Tweak of the Week is Citizen Femme’s in-depth beauty treatment and tweakment review series. This week, Citizen Femme’s beauty editor, Becki Murray, experienced the latest facial to arrive at Berkshire’s luxury spa retreat, Cliveden House.
A collaboration between British skincare brand OSKIA and Therabody’s TheraFace Pro device, the Bespoke Facial is a results-driven treatment that will leave you with a seriously impressive lit-from-within glow. Read on for the full review.
What is the OSKIA x TheraFace Pro facial?
Marketed as “a traditional treatment with a modern tech twist”, the OSKIA x TheraFace facial blends hands-on facial techniques with innovative hand-held tech.
Designed to enhance glow through a full facial routine, the experience combines OSKIA’s targeted skincare solutions, including the best-selling Renaissance Mask, with the full array of TheraFace’s high-tech device attachments, including percussion-based massage therapy. It’s available as both a 75 minute and 90 minute treatment.
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What does the treatment actually involve?
If you’ve ever looked at a spa menu and not known which way to turn, this facial was designed with you in mind. While many spas offer a bespoke option that is somewhat personalised, the OSKIA x TheraFace collaboration at Cliveden House kicks that whole concept up a notch.
To do so, the experience brings together two seemingly distinct techniques for complete facial rejuvenation. First, there’s the uber relaxing yet results-focused appeal of OSKIA skincare; a trusted brand that is already used at Cliveden for facials. A new cryotherapy facial by the brand is also about to launch at the Mandarin Oriental Hype Park.
Then there’s TheraBody; the wellness tech company that combines the full scope of at-home beauty tech options into one device – TheraFace. With eight attachments spanning LED therapy, hot and cold treatment rings and muscle-stimulating microcurrent, alongside the massage therapy the brand is known for, the clever collaboration makes it even easier to truly personalise your facial.
When you schedule a new facial within the relaxing oasis of Cliveden House’s spa, you make the experience extra special. The Berkshire-based country escape perfectly balances historic charm with quite the scandalous reputation; for spa-goers familiar with the Profumo affair, a dip in the outdoor pool should be irresistible.
Tried and tested: what is it like to experience the OSKIA x TheraFace facial?
After slipping into a cosy towelling robe and slippers, you wait for your spa therapist in the spa’s light-filled reclining room, just a few steps away from both the indoor and outdoor pools. From here, you’ll be escorted to one of seven treatment rooms and encouraged to lie back on a weight-distributing water bed that makes you feel close to weightless. A soothing experience.
Then, your therapist will discuss your skin goals (and any medical history) in the form of a mini skin diagnosis consultation. That way you can emerge with glowing skin and a better idea of the best ways to treat your complexion going forward.
Once the facial starts, you’ll get to enjoy the full scope of both OSKIA’s and TheraFace’s technology, which makes for a results-driven but very relaxing facial experience. That’s another thing that sets the treatment apart; often you have to choose between the two.
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The second noteworthy aspect is how impressively meticulous it is. The treatment starts with a pre-cleanse using an appropriate OSKIA cleanser, before the first TheraFace attachment – a silicone cleansing brush head – is used for a thorough double cleanse. From there, the steps just keep coming, although the effect is definitely one of delightful indulgence rather than tedium.
A popular component is the microcurrent attachment, which works to gently lift and sculpt your skin without any pain (although some people do experience a metallic taste in their mouth). The trio of massaging tools, for different intensities and areas, also don’t disappoint, delivering the tension-relieving prowess that has come to characterise TheraBody tools. Both are great ways to try the therapies, especially for a first time facial treatment.
The moment that arguably stands out the most though, is the use of the device’s heated ring in conjunction with OSKIA’s Renaissance Mask. The warming effect encourages the gentle exfoliating action of the organic treatment mask, leading to brighter skin in just one application, while helping you sink deeper into a relaxing almost-slumber.
Who is the treatment suitable for?
This facial is all about getting the most out of the time you spend in the treatment room. That means it’s deliberately tailored to your skin’s needs – be that congestion, dullness, hydration or something else you desire or your therapist recommends. The wealth of attachments also means that whether you want to experience each one for a holistic approach to skin health, or decide to target one or two specific goals, all skin types and needs are catered for.
The only drawback is that to get access to the spa, and thus the treatment menu, you need to either book a full spa day, be a Cliveden Club Member or be staying as a guest of Cliveden House. That gives you the perfect excuse to spend a night in a room once slept in by Winston Churchill or Charlie Chaplin, but it does make experiencing the treatment more exclusive.
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What is the aftercare advice?
In good news, there’s not much you have to consider when it comes to aftercare as there’s really no downtime with the treatment. As with all facials, especially those that involve massage, it’s always recommended to drink water and avoid layering on lots of makeup straight afterwards. Neither of those things are hard to do though, especially when you can flop beside either of the pools, or grab a deliciously healthy bite at the spa’s own brasserie.
How long does it take to see results?
Whatever your skin concern or type, you can expect an immediate hydrated glow that will last beyond the end of your spa day. Your complexion is also likely to look more lifted and defined, especially if the cryotherapy ring and microcurrent attachment are used. In fact, the whole treatment is extremely revitalising for puffy, tired complexions.
Better still, because the device is available to buy and use at home, your results can improve over time. Our tip: ask your therapist the best ways to use the hand-held gadget to really maximise the benefits you experience when using it for yourself.
Why is it Tweak of the Week worthy?
This facial is the definition of a triple threat collaboration, with three big names coming together to offer something unique to your traditional spa facial experience. The tech-driven innovation of TheraBody’s device with all eight of its attachments and the skin-nourishing qualities of OSKIA might seem like opposites attracting, but together they really maximise your facial results. Plus, experiencing it surrounded by Cliveden’s beautiful English gardens and so close to the outdoor pool infamous from the Profumo affair, makes it extra memorable.
Lead photo credit: Unsplash
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