For someone who writes about beauty, I have a surprisingly idiosyncratic relationship with facials. You’d think I’d automatically love them, considering my constant dedication to finding the best stuff for my skin. And my passion for, uh, lying with my eyes closed.
But no. I’ve had some absolutely terrible facials – one day I’ll write about them for you to enjoy – and I’ve had plenty of mediocre ones too. And I’ve come to realize, over the years, that it’s never a given that a facial will be pleasant and/or effective. Hard-earned cash is never guaranteed to bring you that glorious feeling of total relaxation where you nod in and out of consciousness and drool from the corner of your mouth. Nor can you count on getting dramatic facial results – for example, a completely lifted face or skin that looks like it’s been steamed smooth and then polished like a donut.
It’s a roulette game. It can you’ll find someone with a healing touch who will gently pat and knead your face into oblivion after applying just a few drops of fragrance oil. It can it turns out to be one of those incredibly technical, highly specialized skin-changing facials where they steam and laser you and extract impurities you didn’t know you had and use acids so strong you have to fan your face for to prevent it from burning.
But there’s always the risk that it’s neither of those types of face, that it’ll be the average uninspired option: sixty minutes of what’s basically a brand-led product showcase, where each of the nine masks and exfoliants The range it is applied to them in turn, “left to go to work” for a while, and then, after ten minutes, is painstakingly removed with wet T-shirts.
Nothing makes me more anxious and tired than paying for someone to repeatedly and painstakingly apply things to my face that I could apply the same way at home. Especially when they leave the product on and don’t do anything else in the ‘let it work’ phase and I just have to lay there, listening to the therapist rinse in the sink behind my head, clinking spoons mixing the mask. Where is the expert touch? Where is the element of luxury?
Maybe it’s just me, but if I wore a face mask at home, then I’d be doing something else at the same time – reading, relaxing in the bathroom, watching TV. There’s something very annoying about paying for the same downtime but not being able to actually do it enjoy as downtime. In my opinion, if you wear a face mask and get to work, then something else needs to happen – an arm and hand massage, perhaps, or a scalp massage. There should be no dead time when the meter is running.
This turned into the longest introduction ever to what I was about to tell you, which is that I had a facial last week with Sharon McGlinchey, founder of the skincare brand MV Skin Therapy. It’s Never Roulette With Sharon’s Masks: I Don’t Call Her (Secretly) Sharon Magic Hands for nothing. Not only does it lull me into the kind of laid-back nauseousness that most people only achieve with an over-the-counter sedative, but it causes my skin to become a rested, glowing version of its former self. No gimmicks, no gimmicks, just pure sensory bliss and absolute peace of mind and body.
I tell you this not to encourage you to book a facial with Sharon, because that is impossible. She lives in Sydney and although she sometimes massages the faces of the very, very famous, running the MV Skin Therapy brand leaves her hardly any time to provide regular sessions. (I see her when she goes to London for PR once a year and, let me tell you, she is one of the greatest perks of my job.) No, I’m telling you about Sharon’s magic hands and ability to create sensual bliss. and absolute calm because all the same energy and passion is poured into her skin care.
Advertising Information: Not Paid or Sponsored. I have previously received press samples from the brand and facials for PR purposes. The links below are not affiliate links.
More of the same energy, actually. And a strong sense of curation when it comes to formulation, and an impressive commitment to quality when sourcing its ingredients. MV Skin Therapy is a tiny range, made in tiny batches, but perfectly formulated. The gentlest of cream cleansers, flawlessly sourced oils, a clay mask to suit even the most sensitive of skins – all adaptable and multi-tasking with a spritz of rose here and a few drops of tonic there…
My favorites? Little has changed in the ten or so years I’ve been using the brand. First, the soothing and protective rose moisturizer, here, which is the perfect “skin recovery” cream for faces that are nervous, hypersensitive and need some extra care. I’ve been using it for years and see it as a sort of comfort blanket for skin care. Rose scents seem to be very relaxing to me, but the formula itself is so instantly soothing.
I love it too Rose Booster – a few drops of it pressed on slightly wet skin is the greatest pleasure. It’s an investment – this bottle contains the most expensive, most luxurious oils – but you really only need a tiny bit at a time. Again, the smell is super comforting to me, but I also love the extra glow I get from it if I mix the tiniest amount into moisturizer or apply neat to damp skin.
Top tip: you can add Rose Mist to your rose moisturizer to make it more runny, but adding a few drops of the enhancer makes it richer and oilier and a joy to massage in.
Speaking of things that are pleasant to massage: Pure Jojoba oil. This is an amazing multitasker to have on call. it is oil but not as you know it (probably). It’s really good at hydrating, but at the same time completely lightweight and non-pore-clogging – perfect for soothing dry, itchy skin, but not heavy, puffy or oily. A bit of a skin care SOS, really, and great for a lot of things like soothing skin after shaving and layering under eye cream for an extra boost.
I currently have a discount code for the MV Skin Therapy UK website. use RUTH20 for 20% off*. When you’re there, be sure to check it out guided meditations – you may not be able to book Sharon’s Magic Facial Hands for love or money, but you can hear her soft tones as you massage the Rose Booster…
(*This is not an affiliate code or paid offer, MV kindly gave me a code to share and it is valid until June 7th, 2024.)
