The in office Hydration Facial has been a top trending treatment in 2022. This results-driven facial combines painless extractions and a surge of hydrating skincare, addressing all skincare concerns from acne to fine lines & wrinkles. With the exciting launch of the GLOfacial, our at-home hydro-infusion pore cleansing tool, we wanted to iron out the differences between an in-office treatment and our at-home tool from a member of BeautyBio HQ. Here's what she discovered first hand after experiencing an in office Hydration Facial treatment & the new GLOfacial.
The real experience below is described firsthand by Whitney, a BeautyBio HQer.
Treatment Process
In-Office
It took about two weeks to get an appointment and once I arrived there was a short consultation with the esthetician to discuss my skin concerns. You have the option to include several different add-on "boosters" to your facial to target different concerns such as anti-aging and dark spots. I opted to proceed with the standard treatment without the boosters.
The process starts with a normal facial cleanse with a gentle cleanser before the treatment. There are 3 different treatment tips used during the facial. The 1st treatment tip is designed to cleanse & peel using a resurfacing solution, the 2nd treatment tip extracts & infuses the skin with hydrating solution, and the 3rd treatment tip saturates the skin with an antioxidant solution to complete the facial. My esthetician used light to medium pressure while gliding the tool across my face and at times it was a little uncomfortable. At the end of the treatment, there was a post-consultation where a few different take-home products were suggested to purchase to continue my results from home.
GLOfacial
The GLOfacial Tool arrived complete with simple directions to start my treatment. Unlike the in-office treatment, the tool comes with 2 treatment tips, a larger tip for the cheeks & forehead, and a smaller tip for the smaller areas on the face like the nose & chin. The GLOfacial Concentrate is added to the treatment chamber side of the tool & water is added to dilute the solution. I started with the larger tip, using the glide path diagram that was provided to treat the larger areas of my face. I then switched to the smaller tip to target around my nose & chin. I was able to guide the tool using the pressure & suction mode that was comfortable for me and target the areas where I felt needed the most attention.
Takeaway:
Getting an in-office appointment took longer than expected with the Hydration Facial. The process was more customizable than I expected with the different facial options & booster add-ons, and while it was interesting to learn about those options it was a little confusing to figure out what would be best for me. My GLOfacial treatment was a lot easier and simple to use. The concentrate is formulated to help minimize the appearance of congested pores & the treatment tips offer the same deep cleanse just in different sizes based on preference (I love the small tip for my nose and chin!) It was so easy to do my own treatment and guide the tool using the pressure I felt like was best for my skin. Overall, I felt like I was able to better target my problem areas using the GLOfacial Tool.
Time
In-office
The entire treatment took 45 minutes with the tips being switched out during the different phases of the treatment. From start to finish, I was in-office for about 1 1/2 hours with the initial consultation & post-consult with my esthetician.
GLOfacial
The GLOfacial took about 5 minutes from the time I opened the box, to completing the treatment. The instructions were easy to read and the tool was simple to put together. The treatment was over before I knew it!
Takeaway:
Any time you are comparing an in-office treatment to an at-home tool, one of the biggest draws is saving time. It's no surprise that this is one of the major differences between the Hydration Facial & The GLOfacial Tool. I was able to do my entire treatment in less than 5 minutes with GLOfacial, all from the comfort of home in my pajamas, you really can't beat that!
Cost
In-office
The Hydration Facial is pretty pricey. My facial was $175 for the basic treatment with no boosters & I did not purchase any take-home skincare. This facial can easily cost up to $400 if you decide to upgrade your treatment and purchase the skincare kit. My esthetician recommended scheduling 3 treatments, 3-4 weeks apart, to see the best results.
GLOfacial
The GLOfacial Tool comes complete with everything you need for $199. You can use the tool 1-2x a week, or daily on low suction mode. You will need to purchase a refill of the GLOfacial Concentrate as needed & replace the treatment tips every 2-3 months.
Takeaway:
The Hydration Facial is a pricey investment and you will likely need more than one treatment to get your desired results, you're looking at hundreds of dollars by the time it's all said and done. The GLOfacial Tool is a much more conservative investment with the convenience of having your tool at-home to use anytime you want. You get at least 8 treatments with the small concentrate that comes with GLOfacial and it’s up to you on the refill and replacement of tips - this tool is really meant to last, so you are getting a lot more bang for your buck!
Immediate Results
In-office
Immediately after my facial my skin felt a little irritated but I did feel like my pores got a deep clean. I was able to see the back compartment of the machine where all of the dirt & oil from my pores was sucked out & my skin felt more hydrated. I did feel that the solution was running off my face and didn't seem to soak into my skin the way I assumed it would.
GLOfacial
When I completed my first GLOfacial treatment my first thought was "WOW, that was easy!” I was excited about how little time it took and my skin felt softer than it had ever felt before. I was able to immediately see the gunk that the tool extracted in the Waste Chamber, just like the in-office facial. My skin wasn't as irritated as it had been with the Hydration Facial so I feel that the GLOfacial concentrate was a more gentle option. My skin felt very hydrated and supple, the concentrate seemed to penetrate my pores more effectively than the solution that was used during my Hydration Facial.
Takeaway:
The Hydration Facial is a more lengthy process & the solution and treatment tips seemed to irritate my skin more than expected. The GLOfacial treatment was much more simple and being able to do the treatment myself definitely made a difference in targeting my problem areas as well as the amount of pressure used when gliding the tool across my face. The GLOfacial Concentrate soaked into my pores more effectively so I felt that my skin was truly getting a surge of hydration from the inside. The GLOfacial treatment left my skin feeling more hydrated, soft, and supple than my in-office facial but both treatments did give my pores a much-needed deep clean.
Overall, there are quite a few key differences between an in-office Hydration Facial & The GLOfacial Tool. The convenience and cost-efficiency that comes with purchasing an at-home tool that you can continue to use is #1 in my book. Putting dollars back in your pocket and saving time is always a win! The Hydration Facial is something most of us cannot afford to do on a regular basis & it also requires you to set aside about 2 hours from your day for the treatment. While my results from the Hydration Facial & The GLOfacial were both great, I did feel that having someone else perform the treatment in-office didn't give me the ability to get that extra attention to my problem areas. With GLOfacial, I was able to perform my own treatment in less than 5 minutes, using the amount of pressure & guiding the tool to target the areas where I needed it most. The GLOfacial Concentrate was by far a more gentle treatment for my skin than the solution used in the Hydration Facial, and I felt that my skin really soaked it up. My skin felt less irritated and more soft & supple after my GLOfacial treatment.
My suggestion after trying both treatments is that the GLOfacial Tool is a must-have for everyone! These days saving time & money while still getting the results you need is key for any skincare routine. The GLOfacial Tool is the perfect way to get spa quality results without taking hours from your day or breaking the bank. The in-office Hydration Facial is a great treatment & you will see some immediate results, however with the price tag and time commitment, it's not a solution for everyone. You can expect a more simplified treatment with the GLOfacial treatment tips & concentrate as they are both designed to be a great solution for everyone, no matter what your skin concern is. You really can't beat having access to a pro-grade pore detox all from the comfort of home. Get ready to say buh-bye to blackheads, excess oil, and all the gunk hiding in your pores and say hello to a healthy, hydrated complexion with GLOfacial!