From A-list celebrities to beauty bloggers and spa aficionados, many people have turned their attention to oxygen facials — and they may be more than a fleeting trend.
An oxygen facial boasts a range of benefits, like minimizing the appearance of fine lines, awakening tired complexions, and supporting overall skin radiance. The skincare market is saturated with numerous treatments that tout similar benefits — from acid peels to LED therapy — but oxygen facials have carved out a unique niche.
Curious to learn more about how oxygen facials can bolster your skin or your practice? Let’s dive into this popular skincare treatment so you can make an informed decision on whether it’s the right fit for your practice.
What Is an Oxygen Facial?
In the ever-changing world of aesthetic treatments, oxygen facials are intriguing because they’re a non-invasive treatment option and are relatively gentle, setting them apart from lengthy, painful procedures that involve injections or abrasions (and down time).
Oxygen facials are relaxing and often take place in the calming setting of a high-end spa or dermatological clinic. Unlike microdermabrasion or chemical peels, which can leave the skin feeling raw or sensitive, oxygen facials use a machine that sprays atomized moisturizers onto the skin using a stream of pressurized oxygen. The treatment is designed to hydrate the skin immediately, making the face look smoother and plumper.
For those who have always wanted a facial that feels as soothing as a day at the spa but offers immediately noticeable results, an oxygen facial may tick all the right boxes.
How Do Oxygen Facials Work?
It goes without saying that oxygen is crucial for human life — it’s not surprising, then, that oxygen has found its way into skincare treatments.
Research shows that saturating the skin with oxygen may help support proper cellular function, including regeneration and repair. The pressurized oxygen used in an oxygen facial can support the skin’s ability to absorb moisture, active ingredients, and nutrients, working to promote an overall healthy complexion.
The oxygen used in an oxygen facial is often infused with vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients to help enrich the skin even further. A key part of an oxygen facial is the application of various serums that accompany the oxygen spray — these often feature ingredients like hyaluronic acid and peptides, which are known for their impressive hydrating and supportive properties.
Oxygen facials can make your skin look temporarily fresher, meaning they can be especially ideal leading up to a big event or to give you a fresher outlook when you need it most.
What Can Oxygen Facials Do for the Skin?
Enhanced radiance ranks high among the benefits of oxygen facials. The process begins with exfoliation, which clears away debris and dead skin cells, making the skin more receptive and prepared for the nutrients that follow.
When high-pressure oxygen is infused into the skin, the pores are opened, aiding the penetration of serums. By supporting deeper absorption, the skin gains a fresh radiance that often remains visible for several days post-treatment.
On the subject of hydration, though, oxygen facials provide more than just a superficial layer of moisture. The unique infusion technique used helps push serums deeper into the skin layers, providing more lasting hydration than conventional topical applications.
The rich blend of vitamins and botanical ingredients often incorporated into the serums may also contribute to an even-looking skin tone. Ingredients like vitamin C are known for their brightening properties, while botanical extracts such as green tea serve as antioxidants that help reduce the look of redness. Through this combination of active ingredients, oxygen facials offer a holistic approach to achieving a uniformly luminous complexion.
As for breakouts, the high concentration of oxygen has potential cleansing and purifying properties, which may help soothe existing breakouts.
Oxygen facials offer a wide range of potential benefits for a wide range of skincare concerns — from improving radiance and hydration to potentially evening out the appearance of skin tone and tackling issues like fine lines and breakouts, these treatments serve multiple needs.
What Do Oxygen Facials Entail?
The first thing to know about an oxygen facial is that it’s a multi-step process aimed at both refreshing the skin and imbuing it with a youthful glow. The initial stage involves a comprehensive cleansing to rid your skin of impurities, makeup, and excess oils. This often involves gentle exfoliation using fine scrubs or enzymatic cleansers to remove dead skin cells. Prepping the skin this way enables it to better absorb the products used later in the treatment.
Following the cleansing and exfoliation, it’s time for the main event: the oxygen infusion. Here, a wand-like device is employed to administer a continuous flow of high-pressure oxygen directly to the skin’s surface.
Some establishments opt for wands with specialized tips that can also infuse serums simultaneously, marrying the benefits of hydration with oxygenation. These serums can be customized depending on skin type and may contain active ingredients like antioxidants, vitamins, and sometimes even botanical extracts, further enhancing the treatment’s effects.
To wrap up the session, a post-treatment mask may be applied. This mask often contains additional nourishing elements like vitamins and minerals that aim to lock in the benefits achieved through the oxygen and serums.
You can also include a brief session of LED light therapy post-oxygen treatment, like with the Illuminate Full Face LED Panel, to support collagen production and soothe any irritation (although this step is optional and may depend on your client’s needs).
How Long Does an Oxygen Facial Take?
When considering an oxygen facial, it’s important to set aside an appropriate amount of time for the experience, as the duration of the treatment can vary from case to case. A standard oxygen facial can generally be completed within 30 to 45 minutes, making it a convenient option for those on the go. These shorter sessions are geared towards immediate skin refreshing and generally consist of cleansing, oxygen infusion, and serum application steps.
However, if you’re looking for a more intensive experience, you can look to offer extended treatments by including additional features such as extended massage periods, multiple serum infusions, or even specialized masks. It’s not uncommon to see variations that incorporate other popular treatments like microdermabrasion or chemical peels to enhance the effects.
What you put on your treatment menu or make available to your clients can depend on a wide range of things, not least your own availability — just be sure to be clear to set expectations with your clients so they know what to expect!
How Often Can You Get an Oxygen Facial?
Deciding the optimal frequency for oxygen facials will largely depend on individual skin types, needs, and skincare goals. Conventional facials are often recommended on a monthly basis, but oxygen facials occupy a more unique space in the world of skincare.
Due to their gentle nature, there isn’t necessarily any reason — other than cost — why someone needs to limit the amount of oxygen facials they get. Oxygen facials are non-invasive, and they don’t require downtime like many other skin treatments might.
This makes oxygen facials an ideal part of a maintenance routine for anybody interested in keeping up with a youthful glow. The mild, nonabrasive approach makes it a suitable option for a more frequent schedule without your skin requiring significant recovery time between sessions.
Of course, lifestyle factors like stress, diet, and exposure to environmental pollutants can also play a role in how often you might want to schedule a session. Try to personalize your treatment recommendations to a client’s individual needs, so you’re not overwhelming a client with a limited budget and a busy schedule with what seems like a grueling list of skincare needs — while still providing clients who are interested in more routine treatments with the option to indulge in oxygen facials to their heart’s content.
Are There Any Side Effects of Oxygen Facials?
While oxygen facials are appealing in no small part due to being a non-invasive, non-abrasive alternative to other treatments, temporary redness may occur, particularly for those with sensitive skin types.
This is not entirely surprising given the high-pressure oxygen delivery system used during the treatment. The skin might react to the sudden influx of oxygen and the introduction of serums, leading to a flushed appearance that usually subsides after a few hours. However, this is typically mild and painless, and oxygen facials are generally safe and gentle, even for those with sensitive skin.
What Do You Need for an Oxygen Facial?
While oxygen facials require a little bit more equipment than just a bottled mask or serum, you don’t need to renovate your entire treatment room to accommodate them.
Start with a high-quality Oxygen Infusion Machine. This machine contains a 5-liter oxygen concentrator with a PSI of 20 and an oxygen level of 96% — so you can be sure your clients are getting comprehensive, high-quality treatment. Tubing and an air gun are also included with this infusion machine, although it’s possible to get additional attachments depending on your needs and preferences! And with a one-year warranty, there’s no reason not to introduce this treatment into your practice, risk-free.
Pair your oxygen facial with our Real Oxypro Serum, enhanced with lactic acid, licorice root extract, and peptides, and give your clients a seriously super-charged brightening treatment that can lighten, tighten, and help to protect against various skin stressors, all while delivering a deeply hydrated, youthful-looking glow.
Clearing the Air on Oxygen Facials
Oxygen facials have certainly grabbed public interest, finding their place in celebrity skincare routines and spa menus — and they might be the perfect new addition to your own spa menu, too.
In a rapidly evolving beauty landscape, where new treatments emerge almost daily, staying educated about your options can serve as your best way to stay relevant and remain a source of knowledge and skincare that your clients trust and seek out whenever their complexion needs a boost. Exploring the wide world of oxygen facials and the variety of treatment options they open up for you can be a great way to continue your education as an esthetician.
Sources:
The Hype on Hyaluronic Acid | Harvard Health Publishing
Licorice Root | National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health
Potential Applications Of Topical Oxygen Therapy In Dermatology | National Library of Medicine
