It’s officially spring in less than 60 days, and if you want to feel in tip-top condition by the time the hibernation season is over, now is the time to overhaul your beauty and wellness regimes and put into practice some new routines.
From a series of glowing facials and hair removal to Brazilian blow dries to fight the frizz and detoxifying body treatments, here’s a roundup of deluxe beauty and wellness therapies to have you feeling and looking great when the sunnier climes hit.
Laser hair removal: Mayfair Aesthetics
Say goodbye to shaving and waxing thanks to laser hair removal, and the place to head is Mayfair Aesthetics; after all, it’s the winner of 13 awards for best laser hair removal clinic in London and has treated over 12,000 clients. Offering Soprano Ice Platinum and Soprano Ice Titanium laser hair removal, it can remove hair on the face, arms, legs, bikini line and anywhere else that unwanted hair may grow. It works as the laser light is absorbed by the melanin (pigmentation) in the hair and so, ideal on dark blonde, brown and black hair.
The light is converted into heat which damages the structures at the base of hair follicles that produce hair, preventing further hair growth – and even better, it is virtually pain-free. Most customers see around a 60-90 per cent long-term reduction in hair from a course of six treatments. The more treatments usually result in more hair reduction, and packages are available in six and eight and can be topped up as required. It is recommended that face treatments are undertaken every four weeks and body treatments every six weeks initially. As the course progresses and hair growth slows down, later treatments may be more widely spaced. The treatments can last anything from 10 minutes to four hours, depending on the area(s) being treated.
Laser hair removal, from £25 per small area, up to £1440 for ladies’ full body.
Brow shaping: Shavata Singh
When it comes to brows Shavata Singh has built up a reputation for being the go-to. With outposts in Knightsbridge, Chiswick and across the country, she is a favourite with beauty aficionados. If you have a special occasion on the cards – a spring wedding for example, Shavata recommends starting early to perfect the brows, training and encouraging them to become healthier, achieving the desired shape for the face. Cue the Brow Silk Package available at Shavata Studio, which involves seven treatments for the price of six, for brows with Shavata herself.
Brow Silk Package, £450 for Shavata Singh.
Eyelash growth treatments: AQ Lash
To encourage the natural growth of the lashes and brows, leading oculoplastic surgeon Dr Sabrina Shah-Desai prescribes AQ Lash – a safe and natural serum that restores the vitality of eyelashes and eyebrows. Apply one droplet of AQ Lash onto the unused applicator (be sure that the eye area is clean and dry before starting), and with a single, sweeping stroke, apply to the eyelid skin at the base of the upper and lower eyelashes. Repeat this process two to three times on both eyes, starting from the inner corner to the outer corner of the eye. The same applicator can be used for both eyelashes and eyebrows in a single use, but the applicator should then be discarded. The result? Fuller and longer lashes and brows with less breakage.
AQ lash serum with brushes, £149.
Smile makeover: Dr Brandon Nejati
For an au natural dazzling smile, try the Micro-Layering and Sculpting Treatment by Dr Brandon Nejati. He says: “For those seeking genuinely exquisite but natural results, it becomes challenging to endorse traditional veneers when we have the privilege of offering the refined technique of micro-layering.”
The procedure sees each tooth layered under a microscope and sculpted in a perfect shape and shade, to give a natural and healthy-looking smile. The nanocomposite material imitates natural enamel and is painted in microlayers, starting from higher opacity in deeper layers, to gradually transit into finer more translucent layers. The outcome mimics your natural teeth, preserving their unique characteristics.
Micro-Layering and Sculpting Treatment, from £795 per tooth.
Brazilian blow dry: Live True London
If you have thick, unruly hair the Brazilian blow dry keratin hair treatment is a sure-fire way to keep your locks under control. It is a semi-permanent way to smooth the hair, leaving it shiny, hydrated, frizz-free, and manageable, especially when it comes to heated styling.
As suggested, the treatment hails from Brazil and uses ingredients such as acai berry, camu camu and annatto seed for which the country is known. As for the process, the hair is washed and rough dried, and the keratin is applied to the hair and left on for about 45 minutes (depending on hair type and length).
A blow dry follows, and the hair is straightened to seal in the product. The keratin forms a protective layer around the hair strands, reducing the frizz and protecting against damage, with the treatment lasting up to four months. In all Live True London salons QOD products are used, they’re the highest quality Brazilian keratin formulas on the market, offering ‘cutting edge of keratin-based conditioning and volume-reduction technology using a formaldehyde and aldehyde free formulation’ for sleek hair.
Brazilian Blow Dry, from £180.
Skin rejuvenation: Profhilo
Dr Rita Rakus may be coined the Lip Queen, but she offers a wide range of treatments including skin rejuvenating injections, Profhilo. Specially designed to deliver high levels of ultrapure hyaluronic acid directly into the skin, it results in glowing skin. The treatment also improves the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, helps to increase hydration and firmness, and not only can it be used on the face, but it can also be applied to the neck, decolletage, knees, arms, stomach and hands to rejuvenate the area.
Cost on application.
Glowing facials: Omorovicza
Omorovicza’s beautiful Mayfair institute brings the healing waters of Budapest and the therapeutic touch of Hungarian facial massage to London. Offering a deluxe treatment menu, their expert skin therapists offer The Omorovicza Prescription, to build a routine that both heals and awakens the skin, for a highly bespoke approach to skincare. The South Audley Skin Therapy Session combines technology with traditional Hungarian methods to revive a sluggish lymph and encourage micro-circulation.
The South Audley Skin Therapy Session, £250.
Anti-aging: Morpheus 8
A fractional skin treatment, Morpheus 8 works by stimulating collagen production, targeting the deeper layers of skin tissue of the face to give a radiant appearance. It also targets uneven skin tone, scarring, loose skin, and fatty pockets under the chin. Skin Matters, the award-winning skin health studio in Holland Park, offers various options; face and neck, jawline and neck, and face resurfacing.
Morpheus 8 for face and neck £950, jawline and neck £750 and resurfacing £460.
Acupuncture: ilāpothecary
A form of alternative medicine, and synonymous with traditional Chinese medicine, acupuncture works by stimulating the blood vessels, nervous system and immune system to support the body’s self-healing. It is commonly used to relieve pain, improve organ function, support the immune system and aid the digestive system, as well as regulate metabolism.
Ultra-fine, hair-width sterile and disposable needles are expertly inserted into specific acupuncture points to restore the free flow of Qi (the energy that passes through the body). Here, the sensory nerves under the skin and in the muscles are triggered to produce natural substances which, in turn, encourages healing mechanisms. A celebrity favourite, ilapothecary offers acupuncture, and add-ons such as tuina, moxa, and cupping for the ultimate detoxifying experience.
Acupuncture from £140 for 75 minutes; follow-up appointments from £85 for one hour, with the option to add tuina, moxa or cupping.
Colon hydrotherapy: EF MEDISPA
EF MEDISPA is one of the UK’s leading medical spas and skin clinics, and it offers various bespoke, holistic body cleansing treatments such as colon hydrotherapy. Here, filtered water is used to flush the colon, releasing toxins that have been accumulating in the gut, inhibiting the normal function of the digestive system. At EF MEDISPA you can choose from three treatments; Californian Colonic, Zone Out Colonic and Pressure Point Colonic.
Book a consultation via efmediaspa.com.
All imagery used in this article is for illustration purposes only
