We hate to break it to you but acne is not something that is limited to your teenage years. A condition that can plague you well into adulthood, we are more than aware of the difficulties than come with treating acne-riddled skin.
The solution behind treating acne skin? Well, the first is to find and establish a skincare routine that works for you. And a close second: go for facials that are specially designed to work for your condition and to help treat it, of course!
ESTETICA
Reviewer: Christine
As someone with an ongoing struggle with acne and blemishes, I was excited to drop by Estetica Beauty to try out their Acne-Biotic Facial Treatment. An award-winning facial that combats acne breakouts, it is also known to control excessive sebum production.
Upon reaching, I was introduced to Alice, my therapist for the day, who brought me into their consultation room where she conducted a detailed skin analysis to find out my current skin condition.
I was first asked to fill in a consultation form detailing my skin history, including the products I use in my daily skincare routine, and whether or not I have any preferences for my treatment– there’s even an opt-out option for extractions if you’re not comfortable with them.
They told me the rationale for this was so that they can tailor their facial services according to each customer’s preference – pretty neat! A facial scan was then done to analyse my moisture and sebum levels as well as my skin elasticity and severity of my clogged pores.
As someone who suffers from oily skin, my main problem predictably was with the excessive sebum my skin produces, but the scan also revealed that I apparently have mildly sensitive skin as well.
What this means is that my skin is thinner than the average person, and hence scars more easily. This also explains why my scars tend to take a longer time to heal, especially if I pick at my pimples and lesions. So for those of you who are facing the same issue as me, you might have sensitive skin too. Pretty interesting insight, I’d say!
After the informative consultation, I was whisked to the treatment room to begin my facial.
Perhaps it might seem like a minor thing to point out, but I really loved the ambience of the treatment room.
For instance, the blanket was very soft. So soft it literally lulled me to sleep mid-facial. Sure, you might think these are frills that don’t really and shouldn’t matter in a facial, but they were nice touches, and to me, this is what differentiates a good facial from a superb one.
After all, since you’ve already taken time off your busy schedule to go for a facial, why not go for one that maximises your enjoyment while solving your skincare problems at the same time?
The therapist started off by removing my makeup with the salon’s Sensitive Pro Cleansing Milk, a gentle cleanser that felt cooling to the touch and soothing upon application.
This is good for hyper-reactive skin like mine as it alleviates any feelings of discomfort while also preserving the skin’s protective film.
This was followed by a gentle exfoliation using the ést.lab LumiWhite Exfoliating Scrub, which contains exfoliating beads derived from natural jojoba seed extract. For those big on skincare, you’ll know that jojoba seeds are considered a superfood for skin due to its anti-inflammatory properties. Say goodbye to inflamed skin after the facial!
After the gentle scrub, my face was misted with steam to open up my pores for extraction.
However, as the surface of my skin was still quite dehydrated, the therapist had to cover my face with cotton pads soaked in ice-cold Sensitive Pro Toner to hydrate my thin, fragile skin before the extraction was performed. While the toner was working its magic, I indulged in a much needed, relaxing shoulder massage.
Next up was the extraction process, and surprisingly, it was significantly less painful than other extractions I’ve experienced. Prepping my skin with the ice cold toner helped to calm and hydrate my skin which facilitated the extraction process. Definitely a plus point!
Another thing I liked about this treatment was that they applied more of the toner-soaked cotton pads on the extraction areas right after. I was told that this was done to soothe the redness of the skin and to close the pores to prevent irritation as soon as possible, and she was right – my skin didn’t even look red, blotchy, or irritated after the facial!
My therapist also recommended not squeezing out too many blackheads at one go as my thin skin is easily irritated. Instead, she focused more on calming my angry-looking acne and keeping it under control.
Once the extraction process was completed, two different serums were applied on my face— the Acti-Biotic Open Pores Serum was used on my T-zone, where excess sebum and blackheads are mostly concentrated, while the Acti-Biotic White Spot Treatment was used on my cheeks, to lessen the appearance of my (many) blemishes, and strengthen my skin’s protective layer (as it is where my skin is most fragile).
Right after that, the therapist applied the Acti-Biotic Sebo Cream on my face to lock in the serums. As the cream was refrigerated prior, it felt really cooling and calming.
Besides balancing my skin’s pH, the cream also inhibits acne bacterial proliferation and has anti-inflammatory properties— perfect for my thin, dehydrated skin!
Instead of the usual facial massage, a gentle acupoint massage was performed to prevent aggravating my acne condition.
The next step was the application of the Acti-Biotic Sebo Mineral Clay Mask for 20 minutes: an absorbent, purifying mask aimed at eliminating toxins with antiseptic and healing properties. My skin felt cleaner and refreshed the instant the mask was removed!
The treatment ended off with the application of the Acti-Biotic Sebo Cream, followed by the ést.lab SunShield Aqua SPF50.
This particular sunblock is perfect for people who struggle with oily and/or sensitive skin like myself, as it has a super lightweight texture and a non-comedogenic formula. This allows your pores to breathe while providing your skin with UV protection.
With that, I was ready to head off and face the world with my better skin!
(Left): Skin prior to the facial. (Right): Skin after the facial.
Awkward expression and messy hair aside, I noticed that my skin has visibly brightened while appearing clearer and smoother. A huge plus: there was absolutely no redness right after the treatment, so if you’re considering Estetica Beauty, you definitely don’t need to go through the trouble of booking your appointment on a day when you know you’re not going out!
Looking to try out the Acne-Biotic Facial for yourself? Click here to enjoy a special rate!
Estetica
Address: They have 7 outlets located island-wide, with their flagship outlet located at Plaza Singapura, #06-18. For a full list of outlets, click here.
Contact: Website
Info source: https://dailyvanity.sg/beauty-reviews/best-acne-facials-in-singapore
