An Interview with Souzan Seshima

Souzan Seshima is a certified medical esthetician at Ageless Center for Rejuvenation, located in Seattle’s Fremont area. Souzan has been treating patients with Söliv products for six years.

How would you describe the typical Söliv client at your salon?

Most of my patients are middle-aged women who are either peri-menopausal or menopausal and people who have skin compromised by Rosacea or severe dehydration.

How long does it take to achieve results?

We get instant results. The first application, people notice a big difference in their skin, and that’s remarkable, because many products make claims boldly in their packaging, and yet, when it comes down to the actual application, the results are disappointing. So when you have a product that causes people to sit up and see a real difference, it’s remarkable.

What kind of results do you see in the eye area?

The eye area is really problematic because it is the thinnest tissue on the body. Many, many companies have tried to put out specific formulas to address darkness, puffiness and lines. Some people find relief, but others come to believe eye creams are a waste of time. Frankly it’s been my experience that the one and only thing I can count on consistently – like pulling a rabbit out of my hat – has been Söliv. Generally, as a practitioner, I don’t even prescribe eye creams because I really don’t find them that efficacious.

Do you think Söliv penetrates better than most products?

It does penetrate, that we know, I think because of its very structure. The amino acids go to work very quickly to repair skin, and I think they work very well in the eye area in particular because the skin is thin and the capillaries are really close to the surface. Because of this, the product can go to work very quickly.

Have you observed a tightening effect?

Yes, definitely, especially for post-menopausal women and men who are middle aged. However, anyone can derive benefit from Söliv. I believe it to be a whole food benefit to the skin. But I think in terms of tightening and fattening the skin, the earlier we start the therapy, the better results the person is going to see.

What about general skin tone?

When the product is applied, you get an immediate change in skin tone, in part because the circulation is revved up. In those with lackluster, dull skin, you can really see an improvement in circulation, and therefore in the overall tone and color of the skin. When you put this product on, you see immediate difference in the overall tone of their skin.

Do you notice a difference between clients who use the product consistently and those who have slacked off?

As Diane says on her website, the more you do, the more results you’ll see. It’s cumulative. If you use this product often, you’re definitely going to see results. We’ve seen results at the first application, three days after that, a month after that and three months. The problem is compliance, getting people to use the stuff and use it correctly. This is the skill we try to translate to the patient. People hoard it like gold.

Are there clients who do not see results or have allergic reactions?

Where other therapies fail, Söliv has come through for me, especially for patients with a compromised barrier – that is, if the upper layer of the epidermis is compromised due to congestion, dehydration, acne or Rosacea. People with sensitivities to fragrances and preservatives find most products to be too irritating. Söliv has been a godsend in my practice, in that I can use it on everyone with excellent results. In all the years I’ve been using it, I can only think of two who were dissatisfied: one who had serious immune issues and probably would have found anything irritating, and the other, a younger client with really thick, oily skin who may not have applied the products consistently.

Any final thoughts?

I can honestly say that this is one of the most remarkable products I’ve seen in the last decade, and I’ve been in skin care for seventeen years. I also love the fact that ecologically it’s a wonderful thing, the way that it’s grown, the way it’s extracted, the respect for the plants, the waters that are flowing back into Puget Sound cleaner, and with a higher oxygenated content.