About Time: You Tried a Festive Face Treatment at Olya LondonBy Iona Goulder
It’s finally December. The time of year when you don’t mind the crisp mornings because the Christmas decorations are out, Mariah is playing and finally, it’s socially acceptable to drink spiced cinnamon lattes again.
If you’re anything like us, December is the month when the diary is overflowing with festive parties, events, and a final drink with friends before the year is out. We can’t help but cram a year’s worth of partying into one month because, in the words of Andy Williams, it’s the most wonderful time of the year after all. But as the champagne flows and the nights get later, it’s our skin that feels the effects of all this merriment the most…
Keen to have our cake and eat it – party and look good that is – we wanted to find out from one of London’s leading skin specialists about how best to keep our skin looking and feeling good throughout the season.
Olya Thomson is one of London’s leading aestheticians and an expert in skin treatments. Based in Hampstead, Olya is one of the only aesthetic practitioners to be entrusted by the luxury Swiss high-performance skincare brand, Valmont, to carry their products and perform their bespoke facials.
Valmont was developed in Switzerland in 1985 and is a brand like no other. Its range of products draws from the natural resources of Switzerland and contains cellular DNA from salmon and sturgeon. Their formulas are considered to be the very best anti-aging skincare products on the market, so it will come as no surprise that they are only stocked in Harrods and Harvey Nichols.
This year Olya was selected to be an official partner of the British Fashion Awards. Her facials are a must-have for skin-prepping ahead of a red-carpet event like the BFAs and are loved by everyone from Olivia Dean to Zara Larsson.
Early December is the best time to treat yourself to a facial to see you through the month ahead, so we decided to visit Olya to try the Valmont Luminosity of Ice facial, which involves glycolic exfoliation, sculpting reflexology facial massage and Valmont regenerating collagen mask made from salmon DNA.
“A facial like the 90 min L’Elixir Des Glaciers Majestic Treatment is designed to sculpt and smooth the face without any downtime,” says Olya. “I was invited to be part of the British Fashion Council partners to prepare the skin of key talent BFA guests.”
Every facial by Olya is curated for the individual and it is an unforgettable experience with results that last long into the weeks following the treatment. It’s the ultimate skin prep for a busy month.
We asked Olya for her top tips for About Time readers to achieve healthy, dewy skin throughout the party season:
1) Use a repairing serum containing antioxidants and stem cells to lift and plump fine lines and wrinkles, as well as protect fragile skin from cold weather. I recommend Stem Cell Rebuilding Complex by Dermaquest and DNA Repair Serum by Valmont
2) Avoid over-exfoliation and avoid excessive scrubbing. I recommend using gentle acid exfoliants to keep skin smooth such as P50W by Biologique Recherche and Lumipeel by Valmont.
3) Add Omega 3 and 6 supplements to your diet to nourish your body and skin from within. I like Bare Biology and Skin Omega+ by ANP.
4) Book a facial massage for maximum glow. A professional facial massage will increase blood and lymphatic circulation, and increase firmness and luminosity in the skin on a new level.
5) Massage your skin daily when applying your skincare. Start from the centre of the face towards the hairline to drain excess fluid retention and for an enhanced glow. Use upward motions on the checks and brow bone for a sculpting effect.
For more information on Olya Thomson, see here.
92 Fleet road, London, NW3 2QX
