WHAT: VEGAN COLLAGEN STIMULATING FACIAL WHERE: EARTH + SKIN, GOLD COAST, QLD COST: $130

Getting a facial is a rare treat for me so when I do have one, I want it to be special. I’d never been to Earth + Skin but love that they use nothing but cruelty-free, vegan products. Tick.

As soon as I arrived I was led to a beautiful alcove and offered a delicious coconut tea. I felt very relaxed among the calming, white decor and was struck by how welcoming and friendly all the staff were. Spa Manager Tiffany was my beauty therapist and led me to the rainforest spa, a large, low-lit room with double massage tables and plenty of space for me to undress and leave my bag and shoes. I was talked through the products that were going to be used: all high in protein, deeply nourishing, and beneficial for promoting collagen production. Yay. I’d recently had some eczema around my eyes so that sounded great.

Because there are six steps to the facial it felt luxurious and seemed to last a lot longer than 45 minutes. First, a Mukti facial oil was applied, which smelled blissful, then a light cleanser was used to wash away excess oil. This was followed by two masks – one for exfoliating and another to nourish and replenish. During the second mask I received an incredible scalp massage (seriously amazing). However, the highlight for me was the final facial massage with a “bian stone gua sha”, which I discovered is a specially shaped crystal that is smoothed around the curves of the face. It aims to tone and tighten the skin by stimulating collagen and has reportedly been used in China for centuries.

By the time I left, my pores were tighter and the dry skin around my eyes felt nourished and hydrated. But the best part is my newly boosted collagen will continue to work its magic for weeks to come.