Spa days might be my favourite past time. Ok, I say that a lot of things are my favourite things to do, but the experience I am about to describe may just be it. This month I was invited to the La Mer spa which has opened in the newly refurbished Adare Manor, Co. Limerick. There are luxury destinations, and then there is Adare Manor which takes it to whole new levels. But back to the spa thing for a minute. La Mer prides itself on being one of the world’s most luxurious skincare brands, and having been educated on the process that each product goes through before it lands on your face, I can understand why. We all have heard of its Creme de La Mer which has been a pioneering and cult product, yet I had never tried it. I was also surprised to see how large the range is, taking particular note of the foundation which I will get into in more detail shortly. But back to the spa.
La Mer have eight spas around the world, and one is in Ireland, giving the Adare location even more pull with beauty junkies. Climbing downs stairs into the basement of the old manor house, the spa is a tranquil space with light decor complimented by the friendliness of the La Mer trained therapists. I was to have a facial like no other. The “La Mer Miracle Broth” facial is a 90 minute treatment (that flies by!) which infuses the renowned Miracle Broth formula into the skin. My face has never been cleansed so gently, leaving it so clean my face was sparkling. This was done using the Micellar Water, a product type we all know of, but what makes this product different is its lack of alcohol making it ideal for sensitive skin like mine.
This was followed by the Hydrating Mask which comes in two parts, that are applied to the upper and lower parts of the face. While this settled into my pores to work its magic, I was treated to an upper back and shoulder massage which my aching muscles definitely needed. The end of the facial focuses on moisturising, and using the soft creme on my face (based on my consultation this formula was the best for my skin type) the therapist warmed the creme and then lightly pressed it into my face. If you use the creme then this is how it should be applied all the time. It allows the ingredients to work through the initial warmth and by pressing the creme, it is absorbed efficiently. After the quickest 90 minutes, my skin was glowing. I felt relaxed and revived, with skin that loved every second of the experience.
Now, I have had so many questions about the La Mer foundation and what I think having tried it out. Given that it is an investment, prior to purchasing, I highly recommend visiting a La Mer counter to speak with the experts to ascertain the colour you need and how to apply it (in Ireland, there is a La Mer counter in Brown Thomas).
I’m wearing “Porcelain” and it is such a good colour match for my pale skin. The formula is light, but build-able, and I was delighted with how long it lasted over an evening. My skin can feel tight when wearing makeup, but not with this. I applied it in the images here using the La Mer foundation brush, in circular motions to blend. I found that you don’t need a lot of it for coverage so the bottle will last. The result is dewy, fresh looking skin that is made up, but remains hydrated all day.
If you would like to know more about the La Mer Spa, there is more info here, and you can also check out the La Mer website to see the full range of products.
Photographs by Anouska Proetta Brandon – you can check out her amazing photography page here.
