Into the Ark

I’ve had a few facials in my time, and most of them have made me look good for about a day, until the effects wore off.

At Ark on Kensington Church Street they practice Age Aware Skincare, which treats your skin based on your age.

Owner and founder, Shula Starkey, explains why many facials are really a false face economy: ‘Our skin cells have a finite number of times they can regenerate and repair, a lot of facials will exfoliate your skin aggressively which means it will give you that desired fresh faced look and feel for a few days, but the payback of this is that you are actually aging your skin more quickly.’

Ark’s philosophy follows three main treatment types: Age Prepare (late teens to early 30s),  Age Maintain (mid 30s to 50) and Age Repair (50 and beyond). Their products and treatments are so effective that if you have reached an age bracket too early (i.e. you’re 40 but your skin looks 50) they can treat you over a course of weeks and get your skin back to looking like it should.

Their eight serums are especially good, akin to magic in a bottle, each targeting a specific skin problem. They used an anti-redness serum on me, as I often have quite red cheeks, and the effect was incredible. I could actually see it working.

Having used the serum for a month since, the difference is really noticeable and my complexion is much smoother, with a soft, healthy glow, rather than a fraught traffic light hue. My mother had a treatment recently and her skin genuinely looked younger, fresher and healthier. At £70 they’re no more expensive than other facials, and they’re a lot more effective.

ARK Age Aware Skincare
26 Kensington Church Street
Kensington
W8 4EP

Tel: 020 7938 1898

www.arkskincare.com

Also this week…

Living Well loves…Green and Spring: a seriously feel-good skincare range, available at Liberty and Harvey Nichols. Their lovely creams, scrubs, body washes, shampoos and candles are entirely natural and handmade with lovely British-grown things such as comfrey, walnut shell, clary sage, bilberries and cowley spring water. They’re also free from anything artificial and haven’t been tested on bunnies. Yay!

Treat of the Week:

What: Elemis Face and Body Sensation ‘Visible Brilliance’
How: An indulgent treatment that includes a foot and leg rub, a deep back massage with hot stones and a refreshing, cleansing facial
Why: It’s in a fabulous location, down a pretty little cobbled walkway, a world away from London
Where: Elemis Day Spa in Mayfair
When: Treat someone you love, or just yourself, before Christmas ­- perfect festive pampering
Price: £80
Contact: www.elemis.com/dayspa