WHAT I TRIED: A facial for teenagers at the Nails Secret Spa in Abu Dhabi. WHAT I EXPECTED: As it was my first facial, I had no idea what to expect but I thought it would involve having a green gunk layered on to my face and two slices of cucumber put on my eyes. WHAT I EXPERIENCED: I was taken upstairs into a room with calm music playing and told to lie on a bed. As I did so, the bed began to rise up and two towels were placed over me. I put my head on a pillow and shut my eyes. To start with, the beautician put a refreshing cool substance on my face using cotton wool. She used a number of lotions and massaged them into my face. She wiped my face clean and gently applied a fresh lotion using what felt like a paintbrush - I felt as if I were a piece of paper and she was the painter as she layered the cream on. The coolness of the creams gave me goose bumps but this was a good thing as it felt refreshing. The beautician told me to keep my eyes shut as she placed something on my eyes: I spent a long time wondering what these were but I soon discovered it was cotton wool. She turned on a heater which was placed over my face and hot air was blown on to me. Despite my worrying about whether the pieces of cotton wool would fall off, it felt very relaxing. The beautician left the room and I was left to relax for a few minutes, listening to the calming music as I tried not to fall asleep. When she returned she placed the cotton wool securely back on to my eyes as they had fallen half way down my cheeks. I heard a revving sound that was quite worrying as I had no idea what she was going to do - but thankfully the machine was just used to exfoliate my skin which felt really nice. In order to make my skin look clear and remove my spots, she used what I think was a small pin to break into the spots. This was very uncomfortable and painful but I managed to get through it without complaining. After this there was another revving sound (but this time I wasn't so worried), which came from a different machine. It was a feeling I had never experienced before - like a small vacuum cleaner on my face - but it didn't feel painful, it was just a strange feeling. To finish she added some more lotion to my face, making it feel cool and clean. The bed moved back down, I sat up and the beautician gave me a gentle massage on my shoulders and upper back to relieve tension. It was lovely.
THE VERDICT: Although my skin was a bit red afterwards, it was unbelievably clear - and spotless. I was left looking clean and fresh and blackhead-free. I had a lovely facial that I will recommend to all my friends. Julia Wright (age 15). A teenage facial starts at Dh150 at Nails Secret Spa, Muroor Road, Abu Dhabi, 02 448 4522.
We're giving away a set of skincare products by Shine Control, the new range from Clean & Clear, designed especially for oil-prone young skin. Containing natural fruit extracts, the range includes Shine Control Wash and the Shine Control Scrub, which used a regularly will remove any dirt, impurities and excess oil in your pores that can cause spots. Finish with the Shine Control Daily Facial Moisturiser that will leave your skin soft and smooth without feeling greasy. For a chance to win, e-mail your name, address and contact number in a message marked 'Shine' to magazine@thenational.ae before midnight on Friday August 7. Jurlique Purifying Mask, Dh217, Faces Good for sensitive, problem skins, this Australian brand only uses organic or natural ingredients and gently lifts away impurities, dead skin cells and excess oils. Eve Lom Rescue Mask, Dh385, Faces The skincare guru's award-winning mask gives blotchy, sluggish, dry skin a thorough deep clean, with camphor to decongest and ground almonds to gently exfoliate, leaving you looking visibly more radiant.
Dr Sebagh Anti-Pollution Purifying Mask, Dh335, Faces A must for city dwellers with oily and combination skin, this effective astringent mask absorbs excess oil, tightens pores and minimises the appearance of blemishes and blackheads.
