Kat Graham in Vogue Arabia, May 2019. Photo: Alex Wolfe
Behind a white door of a beautiful converted synagogue in London’s Notting Hill lies a very special space. A haven of tranquillity. And beautiful artwork. And burning candles. And extractions. And lasers. And microneedling. It is the clinic of Teresa Tarmey, the British-born, world-travelling celebrity and editor facialist favorite, renowned for her skin treatments that are always – always – guaranteed to give an incredible glow. A self-taught, self-made skincare professional, today Tarmey adds an impressive new string to her bow as the newly appointed Dior Global Skincare Expert.
With 25 years of experience at her fingertips (quite literally), Tarmey hails from a coal-mining village near Doncaster in the centre of the United Kingdom. Having qualified as a beauty therapist, she decided to embark on a specialism in skincare after a bout of acne. “Because I had suffered with my skin, I knew I wanted to try to fix mine and also be able to help others,” she explains. “I was having laser treatments and microneedling in addition to being rigorous with products, and I was seeing the results that were happening in my skin. It was then that I decided I wanted to have a piece of the pie and focused on my [skincare] training. So I moved to London…” After stints in treatment rooms at a premier gym franchise and hair salon on Bond Street, she opened the doors that had her name on, and the rest, as they say, is history….
Here, Tarmey tells Vogue her step-by-step guide to achieving your best skin yet.
Cleanse, cleanse, cleanse
“Cleaning the skin well is super important. I love this cleanser for many reasons. It goes on the skin like silk, literally. You don’t need much at all either so a little goes a long way. I’m very much into how things look, and so I’m a sucker for packaging – this looks super slick in the shower or sink side.”
Incorporate a serum into your daily routine
“The light consistency of this serum gives the skin a great glow. It’s also great for those looking for more natural ingredients, as it’s 91 per cent natural, which I find pretty impressive.”
Never forget your SPF
“Protecting your skin is one of the most imperative aspects of your skincare routine. And let’s start with trust. I trust that a product like this one is going to protect my skin, which is of course the most important thing. The texture is great and it acts as a moisturizer for those not wanting to layer up products. It also doesn’t leave that yucky or white film, which is ideal.”
Incorporate a lactic acid
“So the reason I love lactic is because it suits most skin types. I find glycolic can be a little bit strong, especially on darker skin types and salicylic, whilst brilliant to spot treat blemishes, can be harsh when treating the whole face. This lactic is great for resurfacing, it doesn’t dry skin out and requires no downtime. It definitely brightens the skin, helps with pigmentation and gets really good results.”
Don’t skip your eye cream
“Eye cream is easy to forget. But having something like this Dior Prestige Eye Serum is like having a piece of art or jewellery in your bathroom. It has this gorgeous, cooling applicator that contours the eye area with 11 tiny micro-pearls that rotate and dispense the serum. The formula has 22 micro-nutrients that have been specifically formulated for the delicate eye area.”
Microneedling weekly works
“Whether it’s at home or in a treatment, microneedling when done on a very low level can see fantastic results with the skin. I am a big believer in the ‘little and often’ approach and doing this regularly will bring about the glow by regenerating the skin.”
Have a regular approach to facials
“When people come in [to clinic], they’re having a treatment and they’re looking to get results. But I also say at my clinic, it is about results with love. We do extractions, lasers, peels and microneedling, but we also do nice massages – and each treatment is bespoke. Skin takes time and improves little by little, so I have always liked to take a gentle approach. It’s much better.”
Originally published in Vogue.co.uk
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