Yesterday evening, as our last client of the day put on her coat, she turned and really smiled.
“That was the best facial I have ever had,” she said - once, then again, mainly to herself, as if she couldn’t believe it.
She had travelled from Putney (in the dark and in the rain), works near London Bridge, and voiced that she had wondered whether the underground journey to East London would be worth it. As she stood glowing (not just from her skin but from something more), her words said it all.
Of course, she had just been treated by Fatma - Fatma Gunduz, Skin & Sanctuary’s Lead Aesthetician.
And so, when this morning, Liza, our newest team member, asked if she could post about Fatma’s fountain of knowledge, I thought it was time I tried to put in writing just how awesome she is, how important she is to Skin and Sanctuary, and the impact her knowledge and passion has on so many.
Fatma joined Skin & Sanctuary before we even opened our doors. It was April 2017 - the clinic was still a building site, and I was interviewing in what was then Amadine’s little café a few doors away because there wasn’t even a room yet.
By that stage, I’d met a number of aestheticians. Many had impressive CVs, yet none had that mix of depth and warmth that I believed mattered. And then Fatma walked in.
She spoke about skin as though it were alive - not something to fix, but something to understand. Her knowledge was extraordinary, but what truly struck me was her gentleness. The quiet certainty. The care. She understood the vision - she understood Skin & Sanctuary. I remember calling my husband afterwards and saying, “She’s too good. I can’t offer her the job - she’ll be leaving a wonderful clinic in Kensington and what if we don’t even last three months?”
He paused, then asked, “Is she an adult?”
When I said yes, he replied, “Then let her decide.”
I’m so glad I did.
And so grateful that she said yes.
So much has changed in the eight years since - our location, the world, 5 Prime Ministers, a pandemic… but what hasn’t changed is Fatma’s absolute love for what she does. She still approaches every client, every product, every ingredient, every single pore with the same care she did that first day.
She’ll worry if a patient is spending too much. She’ll lose sleep over the right treatment plan. She’ll read late into the night about new formulations (particularly if they save your skin barrier). She just gives all of herself to this work.
Which is why people leave having experienced the ‘best facial’ they ‘have ever had’
Why This Matters
At Skin & Sanctuary, we talk often about our philosophy: intelligent care, integrity, results without compromise. Fatma embodies all of that. She is the heartbeat of this place, the reason our patients trust us, and the reason our team continues to grow into something stronger, kinder, and more capable.
I wish she could see herself the way we do: as one of the finest aestheticians in London, yes - but also as a woman whose empathy and kindness changes lives in so many, beautiful ways.