In search of fresh skin, I had my first ever facial - here’s what happened

In my quest for fresh skin, I’ve tried facemasks, creams, lotions and potions, but have never booked in for a proper facial.

With the big 3-0 coming up, I decided now is the time to act before the crow’s feet set in permanently. But how? And could it be too late? As Zendaya says: “I think skin is the most important. If you take care of your skin, then everything else looks good.”

In my quest for Zendaya levels of glow, I visited Skin Loft in West Kensington to try their JetPeel facial, which promises glowing, fresh skin.

© A bright white beauty lab with a pop of colour

Arriving for my booking, I couldn’t help but admire the multicoloured bubbles among the familiar clean white beauty parlour decor. The bubbles made me feel like I was already being lifted to higher realms of beauty.

Skin Loft offers a range of treatments, including facials for different skin types. I went for the JetPeel™ Anti-ageing Wide Range Hyaluronic Acid Facial which sounded like it should do the trick on my tired skin.

What is a JetPeel facial?

As a facial newbie, I had many questions, all of which were answered by business owner Daiva.

A JetPeel facial mimics the method of microneedling but without using a needle, which is clever. Instead of poking around your epidermis invasively, jet pressure energy is used to generate powerful streams of liquid and air. With my pick, I was treated to five molecular weights of hyaluronic acid which would each hydrate in their own special way, as well as Regu-age which is a mix of peptides and proteins specific for anti-ageing.

© Skin Loft’s cosy treatment room

First steps

Settling down on the heated blanket, I felt right at home. Low lighting and warm surrounds helped create a feeling of cosiness. The first step in the facial was a lymphatic massage, which was super relaxing.

The jet worked away to detoxify my skin as well as stimulate microcirculation, so my skin would be receptive to the main event.

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The second step was exfoliation. I felt the jets working to remove dead skin cells and clearing my pores, which would prepare my skin further for the secret age-defying formula stored away in the tanks of the peel machine.

And finally, we were onto the infusion stage. The moment my skin had been waiting for. After all the careful prepping, my face was treated to each of the special serums. The machine hummed away, tucking the nourishment into deep dermal layers of my face which I was told would help to stimulate collagen production. Of course as we age, we need all the collagen we can get.

© The JetPeel machine hard at work

Is the JetPel facial painful?

I’ll be honest, the treatment was a little sore at times and I did catch my eyes watering. However being wrapped in an array of soft blankets and lying on a heated treatment bed, I easily could have drifted off.

It was my fascination with the process and my many questions that kept me awake. The treatment lasted for an hour and each movement by my clinician felt unhurried and purposeful - You can’t rush art.

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The results are in…

Once the treatment was over and I went over to the mirror to check, I could neither recognise myself nor look away: The glow was real. Like an angel, like the sun itself. My face had a shine and colour to it that it’s not had since childhood. There was maybe a slight puff to my skin, but nothing major. My pores had shrunk by a very noticeable amount.

Unfortunately the next two to three days, some redness did creep in, which wouldn’t have been ideal if I’d had this done in the runup to a major event, but the glow stayed which was lovely.

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After the redness faded I was left with noticeably healthy, glowy skin for around a week, but hopefully also a healthy reset for my skin and a bright future ahead. I can imagine how the benefits would stack with regular JetPeel facials, and a careful routine in between appointments.

This facial is dear at £250 per session, and I was recommended to have them around every four to six weeks for my skin type which is quite an investment. But having seen such good results from just one treatment, I’d definitely recommend getting booked into Skin Loft.

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