Skin Deep

Megan Constantin hosts this episode of Out to Lunch Acadiana at Gravy in Downtown Lafayette

You’re probably familiar with the saying, “Beauty is skin deep.” It’s meant to be a cautionary warning not to read too much into a person’s looks. And while that’s generally good advice, it’s good to be aware the saying dates back to the 1600’s.

Today we know that a healthy complexion can indeed be an indicator of a healthy body. And, conversely, not taking care of your skin can lead to adverse, and sometimes very serious, health challenges.

As our interest in skincare has grown, so has the skincare industry. There are now an estimated 13,000 skincare clinics across the country. One of them is a day spa company called SpaVia which has around 60 locations in the US.

Here in Acadiana, our SpaVia location is on Ambassador Caffery in Lafayette. Jennifer Lambert is the local owner of the franchise.

Jennifer Lambert, owner of the Lafayette franchise of the nationwide health spa chain Spa Via. At the spa on Ambassador Caffery they have 11 treatment rooms and 2 retreat rooms

Keeping your skin healthy and keeping a youthful appearance isn’t a one-and-done proposition. You’ve got to keep on top of it. If you’re not a human being though — there’s an alternative. With just one visit to Matthew Courville, you can look eternally your best. And I mean, “eternally.” The only caveat is, you have to be dead.

Matthew is the owner of MC Taxidermy.

Matthew Courville, Owner of MC Taxidermy where he processes thousands of animals a year. "I love taxidermy but my favorite part is building relationships with people."

Matthew Courville, Owner of MC Taxidermy, processes thousands of animals a year. “I love taxidermy but my favorite part is building relationships with people.”

Whether you’re a total fashionista, constantly conscious of your appearance, or you’re living off the grid out in the swamp and don’t care what you look like, your skin is your body’s largest organ. Every day, every hour, every minute, your skin is performing all kinds of chemical reactions to try and keep you healthy. Even if you do nothing to help it, it will succeed – to a certain extent and up to a point in time when – sometimes literally – it burns out. You can help your skin and your whole self stay healthy by visiting a day spa like SpaVia.

And if you want to preserve a non-human that means something to you, well, there’s taxidermy.