PROFESSIONAL BEAUTY FEATURE - TRIED & TESTED

WALKING INTO Beauty Collective Co in Hampton is like stepping off the busy Melbourne southside streets and straight into a sanctuary. Light pours in, draped curtains soften the edges, and there's a sense that the building itself has been waiting to hold moments of calm. Founder Tayla Shreeve has clearly poured her years of industry experience into creating not just a salon but a collective, where beauty and wellness genuinely coexist.

On the morning of my treatment, I was greeted with an Imbibe Beauty Renewal drink before meeting my therapist, Khiara. Warm, enthusiastic and with hands that can only be described as borderline magic, Khiara led me into the 75-minute USPA Spa Facial experience.

The treatment began with deep breathing and essential oil inhalation. It's a small touch, but one I think therapists often underestimate. For anyone carrying a mental load (so, most clients), this invitation to leave your to-do list at the door sets the tone for the entire treatment.

After a thorough double cleanse, my skin was exfoliated with USPA's Revitalising Facial Polish. The formula combines bamboo stem powder, ginseng and ginkgo biloba for a definite sense of circulation and surface refinement. For clients who enjoy feeling their exfoliant "do something", this hits the mark.

This was followed by USPA's Deep Cleansing Mud Mask, a clay-based blend that drew impurities without that tight "parched desert" feeling. Khiara wove in an extended foot massage with reflexology techniques, turning what's usually a fleeting add-on into a real highlight. Intentional, rhythmic and surprisingly grounding, it reminded me how important the "hidden extras" of a facial can be.

Throughout, the treatment was threaded with massage across arms, shoulders, neck and scalp. Khiara's techniques were firm but purposeful, showcasing how flow and function can sit beautifully alongside relaxation. When she turned her attention to my face, her circulation-boosting massage took things up a notch. This wasn't fluff; this was therapeutic touch.

A hydrating mud mask with kaolin clay, cocoa seed butter and sea kelp extract was layered to replenish before finishing products were applied to conclude the USPA Spa Facial. Khiara closed the experience the way it began, with grounding and breathwork. My skin looked and felt luminous, but more importantly, my nervous system had clearly been given equal attention.

For therapists, this treatment proves that "spa facial" doesn't have to mean style over substance.

Khiara showed how ritual and results can work in harmony, with every moment in the treatment room counting toward the bigger picture. Whether it's opening breathwork, an extended foot massage or intentional facial flow, these are the details that shift an appointment from service to experience - and that's what clients will remember long after the glow fades.

WRITTEN BY RACHEL MEDLOCK

SEE THE FULL FEATURE HERE - https://issuu.com/theintermediagroup/docs/professional_beauty_issue-4_2025/77