When it comes to spa treatments, I’m pretty game to try most things. Laser hair removal? Sure. Paraffin dips? Why not? Laser light facials? You betcha.
Chemical peels and microdermabrasion, however, are in a whole other realm that I’ve been hesitant to explore. And who could blame me? Anyone who’s ever seen the episode of Sex and the City in which Samantha’s face winds up looking like raw meat run over lives with a healthy dose of fear surrounding the procedures.
After hearing about the 12-Step High-Tech facial at Nūr Skincare, however — a treatment combining a peel, microdermabrasion, hydrafacial, oxygen treatment, light therapy and more created by founder and chemical engineer Anisa Noor based on layering techniques she learned from mentor and esthetician to the stars, Dangene— I knew I had to give it a go.
I headed over to new Ravenswood locale to try the service. Noor’s background made me feel totally confident in her expertise (hey, if anyone’s gonna slather chemicals on your face, you want it to be someone who knows EXACTLY how those chemicals work, right?) and her inviting, luxe space helped ease my jitters.
Despite her scientific background, Noor is very much a believer in the benefits of holistic wellness, as evidenced by the Nayyirah Waheed quote that hangs above her couch — “You see your face. you see a flaw. How. If you are the only one who has this face.”
Rather than transforming my skin into something else, Anisa would be working to make it look its best. She explained that epidermis can begin to look dull when layers of dead skin cells begin to accumulate over the new cells being generated beneath them. The chemical peel would essentially be working to penetrate that layer by breaking up bonds that bound the dead cells together. From there, she would use a Diamond Tome microdermabrasion tool to slough them off, revealing the brighter, younger-looking layer beneath.
And so our journey began…
10 Things No One Tells You About a Chemical Peel
1. Your problem areas might not be the ones you expect: Prior to the service, Anisa analyzed my skin with imaging technology called VISIA. After photographing my face from several different angles, the software determined my “Truskin” age to be 36 — four years old than my actual age. (Eep!) The tool also honed in on any necessary areas of focus. While I expected to hear, “Your pores are huge,” VISIA actually determined that my texture and pore count were some of my skin’s best attributes when compared against other patients of similar skin types. More problematic were issues that lurked beneath the surface invisible to my naked eye, including UV and brown spots. Also invisible? Red areas and porphyrins (or, in laymen’s terms, bacteria — yuck!).
2. The peel WILL hurt … but only for a few minutes: If you’re anything like me, the word ‘peel’ alone is enough to induce a wince when associated with any part of your body, let alone your face. The actual process, however, couldn’t be less scary. Anisa simply applied a chemical solvent solution that felt much like an astringent to my skin. Since it was my first time, we did a very light peel, which only stung a little. A second, stronger application was more intense: For a good five minutes, it literally felt like my face was on fire. It was nothing I couldn’t handle, but it definitely was not pleasant for the short time it lasted. Luckily, as the solution cooled, the pain subsided until it became nonexistent.
3. The microderm is far gentler: As with the chemical peel, the thought of microdermabrasion, or deep exfoliation, struck fear into my heart. Again, I needn’t have worried — this part wasn’t painful at all. In fact, it felt like a mini vacuum! The subsequent hydrafacial, which pumped me full of hyaluronic acid, the natural substance found within our skin that allows it to retain moisture (and retain that youthful, plump appearance that decreases as we age), felt much the same, only … wet.
4. You won’t leave the spa with a painful looking visage: No Samantha face here! While a few sensitive spots on my skin turned slightly red, for the most part, I recovered just fine. Within 10 minutes I couldn’t even tell any controlled trauma had taken place!
5. Don’t plan on wearing makeup afterward: Just because you’re not walking out looking like a horror movie victim doesn’t mean you can jump right back into your regular glam routine: Anisa suggested I wait at least six hours before applying makeup to allow the 200 some nutrients (yes, really!) she infused into my skin to really work their magic. Consequently, I braved my subsequent media meeting — gulp — barefaced.
6. Your results will be progressive: Having never been to a session, I wasn’t sure what to expect afterward — would my skin be glowing? Would I be wrinkle-free? Would I even recognize my own reflection? But getting a chemical peel is a process, with results taking about three to 10 days to fully take hold. It’s also a process meant to be built upon, meaning someone returning for their third or fourth session will see far greater results than someone who goes once and never returns. In other words? The best is yet to come.
7. Your face will feel super clean: One of the first things I noticed both upon leaving was how clean my skin felt afterward. Days after the procedure, I was looking and feeling fresh as could be, which had a big impact on my pore visibility: While Anisa let me know that pore size is genetic, and therefore not exactly a factor I could change, mine looked far smaller after being cleared of all the bacteria and gunk that settles into them on a daily basis. Score!
8. Your skin WILL peel off … : Anisa mentioned that my face would get dry and peel, so I was fully expecting to be slightly drier than normal — a few flakes of dead skin here and there. I was not prepared for what actually occurred, however. Listen, there’s a reason they tell you not to go in public on days three and four post-treatment. Remember when you were a little kid and you poured glue all over your hands and then peeled it off? (No? Just me?) Yeah, well, picture that. On your face. My boyfriend lovingly referred to me as “Hannibal Lecter” and complained that I was “molting like a snake.” While it wasn’t painful, it definitely wasn’t sexy, especially when applying makeup: My foundation didn’t want to settle on the new skin and instead settled on the skin that had yet to peel, giving the appearance of vitiligo. The bottom line? PLAN AHEAD, LADIES AND GENTS!!
9. …But you’ll see some beautiful skin underneath: The good news is that just like a butterfly emerging from a cocoon, the skin that pokes through once you’ve finished shedding, for lack of a better term, will literally be putting your best face forward: I do think I looked less drab — and maybe even slightly younger — post-treatment. Wishful thinking? Perhaps, but given the before and after pictures found on Nūr’s site, I’m going with 100 percent real!
10. You will become addicted: Within minutes of leaving my appointment, I was already scheming to make treatments a regular thing. As Anisa explained, though light maintenance including washing, moisturizing and creams are helpful, it’s the treatments that really bring results. After all, even the most expensive wrinkle treat isn’t going to work if it’s simply being slathered on top of layers of dead skin it can’t penetrate. You need the peels and microdermabrasions to ensure your new, pliable skin is at the surface in order to receive the full benefit of your products. I, for one, am officially sold.
What surprised you most about having a chemical peel? Express ‘yoself in the comments below!
Xo, Nicole
