Dr Alkaitis Organic Skin Food Facial - CONTENT Beauty

For a fresh-faced glow that suggests you've been frolicking joyfully in a sun-strewn meadow, the face needs to be thoroughly exfoliated and detoxified. Sadly, flaky, dull skins look a sorry state, even under the most fabulous skin-enhancing make up. 

Recently I have spent many late nights hunching over my laptop working on the exciting new women's London freemium, Elate Magazine - of which I am editor in chief and beauty director (argh, so much work dammit!). 

My weary, overworked self was starved of TLC and my skin parched due to broken sleep and central heating turned up on high. I was in desperate need of a radiance boost, so I booked an appointment at the quaint beauty store and salon - CONTENT Beauty in Marylebone for The Organic Skin Food Facial - by the renowned vegan and organic skincare brand Dr Alkaitis.

A beauty-lovers paradise 

Such pleasing arty pomp!

This treatment is 100% organic and each component of the products used are biologically active and therefore more readily absorbed.

The facial began with a thorough cleanse to purify and remove dead skin cells using a purifying cleanser. This was massaged into my skin in circular motions and removed by a warm damp cotton towel.  

My therapist then applied an enzyme exfoliating mask which dissolved accumulated debris and dead skin - natures' glorious alternative to a chemical peel.  Containing enzymes of bromelain and papain (from pineapple and papaya), this wonder mask naturally exfoliated and also brightened my complexion with its antioxidant-abundant extracts of strawberry and blueberry.

Such creative folk

This intensive procedure was followed by a lymphatic drainage massage on my face, décolletage and arms to manually detoxify, firm and plump the skin. A soothing treatment oil was used, containing raw, cold-pressed ingredients, including jojoba,  turmeric and white sandalwood to hydrate and repair.

So live, so fresh, so wow

Just when I thought it was all over, a final mask was applied to deeply nourish and rejuvenate. I was excited to discover that my therapist had mixed in some manuka honey to activate the raw ingredients of  grass juice and seaweed. This enabled all the wholesome components to work at optimum levels and actually “feed” the skin with nutrients.

Organic just does it better. 

After a relaxing arm massage, the ‘live’ mask (agh, its alive!) was removed and my skin moisturized to a pleasingly luminous state with a microcirculation-stimulating cream containing echinacea and St Johns Wort.

The result – my skin looked radiant, pores appeared more refined and previous niggling thoughts eradicated.

For more info on Elate Magazine (and if you have a fondness for extreme food porn) please follow us on Twitter and Instgram @ElateMagazine.