Facials are one of my absolute favourite treatments to have.  Not only do they feel incredibly pampering, they do amazing things to your skin at the same time.  So when they lovely folks at Optiphi asked if I’d like to try out one of their facials, I was all in – the brand is super, and my skin was THIRSTY.  This winter has been particularly brutal!

I was originally sent a couple of products by Optiphi to review, the Hydra-Derm HA Masque and the Refine-Foliant.  This was an absolutely superb selection of products for my particular skin issues.  I suffer with dehydrated skin (particularly in winter) and love using chemical exfoliants as they’re often more gentle and more efficient than their physical counterparts.

The Hydra-Derm HA Masque is a super creamy, yet lightweight masque that soothes and hydrates the skin deeply.  I can 100% vouch for this – I adore hydrating treatment products, and cracked this open the day I received it I was so excited.  It doesn’t feel greasy on the skin at all, and yet it calms skin that feels red and thirsty, leaving it comfortable, plump and glowy.  I use this now almost nightly as an overnight mask, and you can bet your bottom dollar I’ll be repurchasing when it’s finished.  This product actually made it onto my June Favourites post HERE.

As obsessed with chemical exfoliants as I am, I only cracked open a bottle of Refine-Foliant last night.  I’d had 2 resurfacing facials previously (as you may have read in older posts) and for 2 weeks before and after I wasn’t allowed to use any acids in my skincare regime, as it’s quite an aggressive peel.  Another 2 weeks after the second one, I then had my Optiphi Classic facial, and was advised to not touch any acids for another week, as a strong chemical exfoliant had been used.

Finally, after waiting far too long, I applied about half of a bottle of this product to a freshly cleansed face, neck and decolletage, and set an alarm for 5 minutes time.  I am very used to using stronger AHA acids, so I did think this time wouldn’t irritate my skin in the slightest, and I was correct – so I set a second alarm for another 5 minutes.  With a total of 10 minutes on my skin, I had not even a subtle tingle, but I thought it best to play with caution, and removed the solution, finishing up with my usual skincare routine.

The Refine-Foliant is designed to reveal a mini-peel effect – improved radiance and skin texture.

I think that anyone used to AHAs will find this product a breeze.  I woke up this morning and my skin feels significantly smoother and softer, and even looks a little clearer.  I’ll report back when I’ve used it a few more times though, as I can increase time on the skin to the point where I eventually wear it overnight!

Anyway, back to my Optiphi Classic facial…

I was booked into M•E•G Skin & Body Experts for a Classic Facial, and had a wonderful consultation with Shana – she went through all of my skincare issues with me beforehand, discussed what products I used, and decided to tailor the facial to suit my skin specifically.

My skin issues

After a gentle cleanse and a thorough examination, Shana realised the skin around my nose, mouth, chin and under my eyes was compromised.  Not due to neglect, but from my previous skin treatment, and all due to the peel aspect of that previous facial.  I had undergone a targeted pigmentation treatment and the pigmentation was coming to the surface and flaking away.  This had caused my skin to be very dehydrated and inflamed.  Her main priority was to calm that inflammation and help to repair the barrier, as well as introducing some peptides to my lines on my forehead and between my eyes.  I have a VERY expressive face (according to my Hubby, it’s pretty much elastic in it’s expressions), and this is starting to show now that I’m in my 30s.

Shana went in post-cleansing with an Exfoliating Concentrate made up of lactic, malic and salicylic acid, along with vitamin C, and removed it with the Brilliant & Bright polish (that smelled just like a delicious bowl of oatmeal).  While the peel concentrate was on and doing it’s thing, she shaped and tinted my brows that were looking all kinds of unruly, and I have to say – I’ve never considered tinting my brows as they’re naturally very dark and full, but it made all the difference, and it’s something that I’ll continue doing now!

After the exfoliation, Shana applied the Repair and Hydrate serum to calm and soothe the skin, as well as help the compromised barrier in the problem areas.  This felt amazing on my irritable skin.  She then went in with the Active Moisture Mask for barrier function, and popped me under an LED Blue light that assisted in the product penetrating the skin efficiently, as well as assisting with inflammation, breakouts (she had pointed out that the breakouts on my neck were from stress – she even suggested a supplement to help my body cope with this) and lymph drainage.

Once my time under the LED disco was over, it was time for a Polyphenol Algae Mask – one of those whole face masks that dry down and are removed in one satisfying piece, revealing problem areas on the skin.  This gem is also a moisturising anti-stress mask that helps any actives penetrate the skin better, as well as cooling the skin.  It was unbelievably soothing, and even if you’re a claustrophobic, I encourage you to try it.  my nose was left open so I could breathe easily, and there was something strangely calming about having my eyes covered.  While this mask is on, she also gave me the most incredible pressure point foot massage that had me contemplating on booking an hour long foot massage in itself.

Finally, Shana applied the Complete eye mask and the Radiance Boost moisturiser and added a little Hydration Tint SPF 20 in shade 3 so that I could face the working world with confidence.  She also gave me a breakdown of my skin issues and a suggestion of products I should incorporate into my routine to improve these, something I plan on doing as I finish up other products I’m testing.  She also gifted me with a small travel size of the Active Ageless Gel, which I’ve been diligently using since my treatment.  It’s marvellous – it calms redness and irritation that helps with inflammation, and it truly has made a huge difference.

I left M•E•G Skin & Body Experts with most beautifully glowing and hydrated skin, much calmer than before.  It just felt comfortable and so happy!  Not only this, but it was one of the most indulgent, luxurious facials I’d ever had – every single step felt amazing, and I felt like I’d been treated like an absolute queen.

I’ll continue to use the products that I received from Optiphi and keep you all in the loop – if you have any questions on the brand or products I’m trialling, please feel free to leave a comment below!  Also – check out my Instagram feed HERE, as I put up a short video on my morning at M•E•G Skin & Body Experts there!

A big thank you to the lovely Shana for the wonderful and informative time spent with her, and everyone else at M•E•G Skin & Body Experts and Optiphi!

*DISCLAIMER – while I was treated to a complimentary Optiphi facial by Shana at M•E•G Skin & Body Experts, all opinions are honest and my own.*