It’s the season of self-care, and Nuala Woulfe’s Serenity Day Spa and Nu Aesthetics Skin Clinic in Glasthule, Co Dublin, is the perfect destination for escaping cold winter days and enjoying some of Ireland’s best beauty treats. Treat yourself to a restorative massage or gift your nearest and dearest a voucher and let them choose their own perfect present, from superb skincare to relaxing massages and cutting-edge facial treatments, all in the safest possible environment. Put yourself in Nuala Woulfe’s expert hands – she has more than 35 years of experience and can customise treatments so that they are exactly what your skin needs right now.

On a cold December day, it’s hard to think of a more welcome gift than a trip to the Serenity Day Spa. First choice would be a De-Stress Massage; the Time for Me package, featuring both a customised facial and back massage (€135); or the Serenity Sparkle Treatment, with a full body scrub and massage (€130), in Nuala Woulfe’s peaceful haven in Glasthule Village. You could also try reflexology, or La Stone massage therapy particularly if you’ve been feeling stressed – Woulfe notes that these are fantastic for balance, and very therapeutic.

THE SKINCARE GIFT

Personalised gifts are a step above, and Nuala Woulfe can custom make an exclusive SkinCeuticals Custom DOSE serum (€195), uniquely designed for your skin type and issues. “It contains a whole cocktail of really active ingredients, so that you can cut own on any extra skincare. It contains no preservatives, so it’s a fresh active formula that relieves the load on you skin. The longer I’m working with it, the more I’m seeing great results,” says Woulfe. This beauty gift literally has your name on it.

“Skincare has improved so much and, when combined with good diet and lifestyle, people can age looking really well,” says Woulfe. She recommends beauty editor favourite SkinCeuticals CE Ferulic (€150), a high-performance daily antioxidant, which comes in a set together with a cleanser for Christmas. Look out for a variety of good-value sets, including the excellent acne treatment kit which will suit everyone struggling with this issue, from teens upwards.

For teens, other gift ideas include a starter facial (from €45 for a deep skin cleanse), kicking off a good skincare routine for life, through to manicures and pedicures (from €25).

THE INSIDER TREATMENT

Gift someone a voucher and they can choose anything from quality skincare (as well as the full range of SkinCeuticals, Nuala Woulfe stocks organic brand Eminence and natural gift ideas starting from under €10 by Yope) through to aesthetic treatments. Any recommendations? “I think Profhilo is a great treatment, and am really confident in recommending it, as I tried it myself earlier this year – in two weeks I saw a dramatic difference in my skin. I’ve been following and reading UK doctors on this treatment, and many agree that it’s the best thing to happen to aesthetics. Rather than being a filler, Profhilo involves injections of hyaluronic acid serum that help to boost the production of new collagen. So, you will see a freshness and a big difference in just two sessions. And it isn’t something you need to keep up, as you do with other injectables – this will enhance your skin but, crucially, you maintain full movement of your face.”

Tribella by Venus Concept available at Nu Aesthetics. TriBella scored 10/10 in review in the Sunday Times Style magazine, with the reviewer saying that her skin was left “so smooth and clear”, and that “the results after just one makes this a worthwhile investment.” TriBella combines the power of three unique non-surgical procedures into one complete skin renewal treatment – resulting in incredibly smoother, younger, healthier-looking skin. This high-intensity non-invasive solution gives highly visible results faster and in fewer treatments. TriBella combines photo facial, lifting and sculpting, and skin resurfacing treatments in one session – making it the most comprehensive and effective answer for complete skin renewal.

Nuala Woulfe Nu Aesthetics Skin Clinic and Serenity Day Spa, 4C & 55 Glasthule Road, Sandycove, Co Dublin, www.nualawoulfe.ie.