Do you remember a couple of weeks ago I had my skin assessed with the Elemis SkinLab machine?
If you need a little memory jog then you can read the ‘warts and all’ article here ‘Are you happy with the skin you’re in?‘ where I’m pretty sure once you’ve seen the photos of my spotty mug it will all come flooding back!
Well, after seeing the various damage caused by UV rays and other environmental factors, as well as my rather lacklustre skincare routine, I booked myself in for a Biotech facial at TIME to be ME.
I haven’t had a facial in years; as much as I love them it has always felt a bit indulgent especially when there’s always so much other stuff that needs doing, but I’m finally getting my head around the fact that actually we all deserve a bit of ‘me’ time. We schedule in time to meet up with friends because we want to see how they are, catch up on the gossip and feel the sense of happiness and deep contentment that comes from socialising, so why is it that we don’t schedule in time for ourselves?
It doesn’t have to be for long and it could only be every week or even every fortnight, whatever you can manage, but it is important to set a date with yourself and remember to write it on the calendar…or it just won’t happen!
And when I say date, I’m not saying it has to anything fancy, it could be as simple as having a soak in the bath with a glass of wine, or popping along to a quiet coffee shop with a good book, anything you enjoy doing that is purely for the benefit of yourself.
So anyway, my date with myself was yesterday and although it was marked on the calendar I kindly received a reminder text from TIME to be ME – a fantastic service for the scatterbrained among us. I was warmly welcomed at the salon and then led upstairs to one of the stylish treatment rooms, where I got myself comfortable and lay down on the couch.
As I mentioned, I have had facials before and they’ve been nice, but they’ve all been pretty standard;
- rub on some nice smelling oils
- cleanse
- tone
- moisturise
- bit of a massage
- done.
Lovely, but I’ve always left feeling a little disappointed that there wasn’t a bit more involved. This time was different and I could tell as soon as I walked into the room and saw the equipment that it was going to be a bit more intense. I was told that I would be having a bespoke 30 minute facial that would be based on the results of my SkinLab assessment to truly give my skin what it needed.
Elemis Biotech facials combine technology with hands-on therapy, which is thought to be the best method to improve skin function and to re-balance the skin’s micro-flora.
Benefits include:
Reduced appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.- Increased skin hydration.
- Progressive lifting.
- Healthy cell renewal
- Protection against urban and environmental skin damage.
- Slows down the effects of ageing.
- Brightens the skin.
All sounds good right and exactly what I need to try and lower some of those SkinLab scores!
Cooling eye pads on, ears tuned to the calming music floating around the room, I allowed myself to enjoy and fully embrace the time I was spending with me. And whilst I was chilling out, here’s what was going on with my face (please excuse the fact that the order is probably completely wrong – I’m pretty sure I was so ‘in the me zone’ I nearly fell asleep!):
My skin was thoroughly cleansed with a product that I have literally fallen in love with and now use every day without fail. The Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm is like the god of all cleansers; it smells amazing, you don’t need to use too much of it and it can be used in a variety of different ways. I can’t believe it has taken me this long to discover it and it now makes all other cleansers I own feel like something I’ve bought from a cheap high street chemist, you should honestly try it.
I then experienced some sonic skin radiance courtesy of the ultrasonic vibrations to help draw impurities to the surface, which to you and me means I had my blackheads cleared out! This also helps to exfoliate the surface of the skin and is followed by a galvanic current to re-energise and rehydrate.
One of the nicest smelling products that was smoothed over my skin was the Amber Massage Balm, which felt cooling and incredibly luxurious. I associate amber with the preservation of insects and prehistoric creatures, so if you translate this across to skincare, imagine what good it must be doing in helping to preserve the appearance, texture and structure of your skin!
I then experienced some light therapy in the form of blue and red LED lights, which help to clear blemishes, create even skin tone and to re-balance oily skin. Light therapy has also been clinically proven to help repair and reduce inflammation as well as reducing the size of pores, something I definitely need!
My verdict?
I left feeling calm, refreshed and with skin that felt glowing, tighter and smelling divine. But, perhaps the true test for me was whether or not I would break out in spots the following day; something which has always happened after a facial in the past. And guess what? No spots!!! AMAZING.
To get the best out of your skin it’s recommended to have a Biotech facial every three months, which is the perfect excuse to book in my next ‘me’ time.
Well…if the experts say so, then it would be rude not to 😉
