What is the big deal about the Red Carpet Facial/Peel?

November 23, 2021

Recently, I’ve been hearing a lot of hype about the Red Carpet Facial/Peel. As with any treatment that is used by celebrities, I was intrigued. I mean, gorgeous, famous people use it! It sounded exotic and extremely expensive. I just had to find out more.

What is a Red Carpet Peel and why is it so popular?

It’s called a Red Carpet Peel because it’s often used by celebrities just before they hit the red carpet. If you were wondering why they all look so young and vibrant, that’s their secret. The peel removes dead skin, rejuvenates the body’s collagen and evens out their skin to create a smooth canvas for their make-up base, avoiding a dry caked look. And there is quite literally NO down time. They can basically put the makeup on, then right afterward, then hit the town.

But Can I Afford It?

A Red Carpet Peel is not out of reach. In Canada, you can usually expect to spend about $300 at a reputable salon.

With a bit of searching, I discovered NIWE Academy. Their price is about $100. They use the Zo Obagi line (the same one that is popular in LA). The reason that you can get such an insane deal here is that NIWE insists that their students get in lots and lots of practical experience.

Well for that price, you know I had to try it. So with her instructor by her side, student, Gloria, provided me with my first chemical peel EVER.

What can I expect after a treatment?

As I had never had a facial peel before, I wanted to know everything. Gloria was happy to oblige. Also known as a 3-Step Stimulator Peel, this medical-grade treatment is made up of three distinct parts: peel, neutralizer, and mask. The gentle lactic-based peel removes dead skin and stimulates cell turnover.

Gloria told me that Immediately after treatment, my skin may appear pink in color and may look plumper than before. (Mine looked a little flushed and so energized!) She explained that this was because the treatment had woken up my skin’s collagen and elastin. The plumpness disappeared within a few hours and so did the ‘flushed’ look but my skin continued to feel energized for days. One huge bonus for me was that I was able to put make-up on as soon as I got home. And Yes! It looked great. Gloria cautioned me that my face would be most sensitive immediately after having my Red Carpet Peel so I was to avoid direct sunlight or wear an effective sunscreen for the next 3 days. I did. It’d been a week now and my skin still looks and feels amazing!

Improved skin tone and texture
Make-up application is smoother
Some pinkness (for the first few hours) then rejuvenated even skin
Softened fine lines
A stimulated natural production of collagen and elastin
No down time. You can literally do it on your lunch break

Gloria was quick to point out that that although the red-carpet facial can help with sun damage, its not a cure-all. Maintaining your skin is a daily responsibility so its always best to avoid direct sunlight or use sunscreen.

What is your favourite peel? I’d love to hear your stories.