If the world of facials sounds as daunting as stepping into a Dior boutique in Mayfair, then you've come to the right place. It’s never easy navigating the City for the best facialist in London, but one clinic stands out among the plethora of choices.

Skincare expert, product developer and nutritionist, Lisa Franklin, is a relentless polymath. Having set up her own business, spearheading two clinic openings, and overseeing her namesake skincare products from inception, one would be curious to know when she plans on slowing down.

After having opened the doors to her new London flagship space in April 2021, Lisa Franklin’s Clinic Privé is quickly becoming one of the ‘It’ places to be seen in the capital.

Lisa has transformed a small-ish space into a swanky, intimate and relaxing clinic, targeting well-heeled locals and foreign tourists who spend much of their time in London during the summer.

The clinic is located a short distance from Harrods in a modern 3-floor baroque building. The lovely receptionist is dressed well and is courteous as we make ourselves at home.

The waiting area is worthy of a picture or two, featuring marble floors, plush chairs and quirky portraits of Steve McQueen, Audrey Hepburn and Frida Kahlo on the wall, as well as many more..

It’s clear to see Lisa has a love affair with tastefully furnished spaces, flowers and hues of pink and grey: the healing properties in rose quartz fascinate her and feature in her treatments and products.

We’ve been booked in to experience the facial which claims to Repair, Recover & Renew through a tailored approach to the skin. The aim of the facial is to introduce natural antioxidants to the skin to tackle inflammation and boost skin cell metabolism, both of which hydrate and create a dewy glow. It’s ideal for those who suffer from tired, lacklustre skin as well as acne and rosacea.

In a room as elegantly polished as the rest of the clinic, we experience light therapy, a Rose Quartz lymphatic drainage massage and a gentle medical-grade peel applied to the skin., For added benefit, pure oxygen is blown onto our skin to provide it with a kick of life that skin so desperately needs.

If a peel sounds daunting, the strength is tailored to each person’s individual need and applied carefully in layers.

We notice our skin not only appears to be glowing and hydrated but inflammation and red pigmentation is noticeably more subdued.

Downtime for this facial is antithetical to those facials which leave your skin somewhat irritated and sensitive. You’ll walk away from this treatment with a shiny glow - to be left on the skin until evening time - to allow the full effects of the serums to penetrate the skin.

Before we depart, we have the chance to catch up with Lisa herself, who shares the story of her early career, her love of rose quartz and why sunscreen should be every girl’s best friend.

Lisa, tell us a little bit about your trajectory to opening up your flagship clinic, Lisa Franklin Clinic Privé?

“I’ve always been passionate about skin, especially being a rosacea sufferer from childhood, the way I felt and looked was important to my self-confidence. With over 20 years in the skincare and beauty business, I’ve learnt a thing or two about achieving and maintaining a healthy complexion. I identified a gap in the market for a scientifically backed and conscientious skincare brand that could help me achieve that skin “glow”.

I considered every detail when I started; the ingredients, the packaging, the décor in the clinic. There was so much to do and I learned on the job. I opened the Lisa Franklin Clinic Prive in 2014 and then, in April 2021, we moved to larger premises in Knightsbridge. We are now an award-winning aesthetic clinic in London looking after people of all ages and ethnicities. During Lockdown, I was busy creating and developing more amazing products to add to the Lisa Franklin London collection. 2022 is set to be an exciting time for us!”

What advice would you give your 20-year-old self about skincare and taking care of yourself?

“Discover what your genes say about you. This will help set you up for a truly successful lifelong skincare journey that is tailored to your exact needs. Don’t waste your hard-earned money from your part-time job on products that don’t work for your skin and its unique needs. Once you’ve discovered your unique genetics needs, find a trusted facialist who understands these skin needs. A facial should be like going to the dentist - it will set up your skin health for the future and mean youthful-looking skin for longer.”

You have a deep appreciation for rose quartz: how did you come about discovering its benefits and how did its healing properties benefit you?

“I’ve always been fascinated by crystals and in particular Rose Quartz with its beautiful pink hue and ability to amplify energy and love. Rose Quartz also imparts many skin health benefits by calming inflammation, releasing tension and supporting cell renewal - even the ancient Egyptians carved Rose Quartz into facial masks. You will find the Rose Quartz narrative running throughout my brand which I feature to transfer lover and energy to my clients.”

Are there any skincare mistakes you see and hear your clients making that you’d want other ladies to avoid?

“Use sunscreen every day. Even if it’s cloudy. Don’t worry about getting a tan! Applying sunscreen is the most important step in any skincare routine. Apply it in the morning and keep re-applying throughout the day. Whilst effects of UV are well documented, air pollution (particulate matter), visible light radiation and infrared are now equally important concerns to address when considering long-term skin health. For that reason, I recently added the Lisa Franklin Sol Protect to my line of products. The formula provides high-grade protection from the sun and neutralises the harmful effects of electronic radiation pollution from screens and devices.“

Can you tell us your proudest career moment to date?

“The highest point was without a doubt the launch of my first product, it was so challenging but I loved every minute of it. Even before starting my business I had already begun development on it. I had a vision for a Hero Product, one that would address the redness caused by Rosacea (my own particular skin concern), a product that would suit all skins and would create the perfect base for makeup application. It took the best part of five years of all my spare time whilst holding down a full-time job to develop it. I'm happy to say that the Luminescent Base really is my Hero Product with over 6 awards and became the benchmark from which I developed the rest of my current skincare range, I couldn’t live without it!”

Find Lisa and her group of talented facialists in Knightsbridge in London.

251 Brompton Road, Knightsbridge SW3 2EP

020 7752 0217

clinicprive@lisafranklin.london