This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Community Corner

Great Escape: Recharge at Moonstone

Janie's slogan is 'Relax, Renew and Recharge at your Neighborhood Spa Retreat.'

Each Wednesday, the Great Escape is about offering one great idea to give yourself a well-deserved break to help you feel refreshed and centered. The concept is to prevent burnout by creating a sense of renewal within yourself so that you can bring that renewal back to your family life.

Tucked around the corner from and next to Bike Shop in the Nave Shopping Center on South Novato Bouevard, you’ll find Moonstone Skin and Body Care operated and owned by Janie Escamilla.

As her website says, it’s a place to “relax, renew and recharge at your neighborhood spa retreat.”

Find out what's happening in Novatowith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Originally from Texas, Janie has lived in the Bay Area for 18 years. A former public relations executive, Janie worked with clients such as Microsoft and Amazon (one of her last projects was launching the most recent “Harry Potter” book). Still, in spite of having what she describes as a “wild ride” in PR for a decade, the thirtysomething Janie decided to find and pursue other passions.

She turned to a life coach and was brought back to the inspiration of her beloved grandmother. “She helped raise me and was way ahead of her time," she says. "She owned her own salon and raised eight children and made more money than my grandfather. She taught me to believe in myself – she was a very empowering influence. She taught me to be independent and I always wanted to own my own business.”

Find out what's happening in Novatowith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Janie attended and graduated from esthetician school and began working at the high-end Med Spa on Union Street in San Francisco. Her search to price some equipment to eventually own her own salon led her to Novato to meet Lee Elefther, owner of Loula’s Skincare, who was planning her retirement. Elefther encouraged Janie to buy not only the equipment but the business as well and acted as her mentor for the first six months.

“I’ve felt very nurtured in Novato and my business has doubled in the last year,” Janie says. “I’ve been very involved in the Chamber of Commerce and the Women in Business Committee since we moved here.”

She and her husband, Barry, her adult niece, Nicole and their three dogs, and one cat relocated to the Sinaloa neighborhood off Center Street from San Francisco.

Janie uses both a medical grade product called PCA and certified organic products from Hungary called Eminence.

Carine Camara, a 30-year-old acupuncturist and Novato resident originally from New York City, went to Janie to explore the possibility of getting her eyebrows done and was impressed with the cleanliness of Moonstone.

“I talked with Janie and could tell she was knowledgeable and I trusted her and I’m really picky," she says. "... She really cares and takes her time and is effective and sweet.”

Tracy Dunn, a Silpada representative and Novato transplant from Burlingame found Janie in an effort to clear up her adult acne which plagued her for five years.

“Dermatologists put me on medication and prescription creams but it wasn’t helping," Dunn says. "Four facials over four months with Janie made all the difference in the world and now I have occasional light breakouts but it’s 100 percent better. Janie is beyond knowledgeable about skin care and now that my acne has cleared up she is helping me with the scarring with glycolic peels.”

For her part, Janie says that every time she works on a client, she feels a deep spiritual connection to her grandmother. “I love what I do — you couldn’t give me a six-figure job again, this so rewarding.”

See Moonstone's website for a full description of the myriad skin and body services offered as well as information on the massage therapy available at her salon.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?