Tried and tested: Getting to the bottom of Ark’s Derriére Facial

WORDS: Suzanne Braithwaite, assistant editor

The belfie (bum selfie) hit the headlines over the summer months with reality star Kim Kardashian at the centre of the hashtag campaign and other celebs attempting to follow suit.

While I never really thought about the way my bum looks (it is behind me after all), the belfie trend has definitely sparked an interest in the appearance of the buttocks and women wanting look their best in a bikini. In a bid to address this, the Derriére Facial became a treatment craze that swept the US this summer and now UK-based skincare brand Ark has developed its own version, which I was asked to try.

The name is enough to make any one give off a nervous chuckle (conjuring up images of bums being wafted around my face - hmmm) but the treatment is actually nothing to do with the face or a facial, perhaps a better description would be a “bumcial”.

Intrigued, it was with slight trepidation I headed to Ark’s flagship salon in Putney for the treatment. Although I’m definitely no stranger to intimate treatments (it’s part and parcel of the job) – I did wonder whether it would actually be relaxing and if indeed it would make my bum look better.

The treatment:

Within the candlelit treatment room (thank goodness) I was given some paper knickers to put on and my therapist asked me to lie face down on the couch. She covered me with towels so I felt warm enough and only removed the towel from the area she was working on. The couch even had a platform under the headrest to rest my arms, which sometimes I find go numb during treatments if they are by my side. 

The treatment started with a lovely foot cleanse (which helped get rid of the nerves) and then my therapist body brushed my legs and bottom, which she told me helps to boost circulation and reduce the look of cellulite.

She then cleansed my buttocks and legs to help restore the skin’s optimal moisture balance before using Ark’s Invigorating Body Scrub to lift away dead skin cells and unblock pores.

The part of the treatment that was most similar to a facial was the steaming of the skin, which felt unusual but not uncomfortable. And by the time my therapist was massaging my legs and bum, with a blend of serums, I was almost asleep.

The skin on my buttocks was then treated to a firming masque, while my therapist performed some reflexology on my feet. Finally a smoothing body lotion was applied to conclude the treatment.

The verdict:

I was amazed at how relaxed I felt during the treatment and it was nice not to rush off afterwards as my therapist brought me a herbal tea while I was still lying on the couch and gave me a good ten minutes to chill before I finally got up to leave.

There was a definite improvement in the feel of the skin, which was smooth and felt well moisturised. It wasn’t until later that I could actually see the improvement when I took a “belfie” in the privacy of my own home. The skin looked more even and my bum seemed more pert in my bikini. However, I’m no Kardashian, so don’t worry I won’t be Snap Chatting my rear end to the digital world any time soon.

Suggested treatment price is £49 for 45 minutes. For more information call Ark on 020 8788 7080