Newmarket’s Skin Ritual is a quick facial that supplies an instantly noticeable glow and deep hydration.
Skincare, like many other day-to-day practices, can become a monotonous part of our routines. But, does it have to be? Skin Ritual’s HydraFacial treatment serves as a welcome reminder that a little
The Promise
In my day-to-day routine, I keep my skincare very, very simple.
It’s not really informed by any particular guidance and certainly isn’t inspired by a vaguely virtuous “minimalist” philosophy. It’s more a budgetary decision I make, while realistically considering my capacity to execute a routine consistently. On a good night, I cleanse, exfoliate (maybe) and moisturise heavily. In the morning, I apply a light layer of the same moisturiser and lots of sunscreen before my makeup.
Every now and then, I’ll try out a face mask, or refrigerate some spoons to press my eyes (because it feels really nice), but that’s the extent of my foray into skincare.
Likely due to this simplicity, I’ve been able to maintain this routine relatively well. However, I have been wondering if there are other things I could incorporate to feel more relaxed before bed — sometimes the vigour of the routine makes me feel more wired before my head hits the pillow. For a while, I was taking the time to massage my oft-clenched jaw, which was lovely, but I’ve come away from this practice after a hectic year.
In other words, I’ve been thinking about how to slow down and relax when it comes to skincare.
Enter Skin Ritual. The three-step HydraFacial treatment at the cosmetic skin clinic is described as a gentle and non-invasive treatment, designed to deep clean pores, remove surface skin cells and hydrate the skin. It promises to deliver instantly ‘glowing’ skin, and deep clean with a slightly sci-fi sounding Vortex Fusion technology, to create softer and smoother skin.
The first step is a cleanse and peel, the second is extracting congestion and deep cleaning the pores and the final step is to fuse and protect. Then, the treatment finishes off with a shoulder, neck and face massage.
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The Newmarket Skin Ritual space is tucked away on Short St, away from the rush of the main shopping strip. The waiting area is light and bright, with relaxing music scoring the room.
Upon arrival, I was cheerily greeted with an offer of a glass of water and a comprehensive form to complete. It asked me to clarify some details about my skin and explain my usual routine — I certainly appreciated the level of detail here, and it was nice to be able to clarify that I wanted a gentle treatment.
My skin therapist, Kurlyn, was thorough in running through what the treatment would entail before we began and checked in on my pointer about my sensitive skin. After assuring me that I could check in during the treatment to let her know how I was feeling, Kurlyn left me in the softly lit room to shed my top layers (I’d recommend coming to this treatment in loose and comfortable bottoms, and not like the jeans that I was wearing).
Before starting the three steps, Kurlyn walked me through a sensitivity test, patch-testing to see how my skin would react. As someone who doesn’t regularly pursue these treatments, I found this initial step quite comforting — I felt I could relax into the treatment as I was being properly taken care of.
The first step, the cleanse and peel, was warming and relaxing, and removed all of my sunscreen and makeup thoroughly. Then, it was time to dive into the more intense steps of the treatment.
To deep clean my pores, Kurlyn pulled the small HydraFacial Vortex technology (kind of like a mini vacuum) over my skin, starting at my chin, and moving upwards over my cheeks, nose and forehead.
At some points, this felt a little uncomfortable, like a small scratch across the skin, but bearable. It was most intense at my cheek, over my cheekbones and close to my nose, which I think came from the rawness of my dry skin.
Kurlyn kept checking in throughout this process and would adjust the settings accordingly. When I was getting warm, Kurlyn also brought out a little fan to cool down my face. She also offered to show me the remnants of the treatment which, yes, was uniquely satisfying for someone who finds pimple popping soothing.
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Finally, Kurlyn rounded out the treatment with a gentle but firm shoulder, neck and face massage. Unsurprisingly, this was my favourite part of the treatment. I felt my muscles melt away from their usual tense state and I almost fell asleep.
At the end of my treatment, Kurlyn instructed me to avoid exfoliants for five days (I mentally celebrated a sense of joy at this omission in my super quick routine) and sent me, well-lacquered in cooling moisturiser, on my merry way.
The Place
Skin Ritual, 3c Short St, Newmarket. Skinritual.co.nz
The Price
The Advanced HydraFacial is priced at $229 for a 50-minute treatment. Skin Ritual also provides an express version of the treatment, which is 30 minutes long and costs $199.
The Verdict
Immediately after the treatment, my skin felt well moisturised and was absent of any redness — I found this surprising, as I had anticipated at least a pink flush after so much stimulation. I appreciated that there was a mirror in the room where I received the treatment, so I could check in straight away to survey my skin.
I felt cheery, fresh and a little more calm. My jaw also felt relaxed, likely from the final massage, which was the result I was most grateful for.
In the following week or two after my treatment, I felt that there was less congestion in my skin and I noticed a calming in the areas that had been dry or inflamed before my treatment. I kept up with my usual routine (sans exfoliant) and reduced some of my moisturiser, which meant going to bed was not quite as greasy as usual.
Most pleasantly, the treatment reminded me of some of the joy of taking a little more time to look after myself in the evenings. In the period since my appointment, I’ve been massaging my jaw and neck with a simple oil at home, adding a treat-like and purposefully time-consuming step back into my routine.
Overall, this deep cleanse felt like a good check-in for this point in the year and I was happy to find some affirmation for my skincare routine, outside of my simple daily routine. If you have a special occasion or are looking for a nice gift for a busy, skincare-averse friend over the holiday period, it’s an ideal treatment — a step up from a massage, but not too clinical and intimidating.
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