Trust in the power of logic and science with skincare experts QMS Medicosmetics at the historic Liberty of London. If you are fed up of the latest skincare fads and lockdown has screwed with your skin, this is for you.

I know how you must be feeling. Spending the last few months in lockdown inundated with home “remedies” and 5000 skincare recommendations, your bank account almost drained of all funds while you continue to slap 5 types of moisturisers on your face and use 7 different cleansers everyday… This has all helped your skin look the best it’s ever looked, right?

Don’t be surprised if your skin is now breaking out, parts of your face that used to be smooth are now bumpy, sore and dry, and don’t even get me started on maskne (face mask acne). Some of us have even experienced the terrible resurgence of teenage-like acne.  There is such a thing as skin fatigue, and I have spent countless hours over the last months explaining to friends and colleagues that overloading your skin with products does not beautiful skin make.

Everyone nowadays seems to believe they are skin and skincare experts, but not everyone knows what is right for them and their particular skin type. Sometimes, the only thing left to do is to see a skincare specialist who can provide you with a personalised treatment and tell you exactly what your skin needs at that specific time. This is no easy feat, however. How are you supposed to know who to go to, now that every brand and clinic seems to have fancy media and PR campaigns saying they know best?

Finding a good facialist is bloody hard, especially during these testing times. But, luckily for you Luxuriate Life readers, I have done the hard work for you. I insist you visit Ayse, expert skincare technician at Liberty London. She works for world-renowned science-led skincare brand, QMS Medicosmetics. Set up by Dr Erich Schulte, the company’s mission was to combine his lengthy experience as a trauma and cosmetic surgeon in order to improve and progress the effectiveness of skincare. This means a results-driven, improved complexion which is also long lasting. Who wouldn’t want that?

It’s worth noting that I have had my fair share of bad facials. Ones where the “expert” went out of her way to cleanse my face, make sure no makeup was left, and then shooed me out quicker than I could count to 10; ones where all the products placed on my face stung on application, and I was subsequently told curtly that it was “supposed to feel like that”. Leaving a clinic with a puffy, sore, red and sensitive face is not my idea of a calm, relaxing and restorative facial experience.

Fortunately, Ayse knows what she is doing. From the moment I arrive, her friendly smile and happy demeanour put me at ease, as she takes me upstairs to a quiet enclave next to the Liberty shoe collection (which I make a mental note to window shop through later). Everything is so incredibly neat, open and clean, it gleams. Ayse spots me admiring the spotless area and while winking she says she may have a slight bit of OCD when it comes to hygiene and cleanliness. This is definitely my new safe place.

QMS Medicosmetics at Liberty are currently offering bespoke facials, which is music to my ears. Oftentimes, people end up choosing facials that don’t suit their skin type or situation. This approach avoids that completely by allowing the facialist to analyse your skin and provide a tailored solution. Ayse takes care to look at my skin, decolletage included, and uses various QMS Medicosmetics products to cleanse my face while also checking for wrinkles, scarring or any other problem areas.

Highlights include high-pressure spurts of oxygen targeted at areas of my face with light scarring/pigmentation, which feels strange but altogether quite pleasant. This process can help accelerate wound healing, promote cell regeneration and also give your skin a glow. Places with low oxygen (like aeroplanes) are known to cause skin issues, so getting an aesthetician to bombard your skin with it can help boost radiance and even skin tone, resulting in a luminous finish.

My favourite part of the whole experience was a revolutionary blue algae mask that Ayse mixes freshly before placing on your face. So far, so conventional. The difference with this specific mask is it sets as it’s placed on your skin, becoming solid (those with intense claustrophobia should avoid!). The blue mask turns white as it solidifies and Ayse expertly pries it off after a few minutes. She then uses it as a very accurate indicator of what your biggest skin issues are and where wrinkles will settle in in the future, giving you recommendations as to which preventative products you should be using.

80 minutes later, I walk out of the store feeling almost normal, as if a pandemic hasn’t been hanging over my head for so many months… self-care really is transformative. After what has been a difficult year for many of us, Ayse and QMS Medicosmetics truly embody everything that you need: expert service and a dependably positive outcome with a safe pair of hands. Go on and book yourself in, you deserve it.

To book an appointment, visit: libertylondon.com

All imagery courtesy of QMS Medicosmetics