Taking in superfoods with a Raw Facial

The trend for all-things raw shows no sign of fading. First, winging its way from the USA, it was raw food - London picked up the trend with new raw, vegan restaurant Saf.

Meanwhile, the Raw Fairies recently launched the UK's first raw food delivery service, while Mini Size Me, run by Kundalini yoga teacher Siridatta, offers lifestyle programmes hinged on a heady combination of a raw food, Kundalini yoga and NPL.

It didn't take long for the raw craze to move to skincare. New skincare companies Live Native and Raw Gaia are selling cosmetics continuing live enzymes that have bypassed the nutrient-sapping cooking process.

And now, spas are cottoning on to the consumers' new-found love for all-things raw and natural.

An urban retreat

Glow Urban Spa, tucked away in a prime location in Knightsbridge, is offering London's first raw face lift.

The spa itself is one of those rare finds: a small but zen-like town-centre retreat peppered with flickering candles.

I arrived feeling somewhat frazzled after a uber-busy tube ride - but the tension melted away even before I laid down, wrapped in warm towels, in one of the treatment rooms.

My therapist, Danielle, was warm and accommodating without being smothering. For the next 55 minutes she massaged a roll-call of super-foods into the skin on my face, neck and upper body.

The antioxidant-rich ingredients would make a nutritionist's mouth water: acai berries, green tea, acerola cherries, Manuka honey to cleanse and oatmeal to moisturise.

All these concoctions are freshly made on the day of the treatment, and chosen for their antioxidant and nutrition-rich properties.

Consumer demand

It is interesting to following consumers' rapidly growing awareness of the cumulative dangers of chemical and preservative-heavy cosmetics.

At least 40% of everything we put on our skin is absorbed into the body, yet most major skincare products available on the high street are still laden with synthetic chemical ingredients such as parabens.

Glow Urban Spa is not the only spa to be offering all-natural facials - but there are few (if any) other places on this side of the Pond using all-raw, unadulterated ingredients prepared fresh on the day.

The health benefits of this approach are no different to following a healthy diet. The antioxidant properties in superfoods are as good for the skin as for the body when taken in through the mouth - for instance, keeping the skin supple by neutralising free radicals.

If it's in a smoothie...

Many of the ingredients used in the Raw Glow Facial are familiar for their popular use in smoothies: acai berries, for example, are often used in juice blends for their health-giving ingredients, which include linoleic acid and palmitic acid. The deep purple fruit is also famous for being packed with omega 6 and 9 fatty acids, plus vitamins and minerals.

Manuka honey is renowned for its multiple health benefits - it is an anti-inflammatory; it fights superbugs ; soothes skin conditions and is even said to boost energy levels. Meanwhile, oatmeal is often used in skincare products for its ex foliating and moisturising properties.

In my treatment it was applied last of all, to add moisturise to my natural dry skin, and left a very think milky residue on my skin, which came off easily with a tiny splash of water. For the next few days, my skin felt silky smooth, radiant and moisturised.

As well as the Raw Glow Facial I had, Glow Urban Spa offers a City Buster treatment, designed to revitalised stressed skin; a moisture-rich Jet Lag treatment; and a Cocoon Balancing facial containing avocado and evening primrose.

All this doesn't come cheap - the 55-minute treatment costs £85 - but for a treat, or memorable present to a loved one, I couldn't recommend it highly enough.

www.glowurbanspa.co.uk

Review by Lucia Cockcroft, editor