So, like many of you I wear foundation every day and work out, meaning that my skin has lots of debris, dirt, makeup and bacteria lurking in its pores. So, when I came across Skin Laundry, I was psyched to give it a try. This boutique chain of facials has its own laser technology that in less than 15 minutes will penetrate your pores and obliterate all of the debris clogging them. I went to the one in New York’s Flatiron District, but there are several in New York City and there are also locations in other big cities, such as Los Angeles, London, Hong Kong, etc. The first facial is free, which is an added incentive to give it a try.
I arrived at Skin Laundry and immediately loved the ambiance. It is bright and clean and filled with their own products that you can browse as you wait your appointment. You sign in on an iPad and then clean your face to get off all of your makeup. Then you are led to a treatment room where the practitioner will walk you through the entire process and answer any questions. They then deep clean your face again, apply protective eye coverings and start the treatment.
A laser passes over your face twice, and during it you feel slight pin pricks, but they are not painful. You hear some zaps and can smell the debris being burned, as a slight smoky smell will release. After two passes with the laser, a cooling gel is applied to your face and then a separate device scrolls over your face that shines a bright light over it. They then remove the cooling gel and you’re good to go.
I immediately scanned my skin when I got home and noticed that I had fewer blackheads. I think in order to shrink my pores, I’d have to buy a package of treatments (which I a considering). The prices are pretty steep, but I think it’s worth a shot. Also, I like that there wasn’t any redness or puffiness on my skin like there would be during a normal extraction.
Interested in more skincare coverage? Check out our guide to micro needling here.