Face Value
5 minute read
Like wearing earrings, I came late to having facials, enjoying my first at the age of 44. I resisted having my ears pierced until I was 43, fearing that with short hair I might look like a Christmas tree. Suffice to say, I’ve never been an early adopter. Facials are one of those things I’ve matured into in midlife, along with Liveline and herbal tea. And from my limited experience, I would say that the best facial treatments are those that work on your skin and your perspective in equal measure.
I’ve always been highly critical of my complexion, specifically the bags under my eyes, but I left Neelu’s Beauty Salon on Thursday feeling as comfortable make-up-free as I was walking in trainers. For most of my friends, make-up is incidental; for me, it’s always felt essential, even for activities as solitary and unglamorous as walking my dog. So to say I felt comfortable, confident even, with a bare face is about as big a compliment as I can give.
The best thing about this particular facial is Neelu White herself. A warm, motherly-type figure, she is a font of no-nonsense advice on how to look after your skin, and none of it involves buying expensive products. She has almost 40 years’ experience treating women and men in Dublin and consequently a loyal clientele who can see beyond the no-frills set-up of her first-floor room on Liffey Street.
Her Indian heritage informs a lot of her thinking, which is anchored around the idea that overall wellbeing, including good skin, begins with good gut health.
To this end, the treatment began with an indepth look at my daily diet – every meal, snack, sweet and tipple. She firmly believes that “nature provides for us”, and so we should always eat seasonal and local. Traditionally in India, people only eat what’s available within 5km of their homes, she told me.
She then asked for a step-by-step account of my morning and evening skincare routine, including the products I use and the method I employ to apply each one. It’s worth taking photographs of the labels on each of your skincare products before you go, as Neelu looks for very specific details, which I didn’t always know. She then asked me what issues I would like addressed. I explained that the bags under my eyes were my main concern, but all I was looking for really was advice on how to have the healthiest skin possible for my age. This is Neelu’s forte – restoring natural beauty in a more natural way. As a result, a lot of her clients are middle-aged men and women who want to look like themselves but fresher.
She began the practical side of the treatment by firstly providing an assessment of my skin. I had some open pores around my chin and some signs of dehydration on my forehead, she assessed. The latter was a result of UV rays rather than lack of water, of which I drink about six pints a day, and while I militantly apply a factor 50 sunscreen to my face every morning, Neelu explained that it needs to be reapplied every three hours whether you’re exposed to sunlight indoors or outdoors.
She chose to treat my skin first with a deep, three-way exfoliation, which detoxifies, stimulates cell regeneration, increases circulation and hydration, and restores a natural healthy glow. This was followed by an oxygen detox, which incorporated a massage technique for removing blood stagnation from my jawline and under-eye area. To nourish the skin more thoroughly and reduce fine lines, Neelu prepared a cocktail of vitamins and antioxidants, including green tea and vitamins A, C and E, which was delivered to my skin by oxygen infusion (this had a sort of spray gun feel). She advised me to drink a cup of green tea every day, and to apply a little of the infusion to my face as a sort of makeshift mask. Cucumber can also be used to nourish more than just our eyes, and she suggested cutting off a chunk and rubbing it around my entire face now and again.
Neelu’s approach is utterly holistic, which really appeals to me. She very much offers a 360 approach to skincare, advising me that herbs and spices like turmeric and cinnamon if grated into salads and cooked foods can have real benefits. The former is an anti-inflammatory that helps kill bacteria, while the latter helps boost circulation. Natural sugar cane is also a key ingredient. Containing glycolic acid, it works as a natural exfoliator, and it’s packed full of antioxidants and flavonoids to help protect against the harmful effects of UV rays.
Neelu cleverly treated the right half of my face first so that I could see clearly the effects of her efforts. To my absolute delight, when I looked in the mirror my right eye looked significantly brighter, less baggy, and with far fewer fine lines. The difference was real.
This facial was one of the most sensory treatments I’ve had because every product Neelu used had a different weight, texture and temperature. I really enjoyed this aspect, as it kept me fully engaged throughout the process, rather than sending me into a sluggish half-sleep as some facials can. Her own skill level with massage techniques is clear. There’s pace to this facial, with distinct variations and fluctuations in speed and pressure, as opposed to the repetitive rhythmic movements of others. Facialists often use the word rejuvenating, but this treatment actually felt like it.
I spent almost two and a half hours with Neelu, and not surprisingly this kind of expertise and experience doesn’t come cheap. The deep exfoliating, hydrating and cleansing facial costs €175, with the addition of oxygen pushing the price up to €400 (partly redeemable against products). Although to put this in perspective, it’s less than the price of two Botox injections. If money was no issue, I’d be back with Neelu next month for another. I came away not simply feeling that I looked better, but feeling that I had a much better understanding of how to care for my skin, and refreshingly I could begin without having to spend a single penny on another pricey cosmetic.
I made a point of cooking with turmeric the evening of my facial, and I’ll be buying sugar cane, cinnamon, Yakult and natural yogurt (both of which Neelu recommends for killing off unhealthy bacteria in the gut) the next time I’m food shopping. She really made me think about how much money we as women spend on cosmetics and how much sway we give to invasive treatments. The business of beauty is blinding us to the natural remedies that are literally at our fingertips. And while I don’t for one second believe they’re a cure-all, I very much like Neelu’s approach to skincare: holistic, natural and balanced.
Marie Kelly, August 2022
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