Tools & Treatments

Let’s Talk About Facial Enhancements

By Janell Hickman

Filed Under

At A Glance

What It Is
Enhancements are goal-oriented, add-on treatments designed to take your 50 Minute Facial to the next level.
What It Does
Enhancements allow you to supercharge your treatment while zeroing in on specific skin needs via Gua Sha, LED light therapy, microdermabrasion, and chemical peels
Why It Matters
Everyone’s skin is different, and so are their goals. Enhancements allow your esthetician to double-down on your concerns allowing you to see visible results sooner. Win-win.
Holy Grail Product
product/naturopathica-manuka-honey-hydrating-gel-mask
Fun Fact
There’s no wrong combo here. You can blend two to four enhancements together (note, some pair better than others) pending your skin’s tenacity and the frequency you typically receive facials.

After the ups and downs of DIY quarantine skincare, planning a wedding (the happiness, the stress!), and perhaps a *little* too much wine, I needed to press the reset button on my skin with a facial. So, when the Heyday shops reopened, I rushed to schedule the appointment.

My Experience

Obviously with COVID-19, certain safety precautions have come into play—and Heyday is no exception. Every client is required to wear a mask, sanitize their hands upon arrival, get their temperature checked, and sign a waiver. You can read more about the safety protocols here, or the read about the experience from Alex Scoffell here.

Not so shockingly, during my skin analysis my esthetician, Cely, assessed that my skin was a little dehydrated (blame the wine and my portable heater) and had some dry spots due to lack of proper exfoliation. Instead of my go-to clay masks, Cely suggested I swap those out for a more hydrating version like the Naturopathica Manuka Honey Hydrating Gel Mask. I also had a bit of congestion in my nasal area, so extractions would also be part of my treatment. Unlike other facial bars, Heyday estheticians use their hands to effectively remove gunk from your pores without causing trauma to the skin.

Post-assessment, the next 50 minutes consisted of a luxurious double cleanse, mask, facial massage, extractions, and two enhancements. We went for a combo of Gua Sha and LED light therapy to brighten, hydrate, contour and lift.

“The enhancements truly speak to the expertise and the training of the esthetician,” explains Heyday Skincare Educator, Alexandra Serron. “With our format of facial, we are focusing on the goals and needs of each client.”

The best part about Heyday enhancements is that there is no wrong combo—everyone’s individual skin benefits differently. For a limited time, you can add any enhancement to your 50 Minute Facial for $20, typically $40. My advice? Get booking. To help you plan your next facial, I’m breaking down the four types of enhancements currently available at Heyday:

Gua Sha

After writing an in-depth piece about the benefits of Gua Sha, I was keen to try it on my own. In essence, Gua Sha is a type of facial massage that utilizes a special stone to stimulate the lymphatic system to reduce puffiness, boost circulation, increase firmness, and of course, leave you glowing. I must admit this portion of my facial was *super* relaxing, and released a good bit of tension I was holding in my jaw.

LED Light Therapy

Designed to treat a multitude of skin concerns, LED treatments penetrate deep into the dermis to tackle everything from breakouts to fine lines, stimulating collagen production for a refreshed, glowing complexion. The device does not emit any type of UV light (so there is no resulting damage), and instead leverages infrared light—typically red or blue depending on your skincare concerns. Cely opted for red light for me, and gently applied a cocktail of hyaluronic acid and vitamin E to make sure my skin soaked up every single iota of hydration it could get.

Serron notes that light therapy is one of the more popular enhancement treatments since there’s no discomfort or downtime. The healing properties make it a strong choice to pair with more invasive services like peels, lasers, dermaplaning, or microneedling.

Microdermabrasion

The physical exfoliation of microdermabrasion helps beat dullness, dryness, and the appearance of sun damage. You’ve probably seen the at-home kits, and while effective, they’re not quite as effective. “The one that we use is kind of like a mini sandblaster,” Serron explains. “It sucks up dead skin and then blasts out clean, smooth crystals that will help buff away dead skin cells, bring fresh new skin to the surface.”

To ensure your results are top-notch, Serron advises that clients stop using exfoliants of any kind or prescription topicals that could cause skin sensitivity at least a week before. And yes, this includes pausing on retinoids as well.

Peels

When most people think of peels, they have flashbacks to a hilarious “Sex and The City” episode where Samantha has a treatment gone left right before Carrie’s book launch. But, a painful chemical peel is no laughing matter. “From a Heyday perspective, we'll tailor a chemical peel to your skin's sensitivity level,” explains Serron. “If you're not the right candidate for it, we'll never recommend it.”

Heyday offers incredibly gentle formulas—a no-downtime version, but still with mega benefits. Professional peels are a great option for improving the color, clarity, and texture of your skin, plus clear up breakouts and minimize the look of fine lines.