by Orlaith Melia
Deirdre Murphy specialises in bespoke facials, products and reflexology. Based in London, Dee is passionate about natural skin care and makes many of the organic products she uses in her treatments. These along with her training in a number of facial techniques have resulted in her own unique facial treatment, The Fusion Facial.
Tell me about yourself and what you do.
I have been a Holistic Therapist for about 18 years and prior to that I was a cardiac nurse. My inspiration for massage therapy came from my nursing days where I would see Indian patients doing massages on their relatives, cardiac patients who had heart problems. I would see their heart rate coming down because they were getting this therapeutic touch and I just thought there was something very special about it. I trained in aromatherapy for massage, then reflexology and subsequently moved on to become a Reiki Master. I then trained professionally in formulating my own products. One of the great things about being an aromatherapist is that I haven’t used plastic containers for about two years now so I just feel I’m doing my little bit for the planet!
What is Holistic Therapy?
As a holistic therapist you treat the whole person. I take a complete history of what’s going on in their body and their minds and look at their nutritional status. I will give them a whole treatment working with reflexology to help to calm things down. People often come through my door stressed and exhausted after a day’s work and after the treatment their skin is radiant and their eyes look fresh again. It’s not 100% down to the fact that I’ve been massaging them with my lovely products, it’s the fact that they’ve had the time to switch off after I’ve worked on the pressure points to help calm their mind and body.
How can people incorporate essential oils into their daily lives?
When I started taking an interest in aromatherapy I would use some basic oils like lavender and geranium, which is a hormone balancing oil. I would put a drop of lavender on a tissue and I would sit with it to relax. I would also create a lovely aromatic bath in the evening by adding a few drops to the water. Even a simple floral water can help, such as a rose water spritzer where you can spray your face when you’re sitting at your desk doing zoom calls all day.
How has lockdown affected your business?
Lockdown has had a major impact on my job. I’ve had to be creative and think about what I can do with this time. I’ve been doing online workshops and teaching people how to use gua sha tools. I’ve done facial massage routines which are available on my website. The whole focus over lockdown has been on self-care, and I’ve been tapping into my clients, sending them messages asking ‘how are you getting on using your products?’ It really has made a difference to people, because they’re now coming back and communicating with me and talking about their skin and how the natural products are really helping them.
What is your current daily skincare routine?
My skincare routine is really simple, I get up and splash water on my face. I then apply facial oil and spend two minutes massaging this in with my hands or using gua sha tools. I do this for two minutes twice a day and that’s my basic routine. I take a natural approach and focus on preservation of what we have. It’s not just tapping the oils into the skin and walking off, it’s being mindful about it and inhaling the aroma of the essential oils. As your skin matures and life gets busy, creating time out is really important. I wouldn’t think twice about getting a facial or massage every few weeks, it calms me down and helps me to relax.
For more information visit www.deesorganics.co.uk
Dee has been working in reflexology and aromatherapy since 2003. Her wealth of knowledge, experience and passion for skincare and helping others is reflected through her work as a complementary therapist and cardiac nurse. Not only does Dee’s products use organic ingredients, they are also organically and ethically sourced. She has trained across the UK, Ireland and France, created her own holistic facial treatment The Fusion Facial and is a Formula Botanica graduate. The full interview can be found in the GALWAYnow summer issue.
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