The Hayfever Facial at Michaeljohn

Although we seem to have been living in what seems like an eternal Winter, finally Spring has most definitely sprung. There may be blossoms on the trees, daffodils sprouting from the ground and bumble bees buzzing around our heads, but Spring also brings the inevitable onset of Hayfever symptoms. I've suffered since my teenage years from sore, runny and tired eyes during the warmer months - a nightmare when you want to look refreshed, bright and perfectly made-up. Sniffles aren't really a big thing for me, but sometimes I want to rip my eyes out rather than sit in a field surrounded by nature any longer. Michaeljohn salon in London's Chelsea have launched their very own 'Hayfever Facial' which aims to address the problems caused by the condition, both helping to prevent those horrid blocked sinuses and relieving tired eyes. The 60 minute treatment incorporates cleansing and exfoliation, as you would expect with any other facial, as well as specific eye treatments - I popped along to find out more. After the usual skin pampering, a cooling collagen eye mask is applied over the eyes and left to work its wonders, helping to reduce itchiness and puffiness that often accompanies hayfever. While this was left to relieve my eye tension, the therapist treated me to a sinus massage using acupressure points to help reduce congestion; this was the best part for me as I could really feel the tension melting away from around my eyes and across my forehead. Finally, 'eye express radiance ice cubes' (which help with dark circles, puffiness and give an instant lift to skin) were used to massage the skin and promote freshness. Although this is a really strange sensation and left me jumping up a few times with giggles, it's great at waking you and your skin up from an otherwise dull slump. I've had a lot of facials, and although my skin looked refreshed and plump after the treatment as you would expect, the big difference was how awake and refreshed my eyes felt. It had been a long, hard week with little sleep - the perfect test for this treatment - so I felt I really got the most of the facial. If you're not a sufferer of Hayfever, but have trouble sleeping or keeping your sinus tension under control, then this could be a perfect treatment to dip into every six weeks.

Can't get down to Michaeljohn's salon? Why not try these 5 steps to re-create it at home?
1. Cleanse and exfoliate skin using a mild formula with no strong scents, to leave your complexion clear and refreshed.
2. Apply cucumber slices, or cotton pads soaked in a gentle eye lotion, over the eyes and leave to cool the eye area for 10 minutes.
3. Massage around the eye area in small circular movements, focusing specifically on promoting movement around the bottom of the eye sockets and the side of the nose.
4. Use ice cubes to massage skin in smooth movements, progressing from under the eyes to around the top of the cheeks.
5. Apply a light serum and moisturiser to leave your complexion radiant and hydrated. 


Find out more about the salon and spa here: www.michaeljohn.co.uk