Curious Clients & Honest Answers

What’s the one skincare product you refuse to skip?

SPF50!

Do you tailor your skincare to the seasons, or do you keep to the same products?

I’ve got combination skin - a little oily through the T-zone and a bit drier on the cheeks - but honestly, my skin seems happy, albeit dehydrated sometimes, so I don’t really switch textures up with the seasons. I’m not a fan of heavy, rich creams (I just don’t like how they feel on my skin), and I tend to stick to the same routine whatever the weather: cleansing, toning, eye serum, moisturiser and, of course, SPF every single day.
Normally I give myself a good Sunday facial too - a scrub and a mask - but I’ll admit it, since my op, I’ve been a tiny bit naughty and let that slide!
Back to it soon though - my skin (and my conscience!) are both reminding me it's time!

What’s your skin’s biggest challenge right now (e.g. dryness, pigmentation, breakouts)?  

Hyperpigmentation! My melanin basically throws a party every time it sees a bit of sunshine and I love being in the sun, however, freckles just pop out with wild enthusiasm, and I’ve got a few sunspot patches on my cheeks that I cover up with a tinted sunblock (Sun Zapper Light Skin Tone Original Zinc Stick Sunblock SPF 50+). My personal bugbear is a freckle right on the end of my nose - it’s the first thing I see in the mirror and it drives me mad so that gets covered up!

I’m religious with my LED mask and use it every other day and my daily dose of vitamin C, which has really helped with fading but no matter how much SPF I slap on, the sun still sneaks those freckles through.

I’m also keeping one eye on the whole menopausal skin situation - lack of ovaries and oestrogen isn’t exactly skin’s best friend. I’m on HRT now though so fingers firmly crossed for trying my best to age like a fine wine and not milk!

Have you ever had a professional facial? If yes, what stood out the most afterwards?

Oh yes, I’ve had plenty of them! It’s that healthy glow that really stands out - the boost you get from the massage (getting your circulation and lymphatic drainage flowing) combined with a good, thorough exfoliating cleanse. You look and feel so alive afterwards! I have had professional microcurrent ones in the past and they are great at firming the skin but I prefer a traditional facial, hands on skin, much more relaxing than an electrical one.

Is your current skincare routine something you enjoy or just a list of boxes to tick?

I really enjoy my routine, morning and night and follow it religiously, maybe by way of habit now. I’ve been doing it for so long!

What products do you use and does your routine change from day to night?

In the mornings, I use BEE Cosmetics Cleansing Oil – the scent of oranges and apricots wakes me up (it makes me literally go “Hmmmm”, I love the smell so much!) and while I am waiting for my shower to hot up, I massage my face with it to cleanse the night away and to wake me up further. In the shower, after I’ve washed off the oil with my hands, I love the Baylis & Harding Goodness Oud, Cedar & Amber Body Wash – it doesn’t make my skin itch and smells divine. I wash my hair daily with Rituals, the Mehr fragrance, which I adore.  My hair can get greasy at the roots but it’s normally dry due to colour but the conditioner makes it feel so soft and doesn’t weight it down. Once out of the shower, I have to moisturise my lower legs first before I do anything else, else they can itch like mad so I’ve been using Revolution’s AHA Body Balm for years (luckily, the skin on my face doesn’t feel tight so I don’t have to sort that out first!). I tone my face with Neal’s Yard Rehydrating Rose Toner and then apply BEE Cosmetics Organic Eye Cream. It’s a new product so I’ve not been using it that long so watch this space but I like it. Next to go on is a vitamin C serum – am using a Korean one at the moment, I think I bought it off Instagram (?). Next up is my sunscreen – Ultrasun’s Tinted SPF50 Face Cream if I’m going out and want to wear makeup (I use this instead of a moisturiser and foundation), otherwise I am applying Superdrug’s SPF50 Solait Face Cream (which is a bit thick to be honest but I am using it up!). To the rest of my body, I’ll apply the Revolution Balm and then Superdrug’s SPF50 Sun Cream to the bits that will be exposed to the sun (neck, decollete, hands, arms, feet – and if I’m feeling brave, my lower legs!).

At night, I double-cleanse. First using BEE Cosmetics Facial Cleansing Gel (it’s slightly exfoliating but incredibly gentle), removing it with a flannel and then secondly, a cream cleanser (Neal’s Yard Calendula Cleanser – love the smell!) to make sure my skin is super clean but not stripped. I will use BEE Cosmetics Eye Cream followed by BEE Cosmetics Rich Night Lotion. Once that has sunk in, I will apply their facial serum. 

When was your last massage and what made you book it?

Ahem, it was so long ago! I was in Sitges, Spain in September 2024 while Dan was playing golf! I suffer from restless legs and even more so on my holidays (despite the swimming) seeing as I am laying down on a sunbed for most of it so I thought I would treat myself to a body massage and facial, basically to get my circulation going! But the experience was fab and a reminder to have it more often.

What stops you from booking massages more often - time, budget, guilt, forgetting?

Ahem, it tends to be all those things but not ‘guilt’, I never feel guilty about having a treatment – its self-care.  I do have regular pedicures though – they make me feel great.

Do you find massage more relaxing, therapeutic or both?

Definitely both. It clears the mind and relaxes the body while you’re on the couch plus you get the benefits of muscle and tissue recovery for a few days after! Plus, its relaxing and therapeutic for me to massage my clients too – as soon as I smell the essential oils and become aware of the music, I’m gone!

What is your favourite massage to have yourself?

I absolutely love a good foot massage – for me, there’s just nothing quite like it!
There’s something so comforting about feeling fingers working those nerve endings that connect to the whole body – it makes me feel great! The massage totally gives my body a boost and I feel a lot clearer in my mind too. I do literally feel I am floating on air after having a foot massage or after some reflexology. 

If your body could talk after a massage, what do you think it would say?

I want to hug you!

If your skincare routine were a song, what’s the song?

“Here comes the sun,” by The Beatles.

 What’s your guilty pleasure product you can’t live without?

Micellar water. I’m not a fan…BUT they are handy (and better than skin wipes!). I can be lazy and if I’ve not worn makeup during day and I don’t want to get my face wet in the sink, I will reach for a micellar water tucked away in my bathroom cabinet. The best one I have ever used is Neal’s Yard’s Sensitive Comfort & Hydrate Micellar Cleanser – it is so gentle, effective and you don’t need a lot of it so the 200ml bottle lasts ages. They became very popular when professional makeup artists said they used them before applying makeup on their models.  So, they’re OK for ease, making sure a face is ‘clean’ before applying lots of makeup but personally, I find them too drying for everyday use as you have to use loads.  Most don’t really remove makeup and lipstick effectively either! 

When you are massaging a client, are you listening to the spa music, being in total silence, or secretly planning your next holiday or what’s for tea in your head? 

I am counting the number of massage repetitions I’m doing!

 If you could invent one dream skincare product or massage gadget, what would it do?

You know those vacuum suction bags you can buy for clothes, for storage…I would invent something like that, so that you can walk into in the mornings, press a button and it tightens your skin all over! Hahaha!

Seriously though, I would invent a lotion or potion that really does eliminate those vertical lip lines so no-one has to resort to injectables!

What’s your ultimate ‘I know I’m relaxed’ moment during a treatment?

When I feel myself sinking into the couch!

How about when you know it is for your client?

They go quiet and then fall asleep.

Is there one skincare trend or tip you secretly think is a bit silly?

There’s too many to mention. The one’s that are silly are most likely to be dangerous. Oh, there was one that was bonkers, a haircare one – conditioning the hair first and then shampooing afterwards. Bonkers. That’s like putting on moisturiser then washing it off.

 If you could only take three skincare or massage-related items to a desert island, what would they be?

Lip balm with SPF50, Facial Sun Cream SPF50 and Body Sun Cream SPF50!  And with my hands I would massage them in. WIN-WIN.

Quick Fire Round!

Serum or Moisturiser? Gah, wouldn’t want to give either of those up but sensibly, a moisturiser!

Massage: Firm or gentle? Firm.

Sheet Mask or clay mask? I don’t like either really. Sheets and their packaging most of the time non-biodegradable and clay masks, me not keen on the texture. I prefer cream or gel masks.

Morning Skincare or evening skincare? I like my evening products the best!

Facial Oils or balms? Facial oils.

Cream or balm cleanser? Balm cleansers.

Glowy or matte finish? I have oily skin and I should say ‘matte’ but I do love a glow so going to say glowy finish!

Fragrance-free or scented? Scented.

Long Massage or express pick-me-up? Long massage - I want to REEEEELAAAAX.

LED Mask or Gua Sha? I’m glad I invested in an LED Mask because you can use your hands for massage instead of buying a Gua Sha.

Back Massage or foot massage? Foot!

Vitamin C or hyaluronic acid? Tough question…. Vitamin C.

Home facial or professional facial? Professional.

SPF 30 or SPF 50? I know there’s 1% difference in them but am going for 50. That 1% must make a difference! SPF50 blocks out 98% of UVB and SPF30 blocks 97% of UVB - the UV that burns. For UVA protection, I tend to buy ones that have a P+++ rating that blocks out UVA. If I can’t find one then it has to have ‘Broad Spectrum’ on the bottle.

Steamy Facial or cool compress? Steamy.

Tinted SPF or Bare Skin? Tinted SPF.

Massage Music: Spa sounds or silence? Spa sounds.