Since moving to London last summer, my skin has suffered from constant exposure to pollution, dust mites and harsh chemicals with have created an imbalance in skin tone and appearance. Prior to moving to London I was still prone to break outs but I have noticed that the city climate has not only enlarged my pores but has also made it more susceptible to ‘redness’ and ‘inflammation’. Naturally, specialists would determine that I need ‘daily facials’ to protect against pollution, but being on a budget means that spa’s and clinic visits are a rarity. While I use cruelty free products, my skincare routine is simple for fear of irritating my sensitive and oily combination skin. So when Skin Aspirations Clinic got in touch about their ‘Enzyme Therapy Facial’ promising effective ‘skin revision’ and ‘youthful healthy skin’ I was keen to review their services, especially as they told me it was ‘cruelty free‘.
Situated in South Kensington, Skin’s Aspirations Clinic is located in a quiet high street location making it a welcome departure from ‘normative’ city life. To begin with ‘S’ my facial expert asked me to fill in forms regarding my skin routine, whether I had any allergies and if I was on medication, to determine whether I was suitable for the ‘facial’. I mentioned I had very sensitive skin, so S carried out a simple skin test to ensure I would not react violently to the products used.
While I had originally signed up to review their ‘enzyme therapy facial’, S stated that it would most likely trigger my claustrophobia. Not only would I have to lie down for 40 minutes being unable to move my face or talk it would also create a ‘sense of temporary paralysis’ which can be a traumatic experience for someone who has extreme claustrophobia. ‘S’ had noticed unbeknownst to me that the towels being placed on my face to prepare for the ‘enzyme therapy’ facial was involuntarily making me a little nervous so she kindly changed my enzyme therapy into a DMK Bespoke Skin Nutrition Facial and I was impressed by her quick thinking.
To begin with ‘S’ applied Acu Klenz, which worked to deeply cleanse the skin and pores before applying a gentle exfoliant known as ‘Desquamate’ to loosen and remove dead skin cells. Being the professional S was, she noticed that my pores were particularly enlarged in the T-Zone. Much to my surprise, she mentioned that the cheeks pores were ok as it was more my forehead and nose which had the most hardened sebum plugs in the pores. This might be because they tend to be the most ‘neglected’ facial spots in my cruelty free skincare routine so this is something I need to take into account in future. To soften the harden sebum plugs in the pores, ‘S’ applied a sebum soak, which would prepare my ‘skin’ for the extraction process. Naturally the ‘extraction process’ is by no means painless and in sensitive areas like your nostrils you might feel some pain. Like I always say though ‘no pain no gain’ so I was pleased that the treatment was working.
Once ‘S’ had removed the hardened sebum plugs in the pores and blackheads around my nose, ‘S’ applied pore reduction drops to not only reduce the appearance of open pores but also to reduce the inflammation caused by the multiple pore extractions. To balance out the redness, an acu masque was applied to purify and soothe the skin. While the acu masque can feel tight and a little itchy, this is a perfectly normal reaction to masques and means that it has been effectively activated to ‘get to work’ as I like to call it . Once the acu masque had been activated, a beta gel was lathered onto my skin to address my reactive and irritated skin, although beta gel also works well to revise inflamed skin too.
I was beginning to feel a bit more relaxed as S applied ‘direct delivery vitamin c serum’ to my skin and marveled as to how gloriously it seeped into my pores after the successful extraction process. Because I have a deficiency in Vitamin D and C, I was pleased to hear that the serum was infused with Vitamin C which enables production of collagen to plump the skin and retain its firmness. To finish ‘S’ used a herb and mineral mist, which allows the oils and creme to penetrate deeper into the skin, before locking in the moisture with Acu Moist. A gentle moisturizing lotion with sunscreen, acu moist was ideal for re-balancing my oily skin.
The bespoke nutrition facial left me feeling refreshed and my skin, while red, was nevertheless smoother than it was pre-treatment and I noticed a visible reduction in pore size. It felt a little tight to the touch but this would be understandable considering the procedures taken to ‘refresh’ and revise my skin and I noticed how much more effortlessly applying make-up post treatment was during that day, as I had an event to attend after. While I might have signed up for Enzyme Therapy I was glad that my therapist ‘S’ had tailored the DMK facial to not only address my skin’s needs but to also create a personalized experience that would be attune with my emotional needs too, something which is not often addressed in many clinical facial appointments.
Ratings:
Service
10/10 – It is very rare that you come across a therapist that will quite literally change a ‘set facial’ at the last minute to ensure that you ‘feel safe’ and are not triggered by something that is meant to be beneficial for your skin. That level of creativity in creating a new effective facial from scratch as well as ensuring you are ok throughout is truly remarkable.
Facial Benefits
8/10 My skin was glowing and while a little red, it did feel smoother and firmer to the touch. Although the effects did not last as long as I was expecting, the temporary smoothness did feel good.
Pricing: I was originally signed up to review the ‘Enzyme therapy’ which was priced as £150 and described as the best facial for problematic skin, especially if you have conditions like rosacea. However as S changed it to a ‘bespoke facial’ she did mention that it would be priced at a cheaper rate, although did not specify its price range. Regardless of pricing though, I would still say that it is good value for money but as I do not know the price I can not give a rating and instead offered feedback.
Have You Ever Had A Bespoke Facial Before?
*Disclaimer
Please note I was offered a free facial in exchange for this facial but this does not affect my opinions and all research is my own.
Shop The Look
*Affiliate Links
Original Choker From Bella Donna Boutique
Original Swimsuit From Contrado
Jenny says
I’ve never had a facial before but it sounds like you had a great experience.
Javier Moss says
i honestly never had a bespoke facial before. it must feel great on your face. facials are good for the skin as well.
Mal says
I was really looking forward to this post! Glad your overall experience was good and that the therapist was so thoughtful. I’ve had many different facials in my life (the good, the bad and the unacceptable!) but I stopped getting them in favour of more extended skincare regimen at home. What I love about facials is the whole experience and that feeling of taking care of yourself but in my opinion their prices are insane taking into consideration that results usually last just a couple of days (or sometimes, not even that) Xx
Mummy Times Two says
I love how they responded to your feelings and were able to find a treatment that worked for you. It’s those kind of things that really make great service.
Helen says
Oo this sounds amazing – having a facial is my favourite ‘spa treatment’ 🙂
Rhian Westbury says
That’s so good that she changed your facial to make you more comfortable, and it’s good that you still had great results x
MELANIE EDJOURIAN says
It sounds like the therapist that you had did a great job as did the actual facial. It’s great that it had vitamin C as it works wonders on the skin.
Lauretta at Home and Horizon says
Good to hear it’s a great value for money. It’s just a must to invest in good facial products.
Emma says
This has made me want to book a facial! Your skin looks so much brighter and more radiant!
Musings of a tired mummy...zzz... says
I’ve never had a facial but have started using an exfoliating brush and think my skin looks better
Elinor aka Beach Hut Cook says
Your therapist and experience sounds perfect. Facials are more than just for the skin aren’t they? I love them and find them hugely relaxing more so than a back massage.
Ali Rost says
I started getting facials about six months ago and they’re wonderful! In fact, they’re so relaxing that given the choice, I’d give up a massage for one any day. As I was reading, I didn’t realize there were so many different kinds and now I’m curious. When I go in tomorrow I’ll be asking especially about the enzyme therapy. x
Made Adayasa says
I naver done it before . But my wife love facial , she spend a lot of times at the local spa every week for treatment . I am sure she will love to read your article to .
five little doves says
My skin is really suffering at the moment due to a lot of hormonal break outs, I really need a good facial. A bespoke facial would be perfect, I will look into this!
Aditi says
This post reminds me that I have to get a facial done soon, it’s been what looks like ages. I appreciate that your therapist was so attentive and changed your facial to make you feel safe and better, rarely the therapists pay that much attention to details.