The Freeze Clinic

So I have a bit of a beauty obsession, and when I learned that the Freeze Clinic had a new type of facial (cold laser), from a colleague raving about it, I was in! After all, you can’t have beautiful skin without healthy skin. I’ve had diamond tip microdermabrasion before but not with the extra oxygen and cold laser the clinic offers.
The Freeze Clinic I went to is located on the Danforth, just east of Pape (3min walk from the subway) on the second floor. There is another location near Yonge and Eglinton. The space is beautifully designed and decorated, clean and simple. I was offered a magazine and bottled water while the room was prepped. Audra went through my skincare history very carefully (sensitive, jawline acne, slight rosacea) and walked me through the whole procedure. I won’t get into too many details since I’m sure it’s customized for each client but essentially I had my face cleansed, microdermabrasion, oxygen, cold laser, then collagen mask and oxygen again. The cold laser was the only part that wasn’t totally relaxing (she let me know it would feel like a magnet pulling my facial muscles and kept making sure it wasn’t painful), but not bad at all! All took about 1hour15mins lying on a bed wrapped in cozy blankets.
My skin feels firm, lifted and oh-​so smooth!!! The BIG bonus is that I had no redness after all that! None. And my skin goes red if you look at it with an exfoliant. Audra told me that it will look even better in about a week. LOVE.

Since having my daughter, my skin care routine has been exactly zero. My philosophy has become, «people have done just fine over the centuries without all the lotions and potions! So who really needs them now?!»
Other than Nivea crème to moisturize my dry, Canadian skin, nary a cleanser, nor a toner, nor a fancy firming whatever has touched my face in many, many months. A splash of water, a pat of a towel, Nivea, DONE. Off to bed!
Over these many, many months, I’ve been totally fine with my lack of maintenance. In fact, it’s been quite liberating not washing my face every morning and night. It’s saved me an extra ten glorious and much needed minutes out of the day! And what new mother wouldn’t kill for that «bonus» time?!
But have I been deluding myself, thinking I don’t need to take care of my skin properly? Turns out: yes. And it took a trip to The Freeze Clinic to figure out why.
I went for my first visit after a friend, who has been doing the famous «cold light therapy» for a while now, convinced me to contact Jessica and Sachi (aka The Freeze Team), just to see what the fuss was all about.
I was dubious at first because, really, how could something called «cold light» do anything to restore the youthful glow I once had?
They were lovely, Jessica and Sachi. Even though they are experts in the skin care field, they didn’t admonish me for not following any routine whatsoever. Instead, they educated me (gently) on how beneficial a proper regimen would have on my skin going forward.
So I did it. I listened to them, learned a few things, then laid out on the table and let them work their magic.
And let me tell you: after just one treatment, I kid you not, I have seen a major change — an improvement in tone, lift and texture. Oh, the texture! So heavenly! I haven’t been able to stop touching it! It’s almost a week later, and I’m still stealing quiet moments in the day to caress my face when no one is looking.
But if anyone did look at that moment, if they DID catch me stroking my skin as delicately as I would a baby’s bottom, I would proudly tell them why, «it’s the Freeze Clinic effect, darling. I dare you to try it and not do the exact. Same. Thing.»
I’m converted, guys. Not only am I now back to a regularly scheduled skin care routine — they carry a divine line of products called Consonant that is now officially my be-​all and end-​all — but I’m also out and proud about my new not-​so-​secret weapon: The Freeze Treatment.
I’m hooked, and I highly recommend you all become hooked, too.
Besides, who really needs an those extra 10 minutes a day, really?