I’m the furthest thing from an expert on skin care. My daily skin routine inclu
des washing my face with a cream cleanser in the shower and moisturizing with my tried-and-true Oil of Olay. If I’m feeling fancy, I’ll smear on some BB cream (which I recently learned is short for “beauty balm” when I actually read the label) in an attempt to say I’m wearing makeup. Before bed, I swipe a Costco-brand makeup wipe across my face and call it a day.
I wish I could say my minimalist routine is due to my busy life as a working mom. However, this has been the drill for YEARS (i.e, well before becoming a mom). I need help.
My face has always been a touchy subject. Whether it be my porcelain complexion (don’t call me pale), memories of adolescent cystic acne that only two rounds of Accutane would cure (if you’re not familiar with Accutane, this article spoke to me), or just overall insecurity, I prefer people to keep their hands away from my face. Maybe that’s normal because as I type that, why would someone want hands on their face?
Anyway.
Maybe five years ago or so, I decided to get a facial. I don’t remember the reason, but I did, and I loved it. Spending an hour while a stranger slathers weird goopy stuff all over your face is oddly relaxing. The benefits of added moisture and vitamins (I think?) that leave your face feeling soft are an added bonus.
By some stroke of odd luck, I was the winner of a HydraFacial from Ginger Bay Salon and Spa during one of St. Louis Mom’s Blog (where you’re reading this!) 12 Giveaways of Christmas. When I entered, I didn’t know what a HydraFacial was; maybe someone dumps cups of water in your face for an hour? Maybe it’s some fancy new skin treatment that leaves your skin feeling like a baby’s bottom ? I was relieved when learning a HydraFacial is the latter.
So, what is it? According to their website, HydraFacial is an invigorating treatment (accurate). The HydraFacial treatment removes dead skin cells and extracts impurities while simultaneously bathing the new skin with cleansing, hydrating and moisturizing serums. The treatment is soothing, refreshing, non-irritating and immediately effective.
In short, you lay on a table and an aesthetician uses a wand connected to a machine that sucks on your face a bunch of times. I assume it pulls out all the dirt (?) and whatever else in hiding under the surface of your skin. I know it works because I saw the stuff that was extracted from my face swimming in a cup of water when it was over. I even had a healthy blemish that my aesthetician (shout out to Arden at Ginger Bay in Kirkwood!) treated. A couple days later, it was gone.
Will I do it again? Gosh, I hope so. My skin felt so smooth after some initial redness faded. It wasn’t the super-relaxing-lights-down-low facial experience that I was used to, but that was fine given the results it brings. As with any skincare regimen, it’s best to keep at it so you continue to see results. And as we age and inevitable changes to skin occurs, there are variations of the HydraFacial that can be used to target specific issues.
While I’m not ready to part with my tried-and-true regimen just yet, this new treatment might sneak its way into my routine every now and then.
