What’s it like getting an Oscars facial? We put the A-listers’ beauty secret to the test

I am lying on a heated bed, cocooned inside a white tent filled with pure oxygen.

Sinking deeper beneath the warm sheets, I feel relaxed – which is ironic considering I have a terrifying florescent pink mask strapped to my face.

It may make me look like something out of Star Wars – a stormtrooper in touch with their feminine side, perhaps? – but this LED mask is supposedly doing wonders for my skin.

It’s just one step in the Natura Bissé Diamond Life Infusion facial, a treatment that was originally developed for celebrities attending the 2014 Oscars.

The 90-minute facial promises to redefine contours and improve skin texture, ideal for paparazzi close-ups – which explains why A-listers including Gwyneth Paltrow, Beyonce, Kim Kardashian and Sofia Vergara are reportedly fans of it.

And with the Academy Awards just around the corner, a treatment like this is just the kind of thing the stars are likely to be undergoing to get themselves red carpet ready.

But you don’t have to be a celebrity to get a facial fit for the Oscars.

Tucked away in the leafy Cotswolds, Whatley Manor Hotel and Spa recently launched the Diamond Life Infusion in their Aquarias Spa – and I checked it out to get a taste of Hollywood glamour.

As well as offering the treatment itself – which includes a ‘Champagne effect’ exfoliation and a mask containing gold – Aquarias is also the first UK spa to have a permanent Natura Bissé Pure Air Bubble.

Filled with 99.9% pure filtered air, this serene white tent is said to make treatment more effective than in a regular room, as the products are absorbed into the skin ten times faster in air that is free from pollution, allergens and dust.

“This treatment is a great alternative for people who don’t want to go under the knife or have botox injections,” says my therapist Violaine Besnard after zipping us into the Air Bubble.

“It will lift your skin, minimize the lines around your eyes, repair cells that have been damaged by the sun or pollution and rejuvenate your skin for 3.9 years.”

Thrilled at the prospect of having skin that looks almost four years younger, I take a deep breath to inhale the lavender scent Violaine hovers over my nose, kickstarting the facial.

First she cleanses and tones my face, before applying an exfoliating potion containing fruit acid. This, mixed with dabbings of carbonate powder and drops of botanic water, makes my skin tingle as the products react and froth like Champagne on my skin.

Next, it’s time to plump and tighten my skin with the use of a special magnetic massager and Violaine’s super soft fingers.

Worryingly, the massager looks a bit like a miniature sledgehammer – but thankfully it only gently vibrates as Violaine moves it up and down my forehead, cheeks and neck, sounding increasingly like a bumble bee the closer it gets to my ear.

“This will stimulate microcirculation, increase the level of oxygen and eliminate toxins,” Violaine explains. All of these should work wonders for rejuvenating my skin.

A surprisingly relaxing facial rub follows. I start to drift off as Violaine gently squeezes and pushes the muscles on my face – from cheeks to eyebrows – in a bid to activate the collagen, lift the skin and help the products sink in.

I wake up in time to see the part I’d been waiting for – the LED mask.

Kourtney Kardashian and Jessica Alba are among the celebrities to have embraced the beauty technology, posting selfies of themselves wearing the sci-fi style masks.

Violaine switches the LED lights on and puts the mask on me. I’m happily surprised to find that it’s not uncomfortable or hot, and Violaine explains its benefits while massaging my arms and shoulders.

“The LED light stimulates the synthesis of collagen and accelerates cellular metabolism, rejuvenating the skin. It helps create fresher looking complexions, which is what you want on the red carpet or if you’re trying to get rid of winter weary skin.”

After around ten minutes, the LED mask is replaced with another – this time an alginate peel-off mask containing extracts of gold and pearl.

I feel like I’m being embalmed as Violaine lightly spreads the cold mixture onto my entire face, covering even my eyes and mouth and leaving just my nostrils uncovered until the mask hardens.

The gold is said to create a luminous effect, helping the skin glow, while the mask as a whole is designed to firm and refresh the skin.

When the mask is peeled off, it’s time for the finishing touch – SPF 50 to help protect my 3.9-years-younger face from the sun’s harmful rays.

With the treatment complete, I head for the mirror. Will the years have been shed?

The change is not as dramatic as I’d hoped for. The lines under my eyes and across my forehead haven’t vanished.

But my skin certainly feels softer, fresher and more healthy. My complexion appears less red and more luminous – as though I’ve had a really good night’s sleep. And a spot that was on my cheek is definitely less visible.

Violaine says that one treatment isn’t a quick fix, and she normally recommends regular monthly treatments to see optimum results.

Whether or not I look dramatically different, after 90 minutes of pampering, I at least feel red carpet ready. And that, surely, is the first steps towards being fit for the Oscars.

The 90-minute Natura Bissé Diamond Life Infusion costs £150 (with a supplement of £10 for use of the Natura Bissé Pure Air Bubble). A one night stay at Whatley Manor Hotel and Spa costs from £325 per room per night (two sharing), including full English breakfast and use of Aquarias Spa.

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