Christa D'Souza returns to her tried and trusted facialist, Alexandra Soveral, whose treatments are so good she might forgo food to keep them up
Well. Thank you Obagi Nu Derm . Everything is amazingly evened out. It’s pretty much like magic, the way it works; gives you a new canvas, so to speak, but I don’t know if I can commit to it for life as I know people do, because a) I am way too much of a sun worshipper and b) I love freckles.
It is with a quickening pulse, therefore, that I return to Alexandra Soveral whom I’ve been seeing for a couple of years, and who, without a hint of exaggeration is the best facialist that has ever existed in the whole wide universe. To be honest, I’m not quite sure why I left her exclusive fold in the first place. I guess it was all for you, readers, all for you.
How to describe why she is different from everyone else? Do you know, I’m not sure; that’s the thing with these rare people in London who make such an enormous difference - they’re like white witches in the way that what they do cannot be adequately defined in a press release.
Let it be said that the Portuguese-born Soveral is a philosophy and chemistry major and knows a thing or two about anatomy, too. Using a combination of hot stones, her own fabulous own-brand organic products and quite hurty massage she’ll work on you in her converted West London Dairy for an hour and 15 (the Alexandra Soveral method is also available from her meticulously trained team at the Daniel Hersheson salon atop Harvey Nichols).
MORE GLOSS: The results of Obagi Nu-Derm
Your jaw, your sinuses, that bit where your neck joins your shoulders; they’ll all be worked within an inch of their lives. Make sure you look at yourself in the mirror right before you go in. Because when you come out and have another look, it’s guaranteed you’ll do a double take. That crinkle cut chip jawline? That furrowed brow? Those puffy eyes? Gone, gone, gone. It is almost as though this woman GIVES you bone structure. Botox, fillers, chemical peels, the knife; could it be that this marvellous woman has found a way to obviate this wretched route?
A rollicking good facialist - perhaps that is the answer to the ‘less is more’ conundrum. Especially if, like me, you adore the sun. Following in the steps of the fashion writer acquaintance I have who sees her religiously, every two weeks, whatever else is happening in her life, I think I’m going to get myself a proper, serious habit. If I were only a rich Russian, or Gwyneth, I could go every week.
Oh, but let’s get our priorities in order. They’ve got orthodontists on the NHS haven’t they? And who needs food? In the meantime, excuse me while I have a look at myself on photo booth again. God DANG is that woman good.
A 60 minute facial with Alexandra Soveral is £160 in her London clinic. Call 020 7266 3577 for bookings. For Obagi Nu Derm treatments, contact Dr Vicki Dondos at www.medicetics.com