Agera Oxy Facial at DestinationSkin

I recently purchased a deal through Groupon for an Agera Oxy facial at Destination Skin and a couple of weeks back I went to have the treatment.

The Agera Oxy facial uses Vitamin C as the key ingredient to brighten and hydrate the skin and I thought it might be beneficial as I have acne-prone skin with scarring.

I have to say that the consultation before the treatment was fantastic - I filled out a form as you would normally but after I had an in-depth discussion as to what my main concerns were in order of priority, the areas of the face where I tended to have the most trouble, my general diet and health, so that we had a clear picture I what I was hoping for and what was achievable with the treatment and also possible course of action for future treatments to address my concerns.

My consultation and treatment was carried out by the clinic manager and even though I like to think I know a little about the skin, she explained in detail and even drew a rough sketch of a cross-section of the skin (like the ones you learn about at school:) and explained what is likely happening on my skin.

Next my skin was more closely looked at through a skin scanner which highlighted my problem areas which for me were in particular the t-zone area where I am prone to a little shininess. She could see where my past acne had been (even without the scanner you can see it) and said that unfortunately on my medium (Indian) skin even if I got a spot and left it alone it would probably still scar - and from experience that is totally the case with me which is one of the things I particularly hate.

I then had my treatment which started off with a cleanse then a Vitamin C exfoliant was lightly massaged on the skin - as the ingredients are active and I had several new blemishes on my face she did not want to cause any damage to the area so it was not like a therapeutic type deep massage. Even though she said I might experience some tingling I didn't have such sensation and it felt comfortable.

Next the activator was applied and again was lightly massaged on the skin. After this was cleansed away and then a serum applied.

I was given a mirror straight after the treatment and to be honest my skin looked rather horrible - the treatment had brought all the impurities to the surface and it made me even more aware of all the blemishes I had (and ones I didn't know I had) - these looked a bit red although the skin in between did look a bit brighter and not as dull. This horrid look didn't last long as when I looked again about 10 minutes later it had all settled down and the following day was when I could really see a bit more clarity to my skin which I was pleased with.

After the treatment we went back to the consultation room and she gave me sunscreen to apply but in the skin scanner so that I could see exactly how the sunscreen protected the skin and those areas under the scanner looked a little violet coloured.

We discussed future treatments and that it may be beneficial to do a course of Vitamin C peels and pumpkin peels which I am definitely considering as I have looked into having a professional peel before elsewhere but not felt particularly confident in going ahead with treatment where I feel more positive now that I've been able to discuss what is involved and what preparation and care is needed when undertaking the treatments.

I have been impressed with my experience at DestinationSkin, not only the treatment but the time taken to discuss your concerns, ask questions (no matter how trivial they may seem) and guidance I was given.

Pai Organic Facial at Content Beauty Review

The Pai Organic facials recently launched at Content Beauty and a couple of weeks ago I booked in for the Detox and Decongest facial which is ideal for hyper-sensitivity, eczema, psoriasis, congested or acne skin.  I have liked the Pai products I have tried so far so was looking forward to seeing how I got on with this facial.

I have had a treatment at Content before and like their cosy, warm rooms with ambient lighting so in terms of environment, I felt relaxed. Also they do play some music but it's faint so blends into the background and is not trying too hard to make you feel relaxed which I appreciate.

Onto the facial and it starts off with a thorough cleanse, then followed by exfoliation. Pai haven't yet released an exfoliator (as far as I'm aware) so I was excited to get a taste of these new products used in the treatment, I'm hoping they will become available to purchase.

The skin was then massaged with what I think was with the Rosehip BioRegenerate Oil. Then a manuka honey mask was applied which was interesting as the natural sticky quality of the mask allowed the skin to be stimulated when the hands are pressed over the face in quite swift movements - this is supposed to help stimulate the collagen in the skin and also I think the natural suction helps to draw out impurities as well as the manuka honey being antibacterial. This is something I am definitely trying out at home!

There are extractions which I found ok and not too uncomfortable although I only had a few so that part didn't last very long. Now after this even though I didn't fall alseep, I kind of zoned out and paid a little less attention to the different steps but just let the lovely therapist do her thing. Another mask was applied and while that was left on the skin, my hands were massaged as well as the shoulders and neck area.

The treatment is finished off with the Echium Rejuvenating Eye Cream, and for my combination skin, the Geranium and Thistle moisturiser.

Afterwards my skin felt very clean, soft and well hydrated but it wasn't until the next day that I noticed that I did have more clarity in my face, my skin looked a little more even and felt really deeply cleansed and decongested - no cloggy feeling pores and it felt that way for several days after.

I've had very few truly natural facial treatments, sometimes not believing them to be as effective as their chemical counterparts (which is odd for me as I adore natural skincare), but the Pai Organic facial I rate highly and I would definitely go back.

The Pai facials are £35 for 30mins / £65 for 60mins at Content Beauty, London but I took advantage of an October offer on the Content website to save £20 (off the 60mins facial) when you quote 'Pai offer' at booking.

Hydrodermabrasion Facial at Hydrohealing Review

I have walked past the Hydrohealing Day Spa in Notting Hill, London a few times and was curious about the Hydrodermabrasion facial they offer. Anything with the word 'hydro' or referencing water definitely gets my attention! I have never had microdermabrasion, but this is different as it's gentle and is supposed to be good for acne-prone skin like mine. I had this treatment a while back in August and being a bit slack this post has been sitting in my list since then.

The spa is located on Kensington Park Road, a short walk from Ladbroke Grove tube station. It's a clean and bright blue place and doesn't feel intimidating when you walk in. I was greeted by my therapist who gave me a form to fill out and I took a seat in the dimly lit relaxing waiting area.

I would say the treatment room itself even though clean, minimal and quite nice looking is not as lux as some other places - the bed itself is more a standard flat treatment bed and not some soft, cushy bed, but having said that it is not uncomfortable and is quite relaxing.

The facial starts off with a cleanse to remove any makeup on the skin. Ren products are used in the facial (and it is bespoke to your skin type) and on me she first cleansed with the Hydracalm cleansing gel.

Then onto to the interesting bit with the hydrodermabrasion. A saline solution is blasted onto the skin in what felt like a concentrated jet of liquid. This is supposed to help remove impurities and improve the texture of the skin, as well as being deeply moisturising and helping with fine lines and wrinkles. It feels quite strange, like an ice cold wind moving over your face. It was hot outside that day so it was quite a welcome feeling and it doesn't hurt at all, but on certain parts of the face like the temples where the skin is close to the bone you can feel the pressure a little more.

Then afterwards the face, neck and shoulders was massaged with the Omega 3 Night Repair Serum, this was done to a medium pressure and felt quite relaxing although I am not one of those people who can ever feel totally chilled with a facial and have yet to come across one that has sent me to sleep! Afterwards a mask was applied (the Clearcalm 3 one). The therapist said that my skin was rather dehydrated (don't I know it; I am terrible at boosting my hydration levels), so she applied the Max Moisture Concentrate, and then I think it was the ClearCalm 3 Night Serum as a moisturiser to finish off.

My skin did feel calm and much more softer and well hydrated then before so that it felt a little more plumper although I didn't see much difference to blemishes, but I think I would have to have a few more treatments to see a difference in this respect.

This facial is expensive at £85 for 60mins, but I filled out an online consultation form to get 20% off my first one.