I’ve been getting facials for years but hadn’t tried a hydrafacial until recently when I visited Drip Medi Spa in Fort Lee for the first time. Drip Medi Spa is New Jersey’s first boutique medical spa offering up a mix of cosmetic, wellness, skincare and beauty treatments.
What sets medi spas—short for medical spas—apart from day spas? A medi spa offers all the relaxation and pampering of a day spa along with nonsurgical aesthetic medical treatments (like Botox, fillers and Microdermabrasion) under the supervision of a licensed medical professional. Nena Kallopoulos, the founder of Drip, is a board-certified physician assistant whose expertise lies in all things injectables, skin care, vitamin drips and wellness.
I knew I wanted a non-invasive treatment for my face so during my recent visit I decided to try a hydrfacial. A hydrfacial does three huge things for your skin—gives it a deep cleanse, extracts all the bad stuff and hydrates and moisturizes like you’ve never experienced before.
Breaking Down a Hydrafacial
One of my biggest barriers to getting spa treatments is the time they take—my schedule and commitments are so packed which is another reason I wanted a hydrafacial. Without add-ons, the facial can be done in 30 minutes. We started with a deep cleanse and peel. My esthetician did a gentle exfoliation before getting into the extraction part of the facial. Using a suction (this is gentle and doesn’t hurt at all), she removed dead skin cells and debris from my pores. I hadn’t given my skin any love for a while and she showed me a jar that was about a quarter of the way filled with gunk removed from my skin. It was both gross and gratifying to see!
The final part of a hydrafacial here is by far the best—the hydration piece. I got an add-on Hydro Jelly mask for extra moisture for my face and lips. Then, using heavy-duty, intense moisturizers, my esthetician saturated my skin with serums filled with antioxidants and peptides that instantly gave my skin a dewy glow. She also used LED light and a little lymphatic massage. It sounds like an ad but you really do see instant results. I had a small red spot after the facial from the extraction part, but that went away a day later and my skin felt great.
Dermaplaning Explained
Add-ons are a big part of any experience at Drip, where medical professionals and estheticians customize experiences and treatments based on your needs. It had been ages since my last facial and I was in need of some extra cleansing and TLC so I had a Dermaplaning treatment done before my hydrafacial. At its most basic, Dermaplaning is the process of scraping off the dull and dead skin cells from your face while also removing facial hair. My esthetician used a scalpel to gently scrape off all the unwanted stuff. The results were instant—my skin felt smoother and looked brighter. Dermaplaning is a great precursor to any facial since it allows greater penetration of serums and other skincare products to do their job. I had a little redness afterward but that went away in a day. Results last up to 8 weeks.
At the end of my facial, my esthetician wrote out a personalized “prescription” for my skin, which is a list of skin care recommendations and notes. She suggested I use a hydrating cleanser daily to cleanse and replenish my dry skin. She also recommended using an exfoliating polish at least once a week to remove dead skin cells and boost collagen. Finally, she listed a daily moisturizer and night crème to boost hydration and smooth the lines and suggested all face creams have an SPF of 50.
More Treatments
Beyond a hydrafacial, Drip offers an array of cosmetic and wellness treatments. One of the most popular is IV vitamin therapy, which offers a speedy way to replenish your body with antioxidants, vitamins and electrolytes and more. Because your body typically absorbs 40 percent of the nutrients from a multivitamin, more women have been trying IV vitamin therapy which absorbs all the nutrients directly into your bloodstream. It’s said to be great for an immune system boost, increasing your energy level, strengthening joints and muscles and, of course, glowing skin.
There are so many cosmetic procedure options at Drip, too, like Botox, Juvederm, Voluma and more. You can see a complete list of services here.
A hydrafacial is $295 without add-ons. Dermaplaning is $150. Discounts are available when you purchase multiple treatments in a package.
Drip Medi Spa
2011 Lemoine Avenue
Fort Lee
dripmedispa.com
@drip_medispa