Gone are the days when a facial consisted of a bit of steam, some face cream and the dreaded extraction. Today’s facials are a highly complex affair, with new potions, technologies and techniques that promise to lift, smooth, brighten, tighten and rejuvenate.
The new SRS/Hydracool treatment, which has been brought to Dubai by the Medica Group and is currently on offer at Sisters Beauty Lounges in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, is one such treatment.
I give it a try at the Sisters Beauty Lounge at The Dubai Mall, which is an unexpected cocoon of quiet and relaxation in this otherwise manic mega mall.
The treatments consist of two central elements: Hydracool, a new cutting-edge, multifunctional device that harnesses the power of water to cleanse and refresh the skin, using a series of tools, including ultrasound; and SRS, which stands for Skin Rejuvenation System, and consists of magic e-CO2 gel and creams that promise to work at a deep cellular level.
Dubbed a “first of its kind for the region”, the treatment promises to rejuvenate and oxygenate the skin, restore essential vitamins and make your face glow. Of course, this involves a complex series of steps, which are performed with impressive deftness by my expert therapist.
The skin is cleansed, and then targeted with blasts of cold steam (this initially feels like taking a brisk walk on a winter’s day; then more like being stuck out in a blizzard). It is an odd sensation but undeniably invigorating. There is sono-exfoliation, which removes dead skin, and then mesotherapy. This microneedling technique is performed by running a special roller, fitted with minuscule needles, over the skin, to ensure that any subsequent products applied to the face are absorbed into the mesoderm (or middle layer) of the skin.
Next up, the therapist applies a hyaluronic acid serum, and finally the cooling E-CO2 gel mask, which is meant to stimulate cell metabolism and activate macro circulation.
While the treatment is not exactly painful, it can hardly be described as relaxing. There are times when I experience some discomfort — the mesotherapy, in particular, causes quite a strong stinging sensation. But no pain, no gain, as they say. It takes around an hour but my therapist talks me through each step and tells me what kind of sensations to expect at each stage. And if there is discomfort, it’s because it is working — and working at a deep cellular level.
A lot of treatments out there promise to rejuvenate and lift, and to reduce skin imperfections and wrinkles, but this one actually delivers. I see a noticeable difference in my skin not just immediately after the treatment but for days to come — particularly when it comes to the fine lines around my eyes.
I’m a complete convert.
• The SRS/Hydracool treatment can be adapted according to your specific needs and is available from the Sister Beauty Lounge in The Dubai Mall and Al Bateen Villas, Abu Dhabi. For more information, visit www.sistersbeautylounge.com.
sdenman@thenational.ae