Another facial to add to my list of favourites; the Valmont Energy Ritual at Harrod’s Urban Retreat. I was at Harrods to have a little introduction to Valmont’s latest product launch, the Time Master Intensive Program, which is a month-long treatment of powerful serums that tackle signs of ageing. I’ve simplified it greatly, there, but the programme costs £827 so it’s not going to have mass appeal! (If you’d like to find out more then the link to the Urban Retreat page is here.) A quick glance over Valmont’s (extensive) product line and prices revealed that this is a super-premium brand; serious, science-led, sat right up there in beauty’s Premier Heights alongside brands such as La Prairie and Creme de la Mer. These are not beauty regimes many people could ever afford to maintain in their entirety, which is why I think that often their signature facials are quite a good idea. You get to experience the brand’s key products and hero ingredients and you can usually ask the therapist quite detailed questions about the ranges and the particular things that would suit your skin.

 I opted for the “Energy Ritual” which seemed to have dozens of steps. Despite many of the stages feeling very functional and efficient (cleansing, tingly mask) I was absolutely relaxed from the very first second. The balance between massage movements and what I like to call “proper hardcore facial moves” was spot-on – and there was never a moment that felt like wasted time. It lasted for a full hour (not a minute less) and afterwards, on stepping into the bathrooms to check my face, I found that my skin looked perfect. Full of life, even-toned (how does that even happen?) and plumped out. The initial effects lasted for a few days but my skin still felt very soft and smooth a week later. Uncharacteristically so. I’ll be adding the Valmont Facial to my list of favourites – there was no strange period of “purging” or spots popping to the surface and so this is definitely one that I’d do the day before an event or party if I needed to pep myself up.

There are two other rituals – the Firmness and the Hydration facials. Each costs £140 for an hour and can be booked at Urban Retreat, Harrods. (020 7893 8333) The dates for the summer sessions are as follows: 21-25 May for the Energy Facials and 18-22 June for the Hydration Ritual.