I think I chose ‘The Sciences’ because I had a crush on my physics teacher. I lasted a term, and then I realised electrons and protons were not my bag. It was the first – and not the last – time my hormones made a poor decision on my behalf.
A couple of decades later and I wish I had spent that term listening to Mr Keane rather than gazing at the leather elbow patches on his tweed jacket. Because I’m always a bit befuddled by sciencey beauty products. As you’ll be able to tell, when I try and explain my favourite space-age beautifiers.
First up is a treatment, the CACI Ultimate Facial. The process used was originally developed to treat patients with facial paralysis – and the added benefit was firmer, more toned skin. During the (not painful but not exactly relaxing) treatment, two hand-held probes send an electric magnetic frequency to mimic the body’s bio-electrical field and re-educate facial muscles.
I had mine at the gorgeous Chamomile Sanctuary – a course of 10 would be amazing. If it’s good enough for J-Lo, after all.
Back at home, here’s a fancy pants cleanser for you: Carol Joy’s IV Cleanser (£75).
All the products in her range have been ‘synthesised to fight all signs of cutaneous ageing and photo ageing induced by the accumulated effects of UV exposure at cellular level’. Blimey. In the real world, this is the softest, most unctuous cleanser you will ever get your hands on. Don’t thank me, thank Carol.
Scrubs can be hi-tech too – it’s not all apricot stones you know. I’m loving Harley Street Skincare’s Microdermabrasion with Crushed Diamonds (£32) to get my glow back.
Along with the crushed diamonds (which are surprisingly un-scratchy) it does all sorts of impressive stuff with hydrolysed silk and glycolic acid.
Finally, one even Mr Keane would struggle to get his head round. 111 SKIN was developed by plastic surgeon Dr Y Alexandrides, in collaboration with space scientists. I tried the hero of the range, the Y Theorem NAC Y2 Facelift Repair Serum (£190).
Brace yourself. It contains the unique NAC Y2 formula which dramatically supports regeneration at a cellular level. Which means it’s quite jelly-like, you don’t need much and after about three days people say you look well. As they should for nearly 200 quid.