London Grilling: Abigail Oleck-Hewett, founder of Your True Reflection CIC
This week, we were lucky enough to speak to Abigail Oleck-Hewett — award-winning facialist and a woman who has transformed her own experience of adversity into a powerful source of support for others.
Your True Reflection was born in London following a deeply difficult period in Abi’s life. While rebuilding after abuse, she found community and support through the women she met at the Lightwell women’s group at HTB Church in Knightsbridge — a group she says “loved me back to life.”
Inspired by the care she received, Abi created Your True Reflection, a survivor-led organisation supporting women recovering from abuse, bullying and trauma through restorative treatments, wellbeing products and safe, nurturing spaces.
In its first 18 months alone, the organisation delivered more than 400 complimentary treatments and distributed over £55,000 worth of donated beauty, wellbeing and essential-care products to women across London. In 2026, its work was recognised with the Wandsworth Health and Wellbeing Award, alongside shortlistings for Best Charity and Best Start-Up.
We caught up with Abi to talk about her story, the power of beauty and human connection, building a purpose-led organisation in London, and what comes next for Your True Reflection.
Abi, for anyone discovering Your True Reflection for the first time, can you tell us a little bit about yourself and what you do?
I’m Abi, a multi-award-winning facialist working at Amanda Caroline’s Secret Door in Belgravia, and I recently appeared on The Real Housewives of London. I’m also the founder of Your True Reflection CIC.
We come alongside existing community groups, including the Lightwell at HTB Church and Hestia shelters in Wandsworth, to offer restorative healing facials to women who have experienced difficult circumstances. At the heart of our work is gentle touch, breathwork and love—giving women time to feel cared for, valued and connected.
2. Your True Reflection grew from an incredible personal chapter in your life. What inspired you to turn your own experience of recovery into something that could help other women?
After suffering a full nervous breakdown and losing my home and my very successful business, I reached a point where I was suicidal. The women in the community at HTB Church quite literally scooped me up and loved me back to life.
Through them, I discovered the power of community and connection. Being welcomed and cared for began to transform my life, and I didn’t want another woman to be left in that same dark place without somewhere to turn. Your True Reflection grew from wanting to offer other women the love and sense of belonging that had been given to me.
3. You’ve spoken beautifully about the women at the Lightwell at HTB Church in Knightsbridge who “loved you back to life”. What did that community mean to you at the time?
It meant having somewhere I could come exactly as I was. When I first arrived at HTB, I couldn’t even speak in a circle of people. They didn’t pressure me or expect me to be anything other than myself. I could be quiet and volunteer in the kitchen, and that was enough.
Bit by bit, through their love, patience and encouragement, I began to come out of my shell and find my voice again. Eventually, I stood up and spoke in Parliament about abuse. To go from being unable to speak in a small group to sharing my experience in Parliament shows how far I had come, with that community walking alongside me.
4. Was there a particular moment when you realised you wanted to create Your True Reflection, or did the idea develop gradually during your own recovery?
It developed gradually. At first, I was the woman receiving support from community groups. As I grew stronger, I wanted to volunteer and give something back, using the skills I already had as a facialist.
When I saw how beneficial these treatments could be for the women, I wanted to make the work more sustainable. I established Your True Reflection as a not-for-profit Community Interest Company, and within the first few months, we received £20,000 in National Lottery funding to support the work. That gave us the opportunity to build on what had begun as a very personal desire to help.
5. As an award-winning facialist, beauty and skincare were already a big part of your world. How have you seen treatments such as facials and other forms of self-care help women reconnect with themselves after difficult experiences?
For me, a facial is about so much more than skincare. When a woman has been through something difficult, caring for herself can slip to the very bottom of the list. Having time set aside just for her can be a gentle reminder that she matters and deserves kindness.
I believe we can carry the effects of trauma in our bodies. After my experience with domestic violence, I would flinch if someone approached me, came up behind me or reached out to touch me. Even when someone meant me no harm, I found myself reacting before I could think.
That experience shapes how we care for our ladies. We ask permission, respect their boundaries and let them guide what feels comfortable. With their consent, gentle touch and breathing together can offer an opportunity to experience being touched with kindness, at their own pace. For me, it’s about helping them rediscover that hands can be for healing, not hurting.
We offer a space where women can pause and receive care without having to explain their story. It might begin with something as simple as relaxing their shoulders or enjoying a gentle facial massage. My hope is that each woman leaves feeling cared for, reminded of her worth and able to make a little more space for kindness towards herself.
6. In just 18 months, Your True Reflection has delivered more than 400 complimentary sessions and distributed over £55,000 worth of products. Did you ever imagine it would grow so quickly?
No, I never imagined it would grow so quickly. We’ve been able to reach so many women because of the generosity of our supporters, including White Glo, who very kindly donated 4,500 tubes of toothpaste, along with toothbrushes.
Donations like these allow us to regift everyday essentials to people who need them. Alongside funding from the National Lottery, that generosity has helped us grow and continue offering our complimentary restorative healing sessions. I’m incredibly grateful to everyone who has played a part.
7. What does a typical Your True Reflection session or experience look like for the women you support?
Every woman is unique, so every experience is unique too. I train our volunteers in our restorative healing facial, teaching them 20 different massage movements, alongside opening and closing breathwork rituals. This gives them a foundation that they can adapt to each woman’s preferences and comfort.
We also offer optional Christian prayer, which is never imposed. Personally, I find scripture incredibly encouraging for restoring and renewing the mind, but each woman chooses whether she would like prayer included.
Some women who come to us have experienced homelessness and may not have received gentle, caring touch for a long time. With their permission, a session might simply involve resting our hands gently on an area they feel comfortable with, alongside breathwork and visualisation, if they wish.
Other women, particularly as they get to know us and feel more comfortable, may enjoy a fuller, massage-led restorative facial. There is no expectation to receive a particular treatment. We take our lead from each woman, allowing her to receive care at her own pace.
8. Your work takes you to shelters, refuges and communities across London. What have the women you’ve met along the way taught you?
They’ve taught me that I can be myself and speak my truth. When they’ve asked about my own experiences and I’ve shared with them, they’ve believed me. That has meant so much and helped me learn to trust again. The care and connection go both ways.
They’ve also taught me so much about resilience. These are women who have been through tremendously difficult experiences, yet they are still showing up for their children and taking steps towards building a new life, even when that takes everything they have.
The strength of women is incredible. They are the reason I do everything I do.
9. Your True Reflection recently won the Wandsworth Health and Wellbeing Award 2026 and was shortlisted for Best Charity and Best Startup. What did that recognition mean to you personally and to the organisation?
It was an incredible privilege to stand alongside some of the best businesses in Wandsworth and meet so many inspirational people. What made it especially meaningful was feeling loved and supported by fellow business owners who wanted to get behind Your True Reflection and help our work continue.
Being recognised by Wandsworth meant so much to me personally and to us as an organisation. Alongside the award, we also received a £5,000 grant to launch our next project for our ladies: strengthening movement sessions.
We also won the Extraordinary Achievers Outstanding Charity Award in London, which was another incredible honour. That recognition is something I share with our volunteers, supporters and the women at the heart of everything we do.
10. You’re now looking at developing education, training and mentoring opportunities for women. What’s your vision for this next chapter?
Our vision is to give women the opportunity to learn a skill, rebuild their confidence and explore a pathway into employment, with support along the way.
We’re seeking funding—and would really welcome help with this—to launch our restorative healing facial training programme. The programme would include insurance, products and six months of mentoring through Your True Reflection, with a weekly drop-in Zoom and opportunities to volunteer alongside us.
It’s about more than gaining a qualification. We want to help women feel less isolated, support their mental wellbeing and give them opportunities to build confidence through practical experience. By caring for others and giving back to their communities, they can recognise the value of their own skills and begin to see new possibilities for their future, including paid work.
11. London has played such an important role in Your True Reflection’s story, from Knightsbridge to Wandsworth and the communities you now work across in the city. What does London mean to you?
I moved from Kent to London when I was 16, and I’ve spent my adult life here. London has given me such a breadth of experiences, from gala parties with billionaires and supermodels to working in shelters, and everything in between.
I love the culture, the food, the diversity and the opportunities. But above all, it’s the people. There is nothing quite like the generosity of Londoners. I’ve experienced it personally through the community that helped me rebuild my life, and I see it now through the people who support Your True Reflection.
London is where I’ve built businesses, found community and discovered a sense of purpose. It will always be a huge part of who I am.
12. When you have some time to yourself, what are your favourite places in London to switch off, recharge and treat yourself?
I love going for afternoon tea at Brown’s in Mayfair—that’s a real treat for me. But I’m just as happy walking along Putney riverside, enjoying the water and taking a moment to slow down. I also love visiting the Wetland Centre in Barnes, where you can feel close to nature while still being in London.
That’s one of the things I love about the city: you can enjoy a little luxury, but you don’t have to spend money to have a beautiful day. A free riverside walk, an afternoon in one of London’s parks or simply sitting with a lovely view can be just as restorative. For me, switching off is about giving myself time to breathe and enjoy what’s around me.
13. As a facialist, we have to ask: what is the one piece of skincare or beauty advice you wish every woman knew?
You are beautiful. Every woman is beautiful, and I wish more women could see themselves with the kindness they show others. Your beauty is in your eyes, your smile and the love you share.
But if you love a product, I recommend Temple Spa’s IT’S ALL GOOD Nutritious Boost Facial Oil for a little facial massage at home. Apply a few drops to clean skin and use gentle upward and outward movements.
Try these simple movements with clean hands:
Cheeks: Slowly glide your fingertips from the centre of your face out towards your ears.
Jawline: Gently sweep from your chin along your jaw towards your ears, keeping the pressure light.
Forehead: Smooth from the centre of your forehead out towards your temples, finishing with small, gentle circles.
Take a few slow, comfortable breaths and enjoy a couple of minutes just for yourself. Use enough slip so you’re never dragging the skin, avoid the eye area, and stop if anything feels uncomfortable.
Let it be a moment of kindness towards yourself. You deserve the care you so freely give to others.
14. What has building Your True Reflection taught you about confidence, beauty and how we see ourselves?
I wish more women could see themselves through the eyes of those who love and value them. We can be so critical of ourselves, yet others see our kindness, our warmth and the love we bring into their lives.
Building Your True Reflection has reminded me that true beauty comes from the heart. I’ve also seen how confidence can begin to grow when a woman feels welcomed, believed and valued. Sometimes we need someone else to recognise our worth before we can begin to see it for ourselves.
15. For someone reading this who wants to support Your True Reflection, what are the most meaningful ways they can get involved?
If you’d like to volunteer alongside us, we’d love to hear from you—whether you’re a beauty professional wanting to share your skills or someone who would like to help in another way. Please email info@yourtruereflection.co.uk.
If you’re treating yourself to beauty products, such as Temple Spa’s IT’S ALL GOOD Facial Oil, please visit the Healing Shop on the Your True Reflection website, where 100% of profits support our work.
We also welcome donations of pre-loved clothing and new toiletries in London. Please get in touch to arrange a donation.
Whether you give your time, share your skills, shop with us or donate, your kindness helps us continue caring for our ladies.
16. Finally, what does the phrase “Your True Reflection” mean to you today?
To me, Your True Reflection means seeing yourself as God created you: complete, chosen, wonderfully made and loved. I wish more women knew that about themselves and could truly believe it.
That’s why, when women welcome prayer, I incorporate scripture. For me, the words of God are so powerful for restoration and renewing the mind. They remind us of who we are and how deeply we are loved, even when our experiences have made us forget our worth.