I expect a lot from a facial. Gone are the days where a thorough cleanse, a gentle steam, and a light stroking of the face would do. Nowadays, the best kinds of facial go skin deep, are high-tech and promise sustained results long after you've left the treatment bed. While there are ample treatments to choose from, few are as highly touted as the Lyma Lift, which costs £450 per session and lasts for 90 minutes.
That price tag comes with an equally jaw-dropping reputation. A favourite among the celebrity circuit, the Lyma Lift has become a pre-award season essential for a flurry of A-listers including Gillian Anderson, Keira Knightley, Cillian Murphy and Naomie Harris, to name a few. And while you might expect this in-demand, celebrity-approved facial to be totally top-secret, exclusive and inaccessible, you too can book in to get a red carpet-ready glow at the brand's HQ in Marylebone, London. And recently, I did just that.
What is the Lyma Lift facial?
The truth is, the Lyma Lift did in fact begin as a top-secret pop-up treatment in an undisclosed location in London, which was offered up to London Fashion Week's FROW posse. But word soon spread like wildfire thanks to social media, and before officially launching at the end of 2023, the treatment had accumulated a waitlist of over 1,000 sign ups. It's not often you hear of a facial creating such a stir.
The facial was developed by facial palsy plastic surgeon, Dr Graeme E. Glass MD PhD, who has a deep understanding of the facial structure, connective tissue and muscle alignment, and sought to fill the gap between surgical lifting techniques and low-fi face yoga.
'The Lyma Lift is designed to be the ultimate facial, combining state of the art skincare with manual conditioning of the muscles of facial expression and all subject to the incredible regenerative potential of the Lyma Laser. This protocol is designed to promote a naturally taught, tension-free face brimming with youthful vigour,' says Dr Graeme E.
Unlike radiofrequency or microcurrent treatments, the facial doesn't rely on electrical muscle stimulation. Instead, it incorporates specialised hand massage techniques, which are intended to reawaken facial muscle memory that gets into the deepest levels of the skin to encourage cell renewal, boost collagen production, increase blood flow and optimise lymphatic drainage. This is only enhanced with the brand's iconic Lyma Laser, the first clinic-grade laser cleared for use at home, which means the treatment is uniquely positioned to remodel and rebuild the skin from the base up.
The LYMA Laser PRO, for example, delivers a coherent, continuous and ultra-diffused 1450mW near-infrared laser light that is deeply bio-stimulating (808nm) with a treatment area of 33cm2 and penetrates to a depth of up to 10cm to stimulate the mitochondria, which helps skin to produce ATP (Adenosine Triphosphate). Just like the rest of our body, our skin needs energy to work properly. That energy comes in the form of ATP and it helps the skin stay hydrated, produce collagen and elastin (which keep it firm and plump), and constantly renew itself. Without enough ATP, the skin becomes dull, dehydrated, and starts to sag or age at a faster rate. Think of it as charging up the skin’s internal battery, so it has the energy it needs to repair and regenerate itself. But that's not all, the laser also switches off the genes that cause cells to deteriorate, too.
What happens during the Lyma Lift facial?
Lyma's London HQ is unassuming and tucked away in a quiet area of Marylebone, it's no wonder A-listers have been secretly flocking here for a moment of solace pre-red carpet. In a corner of the office lies a neutral-toned treatment oasis where iconic sculptor of skin, Yvonne Martin (who was the hands behind the LFW effect), begins to work her magic.
The 90 minute treatment starts with a quick skin consultation before moving onto an oil cleanser to hydrate and break down pollution and degraded sebum, followed by a milk cleanser to clear deeper impurities. Then, Martin moves onto a gentle lactic acid peel to refresh the skin, before applying the Lyma Mist and Glide, £115 (this is a crucial step, the pair are 100x more powerful than an oxygen facial), which oxygenate and prep the skin for the Lyma Laser. Martin used both the Lyma Laser and the Lyma Laser Pro on my face and décolletage for 15 minutes, which helps trigger collagen renewal deep in the dermis. The final stretch is a 30-minute bespoke massage, which combines lymphatic drainage, acupressure, knuckling, lifting, sculpting, and even vibrational techniques, before epigenetic science powered Lyma Skincare is applied to finish off.
'Every movement is tailored to the client’s face, so no two treatments are exactly the same. Together, all of this delivers that signature lift, glow, and long-lasting rejuvenation you simply don’t get from other facials,' says Martin.
Once my 90 minutes where up, Martin had to wake me as I had fully lost all consciousness having fallen into a deep sleep by the time she started her laser work. It's a testament to her gentle yet extremely firm touch – a quick look at a mirror revealed the best post-facial glow I've ever encountered, with smoothed, juicy plump skin, and a hell of a lot more facial definition than what we started with. It's no wonder A-listers are queuing up for the treatment.
In fact, Martin explains, they love it 'because it works instantly – and keeps working. You leave the treatment looking more lifted, glowing, de-puffed, and hydrated, and those results actually continue to improve over the next couple of days as the cells respond. Many clients will keep using the Lyma Laser in the lead-up to their event, even while sitting in the make-up chair or getting their hair styled, so the results build beautifully right up until they step onto the red carpet.'
Everything I learned from having the Lyma Lift facial
Having dealt with acne for years and been gifted all the post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation scares to prove it, I was surprised to hear that Martin thought highly of my skin, 'You've got beautiful muscle and collagen quality,' she notes in our consultation, which immediately set the tone of the treatment. This isn't a facial that superficially looks at what's happening at the surface but works on a bottom-to-top approach.
That said, Martin explains, 'The aim is rejuvenation – plumping the skin, softening both fine and deep lines, reducing redness and pigmentation, and improving overall tone and hydration. Longer-term, it also works on scarring and post-acne marks. Really, it’s suitable for anyone who wants their skin to look healthier and more youthful. It’s not just surface-level glow; it’s encouraging your skin to behave as it did years ago.'
With 35 years of experience under her belt, when developing the facial Martin combined tried-and-true universal techniques with new movements she created specifically, and refined everything over a four month trial period. Those techniques begin at the heart.
'I always start at the chest because I want to stimulate circulation and the thymus gland – even though it’s much smaller in adults, it plays a role in immune function. Then I work on the platysma, a superficial muscle of the neck, which wraps around like a scarf and influences the jawline and face. By improving blood and lymphatic flow here, the face responds much better. I also stimulate lymph nodes under the arms to help drain toxins. On the face itself, I work from the surface right down to the bone – improving blood flow, oxygen delivery, and collagen stimulation at every level. It’s almost like a manual version of what the laser is doing, so the two complement each other perfectly.'
Will I be back for another treatment? I'm already counting down the days.
Shop: The Lyma Laser
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Lyma Laser
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Expert-backed and well-loved by a flurry of A-listers who use this both at home and pre-red carpet, the Lyma Laser uses a 500mW near-infrared continuous cold laser beam at 808nm to penetrate deep through all layers of the skin to target its underlying architecture, helping to heal it from the inside out.
Sameeha Shaikh, beauty writer, says: 'Up to 100x more effective than LED devices, this clinical-grade laser tool for at-home use works at the deepest layers of the skin, targeting fat and muscle to trigger cellular-level energy production. The result? Skin rejuvenation on many counts, from the reduction of the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles to combatting pigmentation and blemishes (the latter being my personal favourite).'
Pros
- First clinical-grade laser cleared for home use
- Cold laser to minimise discomfort
Cons
- High price point
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There is good reason why Lyma boasts a loyal legion of celebrity fans and expert facialists. As one of the most powerful at-home laser devices on the market, it works at a cellular level 10cm below the skin surface to transform skin from the inside out. The LYMA Laser PRO takes the unrivalled power of the LYMA Laser and triples it.
Sameeha Shaikh, beauty writer, says: 'I've been following Lyma since it first launched to market with a revolutionary all-in-one supplement that targets skin, sleep and stress simultaneously. But the brand's laser tech really proves its edge over the industry. There is much to be said for its impressive category defining approach, but for me the Lyma Laser wins by its inclusive nature. Unlike other lasers which aren't suitable for deep skin tones due to concerns over scaring, the Lyma Laser has been optimised for all as it doesn’t rely on damaging skin in order to renew it. Very refreshing indeed.'
Pros
- No pain, damage or downtime
- Known to be the most powerful at-home laser device
Cons
- Very high price point
Sameeha Shaikh is Grazia's beauty writer, covering all categories to bring you insights on the latest trends, industry news and the products you need to know about, viral or not (most probably viral).