WHEN offered the chance to experience one of Ginger Tree Holistic Skin Clinic’s facials, I absolutely jumped at the chance.

Kathy is well-known locally for being the best of the best, an accolade backed up by her many awards, including most recently Best One Person Business at the Original Richmond Business and Tourism Awards; but also British Association of Beauty Therapy and Cosmetology Awards for Best Facialist and Best Individual Salon.

Ginger Tree is based in the beautiful Aske Estate, just outside of Richmond towards Gilling West, and as soon as you turn into the wide, sweeping driveway, you already feel at peace.

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Kathy has been based at Aske since 2014, after having been working out of locations in the Yorkshire Dales for ten years.

She said the move to Aske worked perfectly for her, as it combines the peace and tranquillity she wanted for her clients with being more accessible to find.

The salon specialises in bespoke facial and holistic treatments incorporating the benefits of relaxation and medical-grade skin care to create treatments tailored to clients and the concern they want to solve.

As a woman approaching 40, I wanted Kathy’s advice on how to up my skincare game.

On entering the salon, clients are invited to remove their coat and shoes downstairs, before heading up to Kathy’s rooms, which as well as her spacious treatment room include a cosy consultation area with an adjoining further treatment space.

Kathy is instantly warm and genuinely interested in learning about you and your skin needs. Our consultation was incredibly in-depth, and Kathy explained the science behind what our skins needs without leaving me feeling too bogged down.

I expected to be a fairly low-maintenance client, having no major skin issues, but Kathy informed me my skin was very dehydrated. She also identified some redness over my nose and cheeks, which she was sure she could sort out for me.

Kathy said: “All my treatments are bespoke based on what each client needs. I always do a full skin consultation for a new client – I’m like a skin detective and I take them on a journey to get the best results possible.

“I always keep a relaxation element. My clients get an experience that balances mind, body and spirit as I use my background in homeopathy and reflexology, as well as multiple massage methods, skin science and both advanced and manual facial techniques.

“I create skin health journeys to increase your skin’s quality, luminosity, smoothness, and resilience, which means you retain glowing, healthy skin and improve your general well-being.”

My experience can certainly testify to that. Kathy initially used the Observe 520 machine, which is basically a skin analysis machine taking six pictures of the skin focusing on redness, bacteria, UV damage, general skin health, and a combination of them all.

I was a bit shocked to learn that I quite a build up of bacteria on my face – but Kathy said it was likely down to my cleanser not doing its job properly. Thankfully, my UV damage was relatively minimal as I’m dedicated to using a high SPF all year round, and I was glad to see it has paid off.

Following that, Kathy did a relaxing facial using Dermaviduals products. She left me tucked up on her comfortable bed – she uses a mattress topper above an already comfortable bed and plenty of cosy blankets, so no back ache from a basic hard massage bed here – while I listened to the birdsong and occasional lamb bleating from outside on the estate.

To conclude my treatment, Kathy used her Dermalux LED machine, which she bought with support from the UK Prosperity Fund grant.

The machine uses different grades of light therapy, from red light, which aids the regeneration of skin, including collagen production; blue light, which works on the skin’s surface to eliminate bacteria and treat acne; and near-infrared, which works to heal skin, ease pigmentation and improve scarring.

Kathy used the near-infrared setting on me, as she said it was a good place to start any type of skin with light treatment.

All too soon – yet somehow more than two hours had passed – my experience at Ginger Tree was over. Kathy showed me my face in the mirror and I was amazed at how glowing my skin looked and how plump and soft it felt already.

Kathy gave me some excellent advice on supplements which will help my skin’s health, and also pointed out a range of products to try – which a week on have already made a noticeable improvement to my skin tone.

Kathy really is a skin queen – go and see what she can do for you.

For more information or to book your skin consultation and find out what else Kathy has to offer, contact: 07891 481090; kathy@gingertreeskinclinic.co.uk.

7 Aske Stables, Aske, Richmond DL10 5HG