A bit of pain, lots of effectivity – A facial, that brings me to tears

dmk enzyme mask

kosmetologi kamppi

Collaboration

I’ve tried several different facials, but few of them are as rememberable as DMK’s enzyme therapy facials. While those usual relaxing treatments lovely and I enjoy for example face massage – it’s a totally different thing to leave from your facial, so that you don’t only feel the effect, but actually see it clearly. Who wouldn’t want to see results right away?

Today I’m going to tell you about a very effective facial and brand called DMK. DMK is quite different from other professional skincare brands. The facials are really different as well, because they don’t contain for example massage and the treatment can actually hurt a little. Yes, it’s a bit painful at times. I should also mention the mask, that tightens on your face and does it’s magic for forty-five minutes. You can’t really move your face during that time, but the mask does that for you – it works your muscles and it feels as if your face was at the gym.

Still it’s one of the most effective facials I’ve ever tried (this wasn’t the only time I’ve tried it) – and I’m excited, that I can tell you more about it through this collaboration with my cosmetologist.

dmk kasvohoito kosmetologi anu
Red as a lobster. And that’s all part of the DMK plan!

dmk skincare

DMK skincare brand

DMK is an american brand, which ideology is to bring balance to the skin with products and treatments, that work together with your skin, not against it. The products contain mostly natural, plant-based ingredients. The ingredients are categorized pharmaceutical, so they contain more active ingredients compared to base ingredients.

What is my own experience with DMK skincare line?

I think it’s a quality brand and I wouldn’t put in on the same line with many brands. The products look a bit boring, because the idea is to make the products awesome – not to use money on it’s packaging. At the same time when I look at the products they seem medical to me – just as the treatments and the education manual (I once went through the education for work). Cosmetics isn’t supposed to absorb that deep in the skin, but with these products it’s said, that they affect the skin on cell level. In my experience they are effective.

So you do get your money’s worth with these, even though the price seems a bit salty at first. The consistencies of the products are nice and there are no additional scents used in the products.

dmk kasvohoito
Plasmatic effect (see those veins on my shoulder?).

DMK Enzyme Therapy facials

Enzyme facial is one of my favorite treatments. It makes my skin glow from within and every time I leave the appointment I feel as if I’ve gotten a little younger. It makes my skin feel soft, plump and clean – and the effects lasts for at least a week. My skin just feels and looks lovely.

Enzyme therapy creates a plasmatic effect by dilating capillaries.  You can clearly see your veins after the mask, as you can see from the photos as well. It increases blood and lymph flow to the skin, which you can feel as the mask tightens on your skin and pulsates (as I said, it feels as if your face was working out). This makes oxygen to rush to the dilated capillaries.

DMK enzyme therapy effects:

  • removes dead skin cells
  • stimulates circulatory system
  • stimulates lymphatic flow (so it removes puffiness from your face!)
  • brings oxygen to skin
  • stimulates collagen production
  • strengthens your face muscles
effective facial dmk
Enzyme mask.

The treatment is quite simple, but every single step has an important task.

Before the enzyme mask, your skin is cleaned and wiped with detoxifying tonic, that evaporates toxins from the skin. It’s designed especially for acne-prone skin and to them, whose skin is exposed to lots of toxins (for example air pollutants). The substance transforms toxins into gas, and that can sometimes cause unpleasant smells. In my treatment I could smell a weird scent, but it wasn’t that strong.

dmk quick peel
After DMK Quick Peel.

Then we get to the painful part – and I’ll be honest here and tell you, that tears were literally streaming down my face. Quick peel is a chemical exfoliant, that contains acids. Even though it’s super effective, it can be used on many different skin types. It exfoliates, it increases blood flow, strengthens the capillaries, removes toxins and helps with inflammation. It also promises to prevent scarring by preventing melanin production.

I can say, that this burns. I’ve experienced quick peel many times, but I didn’t remember just how bad it was. I was both crying and laughing, while Viivi made me feel better with a fan. That fan is like an angel in that situation – it helps the burning sensation so much. Lucily it’s only five minutes. After the exfoliation your skin is supposed to be red – and in my case my face got extremely red. That is normal and the redness will fade, once the acid is removed from your skin. Here is another example of just how different this treatment is!

Still I would take that exfoliaton again – it’s so effective. Maybe it’s one of those things, you are willing to do – you know – for your beauty’s sake. Just like brazilian sugaring. It hurts for a while, but it’s definitely worth it and you go through it every month again and again.

Here is the simple steps to Enzyme #1 treatment. At the end of the treatment, several different serums and lotions are applied on the skin. One of the important things in DMK skincare is also sun protection and DMK’s sunscreen is indeed very comfortable and lightweight (I could have recommended it on my last sunscreen post!).

DMK Enzyme #1 treatment:
Deep pore cleanser – Cleansing
Epitoxyl – detoxifying toner
Quick peel – exfoliation, 5 minutes
Enzyme mask – mask, 45minutes
Last, but not least: serums, oil, vitamin c, herb & mineral mist, lotion, sunscreen
Viivi does DMK facials in her beauty room at Nätti Töölö, Helsinki. Enzyme facial lasts for about 120 minutes and it’s normal price is 149€. So you could say it’s a bit more pricey than the regular facial, but as you might have already figured, it’s not a regular facial.

dmk facial review

If your skin needs a boost and you want to know, just how good a quality treatment feels like – consider DMK’s enzyme facial.

Facials are always customized to be suited for the client. Besides the enzyme treatments, there are other DMK-treatments available. There is for example DMK Beyond Botox – The smiling face treatment, which is awesome for those who use fillers, to make them last longer and to prevent the need for them.

Viivin kauneushuone / Nätti Töölö
Topeliuksenkatu 7
00250 Helsinki
@viivin_kauneushuone

Have you ever tried DMK treatments? What do you think of it? Do you prefer relaxing treatments or the ones, that give you results right away?

You’re never getting rid of your blackheads – and here’s why you shouldn’t!

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You know that eternal combat against blackheads? The never-ending search for a product, that would minimize your pores and make your skin clear and smooth? I have some bad and some good news for you.

They aren’t blackheads! And therefore – you can’t just squeeze them out. In some cases, anyway.

If they aren’t blackheads, most likely they are sebaceous filaments. A natural part of you that belongs to your skin. They are a tiny collection of sebum and dead skin cells around a hair follicle. Some people have perfect skin and they aren’t visible but with some skin types, like oily skin, they are visible and can be mistaken for blackheads.

I have sebaceous filaments. A lot of them. I have some blackheads too – but it’s important to spot the difference.

Blackheads versus sebaceus filaments – what’s the difference?

A blackhead is just that – a clogged pore with a black head. It’s quite easy to spot (because it’s black). It’s consistency is quite solid and when you squeeze it out it comes out in a one piece, most likely.

Sebaceous filaments look almost the same but they have grey, brown or yellowish head. And as I said – they are a natural part of your skin. They are smaller, but they can be bigger too if the pore is enlarged. When you squeeze them out, you can see sebum coming out, but it’s not necessarily as solid as a blackhead. And it doesn’t necessarily come out in one piece. And here’s what’s important: no matter how many times you extract them, they always come back. That’s how you know. Isn’t that kind of a relief?

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Sebaceus filaments

Sebaceus filaments

Sebaceus Filaments

 Here is my skin in it’s all glory in HD: Sebaceous filaments, enlarged pores, blackheads, closed comedones and an oily but dry skin. All that brown spotting is sebaceous filaments AKA my pores.

Sebaceous filaments are a natural part of your skin

Okay – so you may have a skin where there are brown spots all over your face and you can’t get rid of them. And you just have to live with it. This is most likely the case – so you should prepare for that and embrace your looks anyway..

(And I am with you on this one ’cause I don’t have the perfect skin and will never have that. It’s okay too, pal. We don’t need to be perfect!)

.. but there are some products that you can use to help live with them and to not make them worse, because they can turn into blackheads (Sons of bitches, I know!). And needless to say the most important thing would be to eat healthy and drink lots of water, because that has a huge impact on your skin condition.

Since sebeceous filaments are your pores just developing sebum and hair they are likely to come up. To surface. At least that’s how my skin works – and it can even feel bumpy if I haven’t exfoliated it in a while. So the best product to keep your skin smooth – is to exfoliate.

The best recommended products for treating SF or enlarged pores are BHA and AHA products. They are basically acids and they help to exfoliate your skin without the physical irritation and to keep your pores cleaner. AHAs are water soluble and a bit more gentle to the skin and BHAs oil soluble and especially recommended for oilier skin. There is a lot of info on both of these on the internet but I found this article on this one amazing blog that I suggest you read.

There are AHA/BHA products for daily use and then there’s exfoliants and masks, that you only use once per week. I’ve mostly used products from the last group because it’s the easiest way to bring these acids into your skincare routine without drying out your skin. Usually all the brightening masks or products that promise glow include acids. If you haven’t tried a brightening mask you haven’t lived! They actually work – and the secret is in the gentle exfoliation (=brightening) they give.  I want to note that when you’re using BHA/AHA products your skin gets more sensitive to the sun and a sunscreen is a must have. Every day.

You can also exfoliate your skin with scrubs that work by just physically scrubbing your skin – but always be careful not too use too much force.

Here are some of the products I’ve been using to treat my skin and that I recommend for treating sebaceous filaments.

Great AHA/BHA products for sebaceous filaments

the body shop drops of youth concentrate

DAILY: A SERUM

*The Body Shop Drops of Youth Concentrate
I call this the serum, that actually makes a difference. This is a BHA that I can use daily. I have a full post about this here. But to tell you shortly about this product: it improves my skin texture in a way that I can clearly see and feel. Whenever someone asks for advice regarding skin texture problems, acne scarring or acne – I always recommend this product.

evolve beauty miracle mask

WEEKLY: MASKS

*Evolve beauty Miracle Mask
Super effective gel-like mask that contains fruit acids. It feels like mango chutney on my face and leaves it baby smooth. This is like a professional treatment, in a jar, that you can do at home. In five minutes.

Full post about this and another great Evolve Beauty mask here.

Madara Ultra-Purifying Detox Mud Mask
This is a highly effective mud mask that contains lactic acid. Mud masks are a great way of taking care of the SF. Mud absorbs sebum from the skin leaving it fresh and clean. This is by far the most effective mud mask I’ve tried.

Full post about this and other great Madara masks here.

happy

I hope this post helped some of you. Let me know what are your favorite AHA/BHA products – would love to try something new!

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