Beauty

A high-tech facial at Chamomile Sanctuary is designed to tackle problem areas

A Guinot facial at Chamomile Sanctuary

The treatment

A Guinot Hydradermie Age Logic Facial, £90 for 75 minutes, at Chamomile Sanctuary, Edinburgh.

Why go?

This spa, in Edinburgh’s West End, has just been awarded Guinot Crown Salon status by the upmarket French brand. This “celebrates the highest achieving Guinot Salons, Spas and Health Clubs in the UK and Ireland who demonstrate success, dedication and loyalty to the brand”. Now that they have a crown, they’re the official queen of salons.

Our spy says

I’ve tried a couple of the other results-driven Guinot facials, but not this one, which, according to my knowledgeable therapist, Sarah, is this spa’s most popular.

Once I’m lying face up in the small treatment room, things begin ordinarily enough, with a deep cleanse using a sweet scented gel.

Then Sarah looks at my skin under a bright light and assesses the damage.

Most things I knew about already – pores like sinkholes, blotchy broken veins, deep cavernous wrinkles (which Sarah kindly describes as fine lines) and slight dehydration on my cheeks.

She gets to work to address those problems, first with a manual scrub, to lift off the dead skin.

Then a slick of gel goes on and the Hydradermie machine comes into play. According to Sarah, this features a galvanic current charged with positive and negative ions to stimulate the skin. (Sticking your finger in a plug socket would NOT achieve the same results).

I’ve experienced this before, and it does feel rather weird. With two probes sliding across your skin, there’s a prickling sensation, a metallic taste when they pass near your mouth and the occasional flashing lights in your vision. Sarah’s route across my face is repeated a couple of times, then the gel is gently towelled off.

Another piece of gadgetry is employed for the next stage. This time a warming thermal probe, which emits red light and, Sarah says, generates ozone, is run across the skin. This feels pleasantly warming and is supposed to soothe any irritation and redness.

Next is the massage bit, which includes the shoulders and décolléte, then Sarah applies some of Guinot’s easily absorbed water-based serums to target dryness and an oily T-zone. I’m caked in a thick mask then she leaves the room for 10 minutes.

Once she returns, this is removed, a bit of moisturiser goes on and I’m free to go.

The results

My skin looks good, especially the pores, which are clearer and appear smaller. My oily T-zone is mattified and my cheeks have a bit of bounce. It seems that this salon deserves its coronation. n Chamomile Sanctuary (4 Alva Street, Edinburgh, 0131-220 1000, www. chamomilesanctuary.com)