Luxury botanical midlife skincare brand Thirns marks milestone spa partnership
- Belinda Bennett
- Mar 30
- 5 min read
A spa brand dedicated to midlife skincare is celebrating a milestone partnership. Thirns Botanical Skincare, a UK-based purveyor of natural, sustainable products that support cell regeneration and skin resilience, is marking the first anniversary of a partnership with Spa Village Bath, located at the top-rated Gainsborough Spa in Bath. The collaboration launched in April 2025.
Formulated using thorn-bearing wild plants found in the UK, Thirns is the brainchild of skincare clinician and member of The Guild of Therapy Lecturers Olga Brennand.
She is passionate about combining skincare science with ‘plant intelligence’ to provide targeted support for mature skin.
Her product range is neatly designed to provide reinforcement to midlife skin - in just four simple steps.
As well as providing effective, luxury skincare solutions to those who need it the most, Olga offers in-person ‘skin longevity’ treatments to clients across the UK. She works out of locations in London, Bath and Norfolk while, at the same time, managing Thirns’ online store.
She has the kind of industry pedigree that you don’t come across every day. As well as having a life-long passion for the healing powers of plant-based ingredients, she trained in scientific skincare in Moscow. Olga worked with some of Europe’s biggest skincare brands before consolidating all her knowledge and expertise to create biotechnology-based Thirns.
In addition to delivering midlife skincare products that harness the best nature has to offer, she developed the carefully curated collection to provide users with a luxurious ritual that emphasises ‘experience’ as well as results.
Thirns Botanical Skincare review
At 60, I know only too well the challenges faced by those trying to defy gravity and keep their complexion looking youthful and radiant. I’m searching for a midlife skincare range that performs. Did Thirns deliver?
Olga’s product range includes a cleansing balm, firming emulsion, eye cream, and skin mist. I put all four to the test, and this is my verdict.
The packaging for all the products is luxurious and each comes with its own well-made spatula, taking a lot of the guesswork out of the ritual as well as making it more hygienic and less messy
Cleansing Balm 50ml - £45
Active ingredients: Rosehip and juniper. It also includes olive squalene and orange extract, among other notable botanicals.
Claims to: Remove makeup and pollutants, increase cell turnover, strengthen the skin barrier, and brighten the skin - all while nourishing it.
Experience: This is a luxury single-step product that does what it says on the jar. In addition to effectively cleansing the skin, it hydrates and smoothes while delivering noticeable brightening. The fragrance is, as you would expect from a botanical spa brand, tangible. It’s pleasant but relatively strong. Not completely overpowering but enough to tell your senses you’re using a high-end botanical product. I like this balm because it definitely brightens and hydrates while leaving the skin looking polished and radiant.
The price point is comparable to other spa brands, including Elemis and Ema Hardie, making it a great swap if you have tried other products and fancy a change.
Firming Emulsion 30ml - £85
Active ingredients: Damascene rose and sea buckthorn with vitamins A, C, E and P.
Claims to: Strengthen and lift the skin while providing deep hydration, promoting cell regeneration and protecting the skin from free radicals.
Experience: I’ve never used a facial ‘emulsion’ before so I was in uncharted territory when I first tried it. The formulation consistency is medium to thick and elastic. A little goes a long way! I gently massaged it into the skin and, honestly, noted the firming effect in less than a few minutes. This product works. It leaves the skin looking lifted with a lit-from-within glow.
I have used this product morning and evening. I limit myself to applying the sallest amount in the mornings, because I wear makeup and don't want to risk any ‘pilling’. (It works fine under foundation.) It is very effective and definitely worth the price tag. Very few skincare products can produce such dramatic results from early use.
This product is naturally fragranced and cooling.
Eye Cream 15ml - £55
Active ingredients: Tuberose extract, raspberry and pomegranate oils, green coffee extract, chamomile, and aloe vera.
Claims to: Firm and plump the skin while providing deep-down hydration and brightening.
Experience: I really like this eye cream. I had confidence in it the moment I saw its colour and felt the texture. As well as being silky smooth, it has that beige/orange look that I’ve come to associate with the very best under-eye solutions. It’s incredibly cooling and literally sinks into the skin almost as soon as you apply it. As well as diminishing fine lines in my under-eye and crow’s feet areas, it ‘lifted’ any hint of darkness. I’d definitely say it plumps the skin. I’ve used it morning and night and can see the difference.
At £55, it doesn’t come cheap - but it works. The eye area is often the biggest concern for women of my age. If you’ve tried eye products without success, this could be your next holy grail.
While naturally fragranced, the scent is not overpowering.
Skincare Mist 50ml - £45
Active ingredients: Seaweed and rosa officinalis extract, orange flower, geranium floral water, and lavender.
Claims to: Enhance radiance while reducing redness, minimise common signs of ageing, and soothe the skin. It is also said to deliver long-lasting hydration on-the-go.
Experience: While not feeling especially hydrating on the skin, I found it reduced redness around my nose and left my skin feeling refreshed and radiant. I have used it under makeup as well as over it. A spritz before bedtime, I found, aids sleep.
A midlife skincare range for you?
I recommend Thirns Botanical Skincare for those who want to use complexion products that support the natural cycle of the skin. It utilises ingredients from nature that are both powerful and effective. I suffered no skin irritation while undertaking testing, and I write this review after two weeks of use.
For optimum results, I would recommend a consultation and treatment session with Olga to ensure you use the products correctly and understand their benefits.
Midlife skincare that actually works can be hard to find. I’m pleased to say, I’ve discovered this range lives up to its promises.
Review highlights: Thirns Botanical Skincare
Targeted midlife support: A streamlined, four-step ritual specifically engineered by skincare clinician Olga Brennand to support cell regeneration and resilience in mature skin.
The ‘instant lift’ hero: The Firming Emulsion stands out for its immediate lifting effect and ‘lit-from-within’ glow, though its potent formula requires precise application to avoid pilling.
Botanical powerhouses: Formulations harness ‘plant intelligence’ from UK wild plants, such as sea buckthorn and damascene rose, to deliver high-performance results without irritation.
Brightening and plumping: Both the Cleansing Balm and Eye Cream earned high marks for their ability to visibly brighten the complexion and diminish fine lines and dark circles.
Luxury spa experience: While the price point is premium (comparable to Elemis), the inclusion of specialised spatulas and high-end glass packaging reinforces the brand's professional spa pedigree.
Verdict: An effective, science-backed alternative for those looking to swap mainstream luxury brands for a more sustainable, botanical approach to ‘skin longevity’.
For more information, visit Thirns Botanical Skincare.
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