Philips ReAura: What's Happening?!

I've had a few comments and e-mails about why I haven't posted about the ReAura for a little while, so I thought that it would make sense to write a quick post about it.

As pretty much anyone who's ever visited my blog will know, I have nightmare skin.  It's extremely nightmarish at the moment as it's fairly dry, yet I'm still getting spots.  This is mainly due to the fact that I've got a few stressful situations occurring at the moment and the first thing to play up is always my skin.

When I started using the ReAura, I had pretty much got control of my skin so it was doable.  However, the ReAura cannot be used on spots and it's been a while since I've reached a point where I have no spots at all.  Therefore, I have two options:  I can either work around the spot prone areas, or I can wait until everything has settled down again and start the treatment again.  I've chosen the latter as I want to fully benefit from the brilliance of the ReAura, and I'd like to reiterate that; the ReAura had done amazing things for my skin in a seriously short space of time and I'm looking forward to hitting a point where I can realistically use it regularly without having to go around spots.  I really want a uniform finish and as a lot of the hyperpigmentation I have is around the spotty areas, I really want to make full use of the ReAura and cover the whole face.

I still get lots of e-mails and comments about the ReAura, often asking me if I think it's a good idea to use.  My answer is this: it isn't a cheap machine, but if you have problems with uneven skintone, fine lines and/or hyperpigmentation that the normal peel/microdermabrasion/skincare route isn't having any kind of impact on and you're considering laser treatment, this is definitely a worthy choice.  The positive skin changes I witnessed were phenomenal - let's not forget that I only did about 6 treatments in total - and I will definitely start treatment again as soon as the timing is right for my skin.

If you have any questions or things you would like to run past me about the ReAura then please feel free to either comment on a post, or e-mail me at geek@beautygeekuk.com

In the meantime, if you fancy checking out other people's experience of the ReAura, there are now quite a few bloggers trying it out so it's worth having a Google.  I'll update when I start to use it again which I really hope will be very soon!

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Philips ReAura: Let's Hear it for the Boys!

Since starting my ReAura log, I've met some fantastic people online who have e-mailed me questions and kept in touch.  A few months ago, a young man got in touch with questions about treating his chest which was quite sun damaged.  He's been keeping me up to date with his treatment progress and I asked him to write a couple of paragraphs about his experiences for me to publish as I thought it would be handy to hear about some first hand experience both from a male's perspective, but also regarding how the ReAura performs on areas other than the face.  Here are his thoughts:


"I purchased the ReAura in November 2011 and have been treating as per directions ever since. I use it on the face, neck, hands and chest and the main reason for my purchase was to treat sun damage. The chest area was the first to get treatment as I was unsure about using it on the face and having the redness the next day (I'm male so no make-up). My skin isnt too sensitive so I maxed it up to level 3 from the start and like everybody else who has written a review my skin went red like a bad sunburn and stayed that way for about 20 hours after. 


The upshot is...the more I used it the more my skin became accustomed to the laser and now the redness is gone by the following morning (I use it in the evenings). The results? Well, I used it 3 time on my hands and the results were almost instantaneous. Mild level sun spots reduced by a good 50% in visibility. Because of this I have neglected to continue the treatment on my hands and focused on other parts of my body (face and chest). The results here are proving to be a bit slower (more damage in these areas) but at the same results are visible....I just reckon I need maybe twice or three times the treatment recommended. The problem with this is replacing the creams and gels....which are saucey enough price wise...about €45.

So, overall, i think the ReAura has improved the overall texture of my skin and reduced sun spot visibility but not within the 16 treatments."

Huge thanks to my male friend for sharing his experiences.  I've just done another treatment so my next log will be up in the next couple of days.

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Philips ReAura: Fifth Treatment Log

This will technically be my first treatment log as it's been a good few months since I did the first four treatments due to the fact that my skin broke out after I got lazy with keeping up with regular ReAura use.  For more info have a look here.  To make things easier for people who aren't familiar with my blog I'll be continuing the logs where I left off (hence calling this fifth treatment log and not first) but I'll inevitably go over the 16 treatments to ensure I complete the full treatment plan.

So! I'll start by saying how relieved I am to be treating again.  I was a little nervous to start again as I've got quite a lot of new pigmentation to contend with (joy) so as a consequence, I decided to tread carefully and didn't do a full treatment (so I didn't keep treating until the bleep).  Instead I thought it would be better to reintroduce my skin to the ReAura gradually to give it a chance to adjust.

Apart from the fact that my skin will soon start looking ridiculously good again, one of the other things I'm looking forward to again is refocusing my skincare regime on using products that combat the dryness as for the past few months - and previously to using the ReAura, pretty much my entire life before that - I've had to focus my product choices on things that are least likely to give me spots.  I absolutely love the process and feeling of using indulgent, pampering products that are all about treating your skin well and rehydrating it, but of course, as anyone with spot prone skin will know, there are very of these types of treats available for spot-prone skin.  When I apply a moisturiser, I want to feel like my skin is being really nourished and repaired, but when my skin is prone to spots, the only choice I really have is to use a cream that's just about moisturising enough.  There are a couple of exceptions to this rule - the Eucerin Q10 cream I rave about for one - but generally speaking, anything oily and/or truly nourishing is a big no-no.  So I'm joyfully indulging my skin with all sorts of oils and moisture treatments now I'm back on my ReAura plan.

Anyway! Enough rambling about that and I'll instead discuss my most recent ReAura treatment.  As I mentioned, I didn't complete the treatment to give my skin a chance to readjust, but it's still incredibly obvious that I've started again.  After one brief treatment, my skin has the ReAura glow back which I have missed SO MUCH.  My skin has started drying out again and is doing what it used to do which is feel incredibly dry to the touch but not look it.

I forgot how much this bad boy stings!  I recall from the last time that the pain got easier to bear as the treatment plan progressed, but it's still rather uncomfortable to use, but 100% bearable.  Even though I was careful around the breakout areas (my chin and 1 side of my face) I still reacted to it and for 24 hours I had lots of little red dots from the treatment and the area felt a little raw to touch.  However, this subsided quickly and wasn't difficult to cover with make-up.  There's not a huge amount to report at this stage, other than the fact that I'm itching to start the next treatment and I'm intended to plan ahead with when I'll treat as one of the mistakes I made last time was not fitting in the treatments effectively as whenever I had social events, I wouldn't take into account that I'd ideally need to leave it 48 hours beforehand to treat.  This isn't absolutely necessary as any skin that's showing signs of being lasered can be easily concealed, but I feel that my skin looks it's best 48 hours post-treatment.

Above are some before pictures of the pigmentation I have from my most recent breakout.  I don't want to guarantee that the ReAura will aid the healing of these post-acne spots as that isn't what the ReAura is intended for, however, it did have a massive impact on them previously so I thought it was worth including.

I'm definitely determined to see this treatment plan through this time, so the next post will be along soon!

*PR Sample

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Philips ReAura: Yet Another Update....

After battling my skin for what seemed like an eternity, I am now at a point where I can comfortably ReAura around the couple of spots I have left, so I did!  The next post will be up in a couple of days.  I'm so sorry I took absolutely ages to start treating again, but it was literally a case of waiting for my skin to stop doing what it wanted to do and to just blimin' well calm down, which it finally has.  On the plus side, I have a whole host of new pigmentation so hopefully the ReAura will help with that.  Yay!

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Philips ReAura: Tiny Update

As mentioned in my previous update, I can't use my beloved ReAura as my skin is going crazy - breaking out all over the place - and obviously the ReAura isn't suitable for treating skin that's inflamed. So until further notice, no more ReAura logs. I am 'very' sad about this and I am doing everything in my power to resume treating as soon as possible, not just because I love writing about it and hearing how others are getting on with it, but also because my skin was showing such amazing results and it's frustrating to take such a giant step back. Anyway, as soon as I start treating again, you'll be the first to know.

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Philips ReAura: Quick Update

If you managed to catch my most recent log (if not, it can be found here) then you'll know that I'd become incredibly casual about my skincare, and as a consequence, I wasn't regularly ReAuraing like I should've been.

My skin was doing everything I wanted it to do; it wasn't breaking out, it was looking smooth and it required very little make-up. All I was doing was a quick cleanse, tone and moisturise (if that, if I'm honest) and taking it for granted that my skin was settled and happy.

Unfortunately, it's now played up and I have five spots. What's quite funny is that the skin I used to have wouldn't have shown up the spots as they would've blended into the pigmentation (you seriously couldn't tell the difference between spots and post-acne marks on my face, so even when I was having a 'good day' I'd still look very spotty) however, now the pigmentation has faded so much since I started using the ReAura, they're really rather obvious! They're nothing terrible and I've managed to reduce them to almost nothing now, but what it does mean is that I can't ReAura until they've gone as you're not supposed to use the ReAura directly on spots. So it'll be a couple of days before my next treatment, but once that's done I'll resume my updates.

The ReAura isn't intended to treat spots, but going on the fact that I had virtually none right up until I stopped treating with the device, I'm going to believe that, for whatever reason, it's doing something to keep the spots at bay. If this means that for the rest of my life I need to keep up regular ReAura treatments then that's definitely something I'm happy to commit to. Anyone who's ever battled with constant spots will know what I mean!

In the meantime, I've been receiving lots of messages and comments on here from other ReAura users who are all getting on well with it, which is so fantastic to hear. I really do love hearing from other people - especially as the ReAura is so new so there's not a lot of us about yet - so if you are a ReAura user, please let me know how you're getting on by either mailing me or commenting here. FAQ post will be coming soon and hopefully the next treatment log will be up by the weekend.

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Philips ReAura: Fourth Treatment Log

Get comfy, this may take a while......

So I am officially rubbish as I'm not doing a great job at keeping my ReAura log updated nor am I doing a particularly good job at keeping up with the treatments, but I have a very good argument as to why! Hear me out; for as long as I can remember, I've been working really hard at maintaining a strict skincare regime in an attempt to improve my rubbish skin. However, the motivation really isn't there any more as I don't really have to do much now to keep my skin looking lovely as it doesn't really need much help. I was really interested to read that a study into the impact of the ReAura on the skin showed "significant improvement" in porphyrins, which are bacterial excretions that can cause acne (article here) as I haven't suffered from any major breakouts since I began treatment apart from a minor breakout when I used a cleansing lotion that I'd used previously and broke out with then, and a massive spot on the side of my nose (which I'm actually recording to write about, so expect some truly gruesome close-ups in another post shortly....I like to give my readers something to look forward to) but nothing in the usual target areas; my chin and lower cheeks. I have absolutely no idea whether this is due to the ReAura or not, I have no way of proving it and the fact that my skin was on it's way to clearing up could well mean that it cleared itself up coincidentally during my ReAura treatment. I really don't want to state that I feel the ReAura has cured my acne as I really don't want people to buy this gadget on this basis, but I just feel that my skin has suddenly become normal/oily (as opposed to oily/acne-prone) and is the best it's ever been and I can only conclude that it's got something to do with the ReAura.

I'd like to add that if you're an acne-sufferer and have read the above and are now more inclined to buy it, please consider the fact that the ReAura CANNOT be used on actual acne. So the only way it can be used to help such an issue is if you start the treatment when you're clear, which is incredibly tricky. Either that, or you start the treatment and avoid the actual spots; this is where I think it worked for me as I could treat areas that were acne prone but acne free to start off with, then eventually covering my whole face once there were no more spots. This isn't an ideal device for those with a lot of their facial surface covered with spots, but I do believe that if you get one here and there, or manage to slot in the first treatment on a day where you're clear, then this will make a difference. I've honestly never been this clear in my post-adolescent life.

Right! On to the elements of improvement that the ReAura is intended for.

I'll start by sharing something that I've been sharing with pretty much everyone who will listen as it was a fairly surreal moment for me and I'll explain why:

Sorry to keep repeating myself, but I'm not someone with low self-esteem and I know what my best and worst bits are; I have nice eyes, not bad cheekbones and a nose that leaves a fair bit to be desired. However, one thing I never take into account is my skin as I'd well and truly accepted it was something that would never make a positive impression. The day after my last treatment, I went to my local Boots (it's safe to say I'm there a lot; if beauty is a religion then Boots is where I worship) and I know many of the women who work there due to the regularity of my visits. One particular lady I always stop and have a chat with, and as I approached her to say hello, almost immediately she asked me what I had done to my skin. It was really obvious she was impressed; she tried to delicately state that my previous skin wasn't 'ideal' and wanted to know what I'd done that had had such a dramatic impact. Obviously I went through the details of the ReAura and how I'd been using it, but what was so strange for me was having someone ask me what I'd been doing to achieve such good skin. I feel like I might be doing a rubbish job at expressing just how surreal this was as I would never in a million years have thought that anyone would ever want to know my skincare secrets, other than what acne treatments I had tried that didn't work.

It isn't just the spots (unfortunately they're such a dominant feature in my ReAura logs due to the impact it's had) but the tone of my skin and the brightness of my pigmentation has improved beyond belief. I'm not going to lie, there's still a lot of improvement needed on the pigmentation - if you consider that the ReAura isn't really intended for post acne scarring either so the fact that it's having any impact is impressive - but nothing acne-related dominates my face any more. I can now tailor-make my make-up to the colours and textures I want to use, rather than having to stick to things that tone down my scars and spots. I don't really need make-up on my face now; I'm only really using it still because I love make-up. My skincare routine is now your basic cleanse, tone and moisturise rather than the before procedure which was specialist cleanse, tone, treatment toner, treatment serum for pigmentation, moisturiser, spot treatment. It takes me a few minutes every night and I almost have the skin I've always wanted. Obviously in an ideal world it would be flawless and of course it isn't; I'm sure if I'd kept up the ReAura treatment it would be even better, but there is a joy to indulging in the fact that I don't really need to make time for my skincare at the moment. However, I will be picking up the treatment plan again over the weekend, so more logs will follow.

So that's the painfully detailed list of all the positives, now on to the negatives. I seem to be alone in my thoughts on this - going on what other ReAura users have said - but I do have a day or two of downtime with the ReAura. I go very pink for a couple of days and my chin crusted up again during the last treatment. It doesn't last and for all intents and purposes it's really nothing major, but it's definitely noteworthy. The temporary skin changes are easy to conceal and really don't make much difference. I don't know why it is that it appears it's just me experiencing these, it could be because I've spent the past 10+ years damaging my skin with harsh acne treatments, it could be that my skin is so used to being infected with spots that it's not great at dealing with anything else, or it could be that I've got so much pigmentation that my skin is severely damaged and will react to anything like this, I don't know. It's interesting that it's much, MUCH worse in the area where I used to get so many spots. For me, it's not a major issue and one I'm more than happy to suffer for a day or two to get the results I'm getting.

Lastly, a bit more on the treatment itself. I feel like I've finally got the hang of doing the actual treatment as this time it was much quicker and it felt easier. It's also worth noting that, whereas before it stung quite considerably, now there are parts of my face that, after the first time the laser passes the area, I can't really feel it. This probably means that I'll be heading up to the more intense 'level 3' treatment soon (I keep saying that but I'm 'such' a wimp). It's definitely a treatment that takes a bit of practice, but each time I feel more confident with it and I don't need to put as much time aside for it.  One thing I have noticed that I wasn't previously doing is taking the laser all the way to the outer edges of my face; this makes a big difference as I'm then completely covering the treatment zone, plus I'm then not left with dividing lines from where I have and haven't treated.  

I'm so sorry for such a long post, I'm not great at succinct writing at the best of times, but I think I might have taken it to a whole new level today. As always, if you have any questions then please message me or ideally leave a comment on one of these posts so I can answer for everyone to see. Shortly, I'll be adding an FAQ post about the ReAura, which I'm probably going to quote other comments on, so if you're interested, please keep an eye out for that.

I'll be doing my next treatment at the weekend, so a blog will follow shortly.

To read my introductory blog to the ReAura click here.
To read my first treatment log click here.
For the Philips ReAura site click here.

To purchase the ReAura, click here.

*Press Sample.

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Philips ReAura: My ReAura Support Site

I wanted to write a little about the support site, "My ReAura", to give possible future users an idea of what to expect from the site.  When you decide to purchase the ReAura, one of the first things you'll do is speak to a Philips Skincare Advisor who will talk you though the possible outcomes of the treatment, but they will also assess your suitability for the device to make sure it will be money well spent.  This works as quite a good introduction to the support available during your treatment, which consists of the My ReAura site, and e-mail and phone details for the advisors.  I've found that the best way to get in touch if you're keen to speak with someone quickly is to call them.  I have done this and I was put through fairly quickly and got my issue sorted immediately.  If you have a query but can't be bothered to call then your best bet is the My ReAura site:

Main front page. 

The first page you're greeted with is a run down of the options available within the site.  Here you can find a brief overview of your treatment plan (you input your details when you first join and this helps you log your progress) then there are videos on things like what you can expect your skin to do during treatment and how to get the most out of your ReAura.  The community section is where you can read about what other's have to say about their experiences and it's a useful tool to get an idea of what to expect.  The Skincare Advisors seem to keep an eye on this area, so if you ask any general questions then they're likely to be answered here.  

Treatment plan page

As mentioned above, the treatment plan is where you input your information and log where you are with the treatment.  It's useful to get an idea of what should be happening with your skin and is especially useful for those who plan to use the ReAura to treat multiple areas.  

Support page. 

Lastly, the support page is where you find any information about who to contact and how to contact them.  All the contact details are here and you can also send an e-mail directly through this page.  

There is also a skin assessment page for those who are new to the ReAura and want to find out if it's right for them, although you can also do this by speaking to an Advisor.

My thoughts are that this is a useful tool for those who are unsure of what to expect from using the ReAura and who want support throughout their treatment.  It's interesting to read what other people are experiencing and handy to be able to contact the advisors, but in all honestly, I haven't really used it that much other than for finding the telephone numbers.  I do like the fact that Philips thought to put one up for those who are nervous as the ReAura can be quite an intimidating device, especially considering there's not really anything similar commercially available.  I think the most useful element of the site is reading about what others have experienced as it's good to read the positive experiences and what people think of the way it feels etc.  The site can be found here.  

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Philips ReAura: Third Treatment Log

I'm so incredibly sorry for the delay in the posting of this log. Unfortunately one of my gorgeous cats popped his little clogs, and as a consequence I took a couple of days off from everything to deal with the grief. This resulted in a major backlog of things to update and so, whilst I had continued with the ReAura treatment, I'm only just now able to post the log. The plus side is that now I'm pretty much all caught up, the fourth log will be posted very soon too. Please also accept my apologies for the rubbish selection of pictures of the treatment, unfortunately Long-Suffering Boyfriend was equally flawed by the grief of losing our cat, so his creative juices weren't really flowing!

The third treatment went really well and, as with the second treatment, hurt a lot less. I did again manage to burn my chin (apparently the definition of madness is committing the same mistake twice and expecting a different outcome the second time....) but again it really wasn't that bad, just a bit on the crispy side. This time I didn't burn it as badly as the last time and it didn't stay red, it just crisped up for a few days. I've since learned that I really need to tread carefully around that area as I believe that due to such heavy levels of pigmentation and a battering from years of acne treatments, the skin on my chin is less tough than the rest of my face. The great thing about the ReAura is that the treatment plan allows for a period of getting used to the machine (if you think about it, you're doing 16 treatments in total during one treatment plan; 2 a week for 8 weeks) so I feel comfortable in the knowledge that I can get it a bit wrong in the first few sessions and still learn as I go along.

There's not much else to report on the treatment procedure other than that it went pretty much hitch free, which is grand. So I'll instead talk about the changes in my skin which continue to be a source of excitement. My whole face is now a lot more even toned and looks unbelievably clear. My pigmentation hasn't faded completely (nor would I expect it to so early on in the treatment - I'm astounded it's budged at all at this point!) but it's significantly faded, enough to make me feel very comfortable without make-up. What's really weird about the first few days post-treatment is just how good the skin looks as opposed to how it feels. I wake every morning and one of the first things I do is touch my skin - a truly established habit from back in the days when I'd be feeling for any new spots; now I'm feeling for skin texture - and within the first few post-treatment days it feels absolutely awful; rough, dry and a little on the crunchy side. So I brace myself for what awaits in the mirror and it's so weird because it looks nothing like how it feels! You'd NEVER be able to tell just how rough it feels by looking at it. This goes after a couple of days and really isn't anything major, but worth noting, nonetheless.

Lastly, one very interesting point to discuss is the lines on the outer eye area. If you've read my previous posts, you'll know that you can't use the ReAura on the hollow area around the eyes, but you can use it anywhere where there's bone which includes the area a few millimetres outside the outer eye corners, which I have been doing. So I have the normal crows feet immediately after my eye, but from the point where the ReAura can treat onwards, the lines are pretty much gone and it's quite obvious as when I smile which makes the whole area crease, the lines abruptly stop! You can still see the forehead lines if you look very carefully, but they have also faded a lot.

So my conclusion at the end of this treatment is that it takes a bit of practice to get the treatment process right, but I'm definitely getting better with each treatment, as you'll hear about in my 4th treatment log. The results so far have far exceeded my expectations and I'm really enjoying my new skin and find myself looking forward to upcoming treatments; which is weird, but great!


To read my introductory blog to the ReAura click here.
To read my first treatment log click here.
For the Philips ReAura site click here.

To purchase the ReAura, click here.

*Press Sample*

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Philips ReAura: Teaser Picture

Here is a picture of me and my cat. I'm not uploading it because I'm one of those weirdos who likes the idea of others gushing at the ridiculousness of just how cute my cat actually is (I am one of those weirdos but that is not the purpose of this post), I'm uploading to give you a sneak-peek of how my skin is doing so far.

I made the decision at the start of my ReAura treatment to not do a 'full unveil' until the end of the treatment plan.  This is for a few reasons, but mainly because I feel that if you're not used to seeing me everyday and critically analysing my skin (at my request or otherwise...) then you're not going to be able to see the small but significant changes that I'm seeing.  I uploaded this picture to Facebook yesterday and have received several mails asking me what I've done with my skin; this is from people who are used to seeing my skin and what it usually looks like.  The tone is much more even and the pigmentation has faded considerably.  You can still see it, but it doesn't hit you in the eye like it used to.  Can you see any fine lines on my forehead?

This is also a really good picture to see as it demonstrates how skin looks the day after a ReAura treatment.  As you can see, it doesn't look dry at all, but that completely conflicts with how it feels as even today it still feels really dry (a fellow ReAura user mentioned she'd gone at her skin with a sonic brush; I'm in two minds as to whether I should or not) but what's important is that it's not aesthetically obvious.  So this is how it looks when it's feeling it's worst, yet when the dryness subsides it looks even better.

Also.....cute cat, right? 

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Philips ReAura: My Add-On Kit

Having used the ReAura a few times and got an idea of what to expect, I've added a few things to my skincare routine to keep my skin in good condition. I find my skin really, REALLY dries out after treatment (as expected and it's a good thing as if I'm really enjoying witnessing my skin change so dramatically) so there are a few things I use to aid the process of resurfacing my skin.

Eucerin Q10 Active Anti-Wrinkle Night Cream

I've mentioned this in a few posts as it's such an amazingly nourishing product, yet it doesn't break me out at all. It's got a buttery texture and feels very cooling and soothing on the skin. So after I ReAura, I use the post laser complex, then in the evening I use the complex again but double up the moisture boost with a layer of this over the top. I apply quite a thick layer and by morning by skin is usually feeling a lot softer and more nourished.

Eau Thermale Avene Soothing Moisture Mask

Avene is another brand that has a lot of deeply moisturising products that tend not to break me out and after using the ReAura, I really benefit from a heavily nourishing mask like this. It's a typical mask format; you apply a thick layer for 15 minutes or so before wiping it off, but after using the ReAura my skin drinks this up in less than 2 minutes! If I've gone overboard with the ReAura then this is a really lovely, soothing treatment to calm my skin down. I use it twice daily the first day after treatment, then daily for the following two days.

Simple Kind to Skin Moisture Boost Hydro Mist Spray

If my skin is feeling tight after treatment then I find keeping this about my person and using it whenever that feeling kicks in really beneficial. This is such a cost-effective product that really soothes tight, dry skin and is also really lovely used as a pre-spray before applying oils or moisturisers.

Shiseido Pureness Balancing Softener

I tread really carefully with what products I use after using the ReAura, as during the treatment plan my skin is a completely different type to what I'm used to, so I don't want to use anything harsh or abrasive to interrupt my skin doing it's thing. I'm so in love with this softener and it does exactly as the name suggests; it softens my skin, During treatment, I use this after cleansing just to soften my skin a little more and prepare it for the addition of moisturisers.

Neutrogena Hydrating Cleansing Wipes

These are my absolute favourite wipes as they really do hydrate and still remove all make-up effectively. I've said it before and I'll say it again, these don't replace a regular cleanser routine as they can't possibly achieve the same thing, but whilst I'm using my ReAura these are really lovely and gentle to keep my skin happy and not dry it out. I'll use one of these as soon as I get in, then another to remove make-up before using the Shiseido Softener to finish off. This is a very temporary cleansing approach whilst I'm waiting for my skin to settle down post-treatment. I also use these to remove any last minute grime before I start the ReAura treatment, and I also use them afterwards to remove any of the laser gel.

Sanctuary Therapist Facial Oil

I've raved about this product previously and I'm still a big fan. I use this the morning following a ReAura treatment where my skin can feel a bit dry and bumpy, as it soothes and smooths any dryness and sits nicely under the post-laser complex. It just gives a little moisture boost to make sure my make-up sits more evenly and doesn't cake around any dry areas. I use this a lot to even out my skin during treatment.

I'm not in any way suggesting that any of these are needed for a successful ReAura treatment plan, these are just things that I have found really useful in the healing process post-treatment. If any other ReAura users would like to make any suggestions as to what they've found useful in post-treatment skincare then please do!

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Philips ReAura: Second Treatment Log

I had to slightly delay my second treatment log due to the fact that I managed to do something rather stupid during my last treatment. I'll explain.....

After the first treatment, I felt a lot more confident with the process involved in treating my face with the ReAura. I wouldn't say I got reckless, but the main thing I didn't do was follow the guidelines that insists you treat in long strokes. I was doing my best to try to avoid a spot that had appeared on my chin, so as a consequence and in a mission of avoidance, I treated the areas around the spot far too much using short strokes of laser and managed to ever so slightly burn my chin! It was nothing major (the only reason I delayed the log was to see how long it took to subside and how I treated the burn so I could report back) but it's still worth reporting so you can hopefully learn from my mistake when you start treating with the ReAura.

This is the burn the day after the treatment; the skin was about to start flaking above/right of the mouth.

You can see the difference between the colour of untreated skin directly below the lip and the burnt area.

My second treatment was last Thursday (27th October) and by Sunday the burnt area was barely visible. The burn resulted in the skin drying out, going quite flaky and looking quite red. The redness was very easy to cover with make-up so I could go out, but I was keen to calm the area as quickly as possible so I achieved this by keeping the area heavily moisturised at all times; whenever I felt like the area had completely absorbed the last dose of moisturiser I'd top it up again with the post-laser cream that was included with the ReAura. I was also very careful not to use any harsh cleansers (which is a hard habit to break considering I've been doing my best to control acne for so long, so hardcore cleansers have been necessary) and I kept the area gently clean and moisturised all weekend. It's now completely faded apart from a tiny spot of flakiness just below my lip. So, when you start using the ReAura please follow the instructions carefully and don't go all renegade like I did!

Treating the forehead.

Treating the cheek.

The treatment itself was great; the pain level was much lower this time and was very bearable, to the extent where I'm considering moving up to level 3 within the next few treatments; don't quote me though as I am - for all intents and purposes - a wimp, so either way I'll report back. There's not much more to report about the treating itself that wasn't covered in the first log here, other than the fact that I went less red this time (other than my chin!) and I still haven't completely got the hang of treating the bridge of my nose, but what is worth reporting is the significant skin changes I'm experiencing already. Firstly and this is definitely noteworthy for those who are about to start using the ReAura, your skin condition will change considerably during the ReAura process as it will dry out. This is just the natural process of skin being forced to regenerate at a quicker pace than it's used to and is covered in detail in the manual, but be prepared skincare wise. My skin doesn't look dry at all, but it feels it and I'm moisturising a lot more to aid the regeneration. Aesthetically, my skin is looking unbelievably good at the moment; it's much more even-toned, refined and 'glowy' which is a very weird contrast to how it feels! For anyone who's concerned about the dryness, after the first treatment it took a couple of days to go back to normal and for the most recent treatment it took a little longer, but if you start using the ReAura and decide that you don't want to experience dryness anymore then it's very easy to rectify; it's not that horrid, tight dryness you can get (like after a peel) and I'm sure the involvement of moisturising masks would make a significant difference, not that I've tried that as it isn't bothering me and to be honest, I quite enjoy the feeling of knowing my previously dodgy skin is changing!

I find it easiest to stretch the skin under my mouth to make the area taught.

This is how I treat the nose, but I still haven't mastered treating the bridge of my nose yet.

Now onto the most important change so far: the pigmentation in my skin has reduced considerably after only two treatments. As covered in previous ReAura posts, the main thing I was hoping the ReAura would help with was my post-acne marks which were very purple and very obvious. I had quite bad ones on my cheeks and chin and the ones on my cheeks are appearing more 'blended'. By this I mean they're still there, but I looked at myself in the mirror over the weekend and could tell something was different but couldn't put my finger on it. It was only after really studying my whole face that I realised it was the fact that the pigmentation on my cheeks wasn't dominating my face anymore as it wasn't standing out at all! If this is the case after just two treatments then I am bursting at the seams to get to the eight week point where my treatment course is complete as I would never have predicted this level of improvement so quickly.

Lastly, here's something I've been back and forth about mentioning and I'm still not 100% certain I'm doing the right thing by discussing it, but I also think that as this is supposed to be a 'warts 'n' all' log, it needs to be mentioned. I said earlier that I had really severe pigmentation on my chin (so bad that I didn't even log it in the 'before pictures' log as I wasn't intending to try and treat it as my chin is a real mess) and I also said earlier that I managed to burn my chin (after deciding I would treat it whilst still in 'renegade mode') and now the chin area has flaked off and finished drying, the pigmentation is basically gone. Obviously this is amazing and very exciting, but I want to make it very clear that the ReAura is not a device intended to burn your face; it's supposed to speed up regeneration and give your skin a better chance of dealing with it's pigmentation at a more appropriate rate. I cannot clarify this enough that the burning experience was a silly mistake that happily turned out OK, but at the time it was scary as I wasn't to know whether I'd permanently damaged my skin by not following the instructions properly. I was lucky, but I have insanely tough skin, so others might not be as lucky and therefore it's important to have faith in the ReAura to do what it's supposed to do at the rate it's designed to. You have been warned!

I'm planning to do my 3rd treatment this Wednesday (2nd) so I'll report back afterwards. As always, please get in touch if you have any questions, although it's worth noting that I've received a couple of e-mails regarding the ReAura and whilst I'm more than happy to receive e-mails, I'd much prefer you post your questions on the blog so that anyone with the same questions can read the response as well. I'm trying to create an 'all you need to know about ReAura' so that everyone can find out as much as possible from my personal perspective without needing to search all over the place. However, if you're really reluctant to post a comment here the of course you're welcome to e-mail instead. The next ReAura post will be about MyReAura which is the support site that you join when you purchase the ReAura, so please keep an eye out for that.

To read my introductory blog to the ReAura click here.
To read my first treatment log click here.
For the Philips ReAura site click here.

To purchase the ReAura, click here.

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Philips ReAura: First Treatment Log

I think it's probably best if I start by apologising for the length of this log as I'm pretty certain it's going to be on the long side as there's quite a lot of information to get through!

Last night, I experienced my first treatment with the ReAura and to say it was an eye-opener is putting it mildly. Having had pretty much every salon-standard skin treatment you can think of - including various peels, microdermabrasion and two different types of lasers - I was really looking forward to trying the ReAura to see how it measured up. Whilst I was excited about experiencing the ReAura, my cynical side was wondering how it would be possible for a home laser to be anything like the powerful in-salon lasers I'm used to experiencing. At this point, it's worth mentioning that I have really tough skin that doesn't react to anything; no chemical or mechanical treatments cause it to go red or tender and I believe this is due to years of pushing it's tolerance to the limits with the various ways I've tried to treat my acne.

After reading the really comprehensive instruction manual, I was certainly more confident but still a bit worried that I wouldn't get the process right. However, this was eased when I watched the included DVD, which features a very nice - if mildly patronising - woman who talks us through how to use the ReAura. After watching the DVD I felt reassured and decided to crack on and give it a go.

I started by removing all my make-up, then applied the included gel, which functions as a lubricator to help the device move evenly over the skin. By this point I'd completely charged the ReAura, so all I needed to do was connect the tip (which is kept separately from the device for safety - without the applicator tip in position the device won't work) and start the laser. A couple more safety features worth mentioning; firstly, the laser won't start until the applicator edges are both firmly in contact with the skin and secondly, the laser doesn't start until the device is moving. So both these things need to be happening before the laser starts. When the ReAura is in position, the tip will light up to let you know, but that doesn't mean the laser is in progress, just that you've made effective contact with the skin. As you can see, there's a lot of safety features in play to make sure you don't accidentally laser somewhere you didn't intend to. When the laser is in progress, the sides of the device light up green and the machine makes a buzzing sound. However, these two factors, whilst helpful, are largely irrelevant as when the laser starts, you'll know!

A while ago I was talking to a beauty therapist about laser hair removal and she said that the best way she could describe the feeling was like either being flicked by a rubber band or repeatedly stung by baby wasps (how she knew what that felt like I don't know) so if we keep with similes, replace the baby wasps with hornets and that's pretty much how it felt. Yes, it sounds horrific and it was quite a shock, but it is by no means unbearable and I confidently used the device with a 'grin and bear it' approach. It's worth noting at this point that I'm counting down the hours until I can treat again and believe me, I'm rubbish with pain so if it were that bad then I wouldn't be willing to do it again!

Gel-covered skin after first contact with ReAura; unfortunately these pictures aren't showing up just how red I went, but you can clearly see the pigmentation has lit up!

The green lights at the side are on which means the laser is in progress.

You can probably see the redness of my skin a little better in this picture; no, it's not the refection from the laser!

You treat your face with the ReAura by sectioning the skin into three zones; the forehead, then the left side and the right side. I found the forehead to be the easiest to treat and the least uncomfortable. I really struggled to get the laser going along the bridge of my nose as it's quite a thin area and hard to get the edges of the applicator tip to line-up properly, but I didn't find it too difficult elsewhere. After each zone is complete, the device bleeps to let you know. I really like this as it's much easier than trying to time it, especially if you're new to the device as the zone complete bleep will only occur once the zone has been completely covered rather than when the time is up.

After the ReAura laser made contact with my skin, I went the reddest I've ever been (cue "Who ordered the lobster?" jokes from the boyfriend; I then put a tiny bit of gel on his cheek and lasered him which quietened him down considerably) and I was astonished because, as mentioned earlier, my skin just doesn't react to anything! My skin looked like I'd spent an entire day, suncream-free, facing the sun. All the pigmentation in my skin appeared as if it had stood to attention and everything looked magnified. Not the best look, so if you're considering buying this then I'd suggest doing it when you're not expecting company. I actually found it a lot easier to treat my skin using a hand held mirror as it gave me the flexibility to contort my face into positions that I could only really view in a moveable mirror.

I found it much easier to see what I was doing with the ReAura when using a hand-held mirror.

Once all zones were completed, I removed the remaining gel with a cleansing wipe (arguably the best feeling I've ever experienced; anything to cool it down!) which slightly cooled my skin, but it still felt very hot and sensitive. I applied the included post-laser cream (which, as a side note, is really fantastic as it feels very moisturising yet also very light - normally with moisturisers I find you have to choose between the two) and checked out my skin in the mirror. Yup, still neon. I'd say it was 2-3 hours before my skin started to calm down and feel less sensitive to touch. One thing that's interesting (even now; 24 hours later) is that you can see the parts of my face that I missed with the laser (obviously I inspect myself in the mirror with a much more critical eye than other's do; I hope), so during my next treatment I'll be more careful at making sure every inch of my face is lasered. Which brings me nicely to what you can and can't treat with the ReAura: the rule of thumb is that if you can feel bone behind it, you can treat it. So the area around your eyes where there's bone you can treat, but the hollows you can't. You can't treat your lips either, but all other skin is treatable.

At bedtime I used another cleansing wipe before applying another layer of of the post-laser cream. By this point, my skin was almost back to normal; it still felt a tiny bit sensitive and looked a little flushed, but neither were significant. This morning everything is completely back to normal and my skin looks just like it does after a facial; glowy and clean. This is probably just me seeing things, but I swear the pores on my cheeks look smaller! This isn't something ReAura have mentioned as a possible effect, but you never know; I'll update as I go along. It's worth noting that the ReAura treatment has the most impact under the skin (where you can't see) as opposed to on the surface, so it's not the sort of thing you see immediate benefit from, but the guidelines suggest that you should start seeing some effect after a few weeks (when treating twice a week - which is the suggested optimum treatment program, any more could halt progression and any less is not enough to move things forward) and things will become more obvious from the fifth week onwards.

I think the ReAura is something that you need to be really familiar with before using. It's not a fad and not something you can randomly use here and there and expect to benefit from. It's a serious treatment program that has been designed to mimic the effects of in-salon lasers, so I really can't wait to see what effects it has on my skin.

To Read my introductory blog to the ReAura click here.
For the Philips ReAura site click here.

To purchase the ReAura, click here.

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Philips ReAura: Before Pictures

The ReAura is an at home laser device that you can use to treat general signs of ageing like fine lines and uneven skin tone and texture. If you're not familiar with the ReAura, have a look here and if you'd like to know what you get for your money, check this out. Being truly blessed to have a face that contains ALL of these issues already, I couldn't wait to get my hands on this gadget.

I sincerely hope that if you are reading this, you've left significant time between eating and reading because below are some lovely close-ups of my various skin issues, and it ain't pretty.

I'll ease you in gently with a starter of pictures of the fine lines on my forehead, speckled with a small helping of pigmentation:

Close-up on the fine lines.

As you can see there's quite a few pigmentation spots and fine lines to the right.

Now for mains I'll be serving some uneven skintone:

Uneven skintone and pigmentation beneath the eye and fine lines to the right of the eye.

If you're still here, let's finish with some charming examples of Post Inflammatory Pigmentation and more uneven skintone:

Sadly, it seems all 3 of the things ReAura can treat is covered in this single picture.

Bit more pigmentation; both standard and PIH.

PIH.

So as you can see, the ReAura has got it's work cut out and having just used it for the first time I'm very excited to see what it achieves! I'll be writing a post shortly on my first experience, so please keep an eye out for it.

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Philips ReAura: What's In The Box

As mentioned earlier, I was very excited at the arrival of my ReAura today. I'm going to spend the next couple of days watching the how-to DVD, reading the impressively comprehensive instruction manual and getting to grips with my new favourite thing before lasering the bejesus out of my skin. So it's safe to say expect plenty of updates, progress reports, thoughts on the experience of using it and anything else I learn along my ReAura journey.

I'm so excited about this gadget; having been recommended Fraxel laser on many occasions by various dermatologists to treat my post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH or post-acne scarring), I can't wait to see what impact the ReAura has. Whilst the ReAura isn't essentially marketed at this type of pigmentation, I talked through the possibilities of what this machine can do with a Philips Skincare Specialist (a must if you're considering purchasing this machine as Keira - the lady I spoke to - is highly trained and able to answer any questions you may have) and as I mentioned I have PIH, Keira believes that the ReAura would help. Not only that, but it will also address my other skin issues including the fine lines I have (sadly) appearing on my forehead and around my mouth. It's also aimed at improving the overall texture and tone of the skin and being absolutely skin obsessed (I spent years battling acne and I'm finally at a point in my life where I can joyfully focus on the many other facial skin flaws I have, since the acne is now under control) I honestly cannot wait to start using this machine since the reviews have been so impressive. It's also safe to say that the long-suffering boyfriend and couldn't-care-less-about-your-blog mother have both decided they have things that they want treated, so expect a lot of pictures of the various Geek family members. So! Without further ado, whatever ado may be, here's what arrived today:

Here's everything you get in the box.

Instructional DVD, manual and instructions on joining My ReAura.

Included products: Laser Performance Gel and Laser Aftercare Complex.

Laser Aftercare Complex

Laser Performance Gel

Top: Laser Aftercare Complex
Bottom: Laser Performance Gel

Pouch containing ReAura, plug and cleaning apparatus

In the pouch the ReAura sits to the right with a safety band keeping it still and the inner pouch contains everything else.

Contents of the pouch: cleaning cloth, cleaning brush, mains adapter , application tip and the ReAura.

The ReAura

Power button and intensity/indicator lights.

Laser output window.

As you can see, you get absolutely everything you could possibly need to make sure you get the best from the ReAura, so once I've confidently familiarised myself with the machine, I'll start (b)logging my experiences and charting my new skin! I can't wait!!

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