As a working mum I constantly feel like I've not done enough in the day and I never get to bed as early as I plan to.
I only have to glance at Instagram to know I "should" be performing some kind of spa-like skincare ritual as the day ends but it just doesn't seem possible. And as someone who was a naïve teenager back when they let teenagers into sunbed shops, I have well and truly neglected my skin over the years.
So when I was invited to try out a triple facial promising "glass skin", you can imagine how quickly I jumped at the chance.
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The Élan Tri-Glow treatment is said to give you the "golden hour, glass skin of your dreams". It combines "three high-performance skincare treatments, and combines them for a glow so powerful, you’ll feel illuminated".
Liverpool's Élan clinic is tucked away inside the Met Quarter, and I arrived earlier this week excited and admittedly a little bit nervous. I have somewhat sensitive skin and I feared I'd be getting the train home looking like I'd been in a fight.
The clinic itself is a little haven away from the hustle and bustle of the city centre, and I immediately relaxed after walking in to what felt like a spa. After filling in a quick form, I was guided in to the first treatment room by my lovely therapist Monika, who discussed exactly what would be involved and talked through any concerns I had.
Then came the worst part of the whole experience, when Monika took photos of my face on a special scanner. The device looks at the deeper layers of your skin to assess surface lines, sun damage, sensitivity, blemish forecast and more.
The results were completely unflattering, and one photo was outright terrifying - the "biological ageing" picture which showed how my skin could look when I am older if I don't protect it from the sun. The amount of pigmentation and sun spots made me shudder.
Monika was able to pinpoint my most prominent skin issues from the scan and for me these were redness and dehydration, both of which have now drastically improved following the facial, but we'll get to that.
The treatment began with a HydraFacial, which cleanses and exfoliates the skin, as well as preparing your face for the facial. Now I have cleansed and exfoliated my skin plenty of times, but it's never felt anything like this.
I felt like my skin was truly being purged of all kinds of nasties, and like it had had a much-needed drink of water. Afterwards my skin felt super refreshed and like it could actually breathe.
Next up was the "Hollywood" carbon facial, which included a laser peel to "reveal younger, plumper-looking skin". I was given a charcoal and carbon mask before an actual laser was passed over my face.
How it works is the laser is attracted to the carbon elements in the mask before breaking them down to reveal brighter, glowing skin and reduced pores. The experience was entirely pain-free, though a little strange, and my skin certainly felt more rejuvenated afterwards.
Finally, it was time for the LED light therapy. As with the previous steps, this was totally painless, and my face was exposed to an array of coloured LED lights to target any problem areas.
I almost fell asleep as I lay there for around 20 minutes while the lights did their thing, I was super relaxed. And while I had been scared I'd be left looking like a tomato afterwards, I was relieved to see there was just a bit of redness which calmed down quickly.
I can't overemphasise how much my skin felt brand new after this treatment and I left the clinic feeling like my face had been cleansed to a level I could never reach at home. Now, a few days later, my skin feels even better and my makeup goes on so much easier.
At £249, the Élan Tri-Glow facial is definitely more of a treat for something like a big birthday than a regular event, but I'd totally recommend it to anybody who wants to see a huge improvement to their skin.
Élan Laser Clinics is based at Unit 9 & 10, The Metquarter, Liverpool, L1 6DA.
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