So, what is BB Glow, anyway?
The BB Glow treatment is fast becoming a very popular facial treatment at The Blush Lab. It is also sometimes called the “Korean Glass Skin Facial” as it originated in Korea and gives the skin a very clear and luminous glow that lasts for 2-8 weeks. BB Glow treatments have been performed in both Korea and Europe for many years and are generally deemed safe and suitable for even the most sensitive skins.
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Basically, a BB glow treatment is meant to help you achieve that flawless skin that looks like you have a snapchat filer on, in real life! BB Glow is an effective way to get your skin to look the way you want it to look and reducing the need to apply foundation, BB cream or tinted moisturizer every day.
FAQ
Q: How long does it last?
A: The effects of the treatment last from 2 weeks, up to 3 months. How long it lasts depends on how many you have had prior, what your normal skincare routine is and your skin type. It is therefore impossible to guarantee the length of results, and to do so would be highly irresponsible, as it potentially sets a client up with false expectations.
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Q: How many treatments do I need to have?
A: What you want to achieve and your skin condition will determine how many sessions you will need, so it is different for everyone. Generally, 3-6 sessions are recommended, at 2 week intervals, to build up coverage and stimulate the skin. After the initial fortnightly series is completed, monthly maintenance sessions are recommended to maintain the BB tint coverage and continue to treat your skin concerns.
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Q: How much does the treatment cost?
A: You can purchase a single session BB Glow Treatment ($199) or purchase a series of 3 at a reduced price.
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Q: Will it clog my pores?
A: Absolutely not! The serums are cosmeceutical grade, water based and non-comedogenic. They do not penetrate into the dermis and the BB Serum is naturally shed as part of your skin cycle.
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Q: I have old acne scarring, will BB Glow help?
A: BB Glow is typically very good for reducing the appearance of acne scarring. Similar to microneedling, the nano-needling process promotes the growth of new collagen in your skin, encouraging your skin to heal itself, reducing the appearance of ice pick, boxcar, and rolling acne scars.
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Q: I have very sensitive skin, is it suitable for me?
A: Depending on your specific sensitivities, BB Glow is generally a very safe and gentle treatment for sensitive skin. If you have allergies, rosacea or psoriasis, that is different to a more general sensitive skin and although some practitioners will perform BB Glow on those skin types, I prefer not to. I recommend that you reach out to me to discuss your skin and we can go from there to decide if BB Glow is right for you.
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Q: I have very strong hyperpigmentation, will BB Glow help?
A: BB Glow was developed for this reason, so yes! Clients with hyperpigmentation generally have excellent results from a series of BB Glow treatments, especially when combined with LED therapy. This is why The Blush Lab includes LED therapy as part of the treatment at no extra cost, unlike most salons who offer it as an add-on. At The Blush Lab, we want you to get the best possible results.
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Q: Does it hurt?
A: Yes, and no. It is dependant on your pain threshold. Most clients don’t feel pain, it is more that they can feel the vibrations of the device, which can be annoying in certain areas – mostly around the nose and forehead. There is a nerve near the eyebrows which causes a ‘sneeze’ reaction in many, many clients. We have a good giggle when this happens!
Q: I’ve had microneedling before, how is this different?
A: The main difference between the two is the depth that the needles are able to penetrate into the skin. Nano-needling only punctures the first layer of the skin (epidermis) while micro-needling penetrates into the deep dermis. At The Blush Lab, we use the EXY Device, with a special MTS needle that literally cannot penetrate deeper than 1mm and the needles are a special type of medical grade plastic that is incredibly gentle and guarantees that no bleeding occurs.
Q: What does the treatment involve?
A: Simply put, it is a facial that uses a mix of semi-permanent makeup, nano-needling and a special serum that has a multitude of benefits. There are several serums to choose from, which target different skin concerns. The procedure is generally considered to be very safe, especially when applied by a trained professional. The BB Glow treatment is an intensive skin treatment that uses state-of-the-art nano-needling technology to penetrate the only into the epidermal layer of the skin. This stimulates natural collagen production as well as ensuring that up to 97% of the serum is absorbed into the skin, whereas your daily skincare products absorb up to a maximum of only 5%.
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The treatment flows as follows:
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Cleanse
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Gentle Peel
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Meso Serum application
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BB Serum application
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Soothing Mask & LED Treatment
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Post-treatment soothing balm application
Ultimately, a BB Glow treatment will give you a no-makeup makeup look, and you walk out the door with glowing, radiant skin!
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Q: What are the benefits of BB Glow?
A: As mentioned above, the facial will give you a semi-permanent no-makeup makeup look. It will look like you have a flawless skin, like if you had apply BB cream on your face. As the serum is sitting in your skin and not on top like a BB cream would, it gives a very natural look. The makeup is undetectable.
Besides obvious benefits of the procedure as smooth, dewy, luminous skin, there are a variety of others benefits:
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Reduction in age spots
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Fading of acne scarring
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Brightening dark under-eye circles
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Skin brightening:
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The whitening serum features exclusive whitening technology that reduces pigmentation in the skin. Combined with the BB Serum tint & LED treatment, an overall reduction of pigmentation happens instantly and over time, with continued treatments, pigmentation continues to reduce.
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Reduction in fine lines and wrinkles
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Minimised appearance of pores
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Enhanced collagen production:
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Collagen is a natural protein found throughout the body. It helps to give structure, elasticity and vibrancy to your skin. Unfortunately, as we age, our body produces less collagen. This leads to wrinkles and a loss of skin elasticity and firmness. Nano-needling triggers the generation of new skin cells, collagen & elastin, and dermatologists have found that just a few sessions will noticeably reduce fine lines, crow’s feet, and deep wrinkles on the forehead.
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Q: Are There Any Side Effects?
A: The nano-needling does not go into the dermis, it is in the epidermis only and is therefore superficial. It is a gentle treatment with no downtime. Clients are able to get back into their normal routine straight after the treatment, although it is required to protect the skin against the sun for 48hrs, as the skin is more photosensitive immediately after the session. Some clients may experience some slight pinkness, which disappears very quickly. The skin does not bleed, nor is it extremely red afterwards.
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There are a few online articles that pose questions and concerns with the BB Glow treatment. In general, the concerns centre around the ingredients used in the serums and the risk of the practitioner going beyond the epidermis, into the dermis. The ingredient concerns are related to things like mineral oil, artificial fragrances and parabens – and that is absolutely correct! Those ingredients shouldn’t even be in regular skincare, let alone something that is being needled into the skin! Here are The Blush Lab, we are using the Physiolab Cosmeceutical range of BB Glow Serum’s and Tints, which are completely natural and free from all of those nasty ingredients. We are also using the EXY device, not a microneedling device like Dermapen or Dr Pen. The needles on the EXY MTS Nano-Cartridge are only 1mm long – this means that we cannot accidently penetrate into the dermis, ensuring our clients have the optimal and consistent results, every time.
Aftercare recommendations:
After getting BB Glow, clients should avoid washing their face for 24 hours, using retinol or retin-A products for a week, and wait four weeks to get laser treatments.
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Immediately after:
Don’t: Go swimming, exercise, shower, wash your face, wear makeup, apply skincare, exfoliate, drink alcohol, touch your face, smoke.
Do: Avoid direct sun, drink water & herbal tea, wear a hat when outside, take a bunch of selfies and LOVE YOUR FLAWLESS SELF!