I reviewed two Juliette Armand facials

I was lucky enough to have been treated to two Juliette Armand facials by Poise Brands recently – one facial was an anti-ageing treatment, and the other was a custom facial to cater for my skin’s current needs.

I hadn’t heard much about the Juliette Armand brand before my first facial, so I was keen to experience the products and see the results. Khadeeja Khan, the owner of Beauty Indulgence Spa, made sure I was comfy and warm – really living up to the spa’s tagline of “You deserve to be pampered” – before she began my first facial.

Skin Boosters Thavma Therapy Facial (anti-ageing)

The tagline of the Skin Boosters range reads: “Thanks to Skin Boosters Anti-Surgery System, your appointment with plastic surgery is postponed!”. Well that certainly had me intrigued!

Everything that Khadeeja needed for the Thavma therapy facial, was in this kit. Thavma Therapy is based on the Effectox^TM technology that inhibits the mechanism that is responsible for the creation of expression lines and wrinkles. It also offers protection from the main types of ageing (biological and photo).

The Thavma Therapy products all felt great on my skin and I love how they smell. I expected to be all read and blotchy after the facial (I usually am after one) and couldn’t believe how great my skin looked when we were done. I could have gone out straight after the facial, all I needed to apply was some mascara and lipstick! My skin definitely felt tighter after the one treatment, and remained like that for a little over 2 days.

When I got home I took some more pics to document the results which were visible immediately. I can only imagine how much firmer my skin would be after a few more of these facials. For optimal results, it’s recommended that you have 10 Thavma Therapy treatments in the following order:

3 treatments a week for 2 weeks
2 treatments a week for 2 weeks

One Thavma Therapy treatment costs R750, and 10 cost R6500.

Custom facial (for dehydrated skin with pigmentation)

After I’d seen Khadeeja for the Juliette Armand Skin Boosters Thavma Facial, she suggested I come back for a custom facial because my skin was very dehydrated and I had a lot of pigmentation, as you can see below.

I’ve never had a custom facial before, let alone one that was geared to deal specifically with the issues that my skin had at that time. After the great results I’d experienced with the Thavma Facial, I wanted to try out more of the Juliette Armand products.

I have noticed over the last two months that my skin is not as plump as it used to be, and isn’t glowing. The pigmentation on my face has also increased over the last 3 years, particularly on my forehead and under my eyes. I hadn’t taking much notice of this when I was younger, but now in my early 30s, I can see the signs more clearly, especially after spending a few hours in the sun.

Pigmentation occurs when there is an excess of melanin (the brown pigment that produces normal skin colour) deposits form in the skin. Some forms of hyperpigmentation may be the result of acne, sun exposure, pregnancy, or injuries to the skin. I didn’t think that you could do much to alleviate the signs of pigmentation, but Khadeeja explained that I could lessen the damage by following the correct skincare routine and regularly having facials designed to combat pigmentation.

Generally she would have done a peel for me with this custom facial, but she opted not to so that I could feel the effects of the exfoliators she was going to use. Some of the products listed below can be used at home as part of your home skincare routine, however, there are some that you will only receive as part of a treatment at the spa.

Khadeeja used the following Juliette Armand products for my custom facial:

Hydra cleansing milk – she had also used this cleansing milk for my Thavma Facial, and my mascara literally melted off. I had apologised a few times when she had started that facial because I had so many layers of mascara and these layers are generally hard to remove. Little did I know that it would dissolve so quickly with this cleansing milk. When you use this product you don’t need to rinse it off with water, you can just tissue it off. This cleansing milk is appropriate for normal, dry, and sensitive skin.

Preparator lotion – this lotion works like a toner in that it balances out the skin immediately, and allows for deeper penetration of the products that you’d use as part of your skincare routine – for better results.

Dermabrasion gel – this is an exfoliator, which you can use at home as part of your home care. This exfoliator has fine granules for improved exfoliation. This product is an active product, so your skin may look a little pink if you press too hard while using it. This product helps with pigmentation and wrinkles because it really goes into the skin and removes dead skin cells.

Anti-age eye mask – this product (which is unfortunately not available for home care) cleanses and helps with dark circles, wrinkles, hydration, and is an all-in-one booster. This mask improves blood circulation, decongests the skin tissue, and combats puffiness.

Sirtuin serum – this is an ageing regulator serum that “tells” cells to clean themselves out. You can use this twice a day as part of your home care routine. (This product is great when it’s applied under masks)

Exfo line mask – this is an exfoliating mask, and can be wiped off after 10-15 minutes, once the product has been absorbed. It’s an exfoliating and anti-oxidant mask which is great for cleansing skin and clear blackheads. When you apply it, use circular motions as it has granules in it.

Caviar mask – this mask is perfect for: hydration, anti-ageing, and brightening of skin, because it contains omegas 3 and 6 and red and black caviar. Once applied, it immediately helps with firming up of the skin.

Forte C serum – this serum contains abscorbic acid (needs to be kept in a dark cupboard) and pure vitamin C.

Latex mask – this is a whitening mask that helps treat pigmentation. (This mask is not for the faint hearted if you are claustrophobic because it is painted across your eyes and mouth – with only your nostrils left open – and it dries to form latex. Once the mask is ready to be removed after about 15 minutes, it’s peeled off your face as a latex layer.)

6% AHA – this is multi-action cream with a fluid texture. It exfoliates, moisturises, firms and whitens the skin, while also boosting the natural regeneration process.

Sirtuin serum – was reapplied again to help with hydration.

Vitality cream mask – this was applied instead of moisturiser to help with hydration. I didn’t have to wash the mask off, and if I used it daily, I could apply it in the morning, and then put my make-up on. Genrerally, however, this wold be used at night because it’s revitalising, firming, and tones skin.

Sunfilm SPF 30 – this is a tinted sun gel, which was applied to my face at the end of the facial. Unlike other sunscreens, this one did not leave me feeling oily or sticky at all. I was really impressed with how it absorbed into my skin without an oily residue. It’s ideal for sensitive and oily skin.

Colour control cream – lastly, to end off my special facial, this CC cream was applied to my face. This same CC cream was used after my Thavma facial, and my skin wasn’t irritated by it at all. It also didn’t make my skin oily which is always a bonus. If you simply want light coverage, then you only need to use half a pump. If you would like a finish that looks like you have applied foundation, then add more product.

One of the highlights of these custom facials is that Khadeeja really plans the products that she uses in the facial to suit your skin’s needs. I still can’t get over how I walked out of her spa on two occasions after having a facial done, and my skin wasn’t red or blotchy or irritated. With the CC cream applied, I was ready to go out immediately! The custom facials cost R700 and are based on your skin’s needs.

I really enjoyed the facials, and I received a few compliments from people the following week about how great my skin was looking. Khadeeja recommended I use the products below for my pigmentation concerns to brighten my skin.

Beauty Indulgence Spa is open from Monday to Friday from 09:00 to 17:00 (with strictly appointments before 09:00 or after 17:00), and on Saturdays (by appointment only). Their contact numbers are 011 656 1349 or 071 877 1786, and they stock the Juliette Armand products. You can find them on Facebook.