Spa Profile: Mojave Desert Skin Shield Wellbeing Space

Patricia Vernhes is the founder and formulator of Mojave Desert Skin Shield products and Mojave Desert Skin Shield Wellbeing Space in Pioneertown, California.

Founded by wellness expert and skincare formulator Patricia Vernhes in 2021, Mojave Desert Skin Shield Wellbeing Space is a unique sanctuary on a stunning 20-acre property in Pioneertown, California. Located in a renovated 1969 40-foot Spartan with 360-degree desert views, an outdoor deck with a sunken bathtub and binaurally tuned bowls, it offers the ultimate remote setting for premium relaxation and self-care while at the same time is within close driving distance to nearby attractions such as Twentynine Palms, Palm Springs and Joshua Tree National Park.

Mojave Desert Skin Shield Opens New Wellness Studio in Downtown Palm Springs

In 2023, Vernhes opened her second wellness studio in downtown Palm Springs where she offers shorter 60 to 90-minute treatments including sound baths in HigherDose infrared sauna blankets and a signature organic Fascial that targets fascia and is boosted with the Lyma Laser. While both locations offer a variety of treatments and services, the Pioneertown space is more of a destination where Vernhes often hosts small groups for full-day wellness journeys.

Vernhes also combines custom-made formulas and products from Mojave Desert Skin Shield into the various treatments that she offers. MDSS is her signature line of biodynamic and climate-adaptive self-care products that purify, nourish and protect skin against harsh elements. The clean, organic and ethically-sourced products are inspired by traditional Ayurvedic philosophy and prepared fresh at Vernhes’ desert lab.

#BeautyBoss: Patricia Vernhes, Founder, Practitioner and Formulator of Mojave Desert Skin Shield

We interviewed Vernhes to learn more about treatments to try, insider tips, and more.

The unique wellness space is located in a renovated 1969 40-foot Spartan with 360-degree desert views.

Why You’ll Love It: It’s nestled in a breathtaking landscape, sitting on a hill with endless views of the desert and surrounding rock formations, yet it’s private and discreet. It's simple and yet thoughtfully designed, close to nature yet luxurious.

Amenities include an outdoor deck with a sunken bathtub and binaurally tuned bowls.

Key Features: There are two outdoor bathing rooms—one for solo meditation featuring a pink salt wall, olive and lemon trees and a claw foot tub, the second one is a 600-square-foot deck with sunken tub for two (or more!) that is also home to our 24 large quartz bowls. Our water comes from our well, which offers pristine (also custom filtered) water for bathing and drinking.

The tea house hosts up to eight people for cozy tea meditations serving rare, wild bush teas and converts into a treatment space for our Fascia sessions. It’s also our apothecary and blending space.

Mojave Desert Skin Shield Wellbeing Space serves its own blended herbal tea to guests.

Snacks Served: We serve our own blended herbal tea and we offer food upon prior arrangement, which usually is a probiotic organic miso with sprouted rice and seeds, vegetables and tempeh.

Their tea house hosts up to eight people for cozy tea meditations serving rare, wild bush teas.

Bonus: We often blend many sessions into longer than booked offerings. To put it simply, once you get here, you will most likely get a lot more than you booked, based on the belief that abundace and generosity create the most healing and long lasting ripple. We want our guests to leave feeling deeply nurtured.

Insider’s Tip: Ask as many questions as you can think of and make the most of your time here in every way. You got here, which is a feat! Let’s commune in joy.

Mojave Desert Skin Shield Wellbeing Space also offers sound therapy sessions and Tao Tea meditations.

Splurge Treatment: The whole day journey for two is the most beautiful, intimate, bonding and balancing session. You will be looked after, have lots of time together as well as solo, we will serve delicious food and freshly made green juices, and offer everything we do in one nourishing day.

Guests can enjoy a relaxing soak in the sunken bathtub on the outdoor deck with desert views.

Unique Treatment: The events came calling us because we weren’t able to facilitate more than one Fascia session at a time, so we created a Self Guided Group event—we roll out all our goods, offerings, tools and products and walk our clients through the techniques and hacks in a continuous meditative flow, also serving a sound session and offering tea.