I Got A HydraFacial And Can Confirm That It's Totally Worth It

If you ever left a facial looking more red than radiant, wondering what, exactly, just happened to your face, you’re not alone. The extractions-and-mask combo might feel like a necessity in the moment (they say beauty is pain, right?), but depending on where you go and who you see, it may be uncomfortable and truthfully, not doing a whole lot of good for your skin. So not surprisingly, as a beauty editor for many, many years, I’m very discerning about the facials I get and it was high time for a customized treatment that leaves me better than it found me.

Enter HydraFacial, which is designed to take the facial experience to the next level. Consisting of three steps and taking only 30 minutes (with zero downtime, no less), it cleanses and resurfaces skin before infusing it with moisture, antioxidants, and other beneficial ingredients—making for a complexion that’s immediately glowing and calm. And I have the proof to back that up.

For context, I have combination skin with an unfortunate propensity for adult acne, and it’s been touch-and-go all summer; not only have I faced errant bumps around my jawline and chin, but I also get post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation from them, too. By the time I got to Rachele Facchini, the esthetician at JTAV Clinical Skincare in New York City, it had taken a turn for a worse, thanks to a thrilling trio of humidity, hormones, and stress. “I’ve seen a lot of patients like this lately,” she told me. Hey, misery loves company.

The good news? While the HydraFacial is great for all skin types, it’s especially helpful when your skin is congested and inflamed—like, oh, mine. The timing couldn’t be better.

First came the Cleanse step. Facchini started by cleansing my skin, since I had been wearing tinted sunscreen and mascara, and then went to work with the first step of the HydraFacial: the deep-clean. It feels like a mini vacuum on the skin using a magic wand with patented hydradermabrasion technology and is intended to lightly exfoliate and soften the skin. (My cleanser could never.) It was then followed by a gentle peel, courtesy of a blend of glycolic and salicylic acids, which further loosen up dead skin cells. I felt some slight tingling as it went on, but that subsided quickly, and Facchini checked in frequently to make sure I was comfortable.

Next up was the Extract step. “It’s extraction-less extractions,” Facchini said, somewhat cryptically. But what that meant, I learned, was that it removes gunk from pores via a stronger suction instead of the usual manual method of squeezing them out. That keeps skin from looking red and bruised immediately after the treatment—and is more effective than using fingers or a tool and simply hoping for the best. This step also includes hydration; the entire time Facchini was doing “extractions” with the HydraFacial device, it was also infusing skin with moisturizing ingredients—a win-win.

To top it all off, there’s the Hydrate step, which is an infusion of serum. This is where I customized my treatment with the Britenol booster, one of the several booster options; it’s formulated to help with dark spots and discoloration, thanks to a blend of tone-evening ingredients, such as vitamin C, alpha-arbutin, and bearberry extract, which would help fade my dark spots. Facchini then applied the last solution, which includes a combo of hyaluronic acid, antioxidants, and peptides, to keep skin hydrated and protected for the rest of the day. Finally, she slathered on sunscreen and sent me on my way.

While I usually look like I was attacked by wasps after a facial treatment, this wasn’t the case. Not only did my skin look presentable, but it also looked clearer, calmer, and more radiant than it had in months. Sure, my dark spots and breakouts were still there, if you looked closely. In general, though, my skin just looked less inflamed than it had an hour before.

In fact, the immediate glow following the HydraFacial was so significant that even I felt confident enough to go without makeup. In the days after, I relied on my tinted sunscreen—and didn’t feel the need to load up on foundation and concealer.

Days later, my skin is still on an upswing, with fewer bumps and a more even tone. I could see how incorporating this into my routine on a more regular basis, even once a month, could pay off both instantly and over time. Bottom line? The HydraFacial lives up to the hype.

To find a HydraFacialist near you, visit hydrafacial.com/find-a-hydrafacialist.