How often do you exfoliate?
This question was met with a silence that was almost deafening in one of the spa treatment rooms at the Mottram Hall hotel in Cheshire.
I was a bit too embarrassed to answer because the truth is, hardly ever. I've never looked after my skin properly and we seem to be in a generation that's obsessed with skincare because, after all, why wouldn't you want healthy, glowing skin?
I've never had a facial though, and I've never kept up with the trends of when to cleanse, tone, moisturise and all that jazz that's obviously important. My face is lucky to see a bit of Vaseline on the lip let alone anything else, but I realise this needs to change. It's why I said yes to the exclusive invite at the Champney's Mottram Hall hotel and spa in Cheshire to try out a new beauty treatment that's just arrived there.
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Being surrounded by beauty experts and those who regularly write about the most hottest skincare trends everyday was a little daunting though, each one unique in their own way, ready to hit the post button on social media as soon as they set foot into Mottram Hall, and along comes me, stressed from the journey and wondering whether I should have packed the slightly, more comfortable swimsuit.
I was there to try the Million Dollar Facial which has recently been added to the spa's treatment list. The Liverpool brand is appearing at other spas and salons across the country too. Despite my embarrassing ignorance of beauty and skincare, Million Dollar Facial is something I have heard of before but what exactly is it and does it work? Let's find out.
What is a Million Dollar Facial?
The Million Dollar Facial is a luxurious skincare brand that delivers bespoke advanced facials in 10 steps (yes 10 steps), which uses a combination of feel-good massage and high-tech exfoliation to deliver instantly glowing skin.
Beauty lovers rave about it because it combines classic and high-tech techniques, from cleansing and toning to Dermaplaning, Microneedling, Lymphatic Drainage, and Icey Globes, to leave skin feeling and looking like a million dollars, without the million-dollar price tag.
My experience
Before my treatment began I spent the day using the spa facilities at Mottram Hall, in Mottram, Cheshire, just an hours drive from Liverpool.
Set within 270 acres of landscaped gardens, the Grade II listed building boasts an impressive 18-hole golf course, £15m Champneys Spa, a cutting-edge gym and a FIFA accredited football pitch.
It was fairly easy to get to but the various motorways from my home to the estate didn't help the stress levels. I also wasn't used to travelling in rush hour after working from home for the past three years so when I arrived I was worried I was late, angry from impatient drivers and nervous about feeling like I didn't belong in a room full of beauty experts.
However, I was greeted by staff member Kate and immediately felt at ease as she handed me a cup of tea with a tone of voice that sounded like it should be on an ASMR video. As the group of invitees arrived we were given a tour of the facilities and were told that the spa had recently undergone an extensive refurbishment during lockdown.
We were all given time slots for our Million Dollar Facial treatments and I was pleased to be told that mine would be last, at 3.15pm, giving me a full day to experience the spa facilities. I couldn't wait to try the jacuzzies, pools and steam and sauna rooms.
I'll briefly mention that the spa facilities were beautiful, especially the salt, sauna room and the newer, ice treatment room which gave an experience of rolling in the snow, perfect if you want to cool down after spending a bit too much time in the sauna.
I was given the Mini Million Dollar Facial which is a hands-on 30-minute treatment, a perfect introduction according to my skin therapist, Amy, to the Million Dollar Facial system and to set a treatment plan for a skincare journey.
The treatment room was relaxing, with a calming playlist, soft lighting and beautiful aroma making up the ingredients of my facial journey. Amy took me through my skin consultation, where we discussed what I wanted from the facial and what products we would use on my skin.
The Mini Million Dollar Facial treatment targets all skin types and concerns and can be recommended as a booster facial. It combines a deep cleanse, exfoliation, ice globe massage, mask and moisturise and promises to make you feel a Million Dollars.
Amy told me that the treatment will deeply exfoliate, rejuvenate and flush out toxins and dead skin, as well as stimulating natural collagen and cell turnover. We discussed the three areas of my face I wanted her to focus on, the T-zone, because for my combination skin, it is an area that I do have particular trouble with.
The mini facial consists of various steps, cleansing the face twice, then going through a process of extraction using steam to get rid of pimples, blemishes and blackheads. Next up is an exfoliation and massage before moving onto the jade lymphatic drainage.
Lymphatic drainage can boost and detox your lymphatic system which instantly de-puffs the face and has numerous benefits such as reducing fine lines, wrinkles, and eye bags. The Lymphatic system helps ward off infections and keeps your body healthy. It forms part of the immune system and removes toxins, excess fluid, bacteria, and viruses from the body.
This part can be seen in the video and I have to admit I was slightly obsessed with the roller used to do it, and went on to buy some for my skincare routine at home, you can get them here. Amy gave me a good tip of keeping them in the fridge in the summer for a colder experience too.
Lastly, Amy used a clay mask to make sure that my skin felt completely refreshed, followed by an SPF moisturiser. The facials are designed to tackle fine lines, acne scarring, big pores, milia, pigmentation, and irregular texture, leaving you with firmer, brighter skin.
I have a small milia underneath one of my eyes so I pointed this out and was reassured by Amy that this would eventually go with a regular skin routine.
Milia's look like small white bumps on the cheeks, chin, or nose and happen when the dead skin cells don’t slough away. Instead, they get caught under the new skin, harden, and form a milium. So fingers crossed this facial helps with that over time.
You can expect to see results last for over four weeks or in my case almost instantly in terms of a cleaner, fresher look. I spent the evening trying not to touch my face and kept taking a peek in the mirror at my dewy skin.
I felt so refreshed, clean and relaxed. I was given some tips and a checklist of some of the products recommended too. It's advised to have a Million Dollar Facial every four to six weeks, and I'll definitely get another again soon, because it's about time I start treat my skin to what it deserves.
Where Million Dollar Facial began
The brand began in Liverpool when Jenna Unwin opened her first salon in November 2015, however, within three months of opening, the business had outgrown the space and Jenna looked to offer training courses to help others in the industry develop their skills.
She then went on to create her own unique treatment that she believed would deliver real results for real people, and so Million Dollar Facial was born. She took part in her first Million Dollar Training Course in Liverpool in July 2018 and the professionalism, passion and scientifically developed products spread through the industry like wildfire.
Within six months of the official launch, Million Dollar Facial had 18 trainers around the UK delivering training courses, now they have over 2,800 qualified Platinum Technicians in over 30 countries around the globe. With an estimated 1,250,000 treatments around the world to date.
And now it's at Mottram Hall in Cheshire, you can book a consultation here.
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