A Case For Shaving Your Face

Featured On: VIOLET GREY’s The Violet Files

Have you been flashed? It’s the latest question to make the rounds at the VIOLET GREY office. Need a boost of radiance for tomorrow’s date? Flash.Can’t get your foundation to sit just right? Flash. Want to maximize your La Mer? Flash. This new vernacularism had nothing to do with nurturing exhibitionists and everything to do with DERMAFLASH’s game-changing at-home treatment. With a flick of your wrist, the hand-held device buffs away dead skin cells to revive lackluster complexions. Healthy skin cells can now glow brighter, absorb skin care better, and ingest more oxygen to fight back acne. And, as a bonus, the tool removes all the peach fuzz you’re too stubborn to admit you have. The result: skin as smooth as glass.

With an abundance of dry, dull skin, I finally booked an appointment at the VIOLET GREY boutique. What was the holdup? For starters, as someone with rosacea, any exfoliating face treatment inevitably leaves behind a stunning shade of vermillion. Second, I’m a clumsy contortionist when it comes to shaving in the shower and, consequently, am rarely nick free—not the same I know, but still, taking a blade to my face didn’t sound smart. Lastly, regrowth. I dreaded the thought of my naturally dark, thick hair returning even darker and thicker. Who wants that?

Now, a final note before I proceed to reveal exactly what shaving your face with DERMAFLASH entails: If you are interested in experiencing the same private demo this writer enjoyed, please contact VIOLET GREY’s Client Concierge at concierge@violetgrey.com. A charming person will assist you with booking an appointment at our Los Angeles boutique. Alternatively, if you’re still on the fence, take a friend and watch them get flashed (or read on for all the details).

FLASHING 101

To kick off my treatment, one VIOLET GREY's makeup artists handed me the PREFLASH cleanser to remove any oil and lingering makeup from my face. I watched as the artist slid the DERMAFLASH device into the razor cartridge tray to attach a clean blade. Before the razor even touched my face, she said, “Now remember, toss the blade after each treatment.” Could I rinse and reuse a blade? “Would you serve a guest dinner, set their plate aside, and use it as is for breakfast the next morning?” Grossed out I replied, “No reusing blades, ever, got it.” As a first-timer, I opted for a gentle treatment and pressed the power button once, but if that setting underwhelms you, clicking the button a second time will rev up the intensity. Wielding the tool was surprisingly easy. You hold it gently to your skin at an angle, pull the skin taut with your free hand, and move in short, downward strokes. When you're done flashing, apply the soothing POSTFLASH moisturizer and check out your new glow.

THE 10 MINUTE SKIN BOOST

The entire process took ten minutes. And the visible effects were immediate. I was stunned how, as one VIOLET GREY makeup artist put it, my complexion felt “as slick as a swimmer.” When I looked down at the razor, I saw fluffs of facial hair and flakes. Who knew I had so much hair and dead skin sitting on my face? Everyone but me. After I stopped touching this new, even, supple complexion (was this really mine?), my attention honed in on how luminous and healthy I looked. Was there flushing? Yes, but it was minimal and short-lived. That in and of itself was a triumph when you consider how red I get merely from applying moisturizer. While I continued to gawk at my face shamelessly, I was told that in addition to removing dead skin, the glow was the result of a facial workout from the device’s sonic vibrations and increased circulation and oxygen to the skin. Thankfully, I was also assured that the hair would not grow back denser, just a tinge darker since it had yet to be exposed to the sun (which is exactly what happened a week later). That was enough for me to walk out with a DERMAFALSH of my own, a blade subscription, and a VIOLET GREY makeup bag to keep everything in—but then came the foundation.

A PERFECT CANVAS

A hypersensitive complexion makes applying foundation a drag. If you're too heavy-handed, you'll clog pores or encourage a flare-up. If you apply a base too lightly, then blotches will show through. This unbalanced approach to makeup inevitably makes the skin appear, well, uneven. Which is why DERMAFLASH is a skin savior. Not only did it give my face an #IRLfilter, but it made my cover-up, blush, and contour look incredible. Brushes and formulas glided seamlessly since the skin was already prepped and smoothed. No irritation, no product overload. Just an airbrushed finish that gave the impression that I have perfect skin, and walking out from the VIOLET GREY store that day, I did.

Discover DERMAFLASH at VIOLET GREY now.