Cosmic Skin Care Expert Arabella Nesselrode 's Care Tips According to Zodiac Sign

At the end of the treatment, you will receive a moon sign facial oil from Children of Earth Skincare, which is also used to massage your face throughout, to take home and continue the treatment at home! I'll actually be repurchasing this when I finish my bottle as it makes my skin feel silky soft and highly nourished when I wake up each morning.

The salon uses products from the Children of Earth Skincare range: 12 facial oils – one for each zodiac sign – ranging from an anti-inflammatory, confidence-boosting oil for empathetic Aquariuses to a soothing, antimicrobial oil for driven Capricorns, costing £55 each. But the best part is the luxuriously long facial massage, using my specific Taurus zodiac oil. It contains apricot kernel and raspberry seed, plus rosemary oil to stimulate concentration and alertness, whilst combating overthinking (a major issue for Tauruses, apparently) and ylang ylang to relieve stress and depression. When I leave the facial, my skin is glowing. Friends compliment me all day, wanting to know why my complexion looks so dewy and bright. The proof is in the upkeep. I get to keep my £55 bottle of zodiac oil, which Arabella von Nesselrode-Reichenstein, founder of Children of Earth Skincare, encourages me to use daily, as well as a Virgo oil (another £55) for my ‘rising’ sign – the planetary influence that was rising at the time of my birth, something that can be discovered through free astrology websites.

Children of Earth’s face oils are inspired by the skin-brain connection of every zodiac and their unique stress response. All twelve blends are designed to have a balancing effect, body and mind, which supports healthy skin function – and the botanical ingredients deliver the glow we’re all in the market for.

The secret ingredient? Besides the facial oils, cleansing balms, and gels, what makes the facial special is the zodiac oil from Children of Earth Skincare, which the facialist creates based on the client's birth time, date, and place. It is a mix of natural ingredients selected through astrobotany, which - as explained by the brand's founder, Arabella von Nesselrode-Reichenstein - is the ancient belief that every plant is connected to a planet, which can indicate how to treat any issue within our body.

Stressful situations—a divorce or breakup, job loss, a particularly fear-inducing flight pattern— tend to show up on our skin. Anyone who has experienced a period of grief knows that their face often reveals the pain they feel, and there’s a reason why: The skin and the brain share the same machinery and can communicate with each other, Dr. Aguirre tells Allure. This skin-brain link is established early—very early, in fact. While in the womb, we have embryonic tissue known as the ectoderm. “This is what we call a germinal layer, and it gives rise to both the brain and the skin,” explains Dr. Aguirre.

Skincare guru Bella von Nesselrode shares her secret: repurposed pumpkin bits can work wonders. She divulged the recipes for some clinically backed treatments using the cast-offs to tackle eczema, hair thinning, and other skin woes. Bella explains: "Pumpkin extract is great in skincare, as it contains many components that can have beneficial effects on the skin. "It is high in vitamins A, C, and E, and contains flavonoids and carotenoids, which have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-histaminic and antimicrobial effects."She heralds pumpkin seed oil for its healing prowess - aiding skin repair, soothing chronic hand eczema, and potentially staving off hair loss, as evidenced by research advocating scalp massages. Yet, there's a catch. Bella points out: "Pumpkin spice doesn’t actually include pumpkin. So, sadly, drinking that pumpkin spice latte won’t have the same impact!"

The skin-Mercury axis Not convinced? Well, friends, here comes the science. Enter: Bella von Nesselrode, member of the Complementary Medical Association and founder of Children of Earth Skincare. 'The skin-brain connection is called psychodermatology,' explains von Nesselrode. 'We understand the link between the gut and the brain, but an increasing body of research is telling us that the skin and the brain are more linked than we ever imagined, through a series of neurotransmitters that respond to our mental state. So. if our brain is knocked sideways by the retrograde, of course, our skin will be impacted as well.'

Astrologer, Inbaal Honigman, is clear that a mistake she sees all too often is people taking their readings far too literally. 'Astrology is not a science, but rather an art,' she tells ELLE UK. 'When predicting the month ahead, the astrologer may see a change of scenery for you, and will creatively suggest you may be moving house or even a change of premises at work.' If, in the weeks following a reading, you haven't moved house or you haven't changed premises somewhere in your life, Honigman is clear that while you may be inclined to think that the horoscope was 'wrong', it might actually just indicate that the signs and planets are nodding towards something beginning to change in your world. Not everything will happen instantaneously. 'Remedy this by reading your horoscope with an open mind, and adapting your reading to the terms that align with your life as you know it,' she advises. "Don't ignore your moon sign."

Following a double cleansing and classic extractions, I receive a massage with facial oil dedicated to my moon sign, Aries. Children of Earth Skincare ’s Aries facial oil , which offers “infinitely customizable, celestial products powered by astrobotany, neuroscience, and mushrooms,” combines lavender, frankincense, and Astroshroom to balance the often-excessive energies of this sign.

As mentioned, the trend comes from a greater demand for personalised products. ‘We’ve definitely noticed a lot more demand for personalised skincare and advice,’ notes Arabella. ‘In a collaboration with raye the store in Notting Hill, we interviewed a sample of customers who all had stress buildup which manifested itself through facial tension in the jaw or forehead – but we quickly found that the solution to easing this tension differed from person to person. It’s about understanding how that individual works, so we offer a facial tension analysis as well as spiritual guidance by way of an astrological reading (which complements any skincare routine) to better inform our recommendations. We celebrate these differences and relish the challenge of helping people restore balance.’ So, how would this kind of personalisation work in action? Arabella gives us Gemini and Pisces as an example: ‘In ancient astrology, Geminis were traditionally considered to be prone to nervous exhaustion. Our advice is, since they are ruled by Mercury, that Geminis should be careful to avoid burnout, as well as getting run-down. The best skincare approach for this sign is to incorporate ingredients proven to relax and restore vitality to skin – power ingredients such as ginger oil and grapefruit oil are proven to ease muscle tension in the face, as well as being anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and sensitivity reducing. Our in-house astrologer, Inbaal Honigman, recommends Air signs like Gemini to be original and come up with their own combinations of products to work for them."

Handwriting forces us to slow down and smell the ink. Another often-overlooked benefit of writing by hand is that it just plain forces us to slow down and enjoy the moment — a novelty in today’s world where immediacy reigns. Mindful writing rests the brain, potentially sparking creativity, according to neuroscientist Dr. Claudia Aguirre.