World stop. We may just have discovered the secret to Jennifer Lopez's glass face glow! That's right, as soon as we got news that the JLo Hydrafacial was launching in the UK, we stopped everything and scrambled to be first to get whatever JLo is putting on her face for that infamous next-level glow.
To give the treatment its official name, the Hydrafacial with JLo Booster is a collab between the queen of good skin and the techy, but non-invasive Hydrafacial. It involves a handheld HydraFacial device, which an aesthetician uses to cleanse and exfoliate the skin, extract blackheads and other nasties from pores, before delivering a variety of rejuvenating serums.
That's where the secret to JLo's glow lies, allegedly. Either way, if it's good enough for Jenny from the block, it's good enough for us. I tried the treatment ahead of its launch tomorrow and here are my honest thoughts.
The “blend and glow” skincare routine you need this summer.
Hydrafacial with JLo Booster review: at a glance
- GLAMOUR star rating: 4/5
- Reasons to try: multi-purpose relaxing treatment, immediate results, no downtime
- Reasons to avoid: over £100 mark, will need regular appointments for continuous results
- Price: Hydrafacials start at £125, JLo Booster prices start at £40
Meet the reviewer
As a beauty writer I've had my fair share of facials. Nothing invasive as of yet, as I have relatively unproblematic skin and don't want to mess up a good thing. So, naturally, I was a little apprehensive about the hydradermabrasion part of the process. I'm aware that if not done well, many forms of dermabrasion treatments can lead to hyperpigmentation – which is already my primary skin concern. I also have combination skin, with an oily t-zone. However, the dry parts of my face, are very dehydrated, so I was looking for a treatment that would balance my skin, yet, leave me with that natural glow I would usually aim to achieve through makeup.
Hydrafacial with JLo Booster review: Pre-treatment
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Before you attend your appointment, the Hydrafacial team is very thorough in checking your eligibility for treatment. Be prepared to answer a lot of medical yes or no questions. A thorough treatment consent form awaits you, but safety first. There you will also be advised to pause the use of some acids or skincare with active ingredients for up to 72 hrs before treatment.
If you suffer from any conditions such as psoriasis and eczema, are taking any medication or have any cuts, acne or grazing to your skin, you should flag. This won't necessarily mean you're not allowed to proceed with the treatment, but it will inform what intensity the aesthetician uses and they can customise the treatment around what your skin and body needs.
Treatment Deep Dive
How does a HydraFacial work?
The treatment combines patented hydradermabrasion and vortex technology (more on that below) with specialised serums. I was told that there would be no pain and no downtime, and that was in fact correct. You will mostly a feel a few scratches during the microdermabrasion step.
The cool thing about the Hydrafacial is that it's all automatic, the aesthetician simply inputs your chosen type of treatment and will move the device across your face while the machine does the rest.
Step 1 – Lymphatic drainage:
When picking what type of treatment, the aesthetician suggested I got the Platinum, which was the full facial. The prices vary depending on the type of treatment you choose. I quickly spotted a tall clear plastic tumbler on the side of the machine labelled “gunkie”. As the name suggests, this is where I'll be able to see all the dirt extract off my face post treatment (even after it's been cleansed, so it's all the dirt I couldn't reach with my usual double cleansing routine).
Just before the exfoliation step starts, my aesthetician uses a tube attached to the machine for lymphatic drainage. It was essentially a suction device that she moved from the centre of my face down to the sides and neck. This step felt pretty relaxing and lasted around 15 minutes.
Step 2 – Exfoliation:
We quickly moved on to the exfoliation step. This step is done through ‘hydradermabrasion’, which, unlike traditional dermabrasion where abrasive particles exfoliate the skin, takes a gentler and more hydrating approach.
The handheld device delivers a controlled stream of water, infused with beneficial serums onto the skin. I did feel a tiny tingly sensation, almost as if you had a bunch of small needles gently scratching the top layer of the skin. 1/10 on the pain scale, in case you were wondering.
The device itself features a gentle, diamond-tipped abrasion tool that exfoliates the outer layer of dead skin cells, effectively unclogging pores and removing impurities. Then simultaneously, it delivers a hydrating serum to help soften and plump the skin and enhance its overall texture.
As the serum is dispersed over the skin, the aesthetician massages away any excess before moving on to different areas of the face. At this stage, my skin' feels hydrated already and its temperature feels cooler, too.
By gently removing the dead skin cells and impurities that can dull the complexion, hydradermabrasion promotes the renewal of skin cells, revealing that bright JLo glow we all can't get enough of. This step is done in under 15 minutes or so, although my lovely aesthetician did flag that she's quick from experience.
Step 3 – JLo Glow boost
This two-minute step is fun and just feels like a jet of water being injected onto your skin but in a suction motion as opposed to the dermabrasion method.
This is where the magic happens thanks to ingredients such as olive leaf extract to plump and hydrate (a key ingredient in the JLo Glow skincare line), niacinamide to brighten and smooth, and antioxidants to protect. You can see instant glow and a real sense of skin rejuvenation straight after.
Step 4 – Light Therapy
The light therapy step is not part of the hydrafacial machine, but essential for the purpose of intensifying the treatment. I do 16 minutes of red LED light, which carries serious anti-aging benefits and blue LED light for antibacterial benefits for a further 12 minutes. This step is also otherwise known as nap time. I'm a light sleeper so I woke up just in time for the next step!
Step 5 – Hydration
Next, the device pushes a serum brimming a ton of hyaluronic acid as well as peptides deep into the skin to seal in all the steps above. Although the serum has a gel-like texture (not usually my favourite as my dry skin often craves thick and creamy formulas) my skin still felt pretty hydrated but also super clean.
Step 6 – Selfie
After the treatment the aesthetician applied some SPF so I could take my selfie and go about my day. As soon as I looked in the mirror I did notice a natural glow, but things got even better over the following days
Post treatment thoughts:
Usually being in the office or on public transport, means my skin feels greasy, tight or heavy. It goes though all the emotions. However, day one post treatment I noticed I didn't need to apply a hydrating mist to my face until much later in the day, as my skin felt balanced throughout the chaos and pollution for the majority of the day. That's when I started to see real results. I stayed away from any active skincare over the next few days and still notice my skin looking bright and feeling much healthier.
What are the potential benefits of getting a Hydrafacial?
Getting a Hydrafacial really does offers a range of potential benefits for your skin. The deep cleansing you can get is nothing like you would achieve from a regular double cleanse. It reaches a deeper layer in order to unclog your pores and reduce the likelihood of breakouts, leaving your skin refreshed and revitalised.
The Hydrafacial will also give you a serious hydration boost and improved texture and tone as well as targetting any specific skin concerns you may have.
Who should not get a Hydrafacial and why?
There is a long list of reasons as to why Hydrafacials may not be for you, at any given time, so be sure to consult your aesthetician or the person carrying out your treatment. Make sure you're disclosing anything that my cause disturbance to your treatment or to your general health.
The Final Verdict
Don't let the name fool you. Hydrafacials are not just glorified face massages, nor are they made of just water. This non-invasive, three-step treatment effortlessly bridges the gap between medical beauty and a regular facial by utilising a unique delivery system for its specialised serums, the hero being the JLo Booster, of course. For me, it worked wonders to cleanse, extract, and visibly hydrate the skin, leaving me with an immediate, gratifyingly radiant complexion.
The Hydrafacial with the JLo Booster will be available to book from tomorrow at Hydrafacial retailers in the UK.
For more from Glamour UK Beauty Writer Shei Mamona, follow her on Instagram @sheimamona
