I Tried a $1,600 "Liquid Facelift" — Was It Worth It?
“When I learned that The Spa at The Peninsula Beverly Hills offers a $1,600 facial called the "Liquid Surgery Facial," my inner luxury-lover was itching to try. After all, who better understands the luxury niche than the highly-discerning clientele of a five-star hotel? More importantly, my inner beauty editor wondered: what could possibly make a facial that expensive? Curiosity got the better of me, and I booked a treatment STAT, eager to find out what could justify a $1,409 eye cream that is a best-seller at the spa.
The facial features the German skin-care Line, MBR Cosmetics, which stands for Medical Beauty Research. It is known for its meticulous sourcing of ultra-potent ingredients, many of which are patented, and its product development with surgeons, chemists, pharmacists, and dermatologists. Because of the extensive medical research that goes into the line, it is a favorite source of post-treatment skin care. Beverly Hills-based celebrity aesthetician Celeste Rodrigues notes that it often used by the pre- and post-op plastic surgery she treats, and it is one of the prestige lines curated by celebrity aesthetician Joanna Czech at her spas, whose clients include celebrities like Kim Kardashian and Jennifer Aniston.
The facial itself is named for the line's hero product, the Liquid Surgery Serum, which costs a whopping $1,983. As I learned, the serum works by interacting with the cellular metabolism — or cell aging — process. "This serum is based on a medical synthetic oxygen carrier, which acts like a hemoglobin substitute to replace excess carbon dioxide with pure oxygen," says medical aesthetician Amy Peterson, founder of Miami medspa Skincare by Amy Peterson.”