I Got My Face Electrocuted and It Was Lit, Literally
I love trying new things. When the opportunity rolls around to do something no one else I know has done, I’m on it.
So when given the chance to voluntarily have my face electrocuted in the name of beauty, I was down and a half. It was a weird af experience so let me tell you about it.
It’s called the Environ De-cleansing Facial, and it uses what’s called micro-currents (AKA electricity) to drive the product into your face and pores. It helps your face to almost completely absorb the creams rather than just letting it sit on the the surface of your skin.
A spa in the city that does these facials is called Renew Spa on the Upper East Side. Carmel O’Neill was the esthetician who did the facial. She’s the the cutest little Irish woman who bonded with me over healthy food and my Irish af name.
The spa itself is super relaxing. There’s light music playing in the background, and because I was slightly nervous about getting my face electrocuted, the calming ambiance definitely helped to take the edge off.
It was freezing outside, so after slipping into the cozy af robe, Carmel put a heated blanket on the bed. Can you say absolute bliss?
After getting next level cozy in the spa bed, Carmel started with a light peel and blasted really warm steam onto my face to help exfoliate and open my pores. She used several creams and massaged them into my face almost aggressively, but it felt so good. You don’t realize how much tension is in your faces muscles and neck until someone gets in there and starts really massaging.
READ MORE: Eva Kay Has DGAF Fashion Down to a Science
Then she stopped the steam, and did a few black head extractions, which I desperately needed.
And then this is where things got weird.
Carmel brought out what’s called the DF machine. It’s the metal facial tool that uses a safe amount of electricity directly on your face. Before starting, Carmel slipped a little pad underneath my shoulder which gives the electricity a place to leave you body. It kind of freaked me out to be honest.
After putting a few other creams on my face, she then started running the little metal tool on my face. Immediately I felt the electricity. My eyes were literally flickering in the lights, and I could hear the really sharp and high frequency sound of the electricity passing through my head.
I panicked, thinking that maybe the volts were too high because I didn’t realize you would be able to sense the electricity. I asked Carmel if she was able to hear the high pitched humming noise too, and she said no, only I was able to hear it because it was in my head.
My palms started sweating.
READ MORE: What It’s Like to Be a Somalian Refugee in America
She made about 20 passes on my face in each area, and I was started to feel some tension in my teeth strangely enough, but Carmel assured me that was normal.
It wasn’t painful, just awkward. To ease my nerves, I made a really dark Sylvia Plath joke about the electricity, and I don’t think Carmel got it. However, once she was done with the electricity, I was so relieved. The high pitch noise started to hurt my ears towards the end. It felt like a constant bee in just buzzing right around my ear.
That was definitely the weirdest sensation I have ever felt.
She finished the facial off with what’s called an alginate mask to soothe and calm the skin. She mixed the mask in a bowl and it looked a little bit like cottage cheese and smelled actually like milk.
Story continues below
Carmel asked if I was daring enough to cover my eyes and mouth too because apparently some people get claustrophobic about having their entire faces covered. Of course, me being me, and still riding on the adrenaline wave of post-electrocution, I was like sure, why not.
She smothered my entire face in it, and only left my nostrils exposed. The mask was cooling and felt like a really thick white jelly. She then attached electricity to the mask itself using what looked like mini jumper cables and clamps.
I could feel the electricity again, but because my eyes were covered, there was no flickering and only a softer buzzing. She left it on for about 20 minutes and then removed the entire mask. The then put a few finishing creams on my face, and she let me look at my face in the mirror. My face after looked so clear and smooth. My pores were much smaller.
READ MORE: I Fixed My Hangover With an IV Infusion
And then as I was leaving, Carmel gave me a Vitamin A moisturizer that I’m still using because it makes my face feel super soft and helps my dry skin in the winter. The product itself costs $69.
The total for the facial is $325. If someone wanted to come in and do these treatments separately it would definitely be a lot cheaper, but I really recommend trying this facial at least once. My face was so moisturized (almost oily though) in the days after. I want to do it again because I loved the after result.
So, if you can get over the weird sensation of the electricity, go for it.
