It’s almost impossible to be in possession of an Instagram account without getting a bit swoony-eyed as you wander through Belgravia – it’s #prettycitylondon and #bicichic heaven – which makes it even easier to almost miss ClinicBe’s mews house setting – a small, almost hidden buzzer is the only telltale sign – which is fitting really, since many of the visitors to this beautifully discreet haven will be coming precisely for the reasons of minimising telltale signs – both of ageing, and of the processes used to defy it.
Once inside, it’s white, with plum overtones, a plate of grapes, smiling staff, a large pitcher of cucumber & mint infused water. Dotted around, I spy baskets of herbs, fruits and vegetables: ostensibly just decorative touches but actually, these signal Dr Kubicka’s holistic approach,which places as much emphasis on nutrition as it does on treatment. There’s also more paperwork than I’ve had to sift through since my last VAT return. I say this because I deplore paperwork, but as I make my way through it, it’s actually very reassuring to see the depth of information that’s required – not just the bog standard, blanket questions about allergies and medical history, but solicitous enquiries into diet, lifestyle, stress levels and how you rate the state of various parts of your body. Then a few quick snaps of my face are taken and I’m led downstairs to a room where an Audrey Hepburn quote on the wall declares that ‘Happy Girls are the Prettiest.’
Well, I can’t say that I’m entirely happy about the daft hat that I have to wear, and it certainly doesn’t make me feel pretty, but I do love the fact that it’s offered to me with a laugh and a joke about its flattering blue trim and this-season appeal: there’s none of the hush-voiced earnestness that I dread in a clinic. With my face cleansed and refreshed, Dr Kubicka appears and – well, what can I say? She’s ridiculously good looking. It’s impossible to place her age – she seems too professional, authoritative and knowledgeable to be really, really young but, at the same time, her face is firm, glowing and – importantly – bears no discernible trace of having had “stuff done”. She’s refreshingly informal, too – but I soon learn that whilst chatting with me to gain deeper understanding of the answers I’ve provided on the paperwork, she’s been scoping my face out as much as I’ve been looking at hers – and she’s fantastically no-nonsense (yet also kind) in her verdict on where I could best use some work, which is, unsurprisingly to me, around my eyes.
I’m struck by several things during the course of our pre-treatment conversation: firstly, that Dr Kubicka’s approach to facial rejuvenation is as far from ‘quick, this’ll fix it’ as you can imagine. She discusses a range of different treatments from which she feels I could benefit, and speaks of them as being complementary to one another – yet equally, there’s no sense of ‘upselling’ (would you like some Botox with your mesotherapy?) – and I am left feeling very secure in the fact that my chosen procedure, mesotherapy, will improve the small matter of the bags and dark circles under my eyes.
Mesotherapy can be used almost anywhere on the body and delivers, by way of tiny injections, a cocktail of vitamins, minerals and hyaluronic acid and amino acids just below the skin’s surface. Since these substances occur naturally within the skin, the effect promises to be natural too: the area should appear nourished and rejuvenated, with production of collagen stimulated and improving tone and elasticity after just one session – although a course of treatments will optimise results.
And the procedure itself? Dr Kubicka warns me that it’s not pleasant sensation and she’s right – but, perhaps because of the anaesthetic cream that’s been applied to the area beforehand, nor is it particularly painful. In any case, it’s quick and over with in no time at all – and after a couple of hours of slight puffiness (nothing that a pair of large sunglasses won’t hide) my face is back to normal. Except that it’s not! The area under my eyes looks less gaunt, less hollow, less purplish than it did earlier. However … I’ve had this moment of elation before – after different treatments and at different clinics – and have woken up bruised, puffy and considerably less overjoyed. So I’m cautiously waiting at least 48 hours before writing the final paragraph of my review.
48 hours later … I’ve followed Dr Kubicka’s advice to the letter, necking loads of water and eschewing alcohol – but real life has seen me burning the midnight oil and I’m really tired. Which is nothing that new. What is new is that I don’t look it: the skin under my eyes is similar in hue and tone to the rest of my face and I look – wait for it, really rather fresh and glowing! Would I go back for more? Definitely. I’m looking forward to my next visit to ClinicBe, keen to put other elements of Dr Kubicka’s holistic approach into action and excited by the prospect of further, natural looking improvements to my appearance.
One mesotherapy treatment at ClinicBe costs £175, with discounts offered on courses of 3 (£475) and 10 (£1575)
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