Life Affirming Facial.

Have you ever had an experience that just exceeded all your expectations? Blew you away and made you glow from the inside. Your going to have to bear with me during this blog post because I’m writing it still on a high.

On Saturday I was invited to have a facial with a lady called Jo, who I had met previously while trying to make mum friends in the area. She had been whizzing around doing her work within skincare between London and home and now has a clinic within The Cosmetic Boutique in Cheltenham’s swanky Montpellier.

I am a caffeine addict, my anxiety can be really bad at times, my mind is busy and I struggle to switch off at night time. All of this Jo could see in my skin. I was amazed that good skincare isn’t just about drinking water and applying a weekly mask.

I opted to have Jo’s bespoke facial which costs £70. For me she combined a cleanse, gentle scrub, steam to soften and purify, acupressure, lymph drainage, sculpting moves, two clay masks and face, neck and shoulder massage. Finished off with a Pure Collagen Eye Mask from Carol Joy London.

I have had facials before, often included within spa days as gifts. I have always seen it as a treat. My experiences have always been good but not exactly life affirming. Can a facial ever be life affirming? This one was. I came away, and I am still, on a high. Which sounds so silly, but I really felt like she made a difference to my ability to be still and to be mindful.

Jo noticed that my breathing was very shallow during my facial and she connected this to my anxiety and to the condition on my skin over my cheek area. She recommended that I started to practice meditation and advised on some little massage tips to help with the problem area.

This was much more than just a facial, I was given endless tips about how and what products I should be using. Why my problems areas were even there in the first place and how to improve them not just with skincare but with lifestyle adjustments. You can tell that Jo is also a health coach and  therefore she was able to give me amazing holistic tips as well.

The boutique that its in is also little different, a little bit more special. It not only has Jo providing beauty treatments but you can shop for clothes and accessories as well as having some other procedures such as permanent cosmetics. It is run by mother and daughter Jane and Lucy who are so welcoming. To be honest I could have spent the whole afternoon there!

You can’t pour from an empty cup. Sometimes its so important that we do things that are just for us. Lying having my facial that was the one thing that really struck a cord with me. Its time I lived my best life and I shouldn’t feel guilty about treating myself every now and then. Or every 4-6 weeks as recommended!

If you want to have any treatments with Jo you can contact her by email Clinic@jolawlor.com Telephone 07974311427 or through The Cosmetic Boutique 01242 228325.