Q&A with Celebrity Facialist Michaella Bolder

1. To start with, tell us a bit about your journey to become the iconic celebrity facialist that you are today! Had you always been interested in the beauty/skincare world?

Most kids spend their pocket money on penny sweets, but I used to spend mine in the local pharmacy on skincare and anything that smelt nice whilst trying to find a cure for my eczema! Beauty has definitely been a huge passion of mine since I can remember.

2. Let’s say someone comes to you for a facial, doesn’t really have a solid skincare routine and mixes/matches products regularly but really wants to start taking better care of their skin, where would you encourage them to start their skincare journey?

First of all, we would need to determine their skin type and concerns, then I would recommend products to suit the clients skin type and get them set up on a daily facial routine for the morning and the evening as well as mid-week exfoliation and mask applications to boost skin results. 

3. What does clean beauty mean to you?

Clean beauty is a brand that represents a natural process using organic and clean ingredients without testing on animals and they are presented in hygienic packaging. 

4. What does your skincare routine consist of, particularly to nourish dry, winter skin?

I have a morning routine which will consist of a cleanse, serum application which sometimes I will double up on, followed by a layer or two of day cream mixed with a few drops of facial oil and SPF 30. My evening routine will be a double cleanse, a sweep of Lactic acid (only twice a week 5%) and facial oil massages deeply into my skin, sometimes I will add a cheeky jade roller or sculpting tool to change it up a little.

5. What’s one typical thing you see people doing wrong when it comes to skincare (e.g. not cleansing, using harsh products, over-exfoliating?)

The most common issue is people using incorrect skincare for their type, there is also a lot of acid misuse which causes further issues and not keeping up with a regular routine leaving your skin vulnerable to the environmental stressors 

6. When you think back to when you first heard about Romilly Wilde, what was it about the brand that you connected with?

The first product I got my hands on was Light & Energy Serum Cleanser, I loved the packaging and the explanation of the wonderful natural ingredients got me excited! Using it to cleanse gave my skin the most nourished, hydrated and clean result. I found it so easy to move around the face during my facial massage that it allowed me to leave it on as a mask for a further 10 minutes - a dream in a bottle for me!

7. What does it mean to you to be the newly appointed facial expert for Romilly Wilde at Harrods?

It’s a huge honour to not only represent Romilly Wilde skincare but to also perform the treatment from the most exclusive venue a Facialist could wish for. 

8. Which Romilly Wilde product is your favourite and why?

Light & Energy Serum Cleanser would be my favourite as it’s a beautiful product to work with and a pleasure to have on the skin, the bonus is it acts as two essential products in one! 

9. Using Romilly Wilde products, describe the steps you’d take when using them in a facial for an ‘at home’ treatment?

A double cleanse in the morning and evenings using two pumps and a deep pressure massage / apply 4 pumps of Advanced Supercell Serum pressing it into the face and neck until fully absorbed / two pumps of Eye Believe pressed and massage around the eye area followed by two - three pumps of Active Boost Face Oil massaged in circular motion around the face, neck & chest until fully absorbed (this process can also be optioned for night time use alone for oily / combination skins). At this point you can also add a pump or two of Night Duty Face Cream in the day or night-time to give your skin an extra boost of hydration especially in the colder winter months.

10. Onto your exciting facials… They’re truly unique! What makes them special?

My facial treatment reflects my passion and love for skincare, each treatment is slightly tailored to the client’s needs from working deeper on particular areas showing tension or brightening up dull skin, to adding another layer of product. My aim during an hour together is to transform the way you feel inside and out along with confidence in your own skin and a daily routine locked down. 

11. There’s a holistic, spiritual element to your facial. How important is this and how does this change the experience for the client?

The one thing I focus on is making sure my client feels completely comfortable with me and the treatment ahead. I feel it is a key element to be able to connect with the person I am treating and enable myself to feel and rebalance their energy. Working with my hands means that I can not only feel but I can also return a nurturing and healing energy back to the client. From the moment we are in my room with the door shut, my focus is 100% with that one person until the treatment has finished and my job is done to the best of my ability. 

12. After 10 years in the trade, what advice would you give for healthy, glowing skin?

Try not to follow skincare trends, find what suits your skin and stick to it. Your skin likes to be in a routine and it must be repeated twice daily, add an exfoliation stage mid-week and a mask session two or three times a week to really boost the skins product absorption and up your hydration levels. Double cleansing is a must and a regular facial treatment will work wonders on rebalancing the skin and enabling active ingredients, aid relaxation and deeper skin work to be performed.