Go to Sea-Chele’s salon in Malibu, Calif., and you’ll discover that an ancient ritual is newly reborn and gaining in popularity among the holistically inclined. The practice of “ear coning” was originated in the ancient civilizations of Atlantis, Lemuria, Mu, India, China, Tibet, and Egypt, and used by early Native Americans in purification rites, according to the aerospace engineer who developed the cones used at Sea-Chele’s. The cones — made from strips of cotton covered with beeswax and herbs — are held gently to the ear and a vacuum is formed, says Zoe Denton, Sea-Chele’s resident ear coner and tarot card reader. “Smoke from the burning cone spirals down through the ear canal, middle ear, Eustachian tube, and throughout the lymphatic system,” she says. The purpose of the smoke is to dislodge and draw out accumulated debris such as impacted ear wax. “It’s not for everyone,” says Denton, “but for some it does wonders, especially people with itchy ears or sinus problems.” Technicians interested in ear coning should first check with their local state boards for any restrictions or recommendations.

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