Avenue Magazine Edmonton

Posted by Emma and Rita in Beauty Blog on Dec 21 2009 18:17

Salons and spas in Edmonton are a dime a dozen. So when Carla Feagan opened Divine Body Spa, she knew she had to do something to stand out. Enter Intraceuticals Oxygen, a technology that rejuvenates skin in a process one could describe as an "airbrush facial." It's like Photoshopping your face — sort of.

The facial itself is a balance between your typical spa facial for relaxation, and a cosmetic procedure. Imagine infusing a highly concentrated cocktail of hydrators, vitamins, botanicals and more — deep into the layers of your skin. This treatment goes far deeper than a regular topical cream can infiltrate because the serum is pushed into your skin with therapeutic oxygen under hyperbaric pressure. The secret ingredient, says Feagan, is an addition of hyaluronic acid and is found naturally in our bodies (but diminishes with age) and has the ability to retain and hold moisture.

Edmonton's Divine Body Spa is one of only a few Canadian spas offering this treatment. It's been available in a few other major cities, including Vancouver and Toronto, since being developed in Australia several years ago.

It's supposed to plump up the skin, fill wrinkles, add moisture and even out tone. "Honestly, after my first treatment, my eyebrows had visibly lifted [and] every time you get the treatment, the results last longer," says Feagan about the new trend.

The treatment's popularity is growing. Intraceuticals oxygen infusion technology got heavy praise on the talk show The Doctors. As well, it won the impressive celebrity endorsement of ageless pop star Madonna.

Locally, Feagan says, Rob Christie from Capital FM came into Divine Body Spa for an Intraceuticals facial. The very next day, his wife Diane arrived. "[She said], ‘What did you do to Rob? And when can I get it?'" recalls Feagan.

Getting past the hype, we entered the spa last month and let Feagan put the airbrush to our faces.

The hour-long treatment didn't hurt, but we could certainly feel it working. There are a few moments when our skin heated up and became tingly, but nothing overwhelming. Thankfully, we didn't emerge from our appointment red and blotchy. Instead, after pulling ourselves out of a quiet reverie, we floated out of the room dewy and plumped. After our treatments, the fine lines around our eyes and on our foreheads seemed reduced, and our lips more plush and plump.

But the results of this single treatment, which costs $200, only lasted for about two days. Feagan says long-term results require more sessions. A series of six costs $1250, and includes three take-home products to maximize your results.