This Facial Increased My Skin’s Hydration Levels By 388% In 80 Minutes

What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, but in this case, I can’t keep this one a secret. I traveled to the desert to try HydraFacial’s newest Hydralock HA Booster and I can’t stop talking about it.

While I consider HydraFacial a personal favorite for keeping my skin hydrated, decongested, and balanced between my more intense facials, it recently got an upgrade in the form of an even more hydrating booster treatment.

To test exactly how hydrating it really is, I flew to Las Vegas, dried the hell out of my skin, and got the facial. Spoiler alert: It leaves your complexion virtually poreless, smooth — without a wrinkle in sight — and like it just chugged a huge Stanley cup of water.

Read on for everything you need to know about HydraFacial’s new Hydralock HA Booster and what happened when I tried it out myself.

The Lowdown On The Treatment

HydraFacial is a non-invasive skin treatment that uses proprietary technology to cleanse, extract, and hydrate your skin to reveal an instant glow, explains Dr. Bertha Baum, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist.

Specifically, it uses a patented Vortex Fusion delivery system to do all the heavy lifting — namely, exfoliate the skin with the device’s tip that’s designed to deliver painless extraction. “The machine creates a vortex effect to easily remove impurities while delivering hydrating skin serums at the same time,” says Lucia Miranda, LE, CME, a medical aesthetician at Shafer Clinic in New York City.

A HydraFacial includes three key steps: cleansing, extracting, and hydrating. The treatment starts with gentle exfoliation that cleanses and preps the skin, followed by extractions. Dirt and impurities are gently suctioned out of the pores — which, BTW, you can later see in the famed gunkie jar. (Gross, intriguing, and oh-so-satisfying.)

The third and final step is where the newness comes in: the Hydralock HA Booster. This step of the HydraFacial usually includes a customizable booster of your choice to suit your skin concerns, but this one is an extra special addition to the popular treatment; it is Hydrafacial’s first clinically proven booster.

The Hydralock HA Booster is infused into the skin, delivering a blend of the brand’s triple hyaluronic acid complex, vitamin B5, and fruit extracts, says Baum. This concoction, she explains, is clinically proven to increase hydration by three times, plump and firm the skin, deliver 24-hour moisture and glow, a 388% increase in hydration, and reduce the appearance of wrinkles by 63% — all after just one treatment.

What To Expect During A Treatment

My treatment protocol was very special. As mentioned, the plan was to dry out the moisture in my face in the Las Vegas desert air so that I could experience exactly how hydrating the facial is.

Before I walked in for my appointment, I helped to further speed along the drying-out-my-skin process with some last-minute sunbathing (with SPF, of course) by the pool. By this point, my face was so parched it started to flake.

The bright lights and go-go-go personality of Vegas completely fell to the wayside when I entered the Canyon Ranch Spa in the Venetian Resort for my HydraFacial treatment. I felt calm. I don’t know if it was the serene environment or the fact that I knew my skin was about to be resuscitated.

Gina D, my esthetician, escorted me to my treatment room where my facial began. First, she cleansed and toned my skin to prep it for the goodness it was about to receive. She then closely analyzed my complexion to see where I had the most congestion. From there, she began the three-step treatment, which was painless and relaxing.

If you’ve experienced a HydraFacial before, you already know how satisfying it is to feel the device suctioning out all the gunk from your pores. Once mine were totally cleansed of debris, Gina applied the HA Booster, which my skin slurped right up. I could practically feel the hydration seeping into my face.

Once it was finished, I walked back into the dry Vegas air as one happy, dewy camper.

The Results & Aftercare

The immediate results speak for themselves. My skin looked absolutely incredible and dewier than it had ever been before. All traces of my flakes were gone and my hydration was completely restored.

I have had HydraFacials in the past and I’ve always loved my results. But the addition of the Hydralock HA Booster is simply a game-changer. I won’t be getting a HydraFacial again without it.

Risks & Side Effects

While there are no serious risks to getting a HydraFacial, it’s important to avoid certain ingredients before your treatment. Miranda says to skip exfoliating (both chemical and physical) products, acne treatments that contain benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid, and retinoids three days before your HydraFacial. “If you’ve had dermal fillers, wait 12-14 days; for Botox or Dysport, wait three days,” she adds.

Dr. Carmen Castilla, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist in NYC, warns that those with very sensitive skin or active eczema or rashes in the treated area should avoid HydraFacials. Though it can be helpful for those with acne-prone skin, she notes that repeated manipulation of the complexion can cause breakouts. And if you’re pregnant or nursing, consult your OB/GYN before getting the treatment.

The Cost

The price for a HydraFacial ranges from $150 to $350 depending on the location of service, provider, and the exact details of your treatment. Add-ons — like the Hydralock HA Booster — will also affect the cost.

Final Verdict

I could not have been happier with my results, which lasted about a week after my treatment. Aside from restoring all lost hydration in my face, my pores have never been so clean and my skin was the smoothest it has ever been.

“For the best outcome, a HydraFacial every 4-6 weeks is recommended, totaling about 10-12 sessions per year for optimal maintenance,” says Miranda. I plan on getting a HydraFacial with the Hydralock HA Booster whenever I need my skin to look flawless for a special occasion — I’m obsessed.