It’s no secret that I love me some self-care: I run a skincare blog, I run a skincare group, I bathe so often I occasionally wreck my skin barrier, and I recently invested in a monthly massage package at a local day spa. In my effort to be a high-functioning adult human less and a puddle of goo more, this past week I added a HydraFacial to my day.
What is a HydraFacial?
HydraFacial is a patented technology that uses a pen-like applicator and a series of exfoliating and hydrating steps to, well, exfoliate and hydrate the skin. The basic HydraFacial consists of three steps: “cleanse + peel”, “extract + hydrate” and “fuse + protect”, though there are boosters available for specific skin concerns. All steps are completed with the same applicator, though the serum being applied varies between steps.
“Cleanse + Peel” foregoes the face wash by heading straight to a glycolic and salicylic acid mix that commences the dissolving of any debris on your face, as well as prepping the top dead layers of skin, as well as any debris in your pores, to be removed.
“Extract + Hydrate” is the step that pulls that loosened gunk out. The pen-like applicator vacuums it up in a vortex-like fashion, while keeping the skin hydrated.
“Fuse + Protect” is the final step of the HydraFacial, exclusive of any booster treatments. It is primarily a low-molecular-weight hyaluronic acid serum, though it also includes peptides and antioxidants. This is the step that REALLY hydrates, despite the name.
Skincare the Week Before the HydraFacial
Given the fact that the HydraFacial is basically a strong exfoliating treatment, I would normally recommend not exfoliating the week before, or really reducing the amount of exfoliation you do.
This … is not what I did. In fact, I did the opposite. Sunday night a spot that I’ve had for a long time became puffy and inflamed. In hopes that maybe I could get it to do SOMETHING in time for my Friday appointment, whether it would go away or actually become extractable, I blasted my face and the spot with salicylic acid (the Isntree Chestnut BHA 2% Clear Liquid — more to come on that in my May Openeds). Unfortunately it just got bigger as the week progressed, though thankfully less tender. Current theory on that is that it’s an inflamed cyst, so more there as the situation evolves.
Otherwise, I kept my routine the same. The only change I made was to not use retinol or that BHA the night before my appointment, just to play it a bit safer.
If you have any questions about what not to use before your HydraFacial, you should definitely consult with the spa where you’re having the treatment performed — waxing, strong exfoliants and strong retinoids are typically off the table for 48-72 hours beforehand.
Experience at the Spa
I love day spas because they turn a self-care moment into more of a self-care day, and this certainly qualified. We (my husband always comes too) had mimosas and deep tissue massages before our facials (he went for a standard facial rather than a HydraFacial), so I was pretty chill going in to the treatment. Heading in, the general vibe is very standard facial, but with the notable difference of the HydraFacial cart.
Most HydraFacials focus on the treatment itself rather than doing extractions and such, simply because the tool itself takes care of most of that, but your esthetician will look at your skin just to make sure there’s nothing (like a cyst) to be wary of. Once the examination of my skin was complete, it was time to start the first round of the HydraFacial.
No step of the HydraFacial feels any different from any of the others, frankly, except that on the first pass of the pen you’re a bit less damp — my esthetician actually gave me a tissue to help with any product that might drift into my ears. Despite the pen being pore vacuum-like and dragged across the skin, there’s no sensation of pulling, except for at the very beginning before the skin has any slip from the various products. In fact, it almost feels like there’s a lot of fuss over nothing, if you’re the sort of person who thinks that “if it hurts it must be working.”
The three passes of the HydraFacial pen — the first to cleanse and exfoliate, the second to extract, the third to rehydrate — go by fairly quickly.This is a good facial to talk through, if you’re a huge nerd like I am, since there’s also not the focus on massage and relaxation. Each round takes around 10 minutes. It’s a face-only procedure, which makes sense since the pores and glands on your neck and chest don’t function quite the same, though those hoping to tame cystic acne along the jaw line might find this a bit disappointing.
After the HydraFacial itself, my esthetician applied a light moisturizer (which hopefully had SPF? I should have asked. Luckily the UV index was not as high as it usually is in May in Colorado) and lip balm, and we were done with the treatment itself.
She did ask if I wanted to see the gunk, which of course I did: all of the liquid and debris pulled from your face gets stashed in a little container, which she illuminated with her phone light. I’m not prone to too many whiteheads or blackheads, but there were what looked like quite a few tiny grains of sand in there — all gently extracted from my face.
HydraFacial Aftercare
In typical Lisa fashion, the use of hyaluronic acid did start to make my cheeks feel a bit uncomfortable by the time we got home, so I slathered on some more moisturizer and popped on some Vaseline. If we had not been planning to stay in the rest of the day and my cheeks hadn’t been feeling a bit grumpy I would probably have opted for a sunscreen instead, and might recommend bringing one with you to apply when you’re done. After all, the HydraFacial is a fairly intense, albeit gentle, exfoliation.
I did do a PM routine that evening but kept it simple with just hydration and moisturization. The next morning, I did my standard AM routine — paying special attention to antioxidants and sunscreen. By the evening, I figured retinol was once again a “go” and buffered that. I anticipate that I’ll exfoliate again Monday or Tuesday, so three to four days after the HydraFacial. Those with more sensitive skin might call this their only exfoliation for a while, and would be just fine in doing so.
My Final Thoughts
I’m very glad I got a HydraFacial just to see what the hype was about. I can see why this, rather than a classic facial, would be more recommended before big events. Manual extractions can be more uncomfortable, leaving my skin a bit blotchy after, whereas after the HydraFacial I looked to be properly glowy. I think this is also a good option for those with sensitive skin who need a bit of an exfoliation “tune up” and can’t handle leave-on exfoliants or the exfoliating masks that have to stay on your skin from 2-20 minutes. If microdermabrasion was too much for your skin, “hydra-dermabrasion” may be just right.
Would I get it again? Probably. I don’t feel the need to get facials, Hydra- or otherwise, too often, since my skincare is pretty tuned and I don’t feel like I need many extractions. (Beyond this dang cyst. Please someone get it off my forehead, stat.) The price is also high enough, due to the device, that it’s not something that fits nicely into my budget every quarter or so. (For context, the HydraFacial was a bit more than double the cost of a normal facial.) That said, I would do it before a big event in a heartbeat, especially if I didn’t feel like my skin was living its best life.
Lisa Loves Skincare 