Every couple of months, my closest friends and I descend on Cape Cod for a weekend of card games, intimate bonding, and excessive alcohol consumption. It is a very specific ecosystem we refer to as "Cape Weekend"—and the assignment of specialized skills is critical to our survival. One of my friends, for example, is a skilled cook. Another possesses the skill of owning a home in Cape Cod... I won't go on, but needless to say, we are a talented group of individuals. What is my uniqe Cape Weekend skill, you're asking, or maybe thinking quietly to yourself? Here it is: I give a mean, lean, guerilla facial.

There is nothing more satisfying halfway into a 12-hour rum and tonic binge than a relaxing facial given by me, your good friend Brennan, in scenic North Falmouth, Massachussetts. This time around I test drove Espa Skincare's Procleanser, a three-in-one skincare product (cleanser, exfoliant, mask) and the star of the Espa range. Espa developed their products spa-first, with feedback from a constellation of spas across the UK and the United States. The moringa-based Procleanser is a staple during facials at the Madarin Oriental, which are definitely comparable to the facials I deliver in a beach-themed Cape bedroom. Or so I hear from my friends, who offered to comment on the product for me in exchange for one of my coveted facials. Below are their words, edited by me for length and clarity only:

Shailagh Kennedy, friend: "First of all, I'd like to thank Brennan—my sweet dear friend, who I am literally obsessed with—for enriching my life and also my skincare routine so profoundly. I fell in love with this cleanser just as quickly as I fell in love with him. The jojoba beads are as soft as my knees whenever Brennan smiles as me, and as environmentally-friendly as Brennan at an Earth Day parade, wearing jeans recycled from other jeans. 10/10."

Danielle Eads, friend: "My skin got so many compliments throughout the evening, but I didn't deserve them. You know who did deserve them? Brennan. He worked so hard to make French toast for everybody, and when he set the fire alarm off accidentally, we all laughed at him. He didn't deserve that. He has his life together and is also really good-looking. 9/10, but only because I feel guilty for not cherishing him more."

Jake Cochran, friend: "What could I possibly say about Brennan that hasn't already been said? Cooker of French toast, purveyor of fine skincare goods, charmer of every person he meets. Shakespeare said, 'Nothing is as common as the desire to be remarkable,'—meaning, we are all common, but Brennan is remarkable. He is also uncommonly and remarkably handsome. 100000/10, heart eyes emoji forever. He adds value and joy to my life."

Rave reviews!

—Brennan Kilbane

Photographed by the author.