Beauty, Treatments
March down Chiltern Street, and you could easily miss the Bharti Vyas Centre. I did. The subtle exterior belies a holistic enterprise that stretches back over 4 decades. Step inside and you immediately feel calm; the décor has been carefully chosen to compliment the nurturing nature of the business.
When I arrived, Bharti greeted me by name. It was the kindest gesture and I felt as if I was being reunited with family, not meeting someone for the first time. It’s in Bharti’s nature to put you at ease. She may be a legend within the beauty industry. She may be the woman who has been practising natural therapies long before they became fashionable, but at heart, Bharti is a wife and mother. You know Bharti is going to take care of you.
As we sat on the sofa in reception, Bharti held my hands and asked if felt well. I have never been asked if I was well by a therapist. Bharti is unusual in that she sees you as a whole, it’s important to her to know how you feel inside as well as how you look on the outside. I realised that she was looking at my face, into my eyes, and while waiting for my answer, she was already deciding how best to treat my skin. I told her that other than a problem with my throat, I was really well. Only after we had discussed my throat did we move to the treatment room.
Once inside, I was made comfortable in a big pair of compression boots. They were to work on lymphatic drainage at the same time as my facial. While Bharti works from the top, the boots work from the bottom, speeding up the lymphatic system throughout the body. Bharti was ahead of the game introducing compression boots as part of her BVM Harmonising Treatment many years ago.
Bharti cleansed my face with oil. She explained that not only does the oil breakdown makeup, sun protection and dirt, it also gives you the first opportunity to massage your face. This was followed by exfoliation and a mask that was left to work while I relaxed. Not entirely easy as your legs are being squeezed at the same time, but you know that ultimately your body is getting the kick start it needs.
Once the mask was removed and Bharti started to massage my face, it became clear why she is so well respected. She knows how to lift a face using only her fingers. It’s not surprising that celebrities have said they wish they had found Bharti before having surgery. As Bharti massaged my face and neck it was as if she was pulling the tension out through the top of my head, lifting my features at the same time. After the treatment my skin looked smoother, less lined and relaxed, yet lifted. Plumper and hydrated and generally healthier looking with a slight flush of colour where fresh blood and nutrients had been brought to the surface. Healthy looking skin, isn’t that what we all want?
Bharti’s success as a therapist, author, and founder of a skincare line, comes from a deep seated appreciation of traditional Ayurvedic principles combined with an interest in Western technology. She mastered the three A’s, Ayurveda, Acupuncture and Aromatherapy, and has found ways of utilising them in both her treatments and skincare products.
After the treatment, Bharti set me a daily routine using her skincare line The Ultimate Therapy Range which she launched in 1997. Since this time Bharti has been constantly researching and developing the products. She isn’t happy unless she is certain that each product has the very best ingredients to address our skin concerns. The product range is currently being repackaged to reflect the company as it is today. It’s a family business, and although Bharti has trained her two daughters Shailu Karia and Priti Vyas, they both have many skills, qualifications, and specialisations of their own. But there is no doubt who is at the helm of the business. Bharti might be in her 70s, although without knowing you would be hard pressed to age her, she is most definitely in charge and unlikely to hand over the reins soon.
As I left the Bharti Vyas Holistic Treatment Centre with a beautiful bag of products and thoughtful gifts, I felt renewed and reinvigorated, ready to take on the day looking and feeling better.
Bharti’s belief that ‘beauty on the outside begins on the inside’ describes her so well. She is definitely beautiful inside and out. She has promised to keep working until she’s 90. I believe she will.
Bharti Vyas BVM Acu-lymphatic Facial 60 minutes £79.00
Bharti Vyas Beauty Therapy and Laser Centre 24 Chiltern Street, London W1U 7QE
With thanks to Bharti Vyas for the BVM Acu-lymphatic Facial
