BEAUTY

The Best Skin Treatments To Get Done On Your Lunch Break

Pain-free and with little-to-no downtime!

It’s no longer enough for our skin treatments to deliver, they also have to be done with minimal downtime – at least that’s what we’re asking of our professionals. And the technology is catching up, fast.

Nowadays there are high-tech and traditional-with-a-twist treatments that offer a way to help counteract everything from puffiness and jowls to pigmentation and tricky skin issues such as acne, inflammation and rosacea. So, we’ve rounded up the latest face enhancers to deliver results in 48 hours or less.  

Best For Inflammation & Redness  

What It Is Lumixa Skin Normaliser.  

What It Does From Italian scientists, Lumixa is an innovative fluorescent light-therapy treatment designed to help stimulate the skin’s healing process and address signs of inflamm-ageing. The Skin Normaliser uses a patented fluorophore with a specific energy profile that helps to regulate skin reactivity and minimise the appearance of redness and inflammation. The patented gel (which shares a similar consistency to aloe vera) is gently applied across the face and activated by a blue LED light machine. Pain-free, the gel harnesses Fluorescent Light Energy, motioning through the entire light spectrum to help strengthen the skin barrier and rejuvenate the complexion. Improving the overall tone, it’s also had significant results in treating stubborn issues such as rosacea and acne.  

Downtime None  

Number Of Treatments Five

Price $1045 for five treatments  

Get It Here: Clear Skincare Clinics, clearskincareclinics.com.au

Best For Tightening  

What It Is Morpheus8 by InMode.  

What It Does The buzz tightening method right now (Eva Longoria is a devotee), this tech-based treatment uses a combination of radiofrequency heat waves and tiny needles, which penetrate the skin to a depth of 0.5-7mm. It aims to help reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, acne scars and large pores. It can also help improve the look of loose skin (from pregnancy or weight loss) and fat.  

Downtime This is a bespoke treatment that can be tailored to your individual skin needs. You may look a bit red afterwards but most people can go back to work the following day.  

Number Of Treatments Three, with yearly maintenance  

Price Full face: $780  

Get It Here: Go to inmode.com.au to find a clinic 

Best For Facial Tension

What Is It Buccal Fusion Facial.

What It Does Centred on a slightly unorthodox technique, this 90-minute sculpting treatment involves massaging from the inside of your mouth. Using taut rhythmic motions, your facialist targets muscles deep within the cheek to release tightness around the jaw and cheekbone, alleviating muscle tension, jaw pain and headaches. The contouring method is paired with lymphatic drainage of the face and décolletage to help depuff and boost blood circulation.

Number Of Treatments As many as desired

Price $600+

Get It Here: April Brodie Integrated Facialist, aprilbrodie.com

april=brodie-facialist
April Brodie performing her signature Buccal Fusion Facial. (Credit: Instagram: @aprilbrodiefacialist)

Best For Clarity

What It Is Laser Genesis.

What It Does Popular because it’s both relaxing and effective at getting skin glowing, this no-downtime laser helps address the appearance of skin texture, acne, scarring and pigmentation in only 30 minutes. It’s a great adjunct to other in-clinic treatments, such as hand-based facials, meaning you get the best of both traditional and tech worlds.

Number Of Treatments Two to six, four weeks apart

Price $400

Get It Here All Saint Clinic, allsaintskin.com.au

Best For Reducing Pigmentation

What It Is Laser Pigmentation Removal.

What It Does Using Candela Gentle Pro laser, this treatment will help lift and lessen the look of pigmentation on the skin by fragmenting the darkness, which allows it to be absorbed by the body. Able to precisely target freckles and sunspots without harming the surrounding tissue, there is minimal downtime. Suitable for fair skin, this treatment can be used on any sun-exposed area of the body.

Downtime You’ll have some initial face redness and your pigmentation will darken for about a week (but you’ll notice it more than your friends will).

Number Of Treatments Three to four treatments, four to six weeks apart.

Price From $149 for full-face treatment

Get It Here Clear Skincare Clinics, clearskincareclinics.com.au

Best For Tightening & Lifting

What It Is Matrix PDO Threads.

What It Does A favourite of Kris Jenner’s, this treatment involves taking a local anaesthetic to have very fine PDO threads inserted into the skin by a doctor. The threads form a mesh-like pattern that acts as a support structure to help enhance the look of loose skin, and they also encourage the production of collagen. The treatment is ideal for the cheeks, forehead and brows, or other body parts.

Downtime One day. You may experience some swelling or bruising

Number Of Treatments One Results last 12 months

Price $1200-$1400

Get It Here Shape Clinic, shapeclinic.com.au

pdo-threads
Try Matrix PDO Threads to help enhance the look of loose skin, and they also encourage the production of collagen. (Credit: Getty Images)

Best For Contouring

What It Is Emface.

What It Does This non-invasive, no-downtime tech is loved by the likes of Rebel Wilson. It involves a blend of radiofrequency and HIFES energies administered through needle-free pads attached to the face (by a medical professional) to target the deeper layers of skin, muscle and connective tissues. It’s designed to help tone and lift the appearance of the jawline, cheeks and brows, and improve skin texture.

Number Of Treatments Four treatments, a week apart

Price $1000 per treatment

Get It Here Platinum Dermatology, Sydney, platinumdermatology.com.au

Best For Tone

What It Is TriLift by Lumenis.

What It Does This new muscle-stimulating treatment uses radiofrequency and radiofrequency microneedling to give you facelift-like results. With no downtime and no surgery, it causes facial muscles to “twitch”, which exercises them, in turn helping to lift and tone the skin. Bonus: it also helps boost hyaluronic acid to smooth skin and reduce the appearance of lines and wrinkles.

Number Of Treatments Four to six

Price $1200-$1400

Get It Here Lumenis, lumenis.com.au

Best For Overall Wellness

What It Is La Prairie Pre-Flight Caviar Illumination.

What It Does If you’re a frequent traveller, you’ll know the drying effects of long-haul flights. This decadent treatment uses products from La Prairie’s White Caviar Collection to get skin luxuriously hydrated and glowing. Located in the newly created La Prairie Art of Beauty Lounge within Heinemann Tax & Duty Free at Sydney International Airport, this treatment is all about hydration and calm-inducing massage and relaxation before you fly.

Number Of Treatments Whenever you jet off

Price $350

Get It Here La Prairie Art of Beauty; laprairie.com

hifu-treatment
Try HIFU treatment for a lifted and sculpted appearance. (Credit: Getty Images)

Best For Lifting

What It Is HIFU.

What It Does This popular lunchtime treatment uses High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU) to help stimulate collagen and energise the deep layers of the skin to lift and tone. It’s particularly good for areas such as the forehead, eyebrows, cheeks, jowls, neck and décolletage. Skin will look pink immediately after but also noticeably enhanced.

Downtime None

Number Of Treatments Usually two, with maintenance treatments

Price $699+

Get It Here Beauty Hub Sydney; beautyhubsydney.com.au

Best For Skin Renewal

What It Is Electro-Mesotherapy.

What It Does This 30-minute treatment uses patented ionwave technology to momentarily open the cellular wall to allow customised serums to get deep into the skin and work on specific concerns. Ultrasound is used to stimulate collagen and energise the deep layers of the skin so it looks instantly plumped and glowing.

Downtime None

Number Of Treatments Monthly Price $110

Get It Here Endota Spa, endota.com.au

If you have a skin gripe, these specialty products have you covered: 

glow-lab

Best For Plumping: Glow Lab Pro-Collagen Plumping Facial Serum, $30 at Woolworths

bioderma

Best For Calming: Bioderma Sensibio Defensive Serum, $54.99 at Adore Beauty

isclinical

Best For Brightness: iS Clinical Super Serum Advance+, 15ml, $161 at The Parlour Room

Sunday-riley-pink-drink

Best For Firming: Sunday Riley Pink Drink Firming Resurfacing Essence, $77 at Mecca

dr. lewinns

Best For Hydration: Dr. Lewinn’s Serum Series Hyaluronic Acid + Waterin Plus Hydrate Serum, $74.95 at Chemist Warehouse

Barrier Protectors 

Keep skin healthy with peptide-rich formulas

go-to

GO-TO Very Luxe Face Cream, $79 at Mecca

skinfix

SkinFix Barrier+ Triple Lipid-Peptide Cream, $80 at Sephora

allies of skin

Allies of Skin Peptides & Antioxidants Firming Daily Treatment, $199 at Mecca

clear skincare

Clear Skincare Post Inflammatory Healing Cream, $40 at Clear Skincare

Related stories