I’m obsessed with trying out new beauty treatments, so when I had the chance to check out Skin Laundry’s 10-Minute Laser Facial, I was psyched. Founded in Santa Monica by Yen Reis in 2013, Skin Laundry offers a simple and safe laser treatment designed to make maintaining healthy skin easy with zero downtime. The word laser stressed me out for a second, but once I learned about the process and saw the great results, I may have become hooked.
The atmosphere in the brand new NYC location was clean, inviting and the front desk was really helpful. I filled out a quick medical history questionnaire and was on my way to the treatment bed. The doctor (yes, a real doctor) came in to verbally go over my medical history and break down the process before the nurse got to work with the laser.
IMAGE: COURTESY OF Skin Laundry
The quick 10-minute procedure starts with a YAG Laser (stands for yttrium-aluminum-garnet), which is a traditional laser that’s on a really, really low setting and penetrates 2.5 millimeters below the skin’s surface to literally vaporize any dirt and buildup in your pores, break up pigment and stimulate collagen production. Not gonna lie here: It felt like mini shock waves pinching my face, but it didn’t actually hurt and it was really quick. There was a weird burning smell, but the nurse informed me that it was just my skin’s sludge being zapped (gross, I know).
When part one was over, a cooling gel was applied, which felt refreshing. Then the super bright red IPL light was flashed over sections of my face, eventually going over my entire face. Thank goodness for safety goggles because it was bright even with my eyes protected. The IPL light helps the top layer of the skin reduce any redness or broken capillaries and gives a radiant finish. Afterward, the gel was wiped off and I was good to go.
I have enlarged pores around my nose, but after the treatment they seemed almost invisible because they were squeaky clean. Walking home from Skin Laundry, the evening air felt cool against my face and when I got home, I couldn’t stop touching my silky, soft skin. But just like anything else, consistency is key — and the team at Skin Laundry recommends that clients stick to regular visits (about once a week) to see more dramatic improvements. Individual treatments are a bit of a splurge at $100, but there are discounted packages like memberships that start at $65 a month. And for a deep cleaning of my unsightly pores, I will totally be back in a heartbeat.
