This article is a translation of the original French article “La médecine esthétique & le facialisme sont-ils complémentaires ?” and is intended for the French market. Treatments, availability and prices may differ at our London clinic.
Hello Aurélie, could you introduce yourself and tell us about your background?
Hello, I'm 40, mum to 8-year-old twins, and after 15 years working in advertising agencies, 4 years ago I
retrained to make a living from my passion for beauty and well-being as a facialist.
What is your approach to massage?
The skin is a reflection of an overall inner state.
It is the result of potential internal imbalances at different physiological, energetic and emotional levels.
Massage sets all these states in motion, brings back life and relaunches the body's internal
systems so that they work optimally and rebalance themselves. It also allows us to reconnect with our skin and our body, which we neglect and too often forget, caught up in
the hectic flow of everyday life.
How do you see the complementarity between manual massage and aesthetic medicine?
Manual massage is essential, but it has its own limits. It cannot treat certain concerns,
such as skin cleansing, which requires cosmetic products, or severe skin laxity, which
calls for advanced technologies.
In which cases do you recommend a massage (Kobido / drainage) before an aesthetic medicine treatment?
Massage is highly complementary to aesthetic medicine treatments.
Before or after each treatment, and depending on the technique used, it will prepare the skin and/or help prolong
the results of the aesthetic medicine treatment.
For example:
- Before a Hydrafacial: I would recommend an intense facial drainage to bring up as much
waste and as many toxins as possible, which will then be eliminated through the body's natural pathways and by the cleansing phase of
the Hydrafacial
- Before a peel: I would recommend a deep muscle massage such as Kobido to relax
the muscles, activate cell renewal and allow the peel to work even more effectively
And to maintain an aesthetic medicine treatment? (e.g. Botox, to maintain the effect; Hydrafacial,
to maintain the glow, etc.)
Between injections, I always recommend a deep muscle massage such as Kobido (from 1 month after
the injections) to work the muscles, relax them and plump them up so that the effects of the injections last as
long as possible.
A concern that comes up often is skin laxity along the jawline;
how do you treat it?
Yes, indeed, it is the most frequent request.
First, we need to determine whether it is purely skin laxity or whether it is accentuated by
water retention, which makes the lower face "puff up" and blurs the jawline.
If there is water retention, I always start with a good drainage to boost the lymphatic system,
which is responsible for clearing the body and skin of accumulated waste and toxins and which can give a "puffy" look.
Then I move on to a deep muscle massage such as Kobido to redensify and tone the fibres, so that the
skin can sit snugly over these toned muscles, which largely shape our face.
The same goes for wrinkles on the upper face: what is your advice?
I recommend a deep muscle massage that blends several techniques, such as Kobido and stretching,
to relax the muscle fibres and soften wrinkles.
As these are expression lines and these muscles are therefore heavily used, it is essential to take the
time to massage deeply for a few minutes morning and evening when applying your routine, in order to
relax and release tension in the forehead. Using a suction cup or a ridoki on this area is extremely effective.
What is your favourite treatment at Innerskin, and why?
My favourite treatment at Innerskin is Hydrafacial, because I believe beautiful skin is, above all, healthy skin.
It is the foundation of any facial beauty routine. Ideally at every change of season, or whenever you
feel the need.
