Red, flushed or sensitive skin: your route to calmer-looking skin

Cheeks that flush after a workout, in a warm room or out in a biting wind. Skin that stings the moment you try a new cream. Make-up that never quite covers the pink.

If your skin is quick to react, you have probably learned to be wary of facials. Too much rubbing, too many products, too much heat.

So here is the facial that skips all of that. Light, and nothing else.

Why cheeks go red

Your skin is full of tiny blood vessels. When you get hot, exercise, feel embarrassed or step from the cold into a warm room, they widen to move heat, and the extra blood near the surface shows as colour.

Sensitive skin is skin that reacts quickly: it stings, tightens or goes blotchy with products, heat, wind or rubbing. The secret to calmer-looking skin is a gentler routine, and the gentlest facial you can book.

Meet the light-only facial

Dermalux LED is about as gentle as a facial gets. You lie back, goggles on, and a curved panel bathes your face in soft red light for 30 minutes.

That is it. Dermalux describes LED as non-thermal and pain-free. No acids. No scrubbing. No steam. Nothing massaged into your skin while the light works. Just calm, quiet light and 30 minutes to yourself.

You sit up relaxed, with skin that feels comfortable and soothed. There is no downtime, so you can go straight back to your day.

The red light result

Red light has a reputation for calming skin down, and here is why. In a split-face study of 10 people, skin given red LED after a laser resurfacing facial lost its redness faster than the side without it. Red light is exactly what you get in a Dermalux session at PURE.

Book your calming facial

LED Light Therapy (Face), 30 minutes: £45. The purest light-only session. Perfect for skin that reacts to everything.

Deluxe Facial + LED, 60 minutes: £75. A soothing cleanse and facial, finished with 30 minutes under the light. Ask the spa about a patch test when you book, and your therapist can tailor the products to your skin.

LED course of six sessions: £225. Calmer-looking skin is all about consistency. A course gives you a steady rhythm, and it is £45 less than six single sessions.

See every option in our LED collection.

LED is available at PURE Cults, Union Square, Rose Street, Lothian Road, West Nile Street, Witney Lakes and Coventry. Treatments of 60 minutes or longer include 60 minutes of spa and wellness facilities (facilities vary by spa, visit our spa page for details).

The calm-skin plan

Start gentle, then build. Begin with a 30-minute LED session (£45) and enjoy how comfortable your skin feels afterwards. Then upgrade to a Deluxe Facial + LED (£75) for the full pampering experience.

Make it a course. Book the LED course of six (£225) and come in once or twice a week. Each session is 30 calm, quiet minutes, and your skin gets regular, gentle care.

Already a facial fan? Add LED to any facial for £30. It is the softest finish you can give your skin.

Your calm-skin routine at home

Pair your PURE sessions with a simple, gentle routine and your skin will thank you.

• Wash with lukewarm water. Lukewarm keeps things calm.
• Pat, do not rub. A soft towel and a light touch.
• Wear daily SPF and wrap up in a scarf when the wind bites.
• One new product at a time, so you always know what your skin loves.
• Tell your therapist what you use at home, especially retinoids, acids or anything prescribed, so your facial fits your skin perfectly.

Perfect for

• Brides and grooms with blush-prone skin who want to look calm and even in photos.
• Runners and gym-goers whose cheeks stay pink long after the workout.
• Anyone who has given up on facials because they always leave skin tight and stingy.
• First-timers who want to try a facial without any fuss.

Give your skin the calm it deserves

Your skin deserves a facial that works with it, gently, every time. Book your 30-minute LED session or the full Deluxe Facial + LED online today, and see how calm your skin can look.

Pregnant or under medical care? Have a quick word with your GP before you book.

A wellness experience, not a medical treatment.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best facial for sensitive skin?

The fewer the steps, the calmer your skin. A light-only Dermalux LED session puts nothing on your skin while the light works, with no acids, scrubbing or steam. It is 30 minutes for £45 at PURE. For a fuller experience, the Deluxe Facial + LED is 60 minutes for £75, and you can ask about a patch test when you book.

Is LED gentle on sensitive skin?

Very. Dermalux describes LED as non-thermal and pain-free, and you simply lie back with goggles on while soft light bathes your face. There is nothing to sting and no downtime, which makes it ideal for reactive skin. Tell your therapist what you use at home so your session suits your skin perfectly.

Can red light help calm red-looking skin?

Red light has a great reputation for calming skin. In a split-face study of 10 people, skin given red LED after a laser resurfacing facial lost its redness faster than the other side. Dermalux LED at PURE uses red light, and a 30-minute session is £45, or six sessions for £225.

What causes a flushed face?

Usually heat, exercise, emotion or a quick change in temperature. Tiny blood vessels in your skin widen to move heat, and the extra blood near the surface shows as colour. A gentle routine helps: lukewarm water, a soft towel, daily SPF and a calming light-only LED facial at PURE for skin that looks calmer and more even.

How often should I have LED for calmer-looking skin?

Consistency is everything. Book the LED course of six sessions for £225 and come in once or twice a week for a steady rhythm of gentle care. It costs £45 less than six single sessions. You can also add LED to any PURE facial for £30 for 30 minutes.

Where can I get a gentle facial near me?

Dermalux LED and our facials with LED are available at PURE Cults and Union Square in Aberdeen, Rose Street and Lothian Road in Edinburgh, West Nile Street in Glasgow, Witney Lakes and Coventry. All PURE spas open seven days a week and late. Book your calming LED facial online today.

Sources

• Oh IY et al. (2013). Efficacy of LED photomodulation in reducing erythema after fractional CO2 laser resurfacing: a pilot study. Dermatologic Surgery. https://www.medestheticsmag.com/red-light-reduces-erythema-following-ablative-resurfacing