You’ve almost certainly heard of microdermabrasion but have you heard of aqua dermabraision? That’s the sciencey name behind the AquaFacial—Laser Clinics Australia’s much buzzed about beauty treatment.
It’s one of those one-stop-shop kind of treatments that address multiple skincare concerns in one go. And since I am continually busy and looking to cut down on time for pretty much every task in my life, I jumped at the chance to experience this treatment.
Our AquaFacial experience
When I first arrived, I wasn’t sure what treatment I was going to sign up for—both the AquaFacial and the HydroJelly facial seemed like a good time. But after my clinician and I sat down for a skin consultation and discussed my concerns, we decided the AquaFacial was the way to go. I was suffering from a lack of glow in my skin… the kind where people ask if I am sick (no, ANGELA, that’s just my face). I want to regain some of my radiance, speed up cell turnover and get a bit of bounce back into my complexion.
We start off with a relaxing cleanse before it’s time for the exfoliation via a microdermabrasion tool. The dead skin cells are sloughed off and vacuumed up through a little pen attached to the machine.
Next up there’s an acid peel, applied to help loosen dirt trapped in your pores. As with most peels it is a little, tiny bit tingly—same as a toner might feel. Then it’s extraction time, and the skin vacuum pen thingy comes back out again. It doesn’t hurt at all, just feels like a little buffing motion. It’s hard to describe but definitely zero pain—more an itch that’s getting scratched.
One of the big benefits of an Aqua Facial is the next step: the infusion. Another attachment on the machine is gently pressed into the skin all over my face to infuse my skin with specifically chosen serums to address my skin concerns. Called a Vortex-Fusion, this attachment uses a unique spiral suction tip that exfoliates and cleanses while delivering serums deep into the skin.
This bit kind of tickles—it feels like the pen attachment is bubbling water into my skin. But it’s not water, it’s all sorts of goodies such as hyaluronic acid, peptides and antioxidants galore, being pushed gently into my skin.
The weirdest bit came next: an attachment with four little balls on the end that delivered electric currents to help the serums infuse deeper into my skin (I have since learnt this is called electroporation). I did get a bit of a zappy-zap from this bit and a small metallic taste for a brief moment!
Then we came to a step I am very familiar with: microcurrent! I’ve written about my experience using microcurrent at home before, and this felt fairly similar. Perhaps a bit stronger? Microcurrent is used to stimulate the deep muscles within the skin to promote tightening and regeneration. With regular use, you can definitely notice the difference, with skin appearing tighter and more plump.
Cryotherapy came next and this was unequivocally my favourite because it was so relaxing. A cooling metal attachment is slid over my face, depuffing and calming the areas most stimulated by the treatment. I could do with one of these at home to depuff my eyes in the morning.
Lastly, it’s time for the all-important moisturiser and SPF to protect me from the elements outside.
I honestly wasn’t expecting a huge different straight away but looking in the mirror it’s clear results are already showing. My skin has a glow to it that was lacking when I walked into Laser Clinics Australia. Everything just seems a bit more vibrant and alive.
Check out the before and after photos!
I am quite impressed and think I need to make this a more regular appointment.
If you’re looking for a treatment that turbocharges results and gets a whole bunch of skincare wants ticked off in one go, the AquaFacial is it.
AquaFacial at Laser Clinics Australia, Carindale, Shop 1246/1151 Creek Rd, Carindale, (07) 3067 7432
In her spare time, she likes long walks down the makeup aisle and performing in Brisbane theatre. You can follow her adventures on Instagram and TikTok @thebeautypalate.
