photo 4 photo 3 Heaven beauty Heaven 2 Hydradermie machine treatment photo 2 photo 5

I like to think that I’m very much so into beauty. My nails are always painted, I cleanse, I tone and I moisturise, I keep my hair in as best condition as possible and love a bit of fake tan to brighten up my skin.  This doesn’t mean to say however that I am very knowledgeable about the ‘science bit’ and I certainly haven’t tried the wealth of new treatments which you are advised to get these days.  One such treatment is a Guinot Hydradermie facial, which I had the pleasure of enjoying last week at Heaven Beauty.

Of course my bus followed a diversion on route to the salon (I always seem to have problems with buses whether it be getting on the wrong one or wandering onto a part router) and this then made me over 30 minutes late. So stepping off the ‘stupid bus’ sweating and showcasing the shiniest face ever due to the heat and stressing that I had missed my appointment, I felt immediately at ease on entering Heaven Beauty.  Centrally located in Corstorphine, an upmarket suburb of Edinburgh, this award-winning salon is an oasis of calm on the busy St John’s Road. Everything from the wonderful spa smell, fresh and stylish decor and the smiling faces of the therapists, fondly referred to as ‘Angels’ by their clients, makes you feel relaxed.

I don’t know about you, but I have visited a few salons in the past whereby the therapists have made me feel either embarrassed or, in the word’s of 90’s girl group TLC, unpretty (infact at a salon in Laguna Beach, USA, I was pretty sure the therapist tutted at me before my wax. I do appreciate that I can be pretty hairy at times, and this was during my travels that this occurred, but surely nothing to warrant a tut…).

This feeling of being judged has no place at Heaven Beauty. Granted it is my cousin Dreanie’s, along with her business partner Heather’s salon, but please be assured there is no need to be biased in this review, for this the praise is given where it’s due (and if it wasn’t, I simply wouldn’t comment).

On being taken to your treatment room a further feeling of calm envelops you. The low lighting and spa music combine to help eradicate any remaining stresses of the day and being a stresshead, this is no easy task for me. My therapist Kayleigh advised me to make myself comfortable and lie on the bed. She mentioned I could take off my skirt if I wanted to…which I admit for a second did lead me to question my research as to what a hydradermie entailed. But on understanding my confusion, she quickly informed that many of her clients prefer to remove any clothing which may cause discomfort during their treatment as it is 1hr 15 minutes long and nothing short of absolute comfort is essential.

The Guinot background bit

Rene Guinot first set up Guinot Laboratories just outside Paris in 1963 and it is here he developed the first skincare device using galvanic currents – originally referred to as Cathiodermie and then later changed to Hydradermie.  In 1971 he sold the company to a plastic surgeon Mr Mondin and it is his son, Jean Claude Mondin, who is Guinot’s current chairman and CEO.  With a doctorate in pharmacology Jean Claude Mondin has used his scientific knowledge to redefine the concept of ‘cosmetics’, putting the focus more on the medical aspects of what cosmetics can do for female beauty.

It is this ‘Presciptive Approach’ that  gives me absolute faith in the Guinot brand.  The products are not sold in pharmacy’s and shops and this is down to their brand ethos stating that their products must be ‘professionally prescribed’ in the same way that a doctor prescribes medicines for illness, the Guinot ‘beauty doctor’ diagnoses and prescribes solutions to skin concerns.  And it is for this reason, that every Guinot treatment starts with an in-depth consulation with your therapist and this is exactly how my treatment began at Heaven Beauty.

Need another few reasons why you should give the Guinot products a go?  Well the products are not tested on animals but human skin cells; the majority of the products are sourced from animal and plant life; and all are paraben (which have recently been linked to breast cancer and early puberty) and GMO free.

The process bit

    • The 1st step is an in-depth consultation with your therapist to determine your areas of concern and skin type (this then allows the therapist to prescribe the correct gel serum to use throughout the facial, therefore tailoring the treatment to you)
    • Lie back and relax on your treatment bed, removing any irritable clothing(!)
    • Your therapist will then use cleansers and toners to remove the dirt of the day (this can be anything from make-up to pollution in the atmosphere which sticks to your skin)
    • Gel serum is applied to your face and neck
    • The Hydradermie roller balls are rolled around the different areas of your face and neck and with these brings a mild electrotherapy using galvanic current to push positive and negative active ingredients deep within the skin, thus helping to draw out impurities. This section of the treatment takes 10 minutes and during it you are likely to feel a light tingle from the rollerballs
    • Next, the 2nd electrotherapy modality is used and this is called high frequency.  This is used over oxygen cream which is pushed to the deeper layers of your skin to provide it nutrients and also draw out any impurities hidden away in these layers.  I highlighted a problem area of my skin to Kayleigh where I tend to get a spot that pops up from time to time but never comes to a head and then disappears under the skin again and so Kayleigh spent longer with the machine in this area.  This section of the treatment takes 5 minutes and again you can only feel a slight tingle coming from the machine
    • A relaxing massage follows the use of the Hydradermie machine
    • A customised facemask is left on for 10 mins and is then cleansed off with warm towels
    • A beauty balm and eye balm are smoothed over your skin to moisturise
    • Et voila!  The results are healthy, radiant and glowing skin (you can see this is my rather scary selfie above!)

Delighted with the immediate results, I asked Kayleigh what course of treatment she would recommend after your first Hydradermie facial to which she advised that clients should have one treatment per week for one month and thereafter schedule a Hydradermie facial once a month.  This will result in a clear and radiant complexion which is free of blackheads and blemishes.

Hydradermie facials will help combat any skin problems you have, from redness to overly dry or oily skin, this star treatment is tailored to help you and offers immediate results – this is why it is also a favourite treatment of celebrities like Coleen Rooney.  Kayleigh also highlighted that it is a great facial to invest in the week before a big event, so brides-to-be take note! In the days that ensue any hidden impurities will come to the surface, but within the week you’ll feel like your skin has never looked better and so be sure to time it wisely.  This was certainly the case for me and I have also found my make-up application is noticeably more even since the treatment.

The average price for a Hydradermie facial is in the £50-£60 range and so Heaven Beauty’s price of £52 offers very good value.  Further to this, the ‘Angels’ offer a group discount when you purchase six treatments which is absolutely worth it, especially if you have a big event on the horizon and immediate skin issues you wish to heal before attending.

And if you are looking to keep up with the many more fantastic offers the salon offers then be sure to download the new Heaven Beauty App (click here for further information and to download).  With this you’ll receive exclusive offers and discounts on the wonderful array of heavenly treatments at the salon.  Not only that you can request appointments, peruse photos in the gallery and read up on all of the treatments offered at Heaven Beauty.  Their push notifications could be exactly what you need during a stressful day!

As mentioned above, Guinot is a French brand and in France beauty is seen as a lifestyle not a luxury.  With the skin being the largest organ on the human body, it is essential that you look after it, just like you are advised to exercise and drink water.  It is based on this reasoning that I am going to carry on with these luxurious Hydradermie treatments at Heaven Beauty…and this is certainly the argument I will give to Lee,dare he ask about my regular facials…x