Abigail James Natural Healing Facial

Abigail James Natural Healing Facial

Immaculate, gentle and adept, Abigail James is an intuitive facialist who has acquired a devoted following among celebrities and beauty industry luminaries. Abigail has "the touch" – hard to define but you know it when you feel it.

I visit Abigail at the Chelsea outpost of Lomax, the ultra hip bespoke health concierge company. Preternaturally pretty, she is the apotheosis of an advertisement for her profession. Abigail opines instantly that I sleep predominantly on my left-hand side (true). Whilst the odds of her correct divination of this fact are admittedly pretty high, her levels of perspicacity surpass those of any facialist I have previously visited. She confidently (and accurately) surmises that I cleanse with a Clarisonic, and even identifies my brand of toner (Guerlain’s ‘Super Aqua’). This before I have divulged any skin secrets in the comprehensive questionnaire with which she subsequently presents me. Pre-treatment, I am already impressed.

Abigail’s approach towards skincare reflects her predilection for natural products: she believes that biotic treatments are more simply synthesised by the skin than often abrasive chemical compounds. Whilst employing the purest organic skincare unguents (Live Native and Dr Alkaitis), however, she is not afraid to incorporate state-of-the-art elements to optimise anti-aging effects. These include anti-inflammatory LED light to “clean” skin peels (comprised of fruit acids) and a dermal roller. “I think you can step up your facial without traumatising the skin,” Abigail declares. “I use some more high tech elements on clients with troubled skin to get them to a nice base and from there I turn them onto organic products to maintain their skin health.”

Each of Abigail’s facials contain multifarious manual skin manipulation techniques – rhythmical massage strokes that induce a state of tranquilisation, holistic therapies such as facial reflexology, craniosacral therapy and myofacial release (which unlocks tension in the connective tissue), and Vodder school manual lymphatic drainage (to resculpt and tone the facial muscles). The upshot is a treatment that not merely revives the face, lifting the contours and imbuing the skin with luminosity, but one that also revitalizes the client internally. Abigail is adamant that internal emotional blockages manifest themselves outwardly, and contends that muscle has a mental memory besides a somatic one, maintaining, “there can be a definite response that’s not physical from my facial.”

Unlike many other facialists who send you on your tod blotchy and oleaginous, Abigail ensures that you leave looking luscious. Undoing the thick cotton wool bandeau she has wrapped around your hairline – et voilà: radiant skin and no oil in your hair, either. Perfect for pre-rendezvous primping.

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Abigail’s treatments are available in London at Lomax in Victoria and Lomax, Chelsea (www.lomaxpt.com) and OSKIA Spa at Good Vibes, Covent Garden (www.oskiaskincare.com). Home visits are available in the Cotswolds and London and Abigail is also one of the experts at the award-winning Village Barn detox retreat in Oxfordshire (www.village-barn.com). www.abigailjames.

To book please contact a@abigailjames.com / www.abigailjames.com

38 Degrees North, Ibiza

I’m the kind of girl who considers a canter up the Tube escalator sufficient daily activity, but the promise of a clear mind and body and a little weight loss in anticipation of my wedding was enough to encourage me to don some trainers and embark upon the 38 Degrees North Ibiza Fit Camp. Crystal-clear waters, quiet beaches, and fitness may not be the first things that spring to mind about Ibiza, but the legendary nightlife is only one aspect of this exquisite Mediterranean island. Ibiza villas and hotels have long been luring a cool, cosmopolitan crew. Following in the footsteps of the Phoenicians, Romans, Moors and Catalans, visitors present and past are drawn to the tranquillity of the rural interior and the natural beauty of the island's lesser-known coastlines.

Based in the Revival Wellness Club of the ultra chic Hotel Aguas de Ibiza, 38 Degrees North is run by Kelly Morgan and James Davis, a delightful English couple who took up the mantle from the prior proprietors in 2011.Their holistic approach to fitness combines hiking, exercise sessions and yoga with healthy eating. And there’s no denying it’s hard work; a typical day begins at 8am with a strenuous aqua-spinning class followed by a delicious breakfast (including stratified smoothies, local organic eggs and an abundance of fresh fruit). Next a challenging abdominals circuit on the beach followed by a nutritionally-balanced lunch before a coastal run with an optional sea swim. A relaxing yoga class at the end of the afternoon and light dinner wind down the day’s activities. The programme is engineered in such a way to allow for some unstructured free time, which most people spend languishing by the pool or enjoying the impressive array of spa treatments on offer, including Clarins face and body treatments, underwater and volcanic rock massages. I would also recommend booking an appointment with the in-house chiropractor and life-coach, Dr Abigail Elizabeth Woodward. Sylph-like, almost otherworldly in appearance, Dr Woodward uses a combination of pressure point activation and therapeutic methods to mentally ‘reboot’ her clients. After my session I felt as though I’d been transported to another realm – the treatment was eerily good.

It might sound intimidating, and admittedly, waking up every morning with sore muscles was tough, but time flies due to the impressive variety of exercises – no day is the same – and the enthusiasm of the principal trainers, Brian Talbot and Faye Maloney. Brian formerly worked as a chef under Angela Hartnett and The Connaught Rooms, then caught the fitness bug and retrained as a personal trainer. His background in the kitchen means that he is also a nutritional expert. Faye’s background was originally in dance, but she moved into martial arts and was twice female UK kickboxing champion. In addition to these accolades, she was featured teaching kickboxing in 2011 on the MTV programme Plain Jane.

The Fit Camp regime is both enjoyable and eye-opening; during the course of the week I tried a mixture of beach training, yoga, pilates rock-climbing, boxing, circuit training and hill walking. Though my muscles were often screaming, 'Stop!' no one else was yelling at me: the staff are unfailingly encouraging, and adept at tailoring the programme to different abilities.There is an assortment of ages, abilities and reasons for being there: the odd chief executive enjoying not making a single decision all week; some, like me, there to shift pounds for a special occasion; and others who wanted to kickstart a new healthy regime.

The twin highlights of the week for me were the excursions organised by Kelly and James. First was the hike to Es Vedra, the third most magnetic place on earth (after the North Pole and the Bermuda Triangle). After a strenuous three hour hike ably led by Kelly and her adorable Pomeranian, Otto, we reached a gorgeously secluded beach where we enjoyed a well-deserved private picnic and swim. The second expedition was led by James and involved a trip into the island’s interior on mountain bikes, stopping off at various scenic junctures. There was also a diverting trip to the Hippy Market at Es Cana, where stalls huddle beneath the shade of pine trees in the winding paths between white bungalows and ‘I heart Ibiza’ branded souvenirs are juxtaposed with marijuana paraphernalia.

This is a programme that gets results fast; even after just three days I felt my shape starting to change. At the end of the week I’d lost half a stone and inches from my waist. Best of all, the programme has expanded my fitness horizons hugely, and I feel inspired to continue several of the activities upon my return. Having booked my trip with Electric Bloom, maintaining my healthy regime was even easier thanks to the company’s fabulous ‘Home Bloom’ service, which equips all clients with a list of wellbeing professionals to use upon their return.   
 

To book, please visit: http://www.electricbloom.co.uk/ or phone +44(0)20 8442 1364