The idea of skincare has always been alien to me, and I can’t count the number of horrified faces I get when my friends learn of my wash-with-water routine.
That said, I can’t deny the satisfaction that comes with the ripping away of blackheads or the removal of dead skin through exfoliation. But even that couldn’t motivate me enough to make it part of my beauty regime; it was way too much work for me.
Besides, I couldn’t see any apparent problems – until I underwent my first professional consultation with Estetica.
Estetica started out in the heartlands, but with a pocket full of big dreams, they soon made a name for themselves as one of Asia’s leading beauty institutes.
Focusing their attention on the science behind flawless skin, Estetica also collaborates with Singapore’s lead public research agency, A*STAR, to develop cutting-edge solutions of long-standing beauty issues.
It looks like toiling over all that blackhead extractions paid off, but we’re betting it’s got something to do with their handpicked team of aestheticians too. Trained to attend to your individual needs, you can count on the beauty therapists to customise the most effective treatment for you.
Before anything begins, you’ll be asked to fill in a short form that aids in the analysis of your skin. I was embarrassingly clueless on my skin condition and problems, but my therapist guided me through it by asking me simple questions.
She took me through the entire process patiently, and wasn’t fazed even after I revealed that I had zero knowledge of everything that was going on. From constantly reminding me to tell her if anything was hurting, to getting a smaller gown that would fit me, she went out of her way to make sure I would have the best experience possible.
Once that was done, my skin was scanned with the SkinTech machine which then listed the levels of my skin’s elasticity, pigmentation, hydration, sebum and texture.
Since skin woes are unique, Estetica has created a range of facials from their Derma Calm Facial for those with sensitive skin, to their Acne Biotic Facial for acne prone skin. The biggest problem that my skin faced was the lack of elasticity as well as texture.
No wonder I couldn’t wear foundation without having it flake off like an ondeh ondeh. With the unhealthy level of dead skin and low levels of collagen I had, the OxyGeneo 3-in-1 Therapy was selected for me.
Touted as the 3-in-1 super facial, the OxyGeneo is said to do 3 critical things: exfoliate dead skin cells, infuse the skin with beneficial active ingredients, and oxygenate the skin to increase capillary flow and stimulate the metabolism of products applied on the skin.
Clinically tested with proven results, I had high hopes for my skin to transform from drab to fab.
To kick off the treatment, my face was cleansed twice in preparation of the oxygenation process, and Capsugen®, a nutrient-rich gel was applied on my face.
A lot of the time, the accumulation of dead skin cells prevent your skin from absorbing all the nourishing products you’re slathering on it. Imagine all that money spent on anti-ageing serums going down the drain.
The OxyGeneo Technology is basically a machine that uses the pressure of carbon dioxide bubbles bursting on the surface of the skin to stimulate the body to send oxygen rich blood straight to your face – giving you capillary flow and your skin’s metabolism of products a big boost.
As my therapist started the exfoliation process, I experienced a stronger stinging sensation around my forehead and my nose. She explained that it was due to the nature of thinner skin around those areas, and that she would stop if it got too unbearable.
It wasn’t anything awful though – knowing that my dead skin cells were being sloughed away to reveal better skin made me think “no pain no gain”, even though it wasn’t all that painful.
After the dirty work was done, I was asked to choose between the NeoRevive gel, which helps with rejuvenation and anti-aging, and the NeoBright gel, which targets skin brightening and texture improvement. Of which, I chose the latter.
This is where they start the oxygenation process, which basically helps to increase tissue oxygen and blood flow, ensuring that your skin cells are in their best conditions to be infused with the active ingredients in the gel. Granted, I couldn’t see any parts of the treatment, but it was at this stage that I felt as if my skin getting a new breath of life.
After the OxyGeneo treatment, I was treated to the Advanced Cryo+ Freeze Therapy to soothe and calm my skin after my first microdermabrasion experience. To prevent the treacherous onset of acne and blackheads, the Estetica ést.lab PurClear Nano Silver AG+ Essence was applied.
The final step was the application of the face mask. This was the strangest experience of the entire facial to me; it was as if I were a mummy! I couldn’t even laugh for fear of ruining the entire mask, so I eventually drifted off into sleep.
I had several spots of pigmentation on my skin, so Anna chose the Cherry Whitening Mask for me. The mask actually smelt good enough to eat, and I learned that it contained sweet cherry fruit extract that was packed with vitamin C and antioxidants. Exactly what my skin needed for a brighter complexion and to lighten the pigmentation.
It’s almost silly how I had a slight phobia of facials before this. It turns out that I didn’t have to worry about breaking out, my skin practically glowed after the facial and my skin was definitely a lot smoother and brighter. I did learn one thing though – beauty is literally, skin deep.
Even after a whole night of sports that day, there were no adverse effects on my skin. And you won’t have to worry about aestheticians who don’t know what they’re doing – Estetica’s therapists really take their time to explain and ease you into your facial.
If you’re new to the world of facials, Estetica is now offering TSL readers promotional rates for three of their treatments. Snag the OxyGeneo 3-in-1 Therapy for only $98 (ORP $400), a specially customised facial for $68 (ORP $200), or treat yo’self and get the lot for $128 (ORP $600).
With 8 outlets islandwide, and a new one due to open in the new Compass One shopping mall in September 2016, take your pick and book your discounted facial with Estetica today.
Follow them on Facebook and Instagram for the latest offers and updates.
This post was brought to you by Estetica.
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