It’s time for a bit of group therapy here. I’ll go first. I’m never happy with my skin. It’s either dry, oily, red and bumpy or grey and sallow looking. I’m always being told to try this or that and in the past it’s been by people that clearly have no idea what they’re talking about as I end up spending hundreds of pounds on creams and washes that only ever leave me worse off than when I started!
I’m now in the very fortunate position of having many beauty experts in my life. When I say “beauty experts” I mean that these are women who actual spend their whole lives either consulting on skin care regimes with several different companies or they are women who apply makeup and great products to famous faces on a regular basis. We all know if you’re doing makeup for a celeb the last thing you’re going to want to do is be responsible for a breakout or any other horrendous reaction. So I’ve started listening more to what people are using and what products they’re mixing and matching to get that perfect healthy glow. My good friend Emma Day has been waxing lyrical about Vaishaly in London for years. I’ve always just sort of smiled and thought to myself, I’ll stick with my Dove soap and Oil of Olay lotion and be just fine. Then I began aging and considerably faster than the gorgeous Miss Day! So I knew something had to give. Vaishaly it was then!
I decided to start out slowly. I’ve never had a real facial before (unless you count the ones you get in the British Airways lounges…which I am informed are anything but a real facial). So I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect here. If the treatment was anything like the facilities, a zen heaven, I knew I was in good hands at Vaishaly. And as it turns out, my gut and Emma’s recommendation were spot on. Or I suppose I should say “spot gone” as after having converted to being a Vaishaly worshipper my skin has transformed completely. Ok, I’m getting ahead of myself here.
I went into Vaishaly to have the High Frequency facial. It’s basically an express version of their full blown facial that is offered. As I’m a gal on the go I don’t have time to squeeze much of anything in these days (I hope my hairdresser is reading this…yes, that’s the reason I haven’t seen you since July)! The High Frequency facial at Vaishaly is a 30 minute express treatment and you really do feel like you’re in and out like a shot…only with a ping of pure relaxation thrown in! It’s a £65 procedure, rather than the 60 minute £100 Vaishaly signature facial that is offered, and it’s all about giving you back that healthy glow! The products all smelled divine and you could feel your skin drinking in each one as if it had never been nourished before! I actually felt slightly embarassed and wondered if this happened for everyone. If not, my facialist must think I’m playing anorexia with my skin! I promise to be better, I swear it! The only slightly uncomfortable part of the whole procedure was the extraction. Although I’ve yet to meet anyone who says that’s the most enjoyable part. When the irritatable bit was over I did feel like my skin was breathing healthily for the first time. I suppose you could compare it to how smokers feel after they’ve given up smoking for 25 years. The ladies at Vaishaly were digging out nearly a decade of disgusting London grime from my skin. Thank goodness I couldn’t see the results of what they found. Ok , that’s just gross so let’s swiftly move on.
I don’t just want to talk about the facial itself. I want to talk about what’s changed since I had the facial. The lovely woman who took me under her wing for the half an hour recommended a series of products to use to better treat my skin for the future. I left with a complete regime in place. I now wash my face with Vaishaly facewash, massage in the night nourisher oil and finish off with their anti-aging night cream. I’m not going to beat around the bush here. This new regime will cost me an average of £100 a month and for many that’s a great expense (I include myself in that “many” by the way). And I haven’t even brought myself round yet to also buying their day products! But I’ve grown to appreciate that as I get older I have to stick with things that work and stop playing Russian Roulette with my skin with every new product that comes through the door. Since switching over to this new regime following a life changing facial, I have had dozens of compliments on my skin and I’ve been asked repeatedly where these products can be purchased. They’re all available online and I’ve provided the links above. However, I urge you to visit the clinic itself and have someone advise you on exactly what you need to get the skin you’ve always wanted. It is, so far, the greatest investment in my skin I’ve yet to make.
A huge thank you to Vaishaly and all the staff for putting up with my many questions no matter how ridiculous they must have sounded!
VAISHALY CLINIC
51 Paddington Street
London
W1U 4HR
020 7224 6088
