The popularity of non-invasive, in-clinic, anti-ageing treatments – now known as ‘tweakments’ in beauty speak – has skyrocketed in recent years and shows no sign of abating.
But while injectable offerings such as fillers and wrinkle relaxers don’t require anything in the way of a skincare change after your appointment, others including microdermabrasion, microneedling, and lasers do.
Why? Because these treatments fundamentally work by causing micro-wounds to the upper and deeper layers of the skin, kickstarting its own healing mechanisms and producing plumping, smoothing collagen and elastin fibres as well as resurfacing texture in the process. So while the brilliant benefits of these treatments are just days away from being fully reached post-appointment, in the interim, the complexion can be red, inflamed and irritated as it starts to self-repair.
Rather than risking the complexion becoming any more angry, this is the time your skin will benefit from temporarily switching up - or in this case dialling down - your daily regime to help accelerate downtime and aid skin recovery. “After a procedure, the skin will be redder and there will have been some compromise to the skin barrier,” explains Dr Wassim Taktouk, renowned cosmetic doctor and founder of his eponymous Aesthetic Medical and Laser Dermatology Clinic in Knightsbridge. “Look for products that will help speed up the skin’s healing time by reducing the appearance of visible redness and swelling, as well as those that are formulated to protect and support the skin’s natural barrier function.”
“The skin will have been compromised so it’s important to think of the most hygienic ways to deliver your skincare. That’s why mists in particular are great because the product is sprayed directly onto the skin, bypassing application by hand. Also stop using active ingredients such as AHAs or retinoids that can strip the skin further or could be an irritant until the skin has healed.”
Beyond opting for simple cleansers and moisturisers that don’t contain active ingredients (formulas for sensitive complexions are a safe bet), there is a raft of mists, moisturisers and masks to help take down redness, combat inflammation and rebuild the skin barrier after professional treatments, speeding up micro-wound healing as well as the sought after anti-ageing tweakment results at the same time.
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Teoxane Deep Repair Balm
Created by Teoxane, a world-leading maker of dermal fillers, this balm is particularly suited to tackling any sensitivity, inflammation or redness that lingers post-tweakment. Don’t let the word balm fool you – this rich cream isn’t greasy or oil, but sinks in quickly and leaves the skin with a deliciously dry, satiny feel.
To aid skin recovery, heal damaged cells and strengthen a disrupted protective barrier, arnica soothes irritation, avocado oils infuses with nourishment and a patented type of hyaluronic acid ensures deep levels of hydration. Depending on your skin’s demands, apply all over the face or use just on localised areas. It works wonders on chapped, flaky lips and elbows too.
Buy now £25.32, Amazon
SkinCeuticals Phyto Corrective Essence Mist
A skincare range that’s championed by aesthetic doctors and dermatologists, as well as one you’ll find in every beauty editor’s bathroom cabinet, SkinCeuticals is well placed to create a super-soothing skin spray. Clinically tested on post-procedure complexions for its ability to calm and cool redness, the formula is packed with a concentrated amount of antioxidant-rich botanicals including thyme and cucumber, that help heal and repair alongside a calming duo of amino acids.
Also helping to ease skin that’s temporarily red and reactive, hyaluronic acid and glycerine pull and hold water into the skin, keeping it plump and comfortable. Perfect for on-the-go application, it won’t disturb make-up and the herbal scent adds a refreshing pick-me-up too.
Buy now £60.00, SkinCeuticals
La Roche Posay Cicaplast B5 Face Serum
Hot on the heels of Cicaplast balm that became a sell out sensation when it went viral on TikTok, this serum version was created for those who prefer a lighter texture or want to wear it under make-up. Apply one or two drops to sensitised skin and leave to absorb for 60 seconds, allowing the non-greasy formula to create a weightless protective shield that will ward off external aggressors including pollution that can make irritation worse.
The powerhouse trio of niacinamide, glycerine and panthenol helps reduce moisture loss to prevent fragile skin from drying out, while also improving smoothness and glow. Another must-have in the making, particularly for post-tweakment complexions.
Buy now £39.00, Cult Beauty
Orveda The Healing Sap
Co-created with a leading plastic surgeon, the Orveda range is based around potent green active ingredients and cutting-edge dermatological science to boost skin health and luminosity by feeding its microbiome and healing the protective outer barrier.
Key to this supercharged reparative boost, making it ideal after non-invasive treatments, is fermented marine extract, while a natural prebiotic helps rebalance the skin’s delicate microbiome system and kombucha black tea improves tone and glow.
Press four drops of the syrupy fluid into skin after cleansing and before moisturiser using the gauze provided, then tap with fingertips for fast absorption. It’s pricey, but the tiny amount needed for the multi-tasking benefits, from hydration and radiance to better skin health, make it feel cost-per-application affordable.
Buy now £125.00, Niche Beauty
Murad Soothing Oat & Peptide Cleanser
This cleanser is part of a new collection, specifically formulated for the most reactive and sensitive complexions, from doctor-founded skincare experts Murad. Rich without being gloopily thick or heavy, the creamy consistency gently removes grime and make-up (even from delicate eyelids) thanks to micellar cleansing peptides that are super-effective without exacerbating irritation or causing dry discomfort.
Perfect for complexions tackling post-procedure redness, the cleanser also utilises soothing, antioxidant-rich oat extract, plus a hydrating sugar extract and nourishing shea butter, both of which replenish and support the skin’s protective barrier.
Buy now £42.00, Murad
Evolve Pro+ Ectoin Soothing Cream
Unscented, certified organic and dermatologically tested on a panel of users with sensitive skin, this day and night moisturiser leaves skin feeling like it’s wrapped in a cosseting cashmere blanket. The hero ingredient is ectoin, an amino acid (the building blocks of the skin) that helps defend against stressors including temperature, pollution and irritation caused by non-invasive treatments, improving and protecting the function of cells.
Studies show it has soothing benefits comparable to hydrocortisone. Added chaga mushroom also works to reduce redness and make skin tone look more even, while camellia oil bumps up the lipid layer to fight flakiness and leave a beautiful, soft feel.
Buy now £32.00, Evolve
Violette Sérum Superlatif Reactive Skin Rescue
This luxuriously rich serum is one of five, each specifically blended to counteract the complexion’s most common concerns, from breakouts to sun overexposure, in a speedy 48 hours. For skin reacting momentarily to tweakments, the red algae extract used here works fast to counteract stinging, redness and inflammation in as little as five minutes.
An extract from organic hops also helps reduce heat and redness as it reinforces the skin barrier, while beta-glucan also rebuilds the protective layer and boosts immune function to improve skin health long term. Think of it as a rapid response team you’ll want to keep using even after you’ve seen off sensitivity and irritation.
Buy now £48.00, Violette
Allies of Skin Molecular Barrier Recovery Cream Balm
The cream-balm hybrid texture of potent overnight treatment feels particularly comforting when skin is having an angry reaction to in-clinic, anti-ageing treatments. It instantly softens and nourishes thanks to a powerful blend of ceramides, panthenol and peptides, as oat proteins and niacinamide add soothing, smoothing benefits too.
Next morning, irritated complexions will look calmer and plumper. The formula is also infused with a unique, biotechnology-produced moss, shown in studies to improve the skin’s natural resilience, so over time any compromise to the protective barrier is repaired and less prone to reacting to future irritants.
Buy now £80.00, Cult Beauty
Cellcosmet Active Tonic
A toner that gently exfoliates and encourages the skin’s own cellular response to improve healthy, natural function, this refreshing fluid is anything but basic. Sweep it over the face with a cotton ball to thoroughly cleanse and calm in tandem, as a unique complex of skin proteins including collagen and keratin - generated using biotechnology - improve elasticity, hydration and barrier function.
Rose extract, which adds the pretty scent, soothes signs of post-tweakment irritation as well as being used for its smoothing, anti-ageing benefits, while glycerin provides a nourishing moisture boost. And a concentrated blend of post-biotic marine extracts ramps up glow, bounce and firmness for extra measure. Nothing short of a wonder water.
Buy now £108.00, Cellcosmet
Avène Tolerance Control Soothing Skin Recovery Cream for Sensitive Skin
Suited to use around even the delicate eye contour area (perfect if you’ve had line-smoothing microneedling there), this cream feels lightweight but has the oomph of a formula that’s much richer. Renowned for their skincare aimed at the most intolerant, super-sensitive skins, Avène has created a cream proven to calm in just 60 seconds and restore the protective barrier in two days, making it both fast and effective.
Using a patented post-biotic ingredient, it tackles tightness, tingling, redness and discomfort but still keeps the complexion hydrated and soft. The pump dispenser and ‘sterile’ tube design ensure it’s protected from air and bacteria that could compromise the formula too.
Buy now £21.00, Boots
Verdict
For a seemingly low-key formula, Teoxane Deep Repair Balm packs a mighty punch. Easily tailored to individual skin needs, whether you’ve had a laser treatment that requires the complete face to be soothed or a specific area such as the neck has undergone a microneedling tweakment, this will provide instant comfort to red, inflamed complexions post-appointment. A handy size to keep in your handbag or on your desk, it makes flaky patches anywhere disappear in a flash and instead, the silky, soft texture will infuse skin with exactly that same feeling.
