10 things I learned from going to London with Physiogel

So before we start – meet Physiogel…. a derma-cosmetic moisturising range from Europe with cult status in beauty-conscious countries such as Korea. So why haven’t you heard of it before?

Although Physiogel sounds like some pain-relief gel you’d apply after an athletic injury, it’s actually a skincare brand with a ton of research behind it. Physiogel has been a favourite of dermatologists for years but they’ve only recently really started marketing their range to the likes of you and I.

 

 

So in the interests of spreading the word, Physiogel Pakistan took a select band of women to visit their innovation centre in London. The group included brand ambassador Aisha Khan Rao, model Cybil Chowdry, journalist Anusha Bawany from Sunday and Toni n Guy Karachi’s Saeeda Mandviwalla.

London is always fabulous but from dinner at Michelin-starred Hakkasan to VIP seats at the Savoy Theatre to watch Dream Girls, this was a luxurious trip. It wasn’t all play though, and there was so much to learn. Top dermatologists took us through the science behind Physiogel, we visited the lab where Physiogel is developed and tested and even took part in a workshop on confidence with celebrity TV Emma Kenny.

 

You couldn’t help but learn a lot from a trip like this – and it wasn’t all about Physiogel. For example who knew that Aisha Khan loves ironing and finds it therapeutic?! Read on to find out more about the interesting things I learned in London with Physiogel….

1. Aisha Khan Rao really does look that good in real life – honestly who glows like that on an early morning start?! She never looked caked in make up, is very down-to-earth and friendly and genuinely swears by Physiogel.

2. Model Cybil Chowdry is effortlessly stylish. Yes, she could even make a sack look good but I couldn’t help style-crushing on the way she puts together her daily looks.

3. When they’re testing Physiogel’s shelf life, they put it into an oven at 40 degrees for 6 months – finally a product that can cope with Pakistan’s intense heat without breaking down into an oily mess!

4. Apparently if you were never exposed to UV light, you wouldn’t have any wrinkles till you were 80! Mind-blowing…..pass the SPF.

5. Physiogel is the only skincare range with BioMimic technology, working naturally with your skin to replenish lipids and to encourage moisture layers to repair and rebuild themselves – there was a whole lot of explanation about long-chain lipids and models of the skin….but we really don’t need to go into the science bit do we? (or if you do…click here)

6. Basic cream just needs oil, water and an emulsifier – shake it up and you’ll have a cream….but it will be a pretty gunky one without additional elements to make it smoother, more stable and more effective – yep we actually put on lab coats and safety glasses and tried this!

7. Emma Kenny is inspirational. Some of her tips on confidence were surprisingly simple yet effective: If you want to look more confident, always head to the front row…don’t lurk at the back; smile more to feel and look more confident; even if you don’t feel it, acting confident will make others feel that you are self-assured – in other words …. fake it till you make it.

8. You can really find an oasis of calm just minutes from the madness of Oxford Street in London. Personally I’ve never stayed so close to Oxford St but the Montcalm is a lovely boutique hotel in a calm little street just off Marble Arch – top marks for style and serenity.

9. You never know who you might run into when in London. Returning to the hotel after watching Dreamgirls, part of our group ended up meeting Bollywood star Salman Khan – how did I miss out on that?!

10. Physiogel has a surprising number of fans amongst my friends back in Karachi – after seeing my London posts one messaged to say how using Physiogel got rid of all those little bumps on her upper arms while another swears by the pink Calming Relief range.