If you try one facial, make it Skinstorm - it erased a high-stress year from my face in one hour flat

I've had a stressful week (two words: moving house) and to be completely honest, this entire year hasn't been kind to my cortisol levels.

I wouldn't say 2025 was my annus horribilis - there were many moments of magic and joy too - but there has been a fair bit of 'keeping it together' to do, and I think it might show.

It's an unkindness of nature that while you're internally a bit wobbly, your skin tends to advertise the fact. In my case, it manifests as dull and dry texture - a sort of sluggishness that looks like it needs a good shake-up. So you probably can guess why a non-injectable treatment called Skinstorm appealed on name alone.

Why Skinstorm is my beauty treatment of the week

This branded facial from Crystal Clear (of woman&home Beauty Award-winning 10 Minute Glow fame) sits in my favorite treatment genre - somewhere between gentle spa facials and high-octane tweaks like Botox or Ultherapy.

This means it's designed to be results-driven, not relaxing, but doesn't involve pain, downtime, or risks. If I had to compare, the Hydrafacial is the obvious choice - and I've had more of those glow-boosting bad boys than any other treatment.

The reason I booked into The Clinic at Holland Park to submit my skin to the 'Storm was how intensive it sounded - even more so than the Hydra. The six-step, 60-minute session basically throws the kitchen sink at creating radiance. It layers up resurfacing, LED light, peels, and needling, and pumps the skin full of moisture and oxygen.

Said steps, and my experience of them, went a little like this:

• Vortex cleanse: Sorry to use the H word again but this was like the Hydrafacial, using a little device to vacuum out congestion and cool the skin with pleasantly chilly oxygen.
• Microdermabrasion: A slightly fatter hand-held device blasted my skin with ultra-fine crystals. It felt better than it sounds - a whirring and a satisfying scrubbiness. I also got some red light therapy here, which is always a gentle treat.
• Peeling: A gel mask was spread on, which felt lightly warm and tingly, mostly in a good way, with the odd prickle here and there. Luckily, more cryo followed immediately for a delicious, cooling effect.
• Ice needling: Dissolvable oxygen enters the skin through tiny channels created by teeny-tiny needles on a dermaroller. Anything needle-based sounds intense, but these rollers feel no more invasive than running a bristle hairbrush over your skin.
• High-pressure injection: Not actually an injection. This was a disconcertingly noisy but comfy little device that blasted hydrating serum into my skin. Absolutely amazing for general plumping and 'filling' lines, and my undereye area had lots of those.
• Triplefusion phototherapy: AKA more LED lights, which was such a gorgeous, soothing way to end the treatment after all that needling and blasting.

And the upshot of all that exfoliation and layering of cold , warmth, oxygen, and hydration? A happier, glowier, bouncier complexion and - honestly - a more peaceful mind.

If you're in the thick of it for any reason, I'm convinced the Skinstorm could blast the evidence away. It'd also be amazing for a general winter radiance boost, or for a party or big event. Do it the day before, as you shouldn't really put makeup on freshly needled skin.

To clarify, I'm well aware you can't just facial your cares away. But the act of lying still for an hour, being tended to by machines and human touch, then looking in the mirror and not seeing an 'I've had a tough time' face staring back is helpful. And in lieu of a treatment that prompts flat buyers to exchange in a timely fashion, it's what we've got. Sounds good? Great! Let's chat next Sunday.

Skinstorm costs £350 per facial, or a package of 6 sessions for £1750 at The Clinic at Holland Park

For nationwide clinics and prices, visit Crystalclear.co.uk