Facial Treatment Archives - Fashion Voyeur

If you live in the North East, you’ll most likely be familiar with the name Hooker & Young. The formidable duo have been making waves in the hairdressing industry for years and they have no intention of slowing down. In fact, not content with lining their shelves with hairdressing awards, Hooker & Young are taking on the beauty industry.

At the pretty Hooker & Young Ponteland salon, you’ll find Hooker & Young Skin. A service that sits perfectly alongside their creative hair offering and something that feels perfectly placed with the brand. Kelly Covell is the driving force behind Skin and is passionate about offering clients the very best and most innovative treatments on the market.

“It’s not about getting in there first and being the first to have a brand new treatment, it’s about testing it, making sure the results are tangible and making sure it’s something that our clients will really benefit from.” Kelly Covell, Hooker & Young Skin

Today Kelly has invited me to try the Dermatude facial and all I know about it before my arrival is that it’s been dubbed ‘The Facelift Alternative’. When Kelly explains what I’m in for, I’m kind of pleased I didn’t do any research….

In a nutshell, Nouveau Skin Therapy’s Dermatude facial uses meta therapy to deliver active serums to the skin through micro-needling. That’s right Voyeurs, ‘facial’ and ‘needling’ in the same sentence, I’m already planning my escape…

I arrive at Skin and am greeted by Kelly who takes me upstairs to a cosy treatment room, the room is slick and clinical looking and dominated by a high-tech heated bed which I slink into like it’s my own. Kelly shows me the machine she’s going to use and explains that micro-needling as it’s known, is actually less invasive than Microdermabrasion and demonstrates the feeling on the back of my hand. she asks if I’m comfortable (I am) and then we begin.

Kelly talks me through the treatment while she’s working, we start with a strong Glycolic Peel to prep the skin and then the micro-needling pushes an active serum past the outer layers of the epidermis to living cells where they can instantly start to work on improving the texture, clarity and tone of the skin. The treatment claims to combat premature ageing, sun damage and open pores, it’s slightly uncomfortable in certain areas but most definitely not painful. The machine glides over the skin vibrating and pulsing to push the product deep into the dermis. The sound from the machine is not dis-similar to that of a tattoo needle, the feeling however, is a breeze in comparison to my expectations.

“As a result, connective tissue is produced, filling the wrinkle from the inside out. Again, this is a natural skin process. The treatment does not involve injecting any fillers whatsoever and no muscles or nerves are blocked. However, in order to support the natural process, our special serums “Subjectables” are used for a faster and even more efficient result.” – Nouveau Skin

Whilst the active ingredients get to work on my skin, Kelly treats the backs of my hands with the micro-needler and serum and tells me what to expect when the treatment is over; slight redness which will fade pretty quickly but no makeup until tomorrow.

When I’m done, she hands me a mirror and a glass of water and I’m surprised at how fresh and instantly brighter I look. it’s like I’ve had a good sleep and woken up wide awake and ready for action. Sure, it’s red, but not as red as you might expect, given the type of treatment this is. The most noticeable difference is around my eyes, the skin looks fresh and more luminous than it has before.

The treatment has a celebrity following and I can understand why, after one treatment my skin was glowing and by the next day it looked and felt amazing; soft and renewed and a lot clearer with far less visible pores. Like most of these treatments, they’re great before an event or vacation but are recommended as blocks or packages in order to add an element of maintenance and sustaining that ‘new skin’ look and feel. After seeing the immediate visible improvement, it’s something I’d definitely do again and Kelly is a conscientious Therapist, allowing time to explain each element of the treatment which would put even the most skeptical mind at ease.

So Voyeurs, if you fancy taking the plunge and trying out the Dermatude Meta Therapy facial, I’d highly recommend Kelly at Hooker & Young Skin in Ponteland, salon deets are below.

Pixie x

HOOKER & YOUNG – PONTELAND
13 Bell Villas
Ponteland
Newcastle Upon Tyne
NE20 9BD
Tel : 01661-821004

Every so often a beauty treatment comes along which revolutionises our approach to skincare; the HydraFacial, ladies and gentlemen, is one of those treatments. Cue space age music…..

Designed primarily to restore health to your skin, the HydraFacial is a specialist six step, non-invasive facial treatment which requires no downtime. That’s right folks, this is one you can have on your lunch break and you’re guaranteed to see a difference the very same day.

So, who is it for? You’re used to selecting your facial based on your age, skin type, expected outcome etc. right? Well the HydraFacial flips that approach on its head because it’s suitable for everyone – any age, any skin type, anyone. Because skin health is the primary objective, anyone can benefit from this innovative treatment.

The hype around this treatment has been huge, with Karren Brady, a long-standing fan of the treatment, fronting the latest campaign, the HydraFacial has become a staple treatment for TV Presenters looking for “HD skin”. And it’s not only TV Presenters who are HydraFacial converts, with a celebrity following including Beyonce, Kate Winslet, Suki Waterhouse, Brittany Snow and Eva Mendes, surely their glowing skin is testament to the HydraFacial (and admittedly maybe a little Photoshop).

Newcastle Hair and Beauty Clinic approached me to road test the treatment and see if it lived up to the hype and I admit I was a little skeptical. A treatment not aimed at any particular skin type which claims to target:

Fine lines & Wrinkles
Elasticity and Firmness
Skintone, Evenness and Vibrancy
Skin Texture
Hyperpigmentation / Photo Damage
Oily / Congested Skin
Enlarged Pores
Advanced Signs of Ageing

….Pretty bold claims, even for a fancy looking machine.

So with skin health on my agenda, I set off to the clinic fresh from the gym to be pampered. My designated Facial Therapist, Kayleigh, took me up to the top floor to a light an airy suite with lots of natural light and talked me through the six steps which make up the HydraFacial treatment:

The treatment, although it sounds weirdly futuristic and scientific, is actually very relaxing. It started (and finished) with a hand-held tool (and a machine that looks like a robot from the future) used to create a vacuum seal on your skin to encourage lymphatic drainage and open up pores, the light suction on the surface of the skin is strangely soothing. Kayleigh regularly chips in with information about the science behind the treatment and how it was developed as well as the benefits I’m likely to see over the coming days including softer, smoother and more radiant skin.

The treatment takes around 40 minutes to complete and in that time, unless I hadn’t read up on it in advance, I’d have had no idea that I was being extracted, peeled and exfoliated with the Doctor Who like gadget; the whole experience is relaxing, soothing and pain-free (in fact, I may even have fallen asleep at one point but then that’s pretty standard for me). When Kayleigh begins the Vortex-Boost phase of the treatment which aims to “push” nutrients and peptides directly into the freshly peeled skin, there’s a cooling sensation and my skin feels as if it’s physically plumping and in my head I’m convinced that it actually is…..

At the end of the treatment, Kayleigh tells me my skin is glowing, I’m asked to sit up slowly and handed a mirror. I’m actually really surprised at the visible difference after just one HydraFacial treatment, my skin is definitely brighter and it looks fresh and clean. Like Kayleigh said, it’s definitely glowing and it feels like baby skin.

Kayleigh points out specific areas of my skin and tells me exactly what’s been done, which are areas of concern and advises that I must drink lots of water and wear SPF for the next few days to protect my freshly exposed skin. As I make my way down to the clinic reception, the Therapists come out from behind the counter to coo over my glowing complexion and they tell me that I look “radiant” so naturally I leave with a smile on my face and a spring in my step. Later that evening, I attended a big showcase event at Bonbar in Newcastle and I went make up free (something I never do unless I’m working out) to avoid clogging up my freshly decongested pores because my skin looked so good.

Arriving for the treatment (Straight from the Boxing Gym)

Having way too much fun after the treatment with no make up

The HydraFacial is something that can be done as a one-off treatment for a special occasion or event and unlike other facials, you’re not likely to suffer a breakout in the following days, in fact, quite the opposite, skin is said to improve the day following the treatment. It can also be “prescribed” as a course if you have problem skin, or a particular issue you’d like to work on such as acne or rosacea but it’s pricey – it’s serious stuff and there’s actual real life science to back up its claims. In London the HydraFacial is available (and regularly snapped up) and an eye-watering £230 per treatment and the cast of Made in Chelsea are regular devotees. However up here in the North East, the treatment is brand spanking new and Newcastle Hair and beauty Clinic are offering it for £120; that’s not a special offer or a discounted price, that’s just the regular price Voyeurs.

12042838_10153051690217026_3482421916387689097_n — Staff member at NH&BC after one HydraFacial Treatment

One thing I have to hand to Newcastle Hair and Beauty Clinic is their knowledge, and enthusiasm for each new treatment they add to their already impressive menu – the Therapists here are passionate about beauty and they’re excited to learn about new and innovative beauty treatment methods. They’re a long time collaborator of mine and there’s a reason for that – I trust their expertise, and so should you. The clinic is the longest standing beauty clinic in the City and with a few recessions and some hard times hitting the UK over the years, that’s a pretty impressive feat.

Pixie x

Dermatude: The Facelift Alternative

HydraFacial MD at Newcastle Hair & Beauty Clinic

Follow @pixietenenbaum