Need a lift but not ready for invasive treatments?
Harley Street experts have gentle ways to help you look your best.
Words by Cally Squires
I tried facials at two Harley Street clinics. Both gave me a glow and lift without any invasive tools and zero downtime.
A great beginner facial is 111SKIN’s Celestial Black Diamond Lift treatment (from £180).
The clinic is run by cosmetic surgeon Dr Yannis Alexandrides, who pioneered cryotherapy chambers in the UK.
Happily, the facial is a purely relaxing experience.
It starts with a cleanse and acid based peel.
Black diamond mask
Then comes the peptide-rich black diamond mask (pictured above).
This cleverly has three different sections for the upper face, lower face and neck.
A pleasingly rigorous manual massage technique defined my jawline and sculpted cheekbones I never knew I had.
Own brand products
The clinic also retails a comprehensive range of own-brand 111Skin products.
These are not only cosmeceutical grade in terms of active ingredients, but also look sleek enough for a bathroom #shelfie.
The Repair serum is the hero product, created by Dr Alexandrides and the inspiration for the whole 111SKIN range.
It is used by many of the clinic’s patients to heal skin after micro-needling and laser treatments.
The brand’s at-home masks are also great for keeping skin in shape over the summer holidays.
There are products like the potent black diamond firming mask and rose gold brightening masks. They come in travel-friendly individual sachets.
HydraFacial
Next step up on the facial ladder is the Hydrafacial.
This involves a suitably impressive machine with zero redness or downtime afterwards.
The treatment costs £150 at the Harley Street Skin Clinic.
It starts with a gentle cleanse and lymphatic massage. A tool on the machine improves circulation and blood flow. This is followed by exfoliation with a glycolic peel.
There is a choice of strengths, and I go for 15 per cent, the more gentle option. It's also a good choice if your skin isn’t used to regular acid peels.
But, even the stronger 30 per cent peel wouldn’t cause any actual peeling. In fact it barely tingles at all, and can be neutralised with water.
Removing impurities
The Hydrafacial machine then works in extraction mode with a water-assisted suction helping to remove impurities in blocked pores.
My therapist concentrates on the T-zone as this is where my skin needs it most.
A brightening serum with salicylic acid is applied to speed along the process and keep pores debris-free.
Freshly cleansed and exfoliated skin is then infused with a peptide and hyaluronic acid-rich solution.
My dehydrated skin drinks this up and immediately looks plumper, especially in the normally wrinkle-prone forehead area.
Light treatment to kill bacteria
Finally, you lie for ten minutes under an infrared and blue LED light to calm any redness, boost collagen production and kill bacteria.
Patients can have Hydrafacials every two weeks if they have any skin concerns like acne.
Otherwise, monthly is more than enough for maintaining a regular routine.
The treatment initially leaves skin smoother, brighter and super hydrated. Wrinkles are erased temporarily, and in the long term the treatment helps reduce and prevent congestion.
Hardcore beauty junkies could even combine the facial with a session of microdermabrasion for a greater exfoliation and deeper penetration of the products.
For more information on 111SKIN, 111 Harley Street, read here.
To find out more about the Harley Street Skin Clinic, 48 Harley Street, read here.
This article was originally published in the Mayfair Times which you can read here.
