I have a confession to make: despite living in a city full of luxe spas and boujee beauty clinics, I've never had a facial.
My skincare routine is pretty simple. I wake up, wash my face, moisturize it, put 50+ SPF on and go about my day. When I'm ready for bed, I'll wash it again and put a few drops of rosehip seed oil on. If I'm feeling extra, I'll use a jade roller.
My idea of skincare has always been "less is more," so I've never properly given facials — something I've always thought of as a luxury — a thought. Lately, though, I've started to wonder if I've been missing out.
Skincare trends like the HydraFacial have taken over my newsfeed; my beauty-obsessed friends are heading to estheticians on the regular; and, at 27, I'm now well aware of the fact that my skin is not going to look this good forever.
With winter just around the corner (dropping temperatures = dry skin), I eventually figured it's time to see what all the hype is about.
So, I embarked on my very first facial adventure with Gianna Ugloni at GC & Co. Med Spa.
Pre-Facial
Upon my arrival, I'm immediately greeted by Gianna Ugolini, co-owner of GC & Co. and the med spa's leading skincare expert. For my appointment, she suggests her signature celebrity-style facial combined with the Hydrafacial.
She also recommends a few other add-ons like RF skin tightening around the eyes, microcurrent (muscle tightening), Gianna's signature contour massage and oxygen dome therapy.
Not necessarily the "less is more" regime I'm used to, but I can't lie — the thought of getting straight-up pampered for 90 minutes seriously excites me.
Of course, Gianna's recommendations are only a taste of the facial menu at GC & Co. She also offers the Hydrafacial ranging from express ($175) to platinum ($325), the Environ DF facial ($190) the Korean glass facial ($350), the DMK enzyme mask treatment ($190) and the sculptural buccal lift ($250) — the kind notably loved by Meghan Markle and Kate Moss.
There's also Microneedling Collagen Induction ($250), which is combined with Environ's Cool Peel and DF machine to improve collagen production and reduce fine lines, wrinkles, pigmentation, scarring.
Gianna is totally dedicated to providing new techniques and treatments for her clients, who have ranged from Toronto celebs to Toronto socialites, she tells me.
She's renowned for putting her own spin on the classic European facial with modern tech and tools. She travelled abroad for years to learn multiple techniques and works seven days a week to accommodate her large following — so I know I'm, quite literally, in good hands.
The Spa-Vibes Experience
Ready to show me what I've been missing, Gianna whisks me into a room just beside the med spa's bright, clean and welcoming lounge area. She gives me a moment alone to strip off my top and pants, wrap a soft pink towel around me and lie underneath a cozy, duvet-like blanket.
The room itself is a full-on experience: The lights are dimmed, light music is playing in the background and to the left of the spa bed is a plant wall with an Instagrammable neon sign reading, "This is where the magic happens."
Before I know it, Gianna is back and kicking off the appointment with the sweet sound of a crystal bowl.
The Signature Facial
First up is Gianna's signature facial combined with the popular Hydrafacial ($250). (If you're seeing Gianna for the first time, this is where she analyzes her client's skin and recommends the best add-ons, like a jelly mask, oxygen dome or skin tightening.) You can see before and after transformations on her Instagram page.
Using Environ and Eminence Organics products (which smell great, by the way), she cleanses my skin while using her massage techniques to start releasing tension.
Next, she uses the Hydrafacial machine to do a deeper, second cleanse. It feels like wet microdermabrasion, which I'm told is king when it comes to exfoliation. A light peel is then applied just before all pores are emptied using a different tip on the Hydrafacial hand piece. Now that I have a clean slate, I'm prepped for the Celluma LED light therapy.
The LED light is placed over your face and can reduce acne and inflammation, and promotes collagen production. People say it's easy to fall asleep while getting this treatment, but for me, those feelings of total weightlessness and relaxation hit once Gianna brought out the oxygen dome.
This skin-rejuvenating procedure (which kind of looks like a futuristic space helmet, tbh) pumps in purified oxygen and anions (basically like vitamins in the air, I've read, similar to what you'd get in a deep forest) to boost cellular repair. The dome breathes life back into the skin's cells, restoring and revitalizing the skin.
The HydraFacial
Next up is the HydraFacial (from $199 to $325). (If you follow literally any beauty influencer on social media, you'll know this treatment well.)
With soothing spa music playing in the background, she uses a vacuum-like tip to deeply clean and exfoliate my skin. It cleanses, exfoliates, extracts and hydrates all at the same time while pumping out moisturizing serums customized to my skin type — it's unlike anything I've experienced before, but I guess you could say it kind of feels like a fish giving you tiny kisses.
The Extras
Next was the RF skin tightening around the eyes, which uses a little machine to release heat deep into your skin and stimulate collagen production. It was cold, and then hot, and then hotter, but entirely relaxing. It's also non-invasive, just like the microcurrent treatment that Gianna moved onto next.
Microcurrent uses low levels of electricity to stimulate the muscles — it's like going to the gym for your face. It lifts and tightens the muscles making for healthier and younger skin without surgery. There are even NuFace microcurrent devices available for purchase at the salon for you to use at home.
From there, I got to experience the pièce de résistance: Gianna's signature contour massage. She uses the magic of her hands and her 27 years of experience to massage your skin to perfection.
It's Gianna's favourite part of every facial she does, and she tells me it's continuously evolving because she's always perfecting it. She's travelled to Europe and California to educate herself on techniques needed to craft the ultimate contour massage.
Post-Facial
When the facial is over, Gianna leaves the room to let me re-dress and comes back to give me the low-down on my skin. To my delight, she informs me that I have good collagen for my age and no fine lines or wrinkles. However, because I've never been for a facial before, she says I was quite congested in my T-zone.
Gianna suggested that I use a facecloth during my cleansing routine, acting as added exfoliation to keep my skin soft and smooth. Anyone with sensitive skin should check out the Ultrasonic Scrubber that's sold at the spa. She also tells me the secret to great skin is regular facials. Gianna recommends one every four to six weeks.
The whole experience of Gianna's facial, I quickly understood, is why clients keep coming back to her.
She doesn't just lay you on a treatment bed and give you glowing skin. Gianna's knowledge and passion, matched with her ability to create an entirely relaxing setup, leaves you with a spa-like experience that rejuvenates you from head to toe — even if she technically only works on your face and decollete.
The Results
As for the results, I expected my face to be dewy for a day or two, but my skin glowed for days. At the time of writing, I'm six days post-facial and my skin still looks even and clear, and it's way more manageable than it was pre-facial. My pores are also visibly smaller.
And I'm not the only one who's noticed: Yesterday, when I told a friend I finally had my first facial done, she said: "I'm not joking, I was actually just going to say your skin looks great."
After my appointment with Gianna, I can say with confidence that I'm now a total believer in the power of facials. If you've yet to experience a facial by Gianna, it's high time you consider booking one.
To book a facial with Gianna, visit the GC & Co. Med Spa website. You can also follow Gianna on Instagram for skincare tips and tricks.