Tried & Tested: The A-List Facial Worth Knowing About

Nichola Joss’s winter residency at Spa at The Edinburgh Grand means we can all experience the lifting and sculpting expertise that has made her a favourite with the A-list.

She's the facialist trusted by Kate Moss, Margot Robbie and Jennifer Lopez. As Nichola Joss prepares for her winter residency at The Edinburgh Grand, Hood's Nicola Campbell experiences the famous inside-the-mouth treatment that has made her one of beauty's most sought-after names.

I feel as though I know Nichola Joss rather well. I first met her at the launch of Sephora's Glasgow store, she's always been wonderfully supportive of Hood, and more recently we spent an hour together recording an episode of our new What I Wore podcast where we forgot the camera was rolling and just had a good old girly chat.

Ahead of that conversation, I'd done obviously done my research. From her Aberdeenshire roots to becoming the facialist Hollywood calls upon when its biggest stars want to look their best, Nichola has built an extraordinary career. Kate Moss, Margot Robbie, Jennifer Lopez and Meghan Markle are among the famous faces she's worked on, while her signature Bespoke Buccal Inner Facial has attracted international attention for more than two decades.

Unlike a conventional facial, Nichola's technique involves massaging the face from both outside and inside the mouth, reaching muscles around the cheeks and jaw that are difficult to work on externally. The entirely hands-on treatment combines deep-tissue massage, lymphatic drainage and facial sculpting techniques, designed to release tension and improve definition.

Having spent so much time reading and hearing about those famous hands, I was looking forward to experiencing them for myself.

A Grand Arrival

My appointment takes place at Spa at The Edinburgh Grand, which opened earlier this year in the former vaults of the historic bank building on St Andrew Square.

It's my first visit, and I'm immediately impressed. The interiors are beautifully considered, with luxurious treatment rooms and original architectural features, including enormous bank vault wheel locks that provide a wonderful reminder of the building's past.

Rather than the usual hotel spa offering of pools and thermal facilities, this is an intimate, treatment-led space specialising in advanced skincare and restorative therapies. The spa partners with professional skincare house Skeyndor, whose products are used throughout its facial treatments.

Nichola greets me warmly, and I immediately confess that I've been told by Hood’s founder and publisher Emma to expect pain. She laughs and reassures me that while the treatment might feel unusual, it shouldn't be overly uncomfortable.

Settled onto an exceptionally comfortable treatment bed, I quickly relax as Nichola begins with a thorough cleanse, massaging the Skeyndor products into my skin before removing them. A second cleanse follows, which she leaves on to temper the sensation of a slightly spicy exfoliator. Is she shocked that I can’t remember the last time I exfoliated? Seems not.

Once she's happy with how my skin is looking and feeling, the real work begins.

Beneath The Surface

You know those anatomical illustrations you see in doctors' surgeries, showing the intricate layers of muscles and tissue beneath our skin? During my time under her gaze I have the distinct impression that Nichola sees my face in much the same way.

Where I see cheeks, a jawline and the inevitable signs of being 51, she seems to understand precisely what's happening beneath the surface.

Her hands move with extraordinary confidence, kneading, pressing and manipulating my facial muscles with firm, deliberate movements. There's gentle pummelling around my cheeks, pressure along my jaw and a series of stretches that feel unlike anything I've experienced during a facial before.

This isn't the sort of treatment where you drift off to sleep. Nichola is concentrating on the underlying muscles and connective tissue, combining deep massage with techniques intended to encourage lymphatic drainage and improve facial definition.

She works down the back of my neck and across my shoulders, explaining how tension in these areas can affect the face. Around my ears, she uses a series of gentle pulling and massage movements, paying particular attention to areas involved in lymphatic drainage.

What strikes me is how carefully she works. Every movement appears purposeful, and she's constantly assessing how my face responds.

Then comes the part I've been waiting for.

Into The Mouth

Until now, the inside of my mouth has been territory reserved exclusively for my dentist.

Nichola pulls on a pair of gloves and explains what she's about to do, acknowledging that even after years of performing this treatment, she knows how strange it can feel for someone experiencing it for the first time.

And strange it most certainly is.

Working inside my mouth, she begins manipulating the muscles around my cheeks and jaw, applying firm pressure beneath my cheekbones and around the corners of my mouth.

It's an extraordinary sensation, particularly when she starts working around the hinge of my jaw.

I'm someone who carries an enormous amount of tension in this area. Stress, worry, long days at my desk, it all seems to end up in my jaw and neck. Nichola identifies the tightness almost immediately, and as she works into those muscles, I feel something I've never experienced before.

There are moments of discomfort, certainly, but it's similar to a deep-tissue massage when the therapist finds a particularly stubborn knot. I can feel her working into areas that have clearly been holding tension for some time.

Nichola has long maintained that facial massage can be particularly beneficial for people who clench their jaws or grind their teeth, as the muscles around the mouth and jaw can hold considerable tension.

It's easy to see why this aspect of the treatment appeals to people who, like me, seem to carry the stresses of everyday life in their faces.

And when she finishes, the difference is remarkable.

My jaw feels lighter, almost as though something heavy has been removed. That familiar tightness around my neck and lower face has eased, leaving me with a sense of release I hadn't anticipated. It's only when the tension subsides that I appreciate quite how much I'd been carrying.

The Story Behind The Technique

When we recorded our What I Wore podcast, Nichola told me how she first came across intraoral massage and what inspired her to develop her own technique. It's a fascinating story involving her travels and an unexpected encounter that helped shape her career. I won't give too much away as you'll be able to hear it from Nichola herself when the podcast launches very, very soon.

The Results

With the intraoral massage complete, Nichola removes her gloves and returns to gentler movements, paying particular attention to the delicate area beneath my eyes. She uses a light lifting technique that feels wonderfully soothing after the firmer work around my jaw.

The treatment finishes with more Skeyndor skincare, including moisturiser with SPF and a little lip oil.

Then it's time to look in the mirror.

My skin is glowing. Not simply shiny from the products, but noticeably fresher and plumper, with a healthy radiance that wasn't there when I arrived.

My jawline looks sharper, the area beneath my chin and around my neck appears less heavy, and there's a softness around my eyes that makes me look more rested.

But it's the way my face feels that surprises me most. The tension around my jaw has eased considerably, and my neck feels lighter and more relaxed.

At 51, I'm realistic about what a facial can achieve. No amount of massage is going to permanently change my bone structure or turn back the clock, and the visible sculpting effects may well be temporary. But there's no denying the immediate improvement I can see, or the physical relief I can feel.

With treatments starting at £300, this is undoubtedly a luxury. Yet what makes Nichola's facial different is the sheer expertise behind it. The combination of her anatomical knowledge, distinctive massage technique and carefully chosen Skeyndor skincare feels genuinely bespoke.

I've had plenty of facials over the years, but nothing quite like this. It's as much about releasing accumulated tension as improving the appearance of my skin, and I leave feeling considerably better on both counts.

As Monday mornings go, looking fresher, feeling lighter and sporting a noticeably sharper jawline isn't a bad result.

And now I understand why those A-listers keep coming back.

The Details: Nichola Joss will be in residence at Spa at The Edinburgh Grand, St Andrew Square, on selected dates from November 2026 until February 2027. Treatments start from £300. For availability and bookings, visit spaattheedinburghgrand.com.