I didn’t go into the beauty business expecting to be paid for reviewing and trialling facials and treatments. It just organically happened. In a really wonderful way. Sometimes it’s not fun – when the therapist or the products just don’t ‘work’, I cannot wait to get off the bed.
And sometimes you have a treatment with the perfect product, in the perfect spot, with the perfect pair of hands. Step forward OSKIA and Abigail James.
Set in Covent Garden, the OSKIA rooms are above yoga studios, which immediately sets the tone in a really calm, peaceful manner (removing your shoes to climb the stairs seems appropriate, not over the top).
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| Not me. Obvs. |
What's good about it?
The OSKIA products lend themselves wonderfully to treatments and the routine is along these lines:
- Double cleanse with hot towels (amen)
- Exfoliate using the Micro Exfoliating Balm reviewed recently here
- Hot oil massage (see below)
- Steam/extraction - if appropriate/requested
- Tissue massage
- Renaissance mask
- Exfoliate and massage arms and hands
- Finishing with sitting up, leaning forward and hot compresses and work on the back (you will groan at this point - not in a 50 Shades way - but you will groan - in a stress being pushed out of your body thank-you-very-much way)
There is no run-of-the-mill massage oil used in this treatment – OSKIA’s massage oil comes from freshly melted candle wax scented with Rose de Mai and is as close to perfection as you will get for massage. I have always warmed oils before using them during treatments – no point in putting them on cold – not tactile, not pleasurable and takes longer to really get the massage going. I smelt this on Abigail’s hands as they hovered above my face and as soon as she made contact shouted ‘WHAT is THAT??!!!’ I think I made her jump. Poor love.
Ironically, given my known dislike of mineral oil – one of the best things during a facial is a bloody good oil under a paraffin wax mask. The heat seals in the oil and your skin is nothing short of remarkable afterwards when the mask is peeled away. Amanda Lacey does this brilliantly in her treatments.
This candle gives you the ability to do something similar – at home – in the comfort of your own surroundings. There is no paraffin here – hence its ability to be used as the massage element rather than the overall mask. Its a mixture of soybean, beeswax and coconut oils. It’s also scented with Rose de Mai – swimming with happy Chantecaille memories for me.
Utter bliss.
What’s bad about it?
It’s not widely available in the UK. You need to come to London. Honestly, that’s about it.
OSKIA Signature Glow Facial – 4/5 – purely for limited distribution reasons
Skin Smoothing Massage Candle – 5/5
More information about the OSKIA Boutique Beauty Rooms can be found here and Abigail James here.
More information about the amazing to-die-for candle can be found here.
