The Interview: ilā Wellness founder Denise Leicester on creating ilā RegenX and the future of regenerative wellbeing

Denise Leicester is the founder of ilā Wellness and the visionary behind wellness atelier ila RegenX.  In this interview, Denise tells us about her new wellness space, ilā RegenX, and the unique treatments on offer.  

Can you start by telling about your background and what led you to the beauty and wellbeing space?

My background began in medical nursing and midwifery, which gave me a very deep understanding of the body — not just physically, but emotionally and energetically as well.

In the early 1990s, I felt drawn to explore beyond conventional medicine and began studying complementary therapies — aromatherapy, homeopathy, reflexology — which led me into yoga and Ayurveda.

A significant turning point in my life came when I became unwell for a number of years. That experience became a profound period of transformation for me. It shifted my understanding of healing from something purely physical into something much deeper — an appreciation of how sensitive the mind is, how sacred the body is, and how important our inner state is in the healing process.

I came to understand that where we place our attention matters deeply — that focusing on what is positive, supportive and life-enhancing is not simply philosophical, but a vital part of how the body restores itself.

What became clear to me was that true wellbeing comes when we work with the whole person — body, mind and energy — rather than treating symptoms in isolation.

That journey naturally led me to create ilā — as a way to bring together ancient wisdom, nature, and a more conscious approach to healing through the skin, through touch, scent, and energy.

At your new wellness space, ilā RegenX, you merge cutting-edge science with human touch. Tell me about your unique treatments and the issues they treat.

RegenX was born from a desire to go deeper — to work not just at the surface, but at the level of cellular energy, the nervous system, and the body’s innate intelligence.

We combine advanced regenerative technologies — photobiomodulation, hypoxic oxygen therapy, frequency-based systems — with highly intuitive, hands-on therapies. It is very much about creating a dialogue with the body, rather than imposing change upon it.

Our work is structured around five key pathways: oxidative stress, inflammation, mitochondrial vitality, hormonal and metabolic balance, and the nervous system. The treatments are designed to support everything from fatigue and stress to recovery, longevity and optimisation — always in a highly personalised way.

A central part of that personalisation is our bespoke analysis. We use tools such as the Multi Scan and deeper ANS readings to build a more complete picture of how a person is functioning — from circulation and metabolic balance to nervous system regulation and cellular resilience. This allows us to look beneath symptoms and understand where the body is asking for support.

We are also developing our own RegenX Intelligence system, which helps us interpret this data more deeply and refine what each individual most needs. It is not about replacing intuition or practitioner insight, but about enriching it — allowing us to create programmes that are both more precise and more personal.

Alongside this, we have developed a new approach to aesthetics, redefining aesthetics through regeneration. Rather than working in isolation, we integrate aesthetic treatments within what we call our RegenX circuits — where skin health, cellular energy, and the nervous system are all supported together.

This allows us to prepare the tissue, enhance results, and support recovery in a much more intelligent and holistic way. It is less about intervention, and more about creating the optimal environment for the body to respond and regenerate.

Who is your customer and is there a treatment that is a customer favourite?

Our clients tend to be discerning and very aware — often high-performing individuals who are beginning to understand that longevity is not simply about extending life, but about how you feel within it.

They are looking for something more intelligent and more nuanced than a quick fix.

Favourites are the Human Regenerator and Fire fly, often combined with hypoxic training and cold laser Healing. What people experience is not dramatic in an obvious way, but profoundly felt — a sense of calm, clarity and reset and vitality .

Many say it is the first time they have truly felt their nervous system switch off.

You’re located near Harley Street. Have you seen a shift in the market from traditional doctor-led treatments in the wellbeing space?

Yes, very much so.

There will always be an important place for medical intervention, but we are seeing a clear shift towards a more integrated understanding of health — one that asks why the body has moved out of balance, rather than simply correcting the symptom.

There is a growing awareness of the central role the nervous system plays, alongside inflammation, mitochondrial energy production, and how these influence the way we age, heal, and function day to day.

At RegenX, one of our core aims is to support those who are not necessarily unwell, but who are also not living with true vitality. A large proportion of people today — I would say many people today — are existing in a state of “functional survival” rather than truly thriving.

RegenX is here to change that.

We sit within this evolution not as a clinic, but as a wellness atelier — a space where science is applied with sensitivity and precision, always in support of the body’s own intelligence, guiding it back towards energy, clarity, and resilience.

You also have Maison ilā, your retreat in France — how does this differ to your London offering?

Maison ilā is about immersion.

Set in the Pyrenees, it allows people to step completely out of their daily lives and into a different rhythm — one that is slower, quieter, and more attuned to nature. There is space for the nervous system to settle, and for deeper healing to unfold.

We also work with technologies such as Matri Healing Laser Acupuncture there, but within a much more expansive, retreat-based experience.

RegenX in London is more precise and concentrated — it brings the same philosophy into a format that fits modern life, allowing people to receive highly personalised, regenerative support in a shorter, more structured way.

The two are very complementary.

Tell me about your skincare brand ilā. What led you to launch the brand?

ilā was born from a desire to create something that was not only pure, but meaningful and energetically alive.

Working with Ayurveda and natural medicine, I became deeply aware of the intelligence of plants — not just in their chemistry, but in their subtle energetic properties.

I wanted to create formulations that support not only the skin, but the whole being — products that feel therapeutic, almost like a treatment in themselves.

What are your bestsellers?

Our face oil has always been central to ilā

The Vital Energy range and our CBD formulations have also become very important, especially as people look for ways to support both skin health and nervous system balance.

What is interesting is that people return not only because they see results, but because they feel something — a sense of vitality, calm, or reconnection.

What’s next for the brand?

We are continuing to deepen our work around regeneration, both within RegenX and beyond it.

One area I feel very strongly about is fascia and somatic alignment. We will soon be introducing this as part of our RegenX home care offering as well as breath meditations and yoga nidra relaxation. I believe that releasing held patterns within the body — when the body and mind are ready — is a profound part of true healing and regeneration. It is not just physical, but deeply connected to how we hold experience within the body.

We are also developing a range of nootropics, created in collaboration with our chef at Maison ilā. For me, food is one of the most powerful forms of medicine, and these formulations bring together potency and pleasure — they are designed to support the nervous system, clarity, and emotional balance, whilst also being something you genuinely enjoy.

Looking ahead, we see RegenX evolving into a wider offering, with the intention to open further spaces in time. However, for us it is not about rapid expansion, but about ensuring that each space holds the same level of integrity, precision, and depth.

For me, the future of wellbeing is not about adding more, but about going deeper — into the intelligence of the body and its capacity to regenerate.