I’ve been lucky enough to review quite a lot of facials, treatments and salons and each one is very different. Some are super relaxing, some are all business, some facialists are completely silent, focusing on the task at hand, while others talk you through the treatment and put you at ease through their demeanour. My recent Environ Hydroboost Facial was a lovely combination of all of the above.
Environ Hydroboost Facial Review With Treatwell
The lovely folks from Treatwell did some research and found a facial that they thought would be suitable for my temperamental and reactive rosacea skin. They introduced me to Cristina Coelho, a wonderful facialist who works at Wimpole Therapeutics in Marylebone. She offers CACI and Environ facials and I decided to go for the latter as I’d never had one before. The thing that really excited me about Cristina’s facials is that every facial is bespoke: she likes to meet each new client, have a proper look at their skin, talk to them, get an idea of who they are and what their lifestyle is like. And it’s then that she decides exactly what course the facial will take. I LOVE that. No two people are the same and their needs and results will differ massively so offering this kind of tailored approach is a wonderful idea.
Cristina is probably one of the friendliest and warmest facialists I’ve ever met. Chatting to her before my treatment, I can see why her clients continue to come back to her time and time again. She made me feel completely at ease, even when we got into the details of what would be an unusual facial…!
After asking me lots of questions about my skin, rosacea and potential triggers, she decided on the Environ Hydroboost facial treatment as it gives great results but is great for sensitive skin. She started by thoroughly cleansing my face and doing some mild exfoliation. She then applied a hydrating serum and, over the space of 30 minutes, used a wand that delivered low frequency sound waves which helped the serum to penetrate into my skin. It doesn’t hurt at all. If she hadn’t told me that’s what was happening I probably would have assumed it was just a facial massage tool. The only thing that was a bit strange was the very quiet high pitched noise when the wand came close to my ears. At no point was it uncomfortable, sore or aggravating for my rosacea, in fact it was really relaxing!
The next step was when it got a bit strange! Cristina had talked me through this step so I didn’t feel nervous but I didn’t really know what to expect as I couldn’t picture what was about to happen (even though she had shown me photos). She had warned me that it would sound like she was mixing porridge behind my head, which was a very good description! She then applied this mixture to my forehead – it felt heavy and thick, like a cold sturdy paste. This was applied to my whole face, including over my eyes (!), leaving small holes for my nostrils and mouth. It was heavy but I didn’t find it claustrophobic or scary. But it gets weirder! The mask was left to set and dry around the edges and Cristina then attached crocodile clips to the edges, which then pulsed galvanic currents through the mask. Again, I couldn’t feel this, but experienced what Cristina described as ‘a firework display’ of white lights on the inside of my eyelids which sounds alarming but was surprisingly calming and pretty!
After the mask was left on for 20-30 mins, she removed the mask. It didn’t pull at my skin (or my eyelashes, which I was a bit concerned about as the paste was put over my eyes!). If you’re still worrying about the currents, I actually apologised for my stomach rumbling during the treatment and Cristina said she assumed it was me snoring as so many people fall asleep during the facial!
The photos below were taken straight after my treatment so you can see that my rosacea wasn’t at all affected. My skin didn’t feel sore, tight or aggravated. Just smooth, soft and thankful for a boost of moisture after my weekend in Avéne – flights and lots of alcohol are not my skin’s best friends!
The most fun part of a facial is always the big reveal at the end. Glowing, plumped up skin and a soft feel are what you would expect after this kind of treatment. But I am not over exaggerating when I say that I could not believe the way my face looked when I saw my reflection. The fine lines around my eyes and mouth were massively reduced and I actually asked Cristina if my eyebrows were slightly lifted as I thought I was going mad. It was like looking in the mirror 5 years ago and I do not say that lightly. I do not have mature skin by any means, but I have smoked for a long time and do have signs of ageing. This facial helped to undo some of that damage (temporarily, of course). At the time of writing this, I am still seeing the benefits to the lines around my eyes nearly 3 weeks later. If it sounds like I am raving, it’s because I am!
(FYI the bruise on my cheekbone was from the Dracula PRP facial I’d had a few weeks before this one, not from anything Cristina did!)
If you’ve never used Treatwell (it used to be called Wahanda) I’d really recommend it. I’ve been using it for years – I’ve booked massages, mani-pedis, facials, haircuts, you name it. The booking process is super simple and you can book off-peak appointments for a cheaper deal or find some bargains if you have a nose around and want to try somewhere new. As an aded bonus, if you review your treatment afterwards, you get a £5 credit to your account. Ideal! If you’d like to join Treatwell, click this link – it’s an affiliate referral link so you get £6 off your first appointment just for joining, and I get £6 in my account for referring you. Win-win!
There are a few more photos below. Are you intrigued by the Environ Hydroboost facial?
Lex
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