Inside Clinic Ten in the heart of London, SheerLuxe’s Mollie Burdell lies back as facialist Lana works a suction wand across her face – extracting, hydrating, sculpting – all while Mollie keeps up a remarkably candid conversation about hyperpigmentation, hormonal breakouts, postpartum skin and why her husband always knows when she’s been in the bathroom too long.
Joining her is Dr. Shireen, with the kind of skin advice that makes you want to toss half your skincare shelf and start fresh. Between them, they cover skin burnout, prejuvenation, the ingredients that actually work, what actually happens during a HydrO2 Facial, and the one thing you should never skip.
Have a read of the full transcript below, or watch the video if you’d rather see it all in action.
Understanding “skin burnout” and the power of the double cleanse
Mollie Burdell: I’m very excited to have a bit of a spring skin reset. I feel like I’ve got a bit of “skin burnout,” which is a real thing, right?
Dr. Shireen: Absolutely! Skin burnout is a really common phenomenon. If you think about the lives we live, there is chronic stress, we live in a polluted city, and many of us aren’t sleeping very well – we both have young babies, so we know what that’s like! All of these little things cause our skin to burn out, showing up as dullness, fine lines, and wrinkles. The slightly annoying thing is that the skin has a memory, so all these little micro-stresses show up over time because the skin doesn’t forget. Fortunately, treatments like the HydrO2 facial you are having today are a great way to unclog the pores, hydrate, and combat those effects.
Mollie: How often should we be doing routine facials?
Dr. Shireen: If you don’t have specific concerns and just want to maintain your skin, if you are over the age of 30, once a month to once every six weeks is optimal. As we get older, our skin cell turnover slows down, meaning we accumulate dead skin cells. Cleansing at home also really helps, especially a double cleanse.
Mollie: I love a double cleanse! In the morning I use a gel cleanser, but at night I see my cleansing as a bit of a ritual when my daughter goes to bed. I just zen out with a balmy, delicious cleanser; it’s an experience.
Dr. Shireen: Exactly, double cleansing should be done in the evenings. You want an oil-based cleanser to melt away SPF and makeup, followed by a water or foam-based cleanser to wash away all the dead cells. Skincare doesn’t need to feel like a chore; it’s a moment of quiet relaxation and self-care.
Postpartum skin, hormones, and the extraction process during a facial
Mollie: [Feeling the facial machine] What is going on here? I can feel a bit of suction.
Lana (Practitioner): Yes, this is a suction motion that is penetrating salicylic acid into your skin while sucking out all the unwanted blackheads.
Mollie: For me, postpartum, my skin is a lot drier, but I still have areas of oiliness. I particularly notice around my chin is where it gets clogged with whiteheads and blackheads.
Dr. Shireen: That is really common! During pregnancy, the oestrogen often gives us quite good skin, but afterwards our hormones drop. Combine that with sleepless nights and stress, and it really impacts your skin. Spots around the jawline and chin are quite often hormonally driven by an increase in androgens, like testosterone. As we get older, hormonal imbalances target those specific areas.
Demystifying facials: classic, hydrating, and medical-grade
Mollie: There are so many facials on offer. Who benefits from classic, hydrating, or medical-grade options?
Dr. Shireen: Looking at Treatwell, there are so many available that it can feel overwhelming!
- Classic facials: Offer a cleanse, mild exfoliation, and muscle relaxation. Everyone benefits from this.
- Hydrating facials: Like the one you’re having, these go a level deeper to clear sebum and oil, reducing the appearance of pores (since we can’t actually open or close them). They are highly customisable. We can add salicylic acid to clear spots and uneven texture, hyaluronic acid to draw water into winter-dehydrated skin, and glycolic acid (an AHA) to exfoliate dead cells. The best part? The downtime is absolute zero.
- Medical grade (e.g., microneedling): An extremely effective, underrated treatment for texture and acne scars. It does have a few days of downtime, leaving you with mild redness like a sunburn, so it’s best done on a Friday afternoon before a quiet weekend of no makeup.
The truth about skin picking & adult acne triggers
Mollie: It’s classic that the day I’m filming, I’ve had a breakout. I have to confess, I am a skin picker. My husband always knows because the bathroom goes deadly silent for 10 minutes and he calls out, “You’re picking again!”
Dr. Shireen: You’re going to scar! Spots need time to heal. I understand the urge – I came here today with a perfect manicure and I’ve picked it all off – but with skin, we must stop. I highly recommend hydrocolloid plasters. The most effective part is that they physically stop you from touching and picking the area, keeping it clean.
Mollie: It’s so hard to treat adult acne quickly because it could be diet, hormones, environment, or wrong skincare.
Dr. Shireen: It is multifactorial. For example, chocolate doesn’t directly cause acne, but if you are already prone to it, sugar and dairy can trigger that cascade. Sleep is also crucial.
Stripping back the skincare routine & adding oxygenation
Mollie: As a beauty journalist, I’ve seen the rise of 10-step K-beauty TikTok trends, but I’ve gone for a really stripped-back routine now.
Dr. Shireen: People have been looking for more steps, but this year the trend is definitely to minimalise and bring it back to basics. Quite often, all you need is a good cleanse, a moisturiser, and an SPF.
Lana: [Using a new tool] We are now doing oxygenisation. We applied a gel, and this rose stone wand uses vibration to cause oxygenisation to the face and pores while lightly exfoliating.
The expert guide to the ultimate glow and tackling pigmentation
Mollie: We all want more glow. What is the best way to achieve this?
Dr. Shireen: First, prevent dullness by getting enough sleep, avoiding smoking and alcohol, and wearing SPF. Because cell turnover slows as we age, dead cells sit on the skin. To get that glow:
- Chemical exfoliators: A blend of AHAs and BHAs to remove dead cells and clean sebum from pores.
- Retinoids: These have incredible science behind them to increase cell turnover, leaving you with better-textured, light-reflecting skin.
- Vitamin C: Added to your morning routine, it lifts pigmentation and neutralises oxidative stress. When used in conjunction, Vitamin C and SPF actually superpower each other!
- Hydration: A hyaluronic acid serum or moisturiser plumps out fine lines.
Mollie: If someone had a big event like a wedding, what facial gives a quick glow?
Dr. Shireen: A hydrating facial with suction technology for an instant deep clean, paired with a chemical peel to exfoliate dead cells, and a Vitamin C add-on serum.
Mollie: What about hyperpigmentation?
Dr. Shireen: Prevention with year-round SPF is crucial since it’s often sun damage. At home, use Vitamin C and retinoids. In-clinic, IPL (Intense Pulsed Light) is fantastic because the melanin absorbs the light energy and breaks down, lifting the pigmentation over time. Pico lasers are also a highly effective, slightly stronger option.
Masking, ultrasound sculpting & the “skin first” movement
Mollie: Now for the hydrating mask. I love a mask, and this one fits perfectly like a Cinderella version!
Lana: [Applying a new device] Now we are using ultrasound therapy to penetrate the hyaluronic acid into the skin.
Dr. Shireen: Ultrasound is brilliant. The thermal energy goes down to deeper layers, causing muscle contraction for an immediate sculpted, contoured lift. Longer-term, that thermal energy triggers collagen production.
Mollie: I love this “skin first” approach. Back in the day, we’d cover our faces with foundation, but now it’s about working with what we naturally have.
Dr. Shireen: Exactly. If you aren’t looking after your skin with regular treatments, makeup just isn’t going to sit well anyway. Great makeup starts with great skin.
Rapid fire recommendations for facial treatments
- Hydrating facials: Incredible for a deep clean.
- IPL: Amazing for lifting pigmentation.
- HIFU: Great for sculpting.
- Microneedling: The most underrated treatment for texture and acne scars.
Lowering cortisol and final touches
Lana: [Performing facial massage] We are applying Vitamin C and hyaluronic acid, and now doing a facial massage to bring down Mollie’s cortisol levels.
Dr. Shireen: High cortisol causes a reduction in collagen production and increases enzymes that break down collagen. Through massage and lymphatic drainage, you reduce stress, helping the skin internally. A facial is an incredibly worthy investment for your overall relaxation and “me time”.
Mollie: To finish, we are lathering on the SPF!
Dr. Shireen: Never forget the neck, the décolleté, and the hands! I always apply SPF to my hands before I drive.
The final result: bye-bye gunk, hello glow
Here’s the bit that’s equal parts satisfying and slightly terrifying (you’ve been warned). After the treatment, Lana removed the machine’s waste container to reveal everything that had been lurking in Mollie’s pores – sebum, dead skin, leftover product, the lot. Not exactly pretty, but proof that the facial was doing its job. As Dr. Shireen points out, clearing that buildup isn’t just about the instant glow – it helps prevent future inflammation too, leaving your skin properly reset and ready to breathe.
If you’ve been drowning in TikTok skincare trends and don’t know where to start (we get it – 15-step routines aren’t for everyone), here’s the simplest advice we can give: find a facialist you trust, book your treatment, and let your skin do the talking. Because the best skincare routine is the one that’s built around your skin, not someone else’s.
Ready for your own skin reset? Find a facial near you on Treatwell.