Q&A with Celebrity Facialist Abigail James

We caught up with Venus Concept’s UK Key Opinion Leader and renowned facialist, Abigail James who, when not busy working with the Liz Earle team developing new protocols, she is educating clients on the latest technology and skincare trends. You can find Abigail James in the Liz Earle Showroom in a custom-made treatment room for her healing touch and bespoke facials.

What do you love about skin care?

“What is not to love! there are so many individual types of skin and so many amazing products to play with, something to suit everyone. The result is obviously important but its not all just about the result, using skincare goes much deeper than that, the emotional connection of taking time for yourself, the ritual of doing something to benefit yourself. As a facialist I feel privileged to get to know my clients on a personal level helping them with their skin concerns and making them feel good about themselves. How many other careers are you allowed to touch someones face ?! Its an unspoken trust.”

What made you go into this field?

“I was originally in my fathers food business, when I had my first child who is now 16, I enrolled into a night program in beauty therapy and continued learning while working part time. I have always been interested in health, my grandparents would take up to health food stores, they kept bees and strict vegetarians and gluten free decades before it became fashionable. With that came beauty potions, I bought my first skincare product around the age of 13, Oil of Olay, it smelt so good and I loved the pink colour but I reacted horrendously, I worked my way through several different products always had slightly reactive skin and had to be careful what i used and started reading product labels from a young age. I had always had a heavy bathroom cupboard full of products and when life gave me an opportunity to change careers I chose something that I loved rather than something that was expected of me.”

What is a day in the life of Abigail James like?

“Hectic! Each day is quite different dependent of its a clinic day, visiting a VIP, presenting on TV, training therapists, designing treatments, meetings, writing, the list goes on. I often wake around 6.30, I do emails before getting out of bed and check social media. I might do a few yoga flows and sun salutation, then wake the children. Breakfast is really important so i always make sure we all eat properly before the mass exit to work and school. On a clinic day I arrive around 10 am, often without a lunch break I can work through till 7.30 at night. I keep going through the day on nuts and juice, and very much fueled with Earle grey. I arrive home between 7 pm to 9.30 pm, I check in with the children, ensure we are all ready for the next days school, catch up on emails, writing and prep dinner for tomorrow and I’m often in bed by 10.30. I try to work out a minimum of twice a week, gym, boxing, yoga, or a class.”

What’s the best part about being a therapist?

“My job is so varied, and the privilege of getting to know people on a personal level and help them with their skincare quests.”

Why did you chose to the Venus Viva for your practice?

“I have worked with a number of radio frequency machines before and researched a lot currently on the market but the Venus Viva is light years ahead in results, ease of use, client comfort and portability for my very important clients. Because it has radio frequency, Magnetic and fractional in one machine it ticks a lot of boxes to treating concerns I couldn’t previously get the results I wanted for my clients.”

Tell us a little about you….

• I live a 70 – 30 lifestyle, good 70% of the time with diet and lifestyle then 30% let your hair down and enjoy a little indulgence.
• I’ve been told I have “magic, healing hands” always makes my children laugh!
• I live in my biker jacket
• I’m mum to three, two of which are now taller than me
• I have over 30 pairs of jeans
• I love nothing more than mooching around old furniture markets
• I will learn to surf before I’m 45

Schedule a bespoke Venus Viva treatment with Abigail James