insideKENT Magazine Issue 30 - September 2014 | Page 83

HEALTH+WELLNESS kalista beauty BY SAMANTHA G There has been a quiet revolution in the cosmetic beauty industry right here in Kent. Kalista Beauty opened its doors to its sleek, shiny, new Keston home this June, and I could not wait to see just what was going on. You may as yet be unfamiliar with the name Kar n e Kroese, but rest assured that this is about to change. Having accrued over 30 years’ experience in the beauty industry, gaining elite and celebrity clients from across the world and winning the accolade of Best Facialist by American Vogue, Karen made the decision to leave her practice in London to harness more quality time close to her home in leafy Kent. A stint working from an amazing home therapy suite quickly built up a Kent client base, and as demand (inevitably) grew, the decision was made to launch a brand new purpose-built therapy base in the north of the county within the Keston's Kent Dental and Beauty Practice. s It’ fair to say that you can’t open a magazine, watch TV or even walk down the street without being bombarded by anti-aging advice, fancy new product claims or pressure to undergo painful and invasive procedures all in the name of beauty . Therefore, it was refreshing to hear about the different approach to skincare that mother-anddaughter team, Karen and Lauren, at Kalista take great pride in. Their specialist anti-aging and skin repair treatments focus predominately on non-surgical procedures, using all-natural products. The most popular choices are the Caci Non-Surgical Face Lift (Microcurrent face and body toning, Crystal Free Microdermabrasion, LED Photo Therapy and High Frequency stimulation); La Prairie (for which Karen is the only approved independent stockist in the UK); and Priori, whose range includes my new beauty favourite, CoffeeBerry. Whilst the results speak for themselves in the countless testimonials and before and after pictures of smiling hap py clients, there's nothing more convincing then experiencing treatments firsthand. Having suffered with sensitive skin and occasional psoriasis outbreaks, I have always been wary of bold claims of natural products that fail to live up to expectations. This time, however, I was blown away. In the comfortable surroundings of Kalista's therapy room, my skin was treated to a CoffeeBerry facial; a treatment developed from coffee cherry extract by chemist and cosmeceutical pioneer, Joseph Lewis. The range, with its unique faint coffee fragrance, fosters great results in skin dryness, smoothness and a reduction in lines and wrinkles. Following this, I was able to experience firsthand a Dermalux LED Phototherapy treatment. Phototherapy is a non-invasive treatment that uses pure light (think infra red/blue, not UV) and is clinically proven to be an effective treatment to a wide range of skin conditions such as acne, rosacea, eczema, psoriasis and anti-aging. Not only is it pain free, but also there is no ‘downtime’ after the treatment – a sticking point in our busy lives! What's more, with different wavelengths available, Karen and Lauren approve a tailored programme of skincare for each and every client. Lying on the comfortable treatment bed, the machine was placed – in my case – over my face. Adorned with protective goggles, my light treatment began. It took a while to adjust to the glaring rays but there is no pain, no skin sensitivity and before I knew it, I was ready to see the results. After just one morning of treatments, my skin was noticeably smoother, plumper and 83 glowing; leaving me in little doubt of the possibilities should I continue with a course of regular treatments. Alongside Caci and Dermalux, the duo offers facials, massages, tanning, waxing, bio-sculpture gel manicures/pedicures and semipermanent make up. In addition, clients can benefit from special offers on pampering packages and gift vouchers. It's rare to find great treatments and natural products that not only live up to expectations, but actually exceed them. Better still, this local retreat combines impressive expertise with that of a friendly, knowledgeable and passionate service from both Lauren and Karen. It's these such vital factors that instantly puts you at ease, and I, for one, can’t wait to go back for my next treatment. 1 Leonard Place Westerham Road Keston BR2 HQ (within Kent Dental Practice) 07770 390 498 [email protected] www.kalistabeauty.co.uk