The Natural Lift Facial treatment at the Nourish Shed

By: Fifi

Autumn is officially here which for some (myself included) may mean your skin is in a dull, lacklustre post-summer rut. Which was why I was particularly excited about trying the Natural Lift Facial Massage at The Nourish Shed in Peckham, in an attempt to rejuvenate my skin and I suppose, take time out to, relax.

If you are like me and your skincare routine consists of a quick cleanse and a dab of moisturising cream, you may think of a facial as more of a luxury rather than something that is beneficial in easing tension and draining toxic build up. Well, that was what I thought until I discovered what The Nourish Shed had to offer.

Ele Osborn, founder of The Nourish Shed has opened a relaxing wellbeing practice in Peckham that focuses on natural facial rejuvenation. Ele who is qualified with an accredited diploma in this type of natural treatment developed an interest in holistic health after receiving treatment for bad eczema (which she suffered from as a child) by a Chinese herbalist. Since then, she has been inspired by wellbeing practices that she has encountered around the world, such as Ayurvedic practice, Chinese medicine and, naturopathic techniques.

The Natural Lift Facial that Ele offers, is a technique that tones and lifts facial muscles, stimulates the lymphatic system to drain toxic build up and, improve skin complexion. Ele is very informative and passionate about the subject, explaining how tension builds up in our faces without us even realising it and, how our facial muscles need the same attention as the rest of our body when it comes to alleviating knots and stress. During the massage, acupressure points are activated to help stimulate energy flow and release tension, whilst Ayurvedic ‘smoothing’ techniques boost circulation helping the body’s natural detox systems work more effectively. Meaning, this type of treatment is more of a deep and intense facial massage rather than a normal facial you might get at a beauty salon or spa.

From the moment I walked into The Nourish Shed, I felt instantly relaxed. You are met with softly playing music and the wonderful smell of natural oil aromas. I was offered a herbal tea (I went for Skullcap; which helps relieve anxiety and tension), whilst Ele talked me through the process and benefits of the treatment. She asked me about my lifestyle and skincare routine, ensuring the facial massage was tailored to my needs.

During the 45 minute massage, Ele used repetitive finger movements along each area of my face, neck and scalp to relieve tension and knots. I felt myself slowly unwind and my muscles loosen. Some parts of the facial massage were more relaxing and soothing whilst other parts were more rigorous, with more pressure being applied to areas that needed more focus (like my tense jawline). Both resulted in my face feeling instantly tighter and brighter in complexion - I didn’t feel the need to wear makeup for the rest of the day.

After the massage Ele gave me some great tips and advice on how I can work some simple techniques into my daily skincare routine to help tone areas of the face. I walked out of The Nourish Shed with glowing skin, feeling surprisingly energised and with a whole new wealth of skincare knowledge!

The Nourish Shed sells scrumptious beauty oils by Skinirvana which Ele uses during massages and a face tool used in Chinese medical treatments called guasha; a circulation-boosting scraping tool used to reduce puffy skin and tensed-up muscles. Ele is also in the midst of finishing an organic skincare foundation course, in order to develop her own range of skincare products - we can’t wait!

For health and wellbeing tips, give the Nourish Shed a follow on Instagram.

60 minute slot / 45 minute massage at The Nourish Shed – £60.

For appointments email Ele: el@thenourishshed.com

The Nourish Shed, Waveney Avenue, SE15 3UQ

The lovely Ele invited me down to try the natural face lift massage at The Nourish Shed. The review and any opinions expressed are my own.