From high-tech tightening treatments to traditional Chinese medicine, there’s a facial renaissance going on in Ibiza. We speak to Nina Peter-Väth and Frederika van Hagen, two women at the vanguard of the island’s skincare revolution
10.14.2022 by Maya Boyd
Nina Peter-Väth is no stranger to the fast lane. Years spent married to German techno DJ and Cocoon boss Sven Väth meant that international travel, late nights and parties were par for the course. ‘We travelled so much, and it felt like we were always either tired from the weekend or trying to get ready for the weekend!’ she laughs. ‘I was always a big believer in preventative medicine. I used to live in Germany, where it's quite common for a GP to give you an intravenous infusion of nutrients and zinc and vitamin C when you start to come down with something, instead of giving you antibiotics or ibuprofen’, she says, adding. ‘So much illness is caused by an overload of triggers that the body can't deal with anymore. Given the unique lifestyle here in Ibiza, I had the idea to bring the vitamin infusions to the island.’ Peter-Väth found herself a partner in Canada’s Vitamindrip, whose bite-size, Insta-friendly formulas – Detox, Mood Support, Athletic Performance – have garnered a cult following among high profile devotees. Peter-Väth opened MedSpa to provide vitamin drips in 2014 but soon expanded into facial skincare, which is now a core facet of her business. 'Skin health, like the immune system, is something that needs to be supported on a regular basis, with preventive protocols and proven techniques. There's no magic facial, but it is about maintenance. It’s about having a routine.’ Peter-Väth may not believe in magic, but it’s the HydraFacial technique which she champions at MedSpa, a much-hyped system which uses a patented machine to provide deep exfoliation, peeling and hydration. ‘I was always more interested in the technical aspects of skin care - radio frequency, red light therapy, lasers that break down the tissue beneath the skin to promote collagen production. Our philosophy is about maintenance and prevention, using cutting-edge technologies and not relying on fillers and Botox."
Facialist and skincare expert Frederika Van Hagen
Peter-Väth’s sentiments are echoed by cult Brit facialist Frederika van Hagen of Saintly Skin, who trained under Joanne Evans at Notting Hill's revered Skin Matters clinic. Van Hagen's client list reads like who’s who of the island’s smartest insiders and she specialises in combining holistic elements such as gua sha and facial acupuncture with high performance skincare and tools such as LYMA’s powerful laser range. ‘The two approaches are deeply complementary. The tech side impacts specific skin concerns while the hands-on work sculpts, tones, reduces stress and deeply relaxes clients, which in turn benefits their appearance.’ Van Hagen, who looks ten years younger than she ought to, attributes her fresh appearance to Ibiza’s lifestyle. ‘People are really connected to their health and wellbeing here,’ she says, ‘but there are different concerns to address on an island. It’s interesting because my London clients often exhibit more stressed-out skin, more barrier dysfunction and can be very reactive to products. In Ibiza my clients demonstrate more signs of pigmentation and more sun damage. Perhaps there has not been enough sunscreen in the past or too much time spent on the beach or maybe a few too many parties. On the whole island skin can seem a bit more weathered.’
Both van Hagen and Peter-Väth agree that the one-size-fits all model of skincare is outdated. Both women are far more likely to offer a bespoke process tailored to the individual’s needs than an ‘off-the-shelf’ treatment. ‘Obviously the more you bring to the table, the better the results are going to be,’ says van Hagen. ‘I love my Environ machine, which uses sound waves to creates little micro channels between the skin cells so we can then push vitamins or anti-inflammatory serums into specific zones. But then with acupuncture, it's all about balancing your emotions, keeping your channels open, calming the central nervous system.’ Van Hagen is known for her love of cupping, a technique used by Ancient Egyptians that drains the lymph and improves circulation, and both women agree that facial massage is hugely important for sculpting and creating definition in the face. At MedSpa, clients can opt for a rigorous hour-long session in the face gym or for a remodelling massage with Renata Franca, a Brazilian therapist who uses wooden instruments to pummel, tone and define the contours of the face. Similarly, van Hagen uses an internal oral massage technique that works with each facial muscle individually, breaking down and opening up the movement in the face. ‘The way we look after our faces has evolved so much in recent years’, muses van Hagen, ‘and it’s great to see old and new techniques being combined to such great effect. But it’s important to remember that skincare is not always the solution. Nutrition and functional medicine are just as crucial to maintaining optimum skin health. If you've got an undiagnosed dairy intolerance, for example, then no amount of skincare is going to stop you from having a rash, because you're having an allergic reaction.’