The Blurb
A stone’s throw from Wardour Street, right in the centre of town, I flustered through the bright neon lights and dodged swathes of couriers, cars and crowds to find myself at SKINWORK Soho for my first-ever skin treatment.
As I entered, immediately I felt myself slow down. The pastel-green and minimalist white décor, coupled with the tranquil music calmed my anxiety; not knowing what to expect! I’m quite new to more “In-depth” skin treatments, so naturally, I was a little nervous when I heard “needling.” I felt a drop in my stomach, hurtling me back to the days of getting my jabs at school.
Immediately, I was set right and my nerves were put to rest. Lara, my therapist, came and immediately calmed me down as we filled in the necessary paperwork. She was really lovely when I said that my skincare routine was, well, a bit haphazard…
The Process
I had been told that it might hurt a bit, given that there are needles involved, so I asked about numbing. Lara said that they didn’t do numbing, due to it delaying the procedure for a considerable time, yet very kindly explained in detail what the procedure would entail, that the smallest needles would be used and that we would be in constant communication throughout.
Becalmed, I followed into the therapy room. It was in the same décor, somewhere between a trendy consultation room and a super stylish hamam. I got into the very comfy therapy bed – complete with heated blankets and leg cushions – and began my treatment.
First up was a facial cleanser, whilst Lara talked through my procedure. We talked a lot about how, despite it not being talked about much, many men do come and get these treatments. I really don’t think we men should shy away from taking care of ourselves, and also from talking about it more openly! Lara maintained that, once they see the results, they can and very often do come back for more.
As we started, I braced myself for pain as the pen was prepared and I was given a good layer of hyaluronic acid on my face. As soon as the pen began its magic… I realised how foolish my worries were! It wasn’t painful at all. It was almost like the sensation of my beard trimmer going across my face. Admittedly, it was a bit more uncomfortable on the bonier parts of my forehead, but it was done in patches and completed smoothly. Once the actual needling was completed, Lara then applied another layer of moisturizer, to keep the hyaluronic acid that was injected under my derma layers inside and to let it do its work.
I relaxed even more after the next layer – I was given a moisturising mask and an arm and shoulder massage! (a surprise indeed, no wonder facials are so popular). I almost fell asleep I was so unwound.
Once the mask had worked its magic (I could feel my skin tingling at this point, but also felt how the many, many layers of moisturiser were soothing the irritation of the procedure) It was taken off and I was given one final round of treatment.
Next came the LED lights. I inquired as to what they were used for. Lara very kindly told me that they were effectively “photosynthesis for the skin.” A red LED first, to allow the hyaluronic acid to set in and speed up the skin’s regeneration and then a yellow LED to help with the redness that, I was told, would inevitably come afterwards.
Once the light treatment was finished, I got myself back together and Lara talked me through aftercare. It was a mixture of sadness (I do like a hot bath of an evening, but was advised against it) and vindication (I drink lots of water out of habit and was told to keep it up!). However, I felt complete with all the knowledge that I needed to go forward and I was even recommended a skin cleanser and a hyaluronic acid product to carry on with and incorporate into my skincare routine (such as it is!).
The Results
Overall, the redness began to settle within a couple of hours for me – before I even got home – and my skin now feels fuller and fresher than it has done for quite some time! All in all, my first rodeo at SKINWORK was a brilliant experience, with some really friendly (and personable) staff. If you’re a first-timer looking to try out any sort of facial, I’d highly recommend you seek SKINWORK out. It’s an ideal way to escape the hustle and bustle of Soho for a little piece of everyday calm.
The Details
Microneedling treatments at SKINWORK are £205 per session.
SKINWORK SOHO, 24 Peter Street, W1F 0AH
