By Charlotte O’Connor 7/9/16
As a 43-year-old woman, I need all the help I need to keep my skin looking younger! So I was delighted when a friend treated me to a Dermalogica Ionactive Facial at the Buff Day Spa.
My lovely therapist Jean met me in the relaxation area and took me over to a special machine that you put your head inside with a UV light that showed up areas of dryness or damage to the skin on your face. She and I could clearly see the areas of dehydration on the skin. I was also told there were slight areas of oil across my nose too.
She brought me to a beautiful cosy room lit by flickering candles where I was left allowed to settle snugly into the heated bed. She returned and started the facial with a double cleanse. I am a regular user of Dermalogica products and I could recognise the beautiful smell of the pre-cleanse when applied to my skin.
After looking at my skin through the light and magnifying glass, much to my feign horror, she decided that she would focus on nourishing my skin while also addressing my main concerns which were the lines on my forehead. Win win!
Jean then did a deep exfoliation on my skin then using a professional exfoliation to receive best results, this would not only exfoliate my skin but also help hydrate my skin as it contained Lactic Acid. She talked me through what she was doing and told me that if I felt tingling on my skin it was normal. I felt a slight tingle around my nose. After questioning me we discovered my ‘barrier’ on the skin was lessened by the cold I had had in previous weeks, during which a lot of nose blowing occurred.
She swept an Ion Active Retinol, which she explained was a concentrated product which penetrated deeper in to the layers of my skin achieving fast results, over my skin. It had barely any smell but the texture felt like a mask going on. This is when the magical machine came into play. It sounded a little ominous with the buzzing but she showed me it and assured me I wouldn’t feel anything. She stroked the skin upwards using the machine, as promised I didn’t feel anything, only the glide of the machine.
After a few passes over the face, she applied another layer of the Ion Active to the skin and massaged it in. It was amazing, I felt myself dosing off. She explained she was using more firming and toning movements as this would ad to the effectiveness of my treatment. My skin felt like a million bucks already, I really felt like I had had a face lift across my forehead.
She then explained that because I use mostly the Dermalogica Ultracalming range that she was going to use the cold Gelloid mask, as opposed to the hot Gelloid mask. This had me very intrigued, she applied a jelly like substance to my skin which was very cold but she did warn me, and ensure I was still comfortable heat wise on the bed. And to top it all off I got another facial massage with this mask on, using cold marble stones. I could not only feel my skin cooling but the tension that I hold in my forehead and temples started to disappear. It was blissful and I was so relaxed that I even nodded off now and again for a minute or two! At the end she put on a moisturiser mixed with a booster for additional hydration. Followed by SPF to protect my skin from any sun damage and prevent any further aging from the sun.
After the treatment, Jean brought me over a mirror so I could have a look at the results. I honestly gasped in amazement when I looked into it! My fine lines were visibly reduced and my skin looked young, vibrant, supple and healthy! And my skin also felt so smooth and soft. I really couldn’t believe the difference.
Jean sent me off with a multi-vitamin face mask and instructions to use it after three days, which I did. That was a couple of weeks ago and my skin is still looking and feeling great. I highly recommend it – thank you!
