Look Who’s Talking

Celebrity oxygen facialist Michelle Peck works on a few faces in the Capital

She is every Hollywood actor’s best friend,fixing a wrinkle and touching up the lines. Michelle Peck,the Australian cosmetic Intraceuticals oxygen facialist — who has worked with the likes of Madonna and Jennifer Lopez — had her hands full on her maiden India visit. Wearing her trademark bright red lipstick,greyish black fitting dress,YSL heels and New Yorker Kimberly McDonald’s chunky jewellery,she settled down for an interview after a two-hour facial on socialite Ayesha Thapar,costing 500 US dollars an hour. “Ayesha has a gorgeous skin and we spent a little time talking too,” said the Milan-based celebrity oxygen facialist,with an unmistakable Midwest accent. She is being hosted in India by Priya Chatwal,the elegantly-up-to-date owner of Kitsch,who is utilising her New York connection to the fullest,by bringing in brands and facialists for her Delhi and Mumbai friends. “She is taking good care of all us,and I quite like being in India. I am actually quite excited about the Mumbai visit. I will probably have a lot of Bollywood actresses coming in. I don’t know much about the industry,but I’ve heard it is bigger than Hollywood,” added Peck.

In a span of three days in Delhi,she clocked around 20 facials. “Michelle’s office sent out e-invites and my staff also invited a few people. The response was great,” said Chatwal. Peck is not complaining either. “When it comes to work,I am almost like,OK,where is my baseball cap,” she quipped. For a skin specialist to confess that nothing can stop aging sounds like a blasphemy,but Peck,who divides her time between Milan,New York and Los Angeles,doesn’t mince words. “We all age. In Los Angeles a lot of women spend thousands of dollars on creative adjustments on their faces and body,but they always overlook their hands,which is the most exposed part of the body after the face. The best way to protect is by not exposing yourself to the sun,” she said.

Peck is known for ending her facials,such as exfoliation,with a dash of oxygen. Her 22-year-old daughter Tarin Graham,who also accompanied her during the India visit,manages the New York business. “I like keeping in the family. She has become very popular among the models,” laughed Peck.