Intraceuticals Oxygen Facial @ Ritual

Earlier this week my friends at Ritual invited me to try their newest service – the Intraceuticals Oxygen Facial!

For years I’ve heard about this celebrity favourite facial treatment and I was thrilled when Ritual added it to their already stellar repertoire. A-listers often freshen up with an oxygen facial before the red carpet – now we can experience that same magic before our own big events. Hydrated, fresh and beautifully radiant!

So how does it work?

Intraceuticals oxygen treatments harness three key elements to achieve instant and noticeable results:

• OXYGEN: Delivers age defying ingredients deep down to the third layer of your skin with a cooling and calming sensation
• SERUM: Intraceuticals offers a few varieties to treat different needs. I chose their most popular serum, Rejuvenate, which contains lightweight hyaluronic acid and a powerful combination of vitamins and antioxidants. Hyaluronic acid instantly hydrates the skin resulting in a firm, lifted appearance with an overall radiance and reduction of fine lines and wrinkles.
• AFTERCARE: Treatment support products seal in and supplement skin nutrients for maximum impact and longer lasting results.

My experience began with a luxurious cleansing, exfoliation and masque using Dermalogica products – the experts at Ritual give fabulous traditional facials too! Once my skin was clean and my pores were open – it was oxygen time!

With the flip of a switch, the machine was humming – not quite as serene as the usual spa music – but this isn’t your usual facial! The serum was applied to my skin in a fine mist and a stream of oxygen was gently pressed along my skin with a handheld wand. Every inch of my face (including my lips and the areas around my eyes) was spritzed and traced with oxygen to push the hydrating nutrient packed serum deep into my skin. It was a cool and refreshing experience with absolutely no discomfort, except for a giggle-worthy tickle around my lips!

For demonstration purposes, my lovely esthetician did one side of my face and then handed me a mirror. They weren’t exaggerating when they said instant results! One side of my face was obviously more plump and hydrated than the other – and it felt like a baby’s bottom! Luckily I don’t have many lines on my face yet (and I’ll fight them off as long as possible), but when I smiled, I noticed that my smile lines were minimized too!

The oxygen treatment itself takes about 10 minutes, taking advantage of open pores before they begin to close post-steaming. My skin felt incredible – that dull, lackluster winter complexion was instantly rejuvenated, hydrated and nourished. I felt radiant walking out the door and still see the effects a few days later – age defying magic!

Sadly, the benefits of these incredible treatments are only temporary, lasting about a week. You can prolong the effects with Intraceuticals products at home, but eventually you’ll feel the urge to go for another treatment! The full Intraceuticals Oxygen Facial is $175 or you can try an express treatment for $100. Ritual also offers course kits that range from $1050-$1250 and give you one treatment per week for 6 weeks and all of the take home products.

If I could afford to, I’d love to purchase a course kit to experience the full benefits of the oxygen magic over 6 weeks – perhaps it’s something to save up for! Personally, I think the Intraceuticals Oxygen Facial is wonderful in advance of a special event, but it’s not something I would splurge on regularly. I think the course kit would be AMAZING for brides-to-be and worth the investment considering all eyes and cameras are on you!

I’ll be keeping it in mind for special events down the road and I recommend that all skin-care junkies give it a try!

Thanks Ritual