s really a great question,” she said. “Teen facials focus on helping the teen learn how to take care of their skin. Usually a parent will bring a teen to us because they have acne starting. We do a deep cleansing and teach them why it’s important to take care of their skin. It’s instructional, as well as functional. We also teach them how to take care of their skin at home and promote good hygiene habits.”

Cecile Bizet is an eighth-grader and in boarding school.

“It’s really relaxing and it makes me feel pretty, she said. “I get facials and massages here and sometimes my nails. I do a lot of makeup and fashion videos, and then I also just talk about general lifestyle. I’m doing a makeup give away currently, so that’s the most popular right now. I twitter and I’m on Facebook as well. It’s just the best here.”

Nordstrom said that looking forward five years she sees continued growth.

“In 2008, the economy slowed down a bit and it was a scary few years. Now, I can see and feel that it has turned around. Something I’m adamant about is that I’m not here just for tourists, but I’m here for the local person. A lot of men come here, as well as women, and we encourage more men to come in. Everyone is welcome, but I’m here for the local person first. There is a difference between tourists and summer residents. We have our summer residents who come back year after year, and that’s such a blessing. The tourists are a wonderful topping.”

The spa was designed by Carrie Shores, a young architect, who has since moved to California.

“Each room has a name and it’s specific to my philosophy as to how I want spa life to be,” said Nordstrom. “The room we’re in now is called stillness, so usually it’s quiet and people use it to come and sit quietly while they’re waiting for their treatment or they can come in after and have a cup of tea. At night sometimes it transforms into a classroom and we do yoga in here. Two nights ago, a woman rented the room for a workshop and we had 30 people in here, so it’s a functional room.”

Nordstrom said they have two makeup parties a year.

“Our makeup parties make this place really come alive and they are so much fun, but we’re really here to help people to relax and reduce stress, to take some time for self care,” she said. “We have at least two makeup parties a year and people look forward to them.

Jen White is the area representative for the Dr. Hauschka skin care products. The products are sold exclusively at Rheal.

“The products are made in Germany,” she said. "The herbs and flowers used in the Dr. Hauschka products are grown on a Biodynamic farm in Germany". Rheal sells cleansers, toners and moisturizers for the face. Mask treatments and products specifically for the skin. We are a professional product. The products are used and sold all across the United States, but are exclusive here in the Rockland area. You would have to travel about two hours to find the products somewhere else in Maine.”

Rheal Day Spa on Facebook.