I Just Got My First Chemical Peel at Massage Envy and My Skin Looks Radiant AF - Cosmopolitan

[Hannah Chubb]

I've been engaged for over a year now, and I fear I've made my wedding my entire personality. At this point, my FYP is full of white dresses, seating charts, and cute stationery, and I pretty much relate everything I see and hear to my nuptials in one way or another. Case in point: When I was asked if I was interested in trying a chemical peel from Massage Envy, I thought, Oh, that could be a good thing to get to prep for my big day. Obviously, I said yes.

Now, I'll admit I was a little surprised (and intrigued) to learn that Massage Envy offers facial treatments, but I've had amazinggg massages at some of its locations over the years, so I trust the brand. I've also heard incredible things from my beauty-editor friends about chemical peels in general, and as someone who struggles with acne scarring and uneven skin tone, I've been itching to try one. They kinda sound scary, sure—the words chemical and peel don't seem like they would go well with the word face, if we're being honest—but I'm always down to try anything once in the name of beauty. So last month, off I went to my appointment at the Massage Envy franchise in Midtown Manhattan.

Keep reading for my full experience, but spoiler alert: I've been glowing since that very day. I never knew how much one completely non-invasive treatment could change my skin, but boy, oh, boy, did it ever. And you need to know about it, too.

The basics​

You might be wondering what exactly a chemical peel is, and what benefits can come from it. Allow me to explain in (hopefully) the least science-y way possible: Massage Envy locations use a self-neutralizing chemical peel solution from PCA SKIN on the face to help speed up the natural exfoliation process, shedding dead skin cells and revealing (baby! smooth!) fresh skin underneath. This cellular turnover can help improve acne (bless), reduce visible fine lines and wrinkles, and address discoloration, tone, and texture.

Most people (like me ) require little to no downtime after a chemical peel and leave with glowy skin rather than redness. Some will have visible peeling or flaking post-treatment, but it's not a given and it can be customized to minimize (or maximize) these effects. But don't worry if you don't see any peeling—it's not necessary for the treatment to have done its job.

The prep​

TBH, there's not much you need to do to prepare for a chemical peel at Massage Envy. But you should check out the contraindications (they'll letcha know what they are ahead of time) to make sure you're clear to get the treatment. For example, the procedure can't be performed on expectant or nursing mothers, and facials, dermaplaning, tanning, laser hair removal, and microdermabrasion should be avoided for two weeks before you go in. Personally, the only thing that I needed to worry about was stopping my tretinoin (a topical prescription I use on my face) five days before my peel. Easy-peasy!

The treatment​

When I got to the Massage Envy franchise on the day of my appointment, I checked in, filled out a form, and then met with my aesthetician, Diego. We chatted for a while about my skin goals and history once we got into the treatment room, where there was a comfy-chair situation waiting for me to plop down on. He inspected my face under a light and decided which PCA SKIN chemical peel would be best for me based on my skin type and concerns, then double-cleansed my face.

After that, he kicked off the treatment with the Nourishing Light Enhancement, which was basically 10 minutes of LED light therapy—paired with a relaxing hand and arm massage(!). It was honestly very chill and peaceful, and I could have fallen asleep. Also relaxing? The sensation of the chemical-peel solution being painted onto my face after the light enhancement. Eventually, once I was fully covered, it started itching a tiny bit around my jaw and my hairline, which Diego said was totally normal. It was funny, because I expected it to sting or burn, but nope! Just a wee bit of itch, which calmed down a bit when Diego fanned my face with cool air.

The solution was applied a second time, and then Diego used a series of other PCA SKIN products to soothe and hydrate my skin before I was let out into the world, kit of complimentary post-session care products in hand to use for the next week in place of my regular skincare routine. All in all, it was a pain-free, seamless experience!!! And pretty damn quick, to boot.

The immediate effects​

The first thing I noticed when I looked in the mirror post-treatment was that my skin looked so much less irritated than it normally does. The redness that you can normally see on my cheeks and chin had diminished significantly, and dare I say the discoloration from my past pimples was less pronounced?! I was also glowing—and not in an oily, August-in-NYC way. I took several selfies because I was that impressed. And then I made sure to follow Diego's instructions and avoid the sun and hot water for the next 48 or so hours.

The results—one week later​

I didn't see any peeling in the week that followed, probably because my skin is used to exfoliating products—shout-out to tretinoin! There was maybe a tiiiiny bit more dryness around my mouth and nose than normal, but it was barely noticeable. After one peel, my skin tone already looked just a little bit brighter, and my texture seemed just a little bit more even. Basically, I looked more refreshed, and trust me, I haven't actually been refreshed in years!

Diego told me that three or four chemical-peel treatments are recommended for best results, and I'm sooooo ready to see the effects that might come from further rounds. It's just so rare to find a treatment that provides noticeable results—especially one that requires minimal downtime and doesn't hurt like a b.

Overall, I'm so happy that I decided to try a chemical peel, especially at a Massage Envy franchise location. I felt comfortable and cared for the entire time, and that can be a rarity when you're getting procedures done, lemme tell ya. This is officially my first big beauty step in the lead-up to my wedding, and I couldn't be happier about it! Now let's hope the glow comes through on camera.

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Hannah Chubb is the lifestyle editor at Cosmopolitan, covering all things home, travel, food, health, career, and more. She spends pretty much every hour of every day curating the internet for the best new products, trends, and travel destinations. You can typically find her looking for houses she can’t afford on Zillow or Airbnb, planning her next meal before she gets to the restaurant, or taking all of the Justin Bieber classes over and over and over again on Peloton. Follow her on Instagram.