So, hands up, who’s skin is looking in desperate need of some tlc now the festivities all all behind us? Mine is for sure!
After a jammed packed, illness plagued (my family, not myself) Christmas and New Year period my skin is suffering dullness, blocked pores and dark circles as well as feeling dry skin leaving me feeling less then fabulous.
With London Fashion Week looming next month, another killer for my skin due to late nights, early starts and living off Prosecco and canapés I feel I need to restore some normality to my skincare. Don’t get me wrong I absolutely love fashion week, the shows, the rushing around and the parties but my skin feels differently.
Luckily, Elizabeth Rimmer, clinical director at the Award Winning London Professional Aesthetics clinic in London, has come up with the perfect post Christmas/New Year/ Fashion week solution, which FYI is perfect for anytime of the year when your skin needs a pick me up and very kindly invited me along to experience the treatment for myself.
A clinical Nurse practitioner with over 20 years experience in the field, she is passsionate about skin health and helping those with ongoing issues such as Rosacea, Eczema and Acne, as well as helping with general skin health and those looking for treatments to deal with blocked pores and so on and has multiple Professional diplomas and awards to prove so.
We started with a consultation to discuss my skin and it’s specific needs (dry and clogged) and Elizabeth discussed what we would be doing before getting started. We had opted for the Medical Microdermabrasion, a 3-step treatment to fully clean and refresh the skin. As it only takes 45 minutes from start to finish it’s perfect if you want to nip in on your lunch break or want a treatment before an evening event on the same day.
Step 1: Cleansing the skin.
One thing I’ve noticed when I’ve had facials with doctors as opposed to at the spa is that they have a bit of a different technic. For a start they tend to wear rubber gloves. That’s because the products they use are much stronger then what you might be used to at home or in a spa environment. After chatting with Elizabeth I discovered that the products sold in the consumer market to the likes of you and I, rarely have the same effect as those she, and other practitioners like her use and as such they require expertise as you are dealing with medical strength goods. This means that when you do visit somewhere like the LPA clinic you are sure to get a proper good cleanse.
Step 2: Microdermabrasion
Secondly she starts the microdermabrasion part of the treatment. Again this is medical strength and as such is done in 3 stages, each time building in Power. It works by spraying micro sized particles onto the skin and then immediately sucking it back up along with the nasties giving you a powerful exfoliation. As such she protects my eyes by sealing them shut. She runs this all the way along my face and neckline, and I can feel a slight friction as it sucks away the impurities but it’s not uncomfortable at all. In fact I quite like the reassuring feeling that all that buildup is being hoovered away.
Step 3: Dermalux LED Phototherapy
Finally my favourite part of the treatment as it’s feel quite sci-fi! Lol
It works by using an award winning Dermalux LED phototherapy machine which I spend 20 minutes under to reduce the post treatment redness and encourage skin rejuvenation by producing more collagen and elastin. Again it’s comfortable and the warm glow almost sends me to sleep but the dance tracks Elizabeth popped on in the background keep me awake and entertained.
My skin afterwards is instantly clear, and unlike most facials you can apply make up straight away if you wish, making it perfect if you have an event to attend on the same day. I really do look fresh faced the next few days and skin confidant. In fact, I leave deciding not to bother applying any makeup as I’m only headed towards home but that’s still quite a big step for me as I barely collect the milk from the doorstep without at least a thin layer of foundation on!
The treatment costs £80 for one session, or you can book 6 for £460 if you want to see ongoing results. Trust me, your skin will thank you for it!
Natalie x
La Femme London 