Ria Elaina Tweakments & Beyond

Supporting Local Creatives

Ria Elaina Atkins

A Mum’s Life

Let me introduce myself – I’m Ria, Mum of two, married to my handsome hubby. I’m born and bred in my beloved Surrey and spend most of my time between here and London. I’m a handbag and shoe addict and lover of all things luxe.

To find out more about Ria’s luxe lifestyle follow her on Instagram @ria.elaina TWEAKMENTS AND BEYOND

Hello from the beautiful Maldives. I’m writing this month’s column as I sit on the beach with crystal clear turquoise waters and fine white sand, sipping on fresh coconut water. The blissful silence is somewhat shattered by the constant “Mummy, Mummy” in the background - but I wouldn’t have it any other way.

No but seriously, I have been wanting to take the children to the Maldives for a while. October half term seemed like the perfect time. Travelling here is not for the faint hearted... after many plane rides, seaplanes and speedboats later, we arrived in paradise and wow was it worth it!

Even on holiday, I am conscious of looking after my skin. I ply on the suncream regularly and make sure I have factor 50 on my face to prevent any sun damage or pigmentation. I use the brand Sunsense on my face which is an Australian brand. Australians are at the top of their game when it comes to sunscreen due to their high rate of melanoma cases, with established strict SPF standards. I love to reapply with Kate Somerville SPF50 which is a light mist and so easy to apply, it can even be used over make-up.

Being confident to be bare faced is a goal of mine which I have been aspiring to for some time. After my daughter was born my hormones went into overdrive and my skin was badly affected with acne. I tried various skincare products but the brand that has worked most for me has to be Get Harley which was prescribed by Dr Ash Soni from the Soni Clinic.

Get Harley comprises of medical grade affordable skincare tailored to your individual needs by an expert practitioner. As Dr Soni explained to me, medical grade does not necessarily mean stronger, it’s backed by science so likely to have more effective results than skincare you get off the shelves. It certainly is doing wonders for my skin, especially the retinol serum and anti-bacterial facewash. I’ve not had a blemish erupt since using these products.

Last month I was invited to have a Hydrafacial at The Light Touch Clinic. I have to say I saw immediate results after my treatment - my skin was glowing and radiant. I have decided to treat myself to a monthly facial. The combination of this and some great skincare will hopefully achieve my ultimate goal of clear glowing skin.

The impact that social media has had on how we are looking after ourselves is huge. From the constant stream of smooth airbrushed skin and the self-documentation, more and more people are getting non-aesthetic treatments than ever. I want to be transparent when it comes to aesthetics and discuss treatments that I have had done. By no means am I advocating getting non-aesthetic procedures, I am simply explaining my journey and the impact it has had on my life. I also cannot stress the importance of finding a good practitioner with the right qualifications, I have heard some horror stories!

After sleepless nights when my son was born, I looked more tired than ever. I also used to get annoyed that I couldn’t do a winged liner look due to a slightly heavier eyelid on one side. Being a perfectionist - I wanted to address this. I decided to take the plunge and go for some botox around my eyes. For me, less is more and I really struggled to find a practitioner that gave these results. I did a lot of research and saw a couple of different practitioners in London, all with medical backgrounds of course. My last treatment in London was with Dr Rishi at Dr Tatiana Clinic who was by far the best I had seen in London. I was so happy with my results, I looked fresh and rejuvenated.

After my daughter was born I didn’t have the time to go into London as often and really struggled to find someone local that was good with adequate qualifications. I came across the lovely and very talented Dr Ash Soni on Instagram who has clinics in both Reigate and Ascot. His background is so impressive - after years training as a plastic surgeon both in the US and the UK, he has also worked as an oncoplastic surgeon at The Royal Marsden. I knew I was in good hands and I was happy to trust him with my face. Firstly, I wanted to address my deep smile lines, so I had a small amount of filler to smooth them out, as well as at the very top of my cheekbones to give a lifting effect. I wanted to continue with Botox too and Dr Soni injected tiny amounts around my eyes and forehead which is otherwise known as baby Botox. This avoids being “frozen” which is not a good look in my opinion. Dr Soni’s work is subtle yet highly effective and he only uses the best quality products. The filler he uses lasts for up to a year so I will be returning then to get a top up of filler and bi-annually for baby Botox. I am so incredibly happy with the results. It’s certainly given me more confidence in my quest for perfect skin. These treatments are not fuelled by wanting to look like someone else, but rather be the best version of myself. When I am the best version of myself, I am both happy and confident – something that every woman is entitled to be. Looking forward to bringing you next month’s column - from somewhere far less glamorous than the Maldives – no doubt!