Welcome to the next instalment of the #beautyinsider Q&As, where you can find out who is behind some of your favourite beauty brands, what they are working on and how they got there. This month’s guest is Lisa Franklin, award-winning skincare expert and facialist. With a clinic on London’s Sloane Street and a range of high-end skincare products to her name, Lisa offers incredibly tailored facials, ensuring each treatment addresses the skin concerns of the individual. I was lucky enough to experience one of Lisa’s bespoke facials, and true to her promise it delivered exactly what I had requested: decongested, hydrated and refreshed skin. The one-hour facial performed in the rose quartz adorned private clinic was the ultimate luxurious experience, featuring state of the art technology, scientifically advanced products, and good old-fashioned hands-on treatment, all delivered with the highest level of service. In these 60 minutes my skin went through a double cleanse, steam, extraction, hydrating mask, oxygen therapy, chemical peel, serum and SPF. My skin came out looking and feeling so healthy, this is the kind of treatment you can easily get hooked on. So how did Lisa get to where she is now and what top skincare tips does she share with city dwellers? Read on to find out more.

1. Hi Lisa, thank you for being my Insider Q&A guest this month. Let’s start at the beginning: how did you become a skincare expert and facialist?

I have always been passionate about looking after my skin from an early age, following a strict skincare regime, so it was natural that I would end up working with skin in some capacity.

2. What does a typical day look like for you?

I get up early around 6am, check and reply to emails, eat a healthy breakfast, I have an Acai bowl most mornings. Depending on the day and my schedule I also see my personal trainer.  I tend to get into the clinic around 9am, most days I leave at 8pm and go out for dinner.

3. What are the most common skin complaints you come across with your clients?

– Congestion, which is characterised by large pores, blackheads and whiteheads, caused by a build-up of dead skin cells.

– Hyperpigmentation, which is caused by an increase in melanin, the natural pigment that gives skin, hair and eyes their colour. Darkened patches or spots appear on the skin, making it look uneven, with the main culprits being sun exposure, skin injuries (eg. acne scars) or changes in hormone levels.

– Redness and sensitivity, which is caused by many different factors, including pollution, excessive temperatures or rosacea.

4. What would be your top 3 skincare tips for city dwellers?

1. Adopt a thorough cleansing routine both day and night, as this will ensure particulate matter, dirt and grime are consistently removed. This provides the skin with the perfect platform to achieve optimum skin health.

2. Increase your antioxidant intake, both in your skincare and the food you eat. This will help to neutralise free radicals, which damage the skin by speeding up its ageing process.

3.  Daily moisturising will keep the skin barrier healthy, hydrated and better able to cope with air-conditioned offices and rapid changes in temperature. And always use a sunscreen! Even on cloudy days, UVA radiation from the sun wreaks havoc on the skin and causes collagen breakdown.

5. Insider tips! What are the key beauty ingredients or skincare trends to look out for this year?

I think demand for sustainable, ethical and natural ingredients will continue to grow, with emphasis on healthy ageing, great skin without Botox and fillers.  Consumers are more aware of the positive effects of wellbeing on external beauty and question the science of skincare and the ingredients used in products. The concept of the skin microbiome is new and the recent trend for products containing probiotics for optimal immune functioning of the skin is increasing. Anti-pollution skincare continues to rise as pollution increases problems such as skin sensitivity.

6. And finally – what do you get up to when you’re not creating beautiful skin?

I love to spend time with family and friends. People are very important to me. To relax I like to eat good food, keep fit and practise Yoga which always benefits the soul. I also love the fresh air, and as much as I love city life I regularly get out of the city to be in the countryside or by the sea.

So – tempted to experience Lisa’s magic touch? Her most popular treatment is her Repair Recover Renew Signature Facial, a 90 minute treatment that you can book here. As with all her facials, is totally unique to your skin’s needs, using a combination of traditional hands on techniques such as cleansing, exfoliation, steaming, manual extraction with advanced technology, such as Galvanic, LED, Oxygen therapy and microcurrent, dependent on your requirements. Lisa uses her own product range LISA FRANKLIN PRO-EFFECT as well as other innovative products and devices. If you have any burning questions you’d like to ask Lisa why not leave a comment below? Or you can get in touch with her directly at @lisafranklinuk