Beauty destination: Tonic Room, for facials and so much more

Before I was lucky enough to visit, I was well aware of Tonic Room, a modern day apothecary, beauty and wellness clinic and home to an elite family of Auckland's’ leading natural health practitioners. In the heart of Kingsland village, their reputation has always been one of beautiful brands, holistic solutions and a super knowledgeable team, and I knew that they were one of the few places in New Zealand where you could buy two of my favourite brands: Tata Harper and Agent Nateur.

Inside their doors you’ll find the most heavenly space, as well as practitioner-only supplements, customised blended herbal tonics and teas, and even more premium organic beauty brands. To say the space is flawlessly curated would be an understatement – it’s a veritable wonderland for the likes of me, and I fell instantly under its spell.

Owner Heidi Billington was behind the counter when I stopped in for what was to be a very special beauty experience in the form of an MV Organics facial. It is abundantly clear that she is extremely passionate about the brands and treatments that Tonic Room offer, which have to meet her strict criteria. “The brands we choose to showcase are the best in their categories and we require they must be fully transparent in their ethos and ingredients,” she says. “We are constantly searching for the best products from both around the world and from within our home shores. Our products must be clean, honest and respectful to the people who buy them and the beautiful planet we live on. New brands are thoroughly trialled and tested by all practitioners”.

Clients seek out Tonic Room services for help with both physical or emotional challenges, to transition to a more natural, toxin-free lifestyle or to simply find a quality organic beauty product or range that doesn’t muck around. I was there to submit to the hands of Tonic Room's holistic facialist Milly Hart, who is one of only 5 MV Master Facialists in the world and has been trained exclusively under the guidance of Sharon McGlinchey, founder of MV Skincare. With ten years of experience in the beauty industry, Milly’s own skin journey and background in holistic philosophy has developed her practice into becoming one of Auckland’s top Holistic Facialists. Also a qualified yoga teacher, she has a mindful approach to her treatments and definitely took me beyond having ‘just a facial’, and further towards a truly restorative experience at the end of a super busy week.

It has been said that MV Radiance Therapy is ‘so much more than a facial’, and as aforementioned, this is definitely the case. Harnessing the power of essential oils and their incredible products, the beautifully aromatic experience left my skin radiant and dewy, whilst a massage mid-treatment helped support my body’s own healing response. Tonic Room say that this particular facial treatment is perfect for those who find it difficult to relax or are suffering from stress or fatigue, and it’s ideal if you’re recovering from illness. If I’d known about it back when I was having treatment for cancer I would have been there in a heartbeat – it would have been just what the doctor ordered! It’s also meant to be good for those suffering from rosacea, PCOS, acne or eczema, possibly due to healing responses being so perfectly stimulated.

At $160 for a 60 minute treatment, MV Radiance Therapy is definitely not a cheap experience, but it is a thoroughly amazing one with so many benefits. I loved that it didn’t end with someone telling me I had to spend hundreds on loads of products, though given how unique and beautiful MV Organics is, I possibly will! I’m also keen to head back for a naturopathic consultation as my system still needs a lot of support, and it seems like a wonderful excuse.

To find out more and book in for yourself (highly recommended!) visit here.