Dust off your hairbrush, clean up your brushes and crack open that special lipstick — it’s Viva Beauty Week. Rebecca Barry Hill discovers a firming skin treatment that delivers a “pillowy glow”.
The promise
Touted as a non-surgical face-lift, TriLift by Lumenis Facial Stimulation is used to tone facial
The Lumenis TriLift machine utilises Dynamic Muscle Stimulation technology on facial muscles to tone and tighten, and heats the underlying layers of skin using radio frequency to tighten and thicken the dermal layer, while stimulating collagen and elastin. A separate applicator performs micro-needling to rejuvenate skin and improve texture.
Choose from one or all three treatments; I had the first two simultaneously and was in and out within an hour, with no downtime.
The practice
Having thoroughly explained what to expect, Spa Nomad NZ skin technician Julia made me as comfortable as possible, putting on relaxing music and inviting me to lie back on a bed.
She removed my makeup and applied a gel to the lower half of my face.
Sympathetic to my aversion to anything vaguely electric shock-like, the first applicator was introduced and rolled over my cheeks in a circular motion before the machine was switched on, the intensity set to the lowest level. Simultaneously, heat was applied via radio frequency.
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Advertise with NZME.Once I’d become accustomed to the regular pulsing against my skin, a bit like a hot elastic-band flick, not to mention the sensation of my muscle fibres gently twitching, Julia incrementally increased the intensity, and the heat.
As unpleasant as this sounds (and it does take some getting used to), I soon found myself drifting into a relaxed state, the combination of the heat and pulsing becoming strangely hypnotic. This process was repeated on the skin of my neck and decolletage.
The skin above and around my eyes received only the radio frequency treatment via a pen-like device. The forehead muscles are not stimulated, to avoid encouraging frown lines.
The place
Spa Nomad NZ, located on Karangahape Rd in the Ponsonby Doctors clinic. Kristen Teo’s beauty service (which also offers mobile treatments) is the first in New Zealand to offer this treatment using the Lumenis TriLift machine. Ponsonby Doctors’ clinical director and skin specialist Dr Rachel Lee is also a big proponent of TriLift’s effectiveness.
The price
$550 per treatment for muscle stimulation and radio frequency; or $850 with the inclusion of micro-needling. A course of four to six weekly treatments is recommended.
The verdict
Yes, this is expensive, so you might want to save up for when you think your face could really use a boost (and naturally, results will vary depending on age and skin stage, and the intensity of the machine you can tolerate).
However, having had just one of the minimum recommended treatments at a low-mid range intensity, I definitely noticed some subtle and not-so-subtle differences to my face.
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Advertise with NZME.Immediately afterwards, while the “lift” effect was mild, I had the kind of pillowy glow and increased blood flow you experience when you hit the gym.
Later, I was amazed at the difference when I woke in the middle of the night for the bathroom, and happened to glance in the mirror. Expecting to see my usual puffy eyes and blotchy, slept-in skin, there was a noticeable improvement, particularly the skin around my eyes, which was virtually puff-free, tighter and smoother.
A more thorough inspection in the morning found signs of more youthful skin on my cheeks and neck, and noticeably improved skin tone.
This radiance has continued throughout the week, eliminating the need for my usual BB cream base. Highly recommended.
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