I caught up with celebrity beauty therapist, facialist, creator of the inner facial, and all round beauty Guru Nichola Joss. Nichola is a total babe, always looks incredible but is also extremely knowledgeable on all things beauty. Always highly demand, Nichola divides her time between London and New York working with very high profile clients, from supermodels like Kate Moss and actresses including Megan Markle. I have long been a huge fan of Nichola’s and have been lucky enough to have had treatments with her, and I leave her with my skin and face feeling fabulous and firm. I wanted to get the lowdown on all her beauty hacks and products she can’t live without.
Nichola which three beauty items could you not live without A facial oil/balm, a cleansing product, and reefa massaging tools.
What’s your skincare regime, and does this differ from morning to night? I have a really regimented skincare routine, which alters depending on the time of day. In the morning, I cleanse with a facial micellar water oil to awaken my skin and remove any overnight puffiness. I massage this in to stimulate the lymphatic system, before removing with a warm, damp face cloth and spritzing with a facial mist. I then apply my actives – a mix of serums such as hyaluronic acid, matrixes peptides and either a retinol serum or an antioxidant. I leave these to fully absorb into the skin for around ten minutes (which is when I do my hair and take my anti-ageing supplements). Then my skin is ready for day cream! I like to use a moisturiser with stem cells. Lastly, I apply an SPF before beginning on my make-up.
I like to split my evening skincare routine into two separate sessions. Firstly, as soon as I get home, I remove all my make-up, daily pollution and topical grime using a cleansing oil, massaging it into the skin before removing with a face cloth. I then spritz my skin with a facial mist, followed by a liquid exfoliator applied onto a cotton pad and swept over my skin. I then apply actives, which I leave to absorb and drop into the skin for a few hours.
Then, at bedtime, I use a facial oil or balm and spend 5-10 minutes massaging this into my skin using sweeping strokes working from the centre of the face, working upwards and outward, and concentrating on the jawline, under the cheekbones and across the brow. I use pressure to massage in the oil as this helps to stimulate the lymphatic system and drain any toxins and congestion from the face, as well as destressing the muscle tissue, stimulating the reflexology points and fully hydrating the skin before sleep. I finish by taking anti-aging night supplements.
What’s been your biggest beauty faux pas? In the nineties, I over plucked my eyebrows – much to the horror of my mother and grandmother!
When, and what, was your last beauty treatment? I had an inner facial and a full-body lymphatic drainage massage with the other half off Joss Beauty – Charlotte Connoley. We try and give each other treatments once a month to constantly develop and improve our treatments. I developed the signature treatment, ‘The Inner Facial’, which involves lymphatic drainage massage, deep tissue pressure point massage and sculpting techniques to literally re-shape and lift the facial muscles. The Inner Facial involves an element of massaging from inside the mouth, which gets to work within the deeper facial muscles to immediately lift and tone, leaving your skin looking younger, fresher and more relaxed. The facial is a bespoke treatment and addresses all skin and muscle issues, and it is great for anyone wanting an immediate ‘face lift’. The body treatment incorporates a full-body lymphatic drainage massage technique, as well as deep tissue and pressure point elements to rid the body of toxins, tone and firm muscle tissue, and improve skin’s texture and vitality. It reduces the appearance of cellulite, improving circulation, and leaving you with glowing skin and a more sculpted silhouette.
What’s your best beauty tip or tricks to share with the readers of You Glow Girl?
Massage, massage, massage . . .
Begin by washing your hands, and then follow these simple steps.
Step 1: Apply your favourite facial oil to the palms of your hands and rub together gently. Place the palms of the hands onto the cheeks and side of the face gently pressing in the oil. Take one palm and place onto the forehead, pressing in the oil. Then work down the neck from under the ears, sweeping towards the centre of the neck and ending at the opposite shoulder. Do the same the other side repeating three times each side. This will help to open the lymph system.
Step 2: Work from the bridge of the nose, sweep outwards and upwards towards the hairline. Do this six times.
Step 3: Take your index and middle finger, palms facing out, and hold the jaw firmly between the two fingers. Starting from the chin, gently bend the knuckles and sweep out towards the edge of the jawline. Do this six times.
Step 4: Taking the heels of the palms, gently press under the cheekbone area and push the palms in and hold for a count of six.
Step 5: The eyes. Place index fingers on the temple, gently supporting the skin and pulling slightly towards hairline. Take your middle fingers and gently sweep under the eye area towards the bridge of the nose, and then, using pressure, slowly work along the eye brow line. Do this six times.
Finish by organically massaging the face using the fingertips in a circular motion – always working outwards and upwards.
Who is your beauty idol? Elle MacPherson. I have known Elle for over ten years. She is my beauty idol on so many levels – skin, hair, body, business woman, health & wellness. She has achieved so much.
How do you motivate yourself? Music really helps me to get motivated. I have different Spotify playlists depending on what mood I’m in.
What do you do to cheer yourself up? Exercise. I start at 6:30 a.m. after a ten-minute meditation. I have a great personal trainer who comes to my house, and this really helps to start my day on a happy note. Lori really puts me through my paces, and has helped to build strength and stamina in my body. I also use the app YogaGlo to do daily online classes. They have everything from meditation, yoga nidra, and classes for strength and agility.
What makes you happy? Apart from being at home with my boys and having some down time, I love mixing ingredients to create bespoke oil serums for my clients. Charlotte and I spend hours in my kitchen creating tailor-made products.
What makes you angry? Badly advised injectable procedures given to women and men in their twenties.
Which beauty trend do you wish would go away? The over use of foundations, concealers, contouring and base products to give the illusion of flawless sculpted-looking skin and facial contours.
How do you make an entrance at a party? I don’t really like making an entrance at a party. I much prefer to quietly scan the room. I am more comfortable in smaller groups of people at intimate dinners or get-togethers. However, wearing a great pair of heels and having my hair styled by Serge Normant (he does the best big hair) makes sure that, at around 6ft, everyone knows I am there!
For more information on Nicholas treatments go to her website nicholajoss.com or find her on Instagram @Nicholajoss
