It’s all about your Skyn
Skyn Sanctuary by Amanda Muirehead has now settled in its cute and cosy wooden cabin. Tucked away in Nether Auchendrane, Ayr, it’s a little SPA heaven where you can take care of yourself, pamper your skin, find relaxation and revive your body and soul. As I was curious to know more, I’ve asked Amanda…
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Consultation & Treatments
“When you first come in, you will sit down for a consultation. I will find out about your skin, your current routine, what your concerns are, and take notes. I will ask you what you are looking to achieve with the treatment and explain what to expect and go through the different steps with you. I will then give you some reassurance to make you feel comfortable and build up some confidence as well. The consultation doesn’t take a lot of time and it’s not coming off your treatment time. It’s a quick chat. I want to be a one to one service. It’s all about you when you come in. The time is totally dedicated to you. I want to give a five stars luxury service but keeping it affordable. I like plenty of time with my clients.
After the consultation, you will pop up onto the bed. Depending on the treatment, I can ask you to remove any jewellery or clothing but I will step away to let you get organised. It’s very private in here, no one can see through the blinds. The bed is nice and heated and we’ve got blankets. So you will be comfortable throughout your treatment. If you need any adjustments (I have clients with sore knees or backs etc…), I will try to make it as comfy as possible using cushions, as you are lying down.”
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“Regarding the treatments, if I do a facial like an Hydrofacial, I will explain the steps throughout but if you don’t want to chat, that’s absolutely fine as well because it’s your treatment. If it’s a massage, I don’t usually talk but if you want to talk, that’s fine too. Obviously, it’s up to you. I do offer a silent appointment so you don’t need to feel awkward. You can nod off if you want. A few clients like to have a snooze and I take this as a compliment because it means you are nice and relaxed.
After your treatment, I will pop out to let you get sorted. I will offer you a complementary bottle of water you can take away with you. I’ve got a fridge, so it’s nice and cool. If you have done a facial treatment or a massage, you’ll need hydration afterwards. I offer loyalty cards, and can take payment at the till. If you have any questions, you can ask me. I will give you after care advice as well and steps to follow. I’m always there on hands, just give me a message if you are concerned.”
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“The treatment is tailored to you. Every experience will be completely different. It is a one to one service, nice and private. I want you to come and totally enjoy your treatment and the experience. I am very customer focused and have always been. It’s always how you want to be treated and I just want you to come back with a smile on your face.
It’s called Skyn Sanctuary, so skin is my number one focus. I am offering you to help you with any skincare concerns. There’s obviously different type of facials I offer. We have the Hydrofacial, which is the popular one at the moment. This one is a good one as it’s for all skin types. You get instant result with it. It gentle cleanse the skin. The Dermaplanning is also very popular and works well with the Hydrofacial. It removes the dead skin that’s been on the surface for up to four weeks, as well as vellus hair. The Dermaplanning and Hydrofacial really complement each others.
I do a Teen Clean Facial that’s proven popular too. It is to introduce skincare to the young generation and tell them it’s not just all about the make-up and the foundation. It shows them how to look after their skin. The skin obviously starts from within and it’s a little bit of education for them as well. It’s from age 12 to 17.
If someone has got any concerns or are not sure what treatment to go for, they can ask me any questions. Obviously, we’ll go over that during the consultation. If I feel a specific treatment is right for you, I will let you know at the time of consultation.”
©️Skyn Sanctuary
“I predominantly do facials but I have a make-up background as well. I was trained with Clarins, Guerlain and Kiehl’s. I will be introducing a cosmetic brand that is totally animal friendly, cruelty free and natural. I am still working on it but really looking forward to introducing the SPA brand Eve Taylor London to my clients. I want it to be as Vegan as possible and I need something I like the ethic of. Eve Taylor London is affordable and at the same time delivers good results. The products will be available for customers to purchase.
It is a necessity to look after your skin. The skin is the biggest function in the body. I do offer body treatments as well. A nice Full Body Salt & Oil Scrub and a Back Facial. You tend to forget about your back as it is an area you can't reach. These treatments are perfect for brides or if you go on holiday.
I’ll do an introductory offer every month that will be announced on Fresha, Facebook, Instagram and the WhatsApp broadcast. I am also working on a facial for your feet. Watch this space! There’s not a lot of people offering it in Ayrshire. I will also be opening up packages for occasions, brides etc…”
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Amanda’s background
“What triggered my spark for beauty? I’ve always been interested in it. I love skincare, make-up since I’m 15/16. I worked in Debenham’s in Glasgow and got moved to the cosmetics department with my manager. As I was working as a Supervisor, I got interested and started chatting with the girls. I thought I really wanted to do this and started some training through a few different companies. When I got my position at Clarins, I was 25, worked full time and did all their training in London. It was an intense five days complemented with a sales course. That’s how I got accredited through Clarins. When I had my first daughter Ava, I didn’t go back and set myself up with a lot of bridal make-up. I was enjoying the facial side of things more than the rest. I then relocated because of my husband’s job so I had to give it up at the time. This is when I went to work in Liverpool for Kielh’s skincare. Then again, I did all the training with them in York and worked with them for a few years. After Kielh’s I worked for Guerlain. I again did all my training with them in London: make-up and advanced make-up. I had a little facial room in Hourstons, Ayr (which is no longer there anymore), where I did a lot of treatments, skincare and make-up parties for ladies - just to pull people in to get to know Guerlain. Guerlain was very expensive. The products are beautiful. I would work with £300 serums and that could go up to £1 000. Gorgeous skincare but really really luxury. I got made redundant when the lockdown hit. I was due to go back to Clarins but that never happened because of the pandemic. That’s when I started The Body Shop @home to give me something to do, to give me a focus. Then, I started using their skincare and thought it was really good. I had only used luxury brands. I liked everything about the company. I took it from there and then it blew it up and three months later I was a manager for them. This is what I did the past three years.
As I turned 40, I started to think and realised I wanted to set myself up again. It’s been in the plan for a long time. Obviously, I had my facials and make-up trainings and I did some training with my beauty business before but advanced skincare got really popular more so now, like Micro Needling, Chemical Peels, Hydrofacials and I didn’t have that aspect of it. So last year I went and did all my refresher trainings and decided to step up. This is me now. I just want people to feel good and happy, leave them with a good skin and educate them as well on how to look after their skin.”
©️Skyn Sanctuary