Love Nola, Edinburgh, review - we visit Sex & the City author Candace Bushnell's new favourite facialist, Laura Nolan

She works from a studio in the Capital’s west-end

The studio at Love Nola Pic: Martin Safro

When I visit Laura Nolan of business Love Nola, she’s just been booked to do a facial for Sex & the City author Candace Bushnell, who’s in town for a show. She’s not phased, as this isn’t the first time she’s had a starry appointment.

Indeed, Nolan has also done facials for the likes of the Delevigne sisters.

However, before she heads off to a five-star hotel to meet her client, she’ll be working on my ugly mug at her studio in Edinburgh’s west-end.

Laura Nolan at her mirror Pic: Martin Safro

I’m going to try one of her Cosmic Facials, aka the Theta Facial, which is so-called as it promotes theta brainwaves and, thus, initiates deep relaxation.

Once I’m lying face up on the table, under two duvets, I do some guided deep breathing - in for three, out for five - and I clasp crystals, which I’d chosen from her selection, in each palm.

She waves some gorgeous rose oil under my nostrils, and I inhale deeply, as we do a meditation body scan and I relax each muscle. She also deploys a singing bowl, so you can tune into its humming sound, and does a bit of reiki.

Now, it’s time for my makeup to come off. It’s been a while since I’ve had a proper facial, rather than the off-the-peg ones you might get at a spa, and Laura is very thorough. Her hands race across my face, applying cleanser, then diluting that with water, as if she’s at a potter’s wheel, before little sponges come out, to lift off the grime. There is plenty of massage at each stage, which includes rolling movements, lifting and tiny percussive pinches along the brow bone. My jaw and cheek are smoothed.

The next element is the Revision scrub, which has very fine particles, like sand. This is really rubbed into skin, to lift away the detritus.

Again, it’s diluted, then whipped away, before a stingy mask goes on. I’d been warned about this, but it only tingles for a short while. After this one, there’s a balmier mask, which is left on for a bit longer.

Then, more massage, which goes down to my decollete and the sides of my neck, where the tight scalene muscles are smoothed. Also, the orbitals of my eyes are rubbed with tiny icy cold wands.

There is so much action that I lose track of what’s going on. It’s like 10 facials in one. As Laura says, “there are more than 40 muscles in the face”. Each of them gets a bit of attention here.

At the finale, there’s another 15-minutes of guided meditation. I’m told to imagine myself being infused with white light then, boom, I’m back in the room.

Now, she’s off to tend to her celebrity, but at least she made me feel like a star for 90 minutes.

Theta Facial, £220 for 90 minutes with Laura Nolan Instagram: @thelauranolan. For appointments, call 07703778317 or email [email protected]