Face value

11:35am Tuesday 29th July 2008

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MAXINE GORDON tries the latest A-lister beauty treatment at a rural retreat outside York.

IF it’s good enough for Madonna, it’s good enough for me.

That’s what I told myself as pulled into the gravel drive of Sophie Cleminson’s hideaway beauty spa on the outskirts of York.

Newly-opened in the grounds of her home at Skelton, The Beauty Room, offers the latest treatments beloved of celebs such as Madge, Caprice and Carol Vorderman.

The fact that we are surrounded by trees and open fields only adds to the relaxed atmosphere.

As I lie on the treatment couch, I can hear birdsong through the open window.

I feel a world away from the stresses and strains of busy, city life – and could easily drift off, if I didn’t have to remind myself I was actually working and had to concentrate on what Sophie was doing.

Sophie is administering her exclusive treatment, the OXYjet star facial – which promises to plump up your skin, reduce the appearance of lines and leave you with a healthy glow.

There’s no doubt my skin looked fresh and fantastic after the treatment, much cleaner, fuller and taut (even my husband commented on how good it looked). Just as pleasing was the one hour and 45 minutes of pampering which saw Sophie apply numerous foams, gels and mists to my skin in an effort to roll back the years.

The facial is ideal for anyone aged 25-plus, who wants to tackle the signs of ageing, acne or problematic skin. Sophie says it can also help reduce sun-damage pigmentation by up to 70 per cent.

“It’s suitable for all skin types,” said Sophie.

“And it is very, very safe. There are no known side-effects.”

The Beauty Room is the first salon in the York area to offer the treatment, hailed as a revolutionary non-invasive alternative to Botox.

At £100 a go, it’s a serious investment. But Sophie, a former beauty manager at the award-winning Alquima Spa in York, says the results pay dividends. “The OXYjet facial gets very similar results to the Caci, which is also a non-surgical facelift machine, but this machine is much, much better for the skin. It treats the skin as well as the lines and wrinkles and the dull skin associated with ageing.

“The treatment is a scientifically proven alternative to Botox and uses pure oxygen to amplify the collagen in the skin, filling out lines and wrinkles, leaving a beautifully clear, even complexion.”

Sophie’s consulting room is just what you would expect to find at a top-notch spa, with piles of thick, fluffy towels, cabinets filled with luxurious products and soothing background music.

The salon, which opened a fortnight ago, is the latest adventure for the 25-year-old, who is a graduate of the prestigious Yorkshire College of Beauty Therapy in Leeds, where she was named graduate of the year. During her year at college, her progress was filmed for a fly-on-the-wall series on Sky One, Beauty School.

But the real star of the new salon is the OXYjet machine – the only one in York. Complete with flashing lights, various wires and array of hand-held devices for pummelling the skin, it reminds me of a something you’d see at the dentist, but Sophie assures me that the treatment is pain free.

After deep cleansing my skin, using a rotating foam head, Sophie applies a cream – Beauty-tox Ultra – to my face and neck, which is then ‘injected’ through pure pulsed oxygen pressure deep into my skin using one of the hi-tech probes. Although it is non-invasive, I did feel a slight force as Sophie worked her way across my neck and face, but it wasn’t unpleasant, and certainly not painful.

A serum is applied next and massaged into the skin using the OXYjet rotating head to help stimulate the muscles of the face.

Next, a thin, paper-like, mask is placed over my face, which Sophie tells me is made of collagen. She wets it so that it moulds to my contours. Then she applies an oxygen mask. This is definitely not for the claustrophobic, but I found it wonderfully relaxing – especially when Sophie began to massage by neck and shoulders.

To finish, Sophie applied some more Beauty-tox lotions to my forehead, eyes and mouth area.

To get the best results, Sophie recommends a series of five treatments followed by a maintenance one every six weeks.

It’s not cheap, but, says Sophie, the results are worth it. To prove her point, she introduces me to her mum, Jill, who works alongside her in the salon. Jill is in her early 50s but looks ten years younger with hardly a line visible, which Sophie credits to the oxygen facials.

Sophie also offers a range of massage treatments, including hot stone therapy, manicures, pedicures, fake tan application and waxing.

She believes her new rural salon fills a gap in the market. “We’re all a bit stressed and strapped for time. Battling the traffic and dealing with parking in York runs counter to relaxation. It’s hard to switch off during a massage or facial if you’re about to get a parking ticket. Once you pull up to The Beauty Room you can really being to relax.”

* Contact: Sophie at The Beauty Room, 19 Moorlands Road, Skelton, York Y030 1XZ. Tel: 01904 471805, email: info@sophieatthebeautyroom.co.uk or visit www.sophieatthebeautyroom.co.uk