4 Things to Know When Getting a Facial Peel
The custom peel kit created for me by Annie Graham of XO Treatment Room
The allure of glowing, rejuvenated skin — that’s why I signed up for my first facial peel, courtesy of XO Treatment Room’s founder Annie Graham.
Now, we all have our skin issues. For example, my underarms and bikini line are prone to folliculitis and can look like a bumpy, red mess at times. But, generally, my face behaves. Until my 30s, I was able to get away with a pretty basic skin care routine of cleansing with Dove soap and moisturizing with a Neutrogena product, and a makeup routine of CC cream and a bit of blush. I can still do the minimal makeup. But, due to things like hormonal acne and perpetually dry skin, I’ve upped my skin care game over the last decade.
A few months ago, Annie’s company reached out to me about trying their remote peel option. (So, yes, the experience was complimentary.) The beauty of this XOA in a Box treatment is that even though Annie’s boutique is in Canada, you can access her experience (20 years of working in the medical and technology field) and products from the comfort of your own home. Oh, and did I mention that her successful facial treatments have been featured in the likes of Elle Canada and O, The Oprah Magazine?
A pre-peel selfie
So, I agreed to go through the process, which included an initial consultation to determine my custom treatment, and then another session where Annie guided me through applying the products that she had delivered to my home. Post-treatment, Annie was available whenever I needed her via text to check on progress and answer questions. Here are four things I want you to know about my experience:
Do it when you have down time. This is one of the reasons why Annie’s remote peels have thrived during the pandemic — everyone is at home and wearing masks. Now, everyone’s skin will react differently to the custom AHA peels, BHA peels, and retinol peels that Annie might create for you. (My treatment was based around retinol, given my skin’s needs.) I have relatively sensitive skin — like, I don’t get my eyebrows waxed because of the reaction I had one time. So, my reaction to the peel was perhaps more intense than others might experience. For example, I dealt with a good bit of redness and peeling. (To give you an idea of the timeline, I got my peel on Nov. 3. By Nov. 12, I was able to comfortably wear a bit of makeup and feel good about my skin.) But, the good news is that the worst of my reaction occurred primarily in the area that my mask covered. Bottom line — go through the process when you don’t have anything important on your social calendar.
Nov. 4 (the day after I applied the peel)
Moisturizer is your friend. As the peel did its job, the primary skin discomfort I experienced was tightness. Annie provided me with both serum and a facial oil to alleviate this and told me to use them whenever I needed them. The oil was the only thing that really made me feel a bit better. And when I ran out of what Annie provided, she told me that I could use canola or sunflower oil from the kitchen, and that did the trick. Oh, and when the peeling commences, resist the urge to pick at the skin sloughing off. It’s hard. But, picking could do permanent pigment damage — and nobody wants that.
Nov. 6 (I clearly was in need of some of that facial oil!)
Nov. 9 (Redness and sloughing had diminished greatly.)
Annie’s personalized attention is everything. Whether it’s the virtual consultations, the custom products, or the daily texts sent to check on my progress, Annie’s personal approach to this process was EVERYTHING. It didn’t matter if I needed to know if it was OK to exercise (you want to go easy the first few days, because sweating can lead to skin discomfort, due to the chemicals from the peel) or I wanted to know if the crunchy spots on my skin were normal (they were), Annie responded promptly with insight and advice. Sure, the experience was virtual. But, the customer service was probably better than I would have received going through the treatment in-person.
Nov. 12 (Just a little bit of CC cream to smooth out the coloring. But, my skin felt radiant and ready to travel!)
Consider your skin type. Dealing with acne, sun spots, or other skin issues? I’m the first to tell you that I think this process will reset your skin and help with hyperpigmentation issues. For example, where I noticed the biggest improvement was on my cheeks where I had some coloring from the sun. Post-peel, the areas looked refreshed and lacked as much hyperpigmentation. But, I didn’t really have any issues that I was trying to address with the peel other than giving my face a bit of a refresh. With that said, I’m glad I tried it. However, I don’t know if I’d go through the discomfort again, if there wasn’t a specific problem I was trying to address. After all, if it’s not broke, don’t fix it!
P.S. Why don’t you treat yourself, and get my complimentary 7 self-care essentials for 2021?