Now, I'm not your typical high maintenance, regularly scheduled pampering kind of gal. I prefer to use next to nothing on my skin, and engage in the odd eyebrow tint and hair colour once in a blue moon, so when the opportunity popped up to have a Hollywood Laser Facial at SKYN Subiaco, I was at first apprehensive. I'd had a facial maybe once in my life, and it definitely wasn't as in-depth as a laser facial, so I, of course, did a wee bit of research before expressing my interest in this unique opportunity.
What swayed me to think that I did want to give it a go is that it didn't seem to be a super invasive pamper session, and the reviews online had been a spate raves. I have quite oily skin that stays pretty clear and nice in the winter, but as soon as summer rolls around it I am oil and pimple central, so the opportunity to try something that could help that was incredibly tantalising!
A few weeks earlier I had been listening to a friend talk about a skin treatment that she had had that worked wonders for eliminating her pimples, so it felt a little bit like divine timing that this opportunity for a skin treatment should pop up when it had been playing on my mind. I'm not one to deny the signs, so I took the plunge and booked in!
I checked out SKYN's website and found that the booking functions were incredibly easy to navigate, which is always a big bonus. There were appointments available to fit around my commitments, and once I'd decided to get the facial, I got everything set up without a hitch.
I checked out the information regarding the procedure and learned that the Hollywood Laser Carbon Peel was essentially a laser facial where you have Carbon applied to your skin to clear the top layer of dead skin and debris away, and then have it zapped off with a laser to really get a deep clean and stimulate the deeper layers of skin to rejuvenate. This is my very simplified recap of my understanding, so for the proper run-down please check out the information on the SKYN website
here.
I arrived for my treatment at SKYN's new residence along Hay street in Subiaco. There was parking out the front of the clinic which made life super easy, and as I went inside I was blown away by how gorgeous the interior was! So incredibly clean and crisp, I was immediately transported to the kind of luxury you would expect from a high-class skincare clinic in America.
The staff were ever so kind and attentive and I was greeted within moments of approaching the desk. I began to fill out a general treatment questionnaire that you'd expect on an iPad whilst sitting in one of the comfiest plush couches I'd ever been on. I was met by my Dermal Therapist, Anna, and was given a short tour of their lovely new space and then taken through to the treatment room.
I entered the treatment room and was relieved that the relaxed, modern energy was too brought in to the rooms where the magic happens. There was light, relaxing music playing, and I was asked to take a seat as the lovely Anna talked me through the facial process. She was incredibly kind, informative and thorough, regularly checking in to ensure that I understood each step and that I was feeling good and excited about it.
The treatment itself was relatively quick and painless and comprised of three parts. The first was a lovely cleanse of my face, followed by the application of the Carbon lotion (which made me look like I'd been working hard as a chimney sweep!). Anna popped some protective eyewear on me so that it was nice and dark (and safe) and began the first round of laser treatment.
During the first round, I could hear moderate zapping sounds and a general warmth across my skin as the laser passed over. The heat was slightly warmer around my lips and nose as Anna said that these can be sensitive areas, but not very uncomfortably so.
After a wee break, the second round of laser treatment began. The laser made fairly loud zapping sounds as the carbon was removed, and there was a slight smell from the Carbon being zapped. During the procedure, there is a little vacuum style tube sitting on your chest which helps to remove any of the Carbon debris. For this segment, I found it really helpful to utilise relaxation techniques as the zapping could be a little stressful if you completely focus on it (imagine laying on a beach in Hawaii with a cocktail/imagine a pretty mountain stream).
The final round of the laser was my favourite, as there was a very light zapping sound and a really comfortable warmth across my face as the laser moved over. To finish Anna did a final cleanse and serum treatment of skin and left me feeling fresh as a daisy! The whole procedure took less than 30 minutes which is also great for any of those busy bees out there!
The whole way through my treatment Anna was checking in to see how I felt and did little practice areas before starting each round of treatment so I would know what to expect which I found extremely comforting, especially as I was a first-timer (thank you Anna!).
Afterwards, my skin felt more taught, yet softer and plumper, with my pores also looking smaller, which is always a bonus! I definitely felt that the visual change after one treatment was subtle, but the change to how my skin felt was huge. With this being a cumulative treatment, they say that if you opt to get this kind of facial regularly (you can safely have it as often as every 2 to 4 weeks) the effects will continue to deepen and your skin will improve even more across time.
After the procedure, I was given some extra information about the laser procedures that the clinic offers, and an adorable (and delicious) lip-shaped choccie.
SKYN is definitely on my radar now as a clinic that provides a range of incredibly high-quality treatments in a wonderfully calm, relaxing space. My skin feels fresh, and really, who doesn't love a little pamper every now and then?!
The Hollywood Laser Facial is regularly $495 but is currently $250 at SKYN Subiaco, so if you've been 'umming and ahhing' about wanting to try something new to rejuvenate your skin, be sure to book in soon!
