Two weeks to Christmas and beautifying is way down your to do list. But what if you could be pampered in the comfort of your own home, says Julia Rebaudo

It makes so much sense. Rather than having your facial or leg wax a busy, hassly tube journey away from home, wedged into a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it lunch break, why not arrange for a bit of home pampering? You’re already saving on travel time and a whole load of London bustle, and you can arrange it for an evening mid-week when you’ve got an hour to spare, or more relaxingly at the weekend.

Return to Glory offers just this service, allowing you to book a beautician to come to your home. With a range of therapists on their books, all carefully vetted, it’s oh-so simple. And they charge by the hour rather than by treatment (you can fit two full treatments into an hour, or three ‘quick’ treatments. Well, like most things it sounds great on paper, but how does it work in practice?

To put it to the test, I decided to book two hours worth of treatments with two different therapists (though normally you’d have one therapist doing all the treatments) – a facial for the first hour, and leg wax and eyelash tint for the second. First step was the booking – nice and easy. You phone up, ask for the treatments, agree a time and pay over the phone. You are then phoned by your beautician, to confirm the time, your address and to discuss any specifications (in the case of the facial, skin type and condition). This is also the time to ask your beautician to ring you on your mobile when she arrives if, for example, your door buzzer doesn’t work.

So far, so smooth. But the night before I started wondering where exactly in my flat I was going to have the treatments. My bed seemed the obvious place, but then I was concerned that it was too low for the facial to comfortably take place. Waxing and eyelash tint ok, but a facial really needs the right set-up where the therapist can access the top of your body from the right angle. Worried I was worrying too much, I decided to just wait and see.

The next morning my mobile rang at 9.45am. It was Susan, my therapist waiting outside, ready to come in and set-up for the 10 o’clock appointment. I looked on with impressed awe as she carried in her equipment and portable bed. Of course, a portable bed! Why hadn’t I thought of that? We decided to set up the bed in the living room where there was a bit more space. Susan plugged in her equipment and soothing music while I (and a now very intrigued cat) jumped up onto the sturdy bed. Covering me in towels, Susan set to work on replenishing my dried out winter skin.

Needless to say, I soon drifted off into a comfortable reverie, but only after (of course) having asked Susan what she thought of Return to Glory (an excellent service for therapists who prefer the freedom of working freelance and not being tied to a salon), the management (lovely, lovely girls) and the vetting process (very rigorous, good for the therapists and the clients). Three quarters of an hour later, deep in facial massage bliss, the phone rang signalling the arrival of the second therapist Jolande. Thankfully I had briefed my flatmate earlier who was on hand to let her in. As the facial came to an end, Jolande set up on my bed and I floated into my room and lay down to have my eyelashes tinted and legs waxed. In the background I could hear Susan packing up and leaving.

And so there you have it. Two hours of pampering, for which I hadn’t had to dazedly fumble for my purse, sheepishly leave the salon with my hair all over the place and negate a woozy facial expression while trying to negotiate pedestrians and public transport to get back to work or home. A day later, still glowing with facial health and de-forested legs, I receive an email from the efficient team asking for my feedback. In a nutshell, I’m converted; I see no reason ever to leave home for beauty treatments ever again.

Give it a try – you can book one hour for £40, one and a half hours for £60 and two hours for £70. Treatments range from facials, massage, waxing and reflexology to make-up and wardrobe styling sessions and you can organise a girls’ night in with friends and two or three therapists on hand to provide whatever you desire (it’s quite a good idea to specify what treatments you want then the therapists can decide who’s doing what and bring the appropriate equipment, setting up a waxing room, a facial room and so on).

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Visit www.returntoglory.co.uk to see the full range of treatments. Book online or call 020 7993 8063.