Meet Dian Cesena of Ritual Sagrada

Today we’d like to introduce you to Dian Cesena.

Dian, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
My journey into wholistic care began about a decade ago when I became a teacher of Kundalini yoga and meditation. Although yoga remains my strongest tool for self-care; it’s my yogic studies of breathwork that were revelatory for me. At the core of any yoga practice is the breath; I learned that the breath can be harnessed to bring balance to the mind and also to bring a natural glow to the skin. 

During this time, an esthetician friend encouraged me to consider skincare as a vocation. My childhood was steeped in herbal plant medicine and it was my habit to pick out familiar plants hiding in the ingredients of my skincare routine. My focus at the time was on becoming a yoga instructor and it wasn’t until after the birth of my son Ravi in 2016 that a plan began to form. The act of nourishing myself and my infant son was incredibly instructive and I began to weave these threads into a practice that would become Ritual Sagrada.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Although the pandemic has been a tremendous blow to my industry, Ritual Sagrada has been blessed with luck. Opening a new business is no small feat and nothing could have prepared me for the realities of operating a spa where touch is fundamental but not allowed. Despite those considerable challenges, I’ve learned to think of an obstacle as an opportunity to reframe my thinking and consider the many pathways I can follow to achieve my goals. 

In 2017, I started an apprenticeship in a traditional spa setting but very quickly realized that their compartmentalized approach to skincare was very different to the wholistic approach I had developed in my personal life. I will always be grateful for the training and opportunity that was given to me but my instinct led me to begin my own practice, which would be wholistic from the ground up. My dear friend, Chester Ongsioco at Skincare by Chester, gave me the unbelievable opportunity to share a space and create the kind of care that I had been dreaming of.

My first challenge was to find a skincare line that aligned with my values; whose products and ingredients are designed to support and nourish our skin’s natural microbiome. I also wanted to ally myself with a line from California. In doing so, I could reduce the carbon footprint of my work and also maintain a key principle: assuring my clients that my formulations are derived from plants that are cared for and supported by local farmers that practice sustainable farming. Ultimately, I allied with Laurel Whole Plant Organics in Sausalito, a company that achieved all of these principles. 

I also want to mention that there are numerous lines that say they are organic, but when I started asking what plants were being used, as well as where and how they were harvested, I could never get an answer. I spent months struggling with researching and sourcing whole plants and it taught me a lot about skincare product marketing and how misleading the beauty industry is.

Ritual Sagrada was slowly but steadily gathering more receivers; then the pandemic hit. I haven’t been able to touch a client since March and far too many of my colleagues have had to shut down their spas and leave Los Angeles for good.

To adapt, I have been offering online consultations and tutorials. Any esthetician will tell you that the most important part of skin health is what you decide to do at home. Through these offerings, I share my wholistic knowledge and how it pertains to you, the receiver. The sessions can range from seasonal skincare, facial massage and Gua Sha, to meditation, yoga, and body movement. It’s a beautiful fusion of wholistic skincare that empowers receivers and gives the opportunity to nourish and support yourself.

Please tell us about Ritual Sagrada.
Like all of us, I’m trying to navigate the difficult reality of Covid-19. My vision for my work has evolved dramatically. Although this isn’t how I initially imagined my work; I have to admit that this new reality pushed me towards a vision I never could’ve realized before. You’d think that being robbed of touch would kill a business like mine; but I’ve found that now I can spend more time empowering my receivers with the tools and knowledge that I rely on for support and nourishment.

One of the most important principles of Ritual Sagrada reflects my own  background in yoga & meditation; that skincare doesn’t begin or end at your face. I’ve been able to weave the body’s mental, emotional, and spiritual elements into each individual’s skin health. It all ties together; even your environment! Your skin is a reflection of your inner and outer worlds. 

For example, the stress we’re all under right now may be causing your cortisol levels to rise, which triggers inflammation and can lead to breakouts. Traditional esthetics would treat the acne directly, but that does nothing to address the underlying issues. My mission is to give receivers the tools to manage their stress with tools like breathwork, movement, yoga, massage, or herbal infusions. Topically, I can recommend products that are formulated with whole plants to help bring down inflammation. I also want to make a side note that all the oils, elixirs, masks, and balms that I recommend contain 100% whole plant ingredients. This means you’re receiving all of the benefits of the plants’ vitamins, mínerals, nutrients, and constituents. This is the ultimate superfood for the skin! The wholistic model of skincare is to learn how to support and nourish your skin and whole self. 

I’m proud that Ritual Sagrada has adapted to all the changes 2020 has brought. As a mom, that means homeschooling a 4 1/2 year old boy while managing my own business. As a businesswoman, that means reconceptualizing my business and weathering adversity. I’ve learned to work smarter; not harder. I have to make sure that I stay in the present. Vibrant skin and health stems from the power of nourishment and support at all levels; this knowledge is what I love to share and is the basis for Ritual Sagrada.

Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
Growing up in Santa Fe Springs and living in Los Angeles; the city has shaped who I became. I grew up among a variety of peoples and cultures so to me diversity has always been a given. You see it in nature; it made sense to me that people live like this everywhere. We have such diversity in ecosystems here in Los Angeles! My dad loved backpacking; we spent many weekends exploring our deserts, mountains, and seaside ecosystems. I loved hearing my dad explain the history of California through geology.

Learning about our local critters and plants as a child was a gift that has blossomed into a deeper understanding of the reciprocity of nature and how even our skin has its own ecosystem.

I was very hyperactive as a child; my parents placed me in gymnastics and ballet in the hopes that it would tire me out. It makes sense that in my 30s yoga and the return of body movement would take over my life.

I do want to share one last thing, which is that living in Los Angeles as a young adult was amazing! I was photographing, using medium format film, and had my own darkroom on the Westside. My muses were music and desert landscapes. I spent my 20s & some of my 30s immersed in the music scene photographing bands at The Silver Lake Lounge, Spaceland, Little Radio, and so many other awesome venues that ended up feeling like a second home.

To this day, photography is still an extension of me even though I don’t spend much time with it. Maybe one day I’ll have a darkroom again!

Pricing:

• 1 hour In-Depth Inner Glow Consultaion $48
• 30 min Inner Glow Consultation $33
• 1:1 Facial Gua Sha tutorial $55

Contact Info:

• Address: 338 North Canon Drive
  Suite 2, Second Floor
  Beverly Hills, CA 90210 I will be joining the team at Jemior in
  Beverly Hills but working independently from them once
  Los Angeles is allowed to open.
• Website: www.ritualsagrada.com
• Email: dian@ritualsagrada.com
• Instagram: Ritual Sagrada
• Facebook: Ritual Sagrada

Image Credit:
All photos by Charity Baker except for the Laurel WPO product shot by Trinette Reed and Chris Gramly

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