Treatment review: QMS Bespoke Facial
To celebrate the new partnership between medi-cosmetics brand QMS and Grace Belgravia, I was invited along to the exclusive ladies-only membership club in the heart of Belgravia for a QMS Bespoke Facial. Non members are able to experience this treatment as part of Grace Belgravia's Sunday Spa Package.
After a quick tour of the extremely fancy club, I was taken through to the treatment area and introduced to my therapist who asked what I was hoping to get out of the treatment (clearer skin and less tension around my eyes). Because the facial is bespoke, each is tailored exactly to the client’s needs and wants, which is the whole point of facial in my book. My therapist told me she’d be doing extractions and some deep massage in my eye area to relieve tension. The treatment room was immaculate and very comfortable – exactly as you’d expect from somewhere like Grace. The couch was actually one of the most comfortable I’ve experienced – feeling warm and weightless up really helps you relax into an hour-long treatment.
My skin was first cleansed with a light emulsion to prepare it for Exfoliant Fluid, a liquid exfoliator with fruit acids, which my therapist warned might tingle somewhat. This was left on for around 5-10 minutes before the cleansing emulsion was used again to remove it. My face was then steamed for a few minutes so my highly skilled therapist could begin extracting from places I didn’t even know needed it – turns out I need to make sure I rinse my cleanser from my hairline properly. It was slightly painful in that weirdly satisfying way when someone is purging all the bad stuff from your skin. Next came my favourite part of the facial – the Algae mask. This thick, cold cream was smoothed all over my face, including my eyes and lips – my therapist asked if I was OK with this beforehand – and left to set for around 5 minutes. Though it did feel heavy on my face, which is a strange sensation, it had a fresh, marine fragrance and was pleasantly cooling on my eyelids.
The mask was peeled off in one go and followed by a lovely massage, which extended to my neck, shoulders and chest. My therapist massaged in Hydro Foam Mask; a hydrating foam mask with silk proteins to restore moisture balance. I haven’t ever had a moisturising foam mask applied during a facial before – this must be a great selling point for the professional treatments and makes for a unique experience.
To finish, an eye serum was patted onto my eye contour and a light moisturiser to the rest of my face. After a refreshing glass of cucumber water and some advice from my therapist to cut back on my daily exfoliation and limit my use of an oil to just the evenings, I left thoroughly glowing and with clearer skin than I can remember having in a long time.