Linda Meredith - she of the magical hands

May 5 2015

Sybaritic Spy

We love

3 min read

Linda Meredith is often called facialist to the stars, and indeed Stella McCartney is due in to be treated by those magical hands next. Emma Thompson apparently loves the products and Naomi Campbell even lends her name to the publicity material thanking Linda for her skin care.

It’s easy to tell when someone is a real expert, when they have been doing something for many years and they make everything look easy.  A real expert does complex things quickly, almost without thinking about them.

So… I feel I am in very safe hands. These hands have worked in skin care for 40 years  (and yes Linda’s publicity pics make her look far too young to have been in the business that long, but then she is ‘her business’ so presumably takes very good care of her own skin).

Linda analyses my skin by feeling it, by holding her hands around my face, by touching and pushing the skin, by rubbing it and gently pinching it, and in seconds she has identified the key problems. Dehydration, a bit of congestion and rather too many blocked milia forming annoying white spots in several areas. This woman can wield a lancet like no other. I have had milia removed before and it is usually pretty painful. Linda whisks them out almost before I realise what she is doing… and there is little or no marking afterwards.

She asks what I think of my skin, what my current skincare regime is and a fair bit about my diet and lifestyle, but the real skill is in her hands and her range of products.

Linda developed her own range of skin care products because she felt that modern skin is very affected by modern lifestyles; pollutants, hormones, chemicals , air conditioning  and in my case far too many long haul flights, which all lead to much more complex skin. In the past you could use products for dry skin or oily skin or combination skin. Now you can find all those skins types and more on one face; dry flaky spots, oily areas, spotty sections, congested areas. So the Linda Meredith range has products to deal with all the many and various skin conditions and the therapist uses her skill to decide what is needed where.

Linda begins on this Spa Spy™ with The Haute Couture Facial, which is tailored to suit specific needs.

Linda starts with a double cleanse, once to remove grime and pollution then again to deep clean. The ultimate deep cleaning product is absorbed into the skin and begins to breakdown the sebum trapped under the surface. Linda works my forehead area with this cleanser, and post-treatment I can feel and see the difference.

Dehydration is the enemy of good skin claims Linda, and our modern lifestyles of working in air conditioned offices affect the skin. So a hydrating mist is sprayed next. This contains hyaluronic acid which helps the skin hold water and also allows products to sink into the skin

Next, the richest most luxurious moisturizer is lavished on my dehydrated skin. Linda keeps on adding more and more until my skin finally says ‘enough’ when no more sinks in. 

An oxygen facial follows, a layer of cool gel is spread over my skin and then the oxygen spray is used to gently push it in. Once it is all absorbed another layer is added and another, until my skin can soak up no more. If this facial is pricy at least you can tell where the cost goes; into the generous, repeated use of luxurious products.

The end result is amazing. My ugly milia have gone and my skin feels plumped out and soft, with fine lines far less obvious. I want to always look like this. With so many celeb clients it’s not surprising that Linda has the answer for coping with long haul flights. Her oxygen facial comes in the form of a mask, individually packaged, so small enough that you can slip it into your hand luggage. It is also discreet enough to be put on during the flight and allowed to soak in, so that even after several hours on a plane you can land and look bright for all those photographers waiting to snap you!

Linda Meredith facials are available at locations including Chewton Glen Hotel and Spa in Hampshire, The Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park and the Linda Meredith Salon in Knightsbridge. You can see a full list of locations at: www.lindameredith.com

Spy62

Sybaritic Spy

5th May 2015

Spy Likes:

Warm treatment beds; fragrant steam rooms; therapists who listen to what you say; unexpected treats such as back massages that start with hot towels on your feet.

Spy Dislikes:

Small towels; crowded changing rooms; black mould in the showers; therapists who sniff; anyone who doesn't take my lavender allergy seriously - until I'm actually sick on them!

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