KCR WINTER 24:25 Magazine FINAL 1 - Flipbook - Page 80
The Sharpen Facial at Facestellar is this the future?
Walking into Facestellar, located on Brompton Road, about a seven
minute walk from South Kensington Station, is a little like boarding a
spaceship. The colour scheme is futuristic without being coldly clinical:
a combination of textures in white and grey, silver and purple abound.
Metallic leather-look treatment chairs are arranged in a row, each
separated from the other by curved white cabinets - a form mirrored in a
ceiling installation of soothingly undulating white structures. Recesses with rounded edges house large, angled mirrors, backed by pale
purple lighting. The otherworldly voice of Billie Eilish creates a 昀椀tting
soundtrack to the setting - and my therapist, Gonul, looks the part, with
her metallic silver trousers and white t-shirt.
Facestellar has two similarly appointed clinics in Paris and has been established in London for just over a year. With an approach to aesthetics
that eschews injectables in favour of massage and stimulation, their offering is perfect for those who are nervous about needles, or who simply
prefer a less intrusive treatment.
Gonul begins by cleansing my skin with a signature product and then
takes me through some breathing exercises. As I breathe out, she applies
a downward pressure to my chest, heightening the sense of release.
Once my parasympathetic nervous system has been suitably activated,
and relaxation has kicked in, she begins massaging my face.
As someone prone to pu昀케ness, not to mention someone whose age
means decreased collagen levels and increased laxity, it’s wonderful
to feel that your face is being kneaded back into shape. Under Gonul’s
expert hands, I imagine myself as a slightly wonky clay bust, made by a
talentless art student and being whipped into exhibition-worthy submission by a helpful teacher.
The facial I’m having is called Sharpen, and is geared towards de昀椀ning
the jawline and cheekbones, as well as promoting circulation to the face,
reducing the appearance of wrinkles and dullness.
“People hold tension in their face, as well as in the neck and shoulders,
and this can contribute to pu昀케ness,” explains Gonul. “Creating movement towards the lymph nodes and stimulating blood昀氀ow encourages
the body to release this tension, as well as the retained 昀氀uid.”
After 30 minutes of manual massage, Gonul uses Gua Sha, followed by a
facial roller and then an EMS (Electric Muscle Stimulation) device. The
latter feels a bit strange, but not uncomfortably so.
The results are actually di昀케cult to fathom: in the space of 45 minutes, I
seem to have dropped a couple of years, as well as the results of far too
much summer rosé. My jaw is de昀椀ned, my complexion glowing, my eyes
less hooded and my cheekbones visible. I’m seriously impressed.
It’s not a quick 昀椀x solution though - as with going to the gym, it takes
time to get long-lasting results, and the recommendation is weekly to
fortnightly. In the meantime, I have some Gua Sha languishing in my
bathroom cabinet, which are about to get a daily workout.
A 45-minute Sharpen facial costs £100, or £340 for 4 treatments to be
used within 12 months.
facestellar.com
307 Brompton Road
SW3 2DY London
Sarah Rodrigues
