Going South: Bespoke Elixir Cream at The Organic Pharmacy

When a fellow Glossy raves about something I tend to take note. These are, after all, women who know their thing, they’ve been around the world a few times and sniffed and sampled more creams, unctions and teeny, tiny serum packets than I’ve stumbled gently out a cocktail bar. And when the rave comes from the stratospherically fragrant Santa Montefiore , you not only take notes, you get your lardy arse off the sofa and actually make the goddamn appointment at The Organic Pharmacy stand in Selfridges . I mean, have you seen her photo? Can you imagine how stunning she is in the flesh? Whatever she’s having, so am I!

Four days later I am, slightly the worse for red wine and solving the world’s unsurmountable problems from the night before, sitting on a small white spiny stool in Selfridges talking to Margo Marrone, a naturopath and co-founder of the Organic Pharmacy, about my skin.

Now as Glossy regulars will undoubtedly be aware, it is not something I look after particularly well. But Margo didn’t mind. Actually, Margo was just about brilliant about just about everything. My fondness for sunshine. My dearth of toner-usage. My occasional fagging. My sporadic use of night creams. Frankly, my inability to follow any regime at all. Margo sat there and nodded away like some terribly wise sage, taking notes and being interested.

In fact, Margo was so kind and interested I went on. Normally when I’m handed one those boring questionnaires about your life and style, or indeed in my case, my lack of both, I tend to lie. Do I take exercise? Yes all the time, I love yoga. I’m a dogging addict! Do I drink more than three litres of water a day? Christ, you can’t keep me away from the stuff. Do I sunbathe? Hell no, not since the long hot summer of 1976. Do I smoke? How very dare you! Do I drink? This doesn’t just happen, you know. And so it goes on.

MORE GLOSS: Imogen Edwards-Jones on having regular facial peels

But Margo was good, Margo was incisive with her questioning, Margo is perhaps a shrink in a naturopath disguise. Anyway, we talked about my lack of sleep, my son always waking me up, and my terrible addiction to coffee. She suggested some Calc Carb for him and some Nat Mur 6C for me to help us both sleep and then she got to the reason I was there: my bespoke Elixir Cream.

This is new and unique service where, after a one to one consultation, the Organic Pharmacy/Margo mixes up a face cream specific to you. So having offloaded my whole wretchedly dull life story on to the poor, patient Margo, she concluded: I have dry skin with open pores and a tendency towards redness. The mixing takes about ten minutes and the whole thing, including the consultation costs £195.

And what a gorgeous cream it is. For a start it smells like a bit of orange heaven in a pot and then it goes on fabulously and actually sinks in. I am forever trying creams that don’t ever seem to be able to penetrate my mock-croc cheeks. But this does. I was also recommended Rose Cleansing Gel, Herbal Toner, Carrot Butter Cleanser, Antioxidant Face Serum and a Double Rose Rejuvenating Moisturiser plus a small face cloth soaked in hot water to remove the cleanser and encourage the blood to the surface of the skin. All in all it smells like you are wandering through an English country garden in the height of the summer, and my skin doesn’t feel too bad either.

The only downer is despite the Calc Carb, my son it still not sleeping. Still, it being this time of year, I can always threaten him with the Santa. Not the lovely Glossy one, but the old bloke in need of a Braun beard trimmer. As we all know - only good boys get presents. And bad girls should get themselves a bit of bespoke Elixir at the Organic Pharmacy, for who knows how good they might look come the New Year?