Welcome to Tried and True, a new series from STYLE writer Kimberly Uslin. Each week, she’ll try something new—from beauty treatments and holistic health to cocktail bars and community college classes—and give readers an honest take on what’s worth the hype…and what’s not.
To be perfectly honest, I wasn’t sure if I was the best candidate for Spa in the Valley’s Liquid C Eye Boost Plus Treatment. After all, I’m only 24, and my oily skin (while often a nightmare) has kept me thus far wrinkle-free in the eye area and otherwise. But when STYLE’s new beauty editor suggested I give the treatment a try, my luxury-loving senses were easily swayed. And after revisiting Mary Ann Treger’s account of her incredible results from the treatment, I was all in—who was I to say no to an expert skin treatment, especially one with the potential to lighten up my perma-dark under-eye skin?
When I arrived at the spa, I could tell my esthetician, Barbara DeAngelis, was a bit surprised to meet me—again, not sure I’m the treatment’s target audience—but she was nothing but gracious as she walked me through the process. First, she’d double-cleanse my face, followed by application of the C+ Liquid Gold serum (shiny!) and the cheetah deP eye patches (Jersey!). While the battery-operated patches did their thing, allowing the serum to penetrate deeply into my skin, I’d have a mask applied to my décolleté, followed by a hand, arm and foot massage and a temporary neck-firming treatment. (“Not that you need it,” DeAngelis laughed.)
All went as planned, and by the time my patches were ready to be removed, I was beyond blissed out—a sensation only furthered when DeAngelis held the mirror to my eyes. They looked, well, buoyant. I know it’s a bit of a weird word, but it was honestly the first that came to mind as I took in my lifted cheeks, bouncy-looking skin and glowing, lightened undereyes.
Even more pleased, if possible, was DeAngelis herself. “You had a good result!” she exclaimed, perhaps having been as worried as I was that my unwrinkled skin would look unchanged. (My neck, for the record, looked precisely the same as it did pre-lift.) After applying the Whitening Cream, snapping a few photos and instructing me on the at-home care—I’ll get 9 more uses out of the patches—she sent me on my collagen-y way.
A few days later, my eyes are still looking quite bright, and I’m considering a whole world of other anti-aging treatments. (How young is too young for Botox? Kidding!) Perhaps I don’t want to knock 10 years off my face—14 was not such a good year for little Kim, between the blunt bangs and the braces—but I’d certainly settle for one or two.
