Tweak of the Week is Citizen Femme’s tried-and-tested beauty treatment review series, covering the CF team’s favourite recommendations for facials, massages, aesthetics, and everything in between.
For this week’s review, beauty editor Becki Murray went to see the aesthetic doctor Dr. Kaywaan Khan, who has just started a residence at The Lanesborough Club & Spa – bringing injection-based tweakments, such as toxin and filler, to a luxurious spa setting.
Read on to discover why this tweakment is good news for anyone looking to take their first step into injectable treatments, and why the personalised, eight-step Time Travel Treatment facial is the only pre-summer skin reset you need.
Why is The Time Travel Treatment at The Lanesborough exciting?
Dr. Kaywaan Khan is a leading aesthetic doctor, who specialises in injection-based tweakments, such as injectable moisturisers and Botox. He’s built a particular reputation for helping those new to aesthetics to take their first steps into injectables, with his deft hand treating signs of wrinkles and crepey skin without an unnatural, ‘overdone’ finish. His collaboration with The Lanesborough makes that mission even more possible; the luxurious spa setting ensures all his clients feel totally at ease, while proving that you don’t have to choose between a pampering spa experience and results-driven tweakments.
The new Time Travel Treatment is the epitome of Dr. Khan’s approach. The 90-minute facial has been specifically designed to reverse common signs of ageing, such as dull, dry skin and fine lines, but is tailored specifically for tweakment beginners. It doesn’t use Botox or fillers so won’t risk ‘freezing’ or ‘overly-filling’ your face. Instead, within an indulgent eight-step ritual, which includes massage and soothing skincare, it uses some of the industry’s latest innovations, including injectable moisturisers and exosomes, to rejuvenate your skin from the inside out, leaving your complexion hydrated, glowing and smoother for longer.
What does The Time Travel Treatment involve?
The eight key steps of the Time Travel Treatment skilfully combine soft pampering elements, such as lymphatic drainage massage, CBD and Reiki, with beginner-friendly tweaks, including microneedling, exosomes and hydrating skin boosters.
A step-by-step summary of the 90-minute treatment is listed below:
- Bespoke consultation: The experience starts with a discussion about your personal skin needs and a explanation from Dr. Khan about how the specific elements of the facial can be tailored to you
- Skin prep: To prepare your skin for the tweakments to come, your skin is gently cleansed and exfoliated
- Lymphatic drainage massage: A combination of sound therapy and a lymphatic drainage massage helps you more deeply relax, while reducing puffiness
- Hyaluronic acid skin boosters: Also known as injectable moisturisers, these pin-prick injections deliver moisture under your skin for long-lasting hydration and rejuvenation over time. To keep any anxieties at bay, it’s accompanied by a soothing hand, arm and feet massage with CBD oils
- Microneedling-delivered exosomes: Exosomes are one of the most exciting new additions to an aesthetic doctor’s portfolio. Microneedling them into the skin maximises their rejuvenation effect, including tackling fine lines and crepey skin
- Soothing sheet mask: To calm your skin and your mind, by locking in moisture and soothing any redness from the microneedling
- LED light therapy and Reiki: To stimulate collagen and reduce inflammation – LED light therapy leaves your skin looking radiant and rejuvenated. The addition of energy healing Reiki makes the experience even more relaxing
- Skincare: The final step is the application of hydrating and brightening serums, leaving skin with an impressive glow and enhanced hydration
Who is the treatment suitable for?
If you want to take your first step towards more advanced facials (aka those that do more than clean and massage your face), then a treatment like this might be right up your street. Similarly, if you are interested in anti-ageing, skin-boosting tweaks, but are unsure about toxin injections (aka Botox) and filler, the more natural tweaks offered in this facial are exactly what you need. That’s especially true if you have concerns about chipmunk cheeks, overfilled lips, or frozen foreheads.
Due to the injectables and microneedling offered in the facial, however, you do need to be careful if you have active acne, highly-sensitive skin, or autoimmune conditions, as this can increase the risk of side effects. At the same time, if you have a phobia of needles or are pregnant, this isn’t the treatment for you.
Tried and tested: what is having The Time Travel Treatment like?
Walking into The Lanesborough Club & Spa is an instantly calming experience. You’re first encouraged to change into a fluffy robe and slippers in the impressively-stocked changing rooms, before either spending some time in the spa’s hydro-pool and thermal suites (we’d recommend leaving enough time pre-treatment for this option), or heading straight to the soothing relaxation room. There you can help yourself to calming teas and nibbles, while you fill out your consultation form, focusing on what your main skin concerns and goals are.
You’ll then be invited into the Lanesborough’s VIP suite for your treatment, where Dr. Khan and senior therapist Daniella (who works with Dr. Khan throughout the facial) will talk you through each step. They explain how the injection-based steps will work, to help ease any remaining tension. Not long afterwards you’ll be getting cosy on the heated and adjustable treatment bed; the facial starts with a gentle skin cleanse and chemical exfoliation to leave your complexion clean and clear of any rough texture.
Next, the really calming elements of the facial start. With the music soundtrack playing sound-therapy tones to ease you into deeper relaxation, Daniella gives you a soothing lymphatic drainage massage. She has the sort of technique that you’d pay good money to experience on its own, paying particular attention to puffiness around your eyes and jawline to lift your cheeks and refresh signs of tiredness.
After that, Dr. Khan starts to work his magic. He begins by injecting hyaluronic acid skin boosters just beneath the surface of your skin, which are designed to boost moisture. You’ll feel scratches similar to a blood test, which are not super comfortable and can sting, but, cleverly, Dr. Khan ensures Daniella is on hand to help. She helps to distract you from any discomfort by providing a tension-relieving massage of your arms and feet with mind-soothing CBD oils, something she continues when it comes to the next step – microneedling.
By creating controlled micro-traumas on the surface of your skin, microneedling promotes your skin’s wound-healing response, which can help trigger wrinkle-reducing collagen and elastin production. It is also used to push a potent serum of an ingredient called exosomes deeper into your skin. These exosomes are derived from stem cells and they work as signalling messengers to trigger your skin to regenerate itself, boosting moisture and collagen production. It’s a brilliant combination for skin rejuvenation, but it can feel quite sore as the buzzing microneedling pen passes across your skin. Dr. Khan will give you some breaks if you need them and warn you about potentially more sensitive areas, such as your forehead.
If you’re concerned about leaving the facial a little red and sore, don’t fret. The next stages of the treatment are all about ensuring that won’t happen. Firstly, a super-soothing face mask is applied to your skin, which is both cooling and hydrating. Then, you lie under a LED light therapy dome, which is used to further reduce inflammation and further stimulate the collagen production that’s been triggered by the tweakments before it. The light is a little bright (it needs to be to have an appropriate effect), but Daniella, once again, is there to make you extra comfortable, using Reiki-based touch (a type of energy healing) to keep you in a sleepy state of relaxation.
Before you know it, the 90-minute treatment is coming to an end, with the application of some hydrating serums to leave you glowing, and some healing-boosting supplements to supercharge your results.
What are the results like?
When I was given the mirror post-treatment, I was really happy at how hydrated and fresh my skin looked. In fact, with only one small area on my right cheek where the pin-prick injections could be seen, I actually felt comfortable enough to walk out of the spa without wearing makeup, which I normally wouldn’t do due to skin redness.
It’s been two weeks since my treatment, and I still feel confident with the hydration and smoothness of my skin to go outside with lighter makeup – and I’ve noticed that my complexion looks less dull and tired. That’s been a standout feature, especially as someone who tends to show all her stress on her face. I’ll definitely be heading back.
Our beauty editor shows the treatment results
What is the aftercare advice?
Aftercare for any advanced facial, especially those that involve injectables, is really important and Dr. Khan will run through it all with you after your treatment. You won’t walk away with a particularly red, sore face (which is a relief), but you do want to reduce the risk of irritation and bruising afterwards. Any pin-prick bruises should fade after a few days, but you can avoid them darkening or your skin becoming a little flaky by stepping up your use of nourishing and soothing moisturisers. Look for ones that contain arnica, aloe vera, and hydrators, for example. You should also avoid vigorous exercise, heavy makeup, swimming pools, and saunas for at least 24 hours, as this can exacerbate any sensitivities and flushing.
How many treatments do you need?
Just one will do it! The facial is designed to have an instant hydrating effect on your skin, with the results of the injectable moisturiser and exosomes becoming noticeable in two to three weeks, so there’s not long to wait. That means you can revel in your lit-from-within-glow after just one session, especially if your main aim is improving overall skin texture and pesky fine lines. That said, Dr. Khan recommends a top-up appointment after six months to a year, to keep your skin in tip-top condition. When you see the results, you’ll want to head back.
Why is The Time Travel Treatment worthwhile?
If you’re looking for an advanced facial that allows you to dip your toe into the world of injection-based enhancements, this treatment will leave your skin naturally glowing and, most importantly, you’ll feel totally at ease throughout. The combination of Dr. Khan’s aesthetic expertise, Daniella’s pampering hands, and the luxurious setting of The Lanesborough Hotel & Spa makes this a real treat. In fact, if you’re the sort of person to only have one facial every year, this should be one of your top picks.
Lead image credit: The Lanesborough
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Any Questions or Tips to add?