CheekyChicago

Anti-aging. Ick. I can’t even accept the fact that I’m of an age where this four-letter word is part of my daily vocabulary. Although I take very good care of my skin and use high quality products, removing make-up even after a too-much-Champagne, stumble-into-bed kind of night, I am certainly not one to take it to the extreme. Botox? Never!  Taylor Armstrong lips? Heck no! Face lift? As if! But I am very open and willing to embrace any sort of spa trick that the Peninsula has up its pretty little sleeve.

Enter the Peninsula Spa’s 90-minute Ultimate Lifting and Firming Microderm Facial. It should be re-named the Peninsula Spa’s 90-minute Heavenly, Ooh-La-La, Wowzah, Hell Yeah Facial. Featuring the CACI Ultimate machine – a tried-and-true answer to toning and firming the skin throughout Europe – this treatment is the only one of its kind in all of Chicagoland. This safe alternative to a surgical procedure (phew!) allows skin to instantly look more visibly toned and firm, thanks to the dual power of light therapy and microdermabrasion. Who knew one machine could pack so much punch?

Upon entering the oasis that is the Spa at the Peninsula, you already know you’re in for a treat when the charming front desk staff asks if you want strawberry, cucumber or some other variation of boring H20. The women’s locker room will blow you away as will the whisper room where you’ll wait for your 90-minutes of bliss.

Since I’ve only had frivolous 60-minute facials in the past, I had no idea how Liz (the BEST, if not wittiest, therapist in Chicago) would fill the entire 90-minutes of my snowy, Friday afternoon. I’ll tell you how:

Step 1: Thorough consultation of the skin (despite my proclamation of dry skin, Liz said it didn’t matter because I looked 13-years-old – hello, anti-aging!).

Step 2: Eye cleanse.

Step 3: Facial cleanse.

Step 4: Skin analysis.

Step 5: Apply cold muslin cloth soaked in absolute deliciousness.

Step 6: Blot dry.

Step 7: Microdermabrasion with LED light therapy. (I’m a novice and blinking machines near my face tend to scare me, but Liz kept me updated and in-the-know throughout the entire session… except when I told her I was going to rest my eyes and then she just went on her merry way. Perfect.)

Step 8: Apply cold muslin cloth again to soothe skin.

Step 9: Apply skin concentrates.

Step 10: Micro-current face lift (I had a FACE LIFT?!?).

Step 11: Apply collagen hydratone mask (using microcurrent feathering).

Step 12: LED light therapy treatment over entire face.

Step 13: Apply cold muslin cloth again.

Step 14: Finish with concentrate and moisturizer (there was definitely a head, neck and scalp massage thrown in here as well).

Step 15: Repeat.

Just kidding. I wish there was a Step 15. This facial was hands-down the most amazing thing that has ever happened to my face… or any other part of my body above the waist. The products felt and smelled absolutely amazing. I could actually feel the CACI Ultimate technology working in real-time (although this is a very pleasant treatment, there are moments of brief stinging as it is a light therapy procedure). The therapist was knowledgeable (armed with fun facts like most of the dust in your house is actually dead skin… ew), friendly and had the touch of an angel; and I walked out feeling like I really did have the skin of a 13-year-old. A 13-year-old who spent her afternoon at the Peninsula’s Spa.

I felt fresh, dewy and toned for days and days. But the best part of the treatment was how damn relaxing and wonderful it felt. Sometimes you just want to get lost in someone touching your skin, rubbing oils and smell-good products all over your face and making you feel like a million bucks. And the fact that the cashier at Top Shop on my walk home asked what I was doing for such glowy skin… was just cucumber water on the cake.