Espa Skin Purifying Facial at The Retreat

On Saturday, I was invited to the launch of a range of Espa products and treatments at The Retreat in West Calder, West Lothian.  The Retreat aims to bring the quality of treatments often found in larger cities and spas to a more accessible location for the people of West Lothian. I absolutely love this - I think the standard of local salons found in Scotland is getting higher and higher; The Retreat being the perfect example of this. I was given the opportunity to choose one of the Espa treatments and chose the Skin Purifying Facial.  

I was introduced to my therapist Evelyn and got to ask her about the training she completed in Gleneagles to become an Espa certified therapist - it sounded quite an intense course and trusted I was in excellent hands!  I was then taken through a consultation and was asked what concerned me most about my skin. I've mentioned so many times on Magic's in the Make Up that I have quite oily skin which is prone to breakouts around my T-zone and acne scarring. The Skin Purifying Facial sounded perfect as it is designed to help congested and problematic skin.

After my consultation, I was taken in to my treatment room.  It was like walking into an oasis of instant calm.  The room was lit by beautifully scented aromatherapy candles, there was relaxing music playing and the treatment bed was so comfortable. Firstly, Evelyn analysed my skin using 'SkinVision' technology and it turns out that on the whole, my skin is fairly normal, with an oily T-zone and the occasional dry patch (I've been giving it a bad wrap this whole time!) 

The facial lasted 55 minutes and used the Espa balancing range (this smells AMAZING) which helps deep cleanse the skin, regulate oil and refine pores.  A number of products were used throughout the facial (I need the Balancing facial oil in my skin care routine), and Evelyn used a number of facial massage techniques and gentle exfoliation gloves to help my skin feel thoroughly cleansed.  While waiting for a face mask to work its magic, I was also given a hand and arm massage.  Of all the facials I have experienced, the Espa Purifying facial left me feeling the most relaxed and pampered, I felt so sleepy afterwards!  I also loved how bright my skin looked as you can see below - even Nick commented on my skin which is unheard of!

If you are looking for a professional and friendly salon in Scotland, The Retreat is perfect.  Within driving distance from both Glasgow and Edinburgh, it offers five star quality treatments at an affordable price.   It has such a warm and welcoming atmosphere that it would be difficult to not leave feeling relaxed!  The Retreat offers an amazing variety of facials - there is one to suit all skin types, including a personalised express facial which is only 30 minutes long and tailored to your skin type!  I definitely want to try one of the body treatments next - the salt and oil scrub sounds amazing and I've always wanted to try a hot stone massage!

I would love to hear about your experiences of facials. Have you ever tried an Espa treatment?

Nic

xx