ELLE TESTS
MICRODERMABRASION FACIALS
By Amy Lawrenson
You may be rocking the latest trends or be wearing this season's new catwalk inspired make-up looks but tired looking, patchy skin, fine lines and scarring on your face can instantly knock your confidence and how you feel about your over all appearance. While a face lift, chemical peel or even two weeks in the sun are just not a quick fix option for most of us, a microdermabrasion facial could be just the answer. It's an intense exfoliation that sloughs away several layers of dead skin sells to reveal plumper, fresher, brighter looking skin. Some therapists perform this with an intensive scrub much like face scrubs used at home, but others use a microdermabrasion machine which uses a vacuum pump to apply extra fine exfoliating beads across the face buffing dead skin sells away at the same time. Hailing from Hollywood the treatment is now widely available in the U.K and promises to achieve anything from a radiant new complexion to reducing lines and wrinkles. The Elleuk.com team put 8 microdermabrasion facials to the test to see which ones really worked...
Bliss London Spa
Steep Clean facial at Bliss London, £180 for 105 minutes, 0207 590 6146
Tester’s skin type – combination, with acne scars and blemishes.
The spa
The Bliss spa was bright, clean and the staff were both friendly and professional. The treatment rooms were very secluded while in the main area of the spa there is a great chill-out area where you can grab a drink and a snack. The changing rooms were well equipped with everything you'd need including deodorant and contact lens solution, along with a shower, sauna and a plethora of Bliss products to try!
The consultation
I filled out a questionnaire about my skin type and health, then the therapist cleansed my face and assessed me through a magnifier (so scary to see my pores that close up!), by looking at my skin she discussed what the treatment would involve and what sort of results I should expect.
The facial
A face mask was applied to my skin to soften it before the microdermabrasion. At Bliss they use a machine to do the proceedure so the therapist first tested the micramachine quickly on my inner arm so I knew exactly what sensation to expect. After donning a shower cap and having ear plugs inserted (to stop anything getting in to my ears and hair!) she then applied the machine to my face on a gentle setting. It wasn’t exactly painful but did feel like I was having my face sandpapered. She turned the machine to a higher setting around my problem areas – the fine lines on my forehead and acne scars, by this point my face felt slightly sore. A lighter setting was then used again all over my face and neck. By the end of the process my skin felt sore, a bit like I had been sunburnt and I did worried I might be leaving the spa with a bright red face! A soothing mask was then applied for ten minutes, followed by a second mask where my face was wrapped in film and hot towels.
The extras
Between the two face masks the therapist did some extraction on my nose, chin and forehead which was slightly painful as my skin felt a bit raw from the microdermabrasion - but it cleared out any blackheads I had. While the masks got to work I had a lovely, relaxing arm, hand and foot massage and then once the masks were removed I was given a light face and neck massage using a yummy massage oil. And thankfully fter the combination of soothing masks and a relaxing massage my skin didn’t feel sore or look red at all.
The result
My skin felt and looked incredibly soft and glowing. Some of the more prominently pigmented areas hadn’t faded much, I think I would need to integrate this sort of facial in to my beauty regime to notice a permanent change. I would certainly recommend this facial to anyone with problem skin.
Best for: People who want a microdermabrasion with all the luxury of a facial.
Verdict: 4/5
