Skin Care @ Esthetic Sense

Recently this housewife visited Esthetic Sense for some much needed “ME Time.”  Esthetic Sense is located in World Trade Centre Abu Dhabi.  This salon specialises in Skin, Makeup and Hair.  It uses top of the line products such as Dermalogica for skin, Davines for hair, and for a glamourous look – Jane Iridale Mineral Makeup.

There are a wide variety of facial treatments available.  Good thing for me the specialist on hand can take one look at your skin and suggest which would best suit your face.  This is done by what is called a Face Mapping Skin Analysis. This identifies what products would best suit your needs.  Thank goodness for this because with all the services available I would have spent ages trying to decide which one to do.

My skin therapist, Lourdes,  recommended an Advance Facial (I thought this was the nice way of saying – “Girlfriend – your skin needs help!”)  So into the room I went for an Ultra Calming Facial Treatment for Sensitive Skin.  Let me tell you from start to finish I think this was the most relaxing facial I have ever had.  It really lived up to the name.  The room was dimly lit with a blue light (however, the lighting can be changed to a colour of your choice).  Relaxing spa music played softly in the background.

The facial begins with a cleansing. Your face and shoulders are softly wiped down and an aromatic oil is applied.  The skin on my shoulders felt so soft.  The face is then gently cleaned and steamed.  Then an exfoliant is applied.  After the exfoliant a foam is gently applied to your face to loosen the dirt and dead skin cells that have made a home in your pores.  What a relaxing sensation to have the foam brushed on your face.  What followed made me a little apprehensive – Extraction.

Extraction is just fancy way to describe squeezing your blackheads.   I asked a lot of questions regarding the ‘Extraction.’  Will this leave marks?  I thought squeezing blackheads was bad?  Will this cause a bigger breakout? Will this make my super sized pores smaller?  Lourdes gave a prompt “No” regarding the smaller pore request and I have to respect her honesty.  She was able to answer all of my questions with full detail. As it turns out, squeezing, I mean ‘Manual Extraction’ is the right way to rid yourself of blackheads but best to leave it to the professionals.

Following extraction the therapist treated my face with high frequency which puts oxygen into the skin.  This is an anti bacterial procedure which reduces the redness, swelling and breakouts.  My face was then massaged.  Just when I thought we were finishing up, we still had the mask to apply.  The mask was divine.  Just sitting in the calm of the room with the mask nourishing my skin, I just kept thinking, “I NEED TO DO THIS MORE OFTEN!”

Once we were finished with the mask, my face was cleaned, a toner and moisturiser was applied.  The facial was over.  That was the best 75 minutes I had spent in a long time.  The therapist left the room at which time I took the opportunity to inspect my skin.  I was sure my face would be blotchy – especially after the extraction.  It wasn’t!  My skin was super soft, I smelled great, and best of all I felt relaxed.

Before leaving my skin therapist gave me my Face Mapping Analysis.  She talked about the problem areas of my face, what Dermalogica products would best suit them, how and when to apply the products.  I felt completely educated.  I would have stayed longer for a make up session or to get my hair done but I had 3 kids to get back to.  That being said, I will be returning for a special Advanced Facial in the near future.  This facial cost 495 AED but it is completely worth it.  Keep reading……

Esthetic Sense have partnered up with Real Housewives of Abu Dhabi.  From now until 31 December you can receive 20% off any treatment and service at Esthetic Sense by using the #RHWAD promo code.  Bring along a friend and they will get 10%.   We also want to see pics!  Post your visit on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook and be sure to tag us and Esthetic Sense.  Let us know what you think.