Wildsmith Skin: From Heckfield Place To Liberty London

Ascending the staircase to the first floor of Liberty London, I discovered a beautiful micro-forest, with plant seedlings transplanted from Heckfield Place’s Hampshire grounds. Here also lies THE WILDSMITH HOUSE positioned directly under the flood-lit atrium, wherein the most grounding and multi sensorial facials are being carried out until 27 May. The team endeavoured to bring a slice of Heckfield Place’s holistic wellness space — The Bothy Spa — to London soil, condensing their Radical Botany Facial into an immersive thirty minute ritual.

Ensconced inside this charming wooden shed, laying in the comfy chair whilst gazing upwards at the skylight, my therapist Katie hands me a pair of airpods to commence this truly multi sensorial experience. I'm already aware this isn't any old facial: the rumblings of excitable shoppers ebb away as I am taken through a gentle guided meditation instructing me to focus on my breathing, whilst a soothing balm of spearmint and meadow seafoam is placed under my nose, further grounding me in the moment. This lasts for a couple of minutes before the urban surroundings further melt away as a new soundtrack follows, taken from a stroll around the grounds of Heckfield Place. I hear a cacophony of birdsong, the gentle humming of bees I imagine landing on exuberant spring flowers, and the satisfying crunch of twigs underfoot. This soundtrack is perfect for quieting my thoughts and refocusing on the moment whenever I find my mind wandering to my to-do-list…

The Radical Botany Facial is the perfect showcase for Wildsmith Skin’s highly efficacious, luxurious, and aromatic products. It begins with the application of the buttery soft Active Repair Nourishing Cleansing Balm to gently lift away the day’s dirt and oil — this is London after all — without stripping skin of moisture. Next follows a second cleanse with the Energising Cleansing Gel, a pleasing gel-to-foam formula laden with vitamin B5 and C-rich English mulberry to brighten skin and lock in moisture. Throughout this thorough double cleanse, my therapist gets to work on areas of tension, mollifying my tight jaw, taught temples and gentle pressing between the brows before a reassuringly vigorous scalp massage takes place. Next up, my skin is exfoliated with the Active Repair Radiance Polisher, a gentle-yet-potent blend of walnut shell, rosehip and cranberry seed powders to lift away skin cells for an ultra-soft complexion. Skin is then prepped with a series of serums to protect it before re-emerging to the busy London streets outside. The silky and antioxidant-rich Time Release Drops give another welcome dose of Vitamin C as a barrier against pollution, while the pairing of the Active Repair Copper Peptide Serum and Moisturiser smooth and plump skin further. The final result is juicy, dewy and refreshed skin.  

Your therapist will recommend products best suited to your complexion, which you will absolutely want to sweep up from Wildsmith Skin’s new counter in the beauty hall to bring the magic of Heckfield Place back home with you....

Complimentary facials are bookable until 27 May by visiting wildsmithskin.com.

THE WILDSMITH HOUSE at Liberty London, Regent Street, London, W1B 5AH