For someone who writes about beauty, I can be surprisingly finicky when it comes to facials – you’d think I’d naturally love them, given my constant quest to find what’s best for my skin – and my passion for lying down with my eyes closed.
But no, I have had some truly awful facials. I will write about them one day for your amusement. I have also had many mediocre facials. And over the years, I have realized that a facial that is both enjoyable and effective is never something to be taken for granted. Your hard-earned money is no guarantee that you will get that wonderful, totally relaxed feeling that leaves you groggy and drooling at the corners of your mouth. You also can’t expect dramatic skin care results from a facial, like a total face lift or skin that looks like it has been steam-ironed and then glossed over like a donut.
It’s a game of roulette. perhaps All you need to do is apply a few drops of scented oil and let staff with their soothing touch gently pat and knead your face. perhaps It’s going to be one of those amazing, highly technical skin-changing facials that uses steam and lasers to remove impurities you didn’t know you had and acids so strong you have to point a fan at your face to stop it from burning.
But there’s always the risk that the facial won’t be either type and will be a boring, mediocre option — essentially a 60-minute brand-led product demonstration in which each of the line’s nine masks and exfoliants are applied in sequence, left to “work” for a while, and then tediously removed with a wet flannel 10 minutes later.
Nothing makes me more uncomfortable and frustrated than paying to have something painstakingly applied to my face over and over again when I could just as easily do it at home. Especially when they leave the product on during the “wait to see” phase and do nothing else and I have to lie back and listen to the therapist clinking spoons mixing the mask in the sink behind my head. Where is the expert touch? Where is the luxury element?
Maybe it’s just me, but even if I was at home with a mask on, I would have been reading, relaxing in the bath, watching TV, or doing something else at the same time. It’s extremely frustrating to be paying for the same downtime and not be able to actually do it. enjoy it As downtime. In my opinion, if you are wearing a face mask and working at your job, you should be doing something else: a hand or arm massage, a scalp massage, etc. There should be no dead time when the meter is running.
This is the longest intro to what I actually wanted to tell you all about. Last week, I had a facial with Sharon McGlinchey, the founder of the skincare brand. MV Skin TherapySharon’s facials are never a roulette game. I don’t (secretly) call her Sharon Magic Hands Without doing anything. Not only does she release me into a state of relaxation that most people can only achieve with over-the-counter sedatives, she also leaves my skin feeling rested and radiant again. No tricks, no gimmicks, just pure sensory bliss and complete peace of mind and body.
I say this not to encourage you to book a facial with Sharon, because that’s impossible. Though she lives in Sydney and occasionally gives A-list facials, running her own brand, MV Skin Therapy, leaves her with very little time to offer regular sessions. (I see her when she jets off to London once a year for PR duties, which is, hands down, one of the greatest perks of my job.) No, what I want to share with you is Sharon’s magical hands and ability to create sensory bliss and utter serenity, because all that same energy and passion goes into her skincare.
Advertising Information: Not paid or sponsored. I have previously received press samples from brands and facials for PR purposes. The links below are not affiliate links.
In fact, there’s more of the same energy. And there’s a strong diligence when it comes to formulation, and a fantastic commitment to quality when it comes to sourcing ingredients. MV Skin Therapy is a small range made in small batches, but so perfectly composed. The gentlest cream cleanser, perfectly sourced oils, clay masks suitable for even the most sensitive skin. All with a spritz of Rose Mist, a few drops of Booster here and there, it’s adaptable and multitasking…
What are my favorites? I’ve been using this brand for about 10 years now and they haven’t changed much. First, the Rose Soothing & Protective Moisturizer. hereis the perfect “skin reset” cream for the face, where skin can become rough, sensitive and in need of extra care. I’ve been using it for years and think of it as a skincare security blanket. The rose scent is very calming to me, but the formula itself has an instant calming effect.
I love too Rose Booster – A few drops of this oil on slightly damp skin is the ultimate treat. It’s an investment. This bottle contains the most expensive and luxurious oil, but you only need a little at a time. Again, the scent is very pleasant to me, but I also love that I can mix a little into my moisturizer or just apply it on damp skin for an extra glow.
Tip: Adding Rose Mist to your Rose Moisturizer will give it a more liquid texture, but adding a few drops of Booster will make it feel richer and oilier, making it a pleasure to massage into.
Some things that are fun to massage are: Pure Jojoba OilThis is a great multitasking product that you can use anytime. It’s an oil, but not like the oils you (probably) know. It’s super great at moisturizing, but at the same time completely lightweight and won’t clog your pores. It’s great for soothing dry, itchy skin, but doesn’t feel heavy, sticky or greasy. It’s actually a little SOS skincare product, perfect for a variety of uses, like soothing skin after shave or layering it under your eye cream for an extra boost.
I currently have a discount code on the MV Skin Therapy UK website, use RUTH20 to get 20% off*, so when you go there, Guided Meditation – You may not be able to book Sharon’s Magic Facial Hands for any amount of money, but you can still hear her dulcet voice while you get a massage with Rose Booster…
(*This is not an affiliate code or paid promotion. MV was kind enough to give me a code to share, which is valid until June 7th, 2024.)
