Janet Reeder gets a smoother, plumped-up complexion from a facial at a Chester beauty clinic.

Great British Life: Treatment in progressTreatment in progress (Image: Archant)

The new Sk:n clinic in Chester is based in a beautiful Victorian house a few minutes from the centre of the city and the perfect location to try out a new breed of facial, the HydraFacial MD. The salon is discreet, friendly with just the right amount of something reassuringly clinical.

Sk:n has been around for 15 years and there are 40 clinics all over the UK, purely specialising in non surgical solutions and tackle any area of age concerns of the skin. It’s all about looking wonderful for your age.

I am greeted by Nurse Practitioner Clare McKenna and immediately feel I am in a safe pair of hands as she explains the procedure I am about to undergo.

The HydraFacial is the only treatment suitable for all skin types that combines cleansing, exfoliation, extraction, hydration and antioxidant protection simultaneously, plus, the big attraction is that you are supposed to see a difference after only one treatment.

Clare pops on a hairband and covers my eyes to shield them from technology. As she cleanses my skin with a clarifying cleanser rich with nutrients, she asks me what I want. Results are high up on my list so I am hoping this lives up to its billing.

Clare starts working on my lymphatic system which she tells me can get sluggish. Lymphatic drainage gently takes the toxins away from your body and gives the system a little boost using a gentle not unpleasant suction.

Next stage is the exfoliation of my skin with the HydraFacial machine. At the same time as exfoliating it is cleansing and stimulating your own collagen. If you’ve ever had microdermabrasion this is something similar but not as harsh nor as abrasive. I think the nice thing is it’s exfoliating but hydrating at the same time.

Then comes a peel preparation to loosen even more debris on the skin. The feeling from the peel solution is warm and tingly but it isn’t uncomfortable. It’s a very mild salicylic. A more aggressive one would be used for an oilier skin or someone with acne. Apparently, it works on the surface but also on the basal cell layer.

With feather-like strokes Clare applies the serum, watching all the time to make sure skin isn’t over-reacting. It’s cleared off after about a minute, with sterile water which feels tingly. The idea is to lift all the cells which makes the skin look dull.

Towards the end of the treatment my skin has been cleansed, undergone lymphatic drainage, the debris loosened and worked on the top layer to make skin tighter and smoother.

Antioxidants are applied to destroy the free radicals that cause damage and my dry skin just drinks it in. It’s applied through the suction tool which slightly traumatises your own collagen stimulating it into action. Hydrating serum helps boost my skin and adds to the much-desired plumping effect.

It’s a lovely treatment and I really do feel that it has had an effect. I even walk out of the clinic without any make-up, although Clare assures me I’m OK wearing it, which is good as I am off to a party that night. I actually see improvement to my skin as the week progresses. It is still very smooth a week later and feels tighter without looking overdone.

The details

Janet Reeder had a Dermabuilder facial priced, £150. Prices for HydraFacial treatments start at £120.

Sk:n will be holding a HydraFacial evening on April 28th from 12 noon to 8pm.

Sk:n

1 Vicar’s Lane, Chester, Cheshire CH1 1QX

0121 641 6000

www.sknclinics.co.uk