Flawless Faces: Luxury Facials by Melissa Fox

A Visit with Skin Care Sage Melissa Fox

There are not many skin care experts in Coral Gables with a better pedigree than Melissa Fox. A one-time protégé of skin care guru Frederick Brandt (who made Madonna look ageless until he passed in 2015), Fox is now the de facto celebrity skin care queen of the city. Among her clients are model Elle McPherson and fashion influencer Olivia Culpo (former Miss USA and Miss Universe), along with other local celebs who wish to remain anonymous and “endless executives and CEOs of top businesses in the Gables,” she says. “We have a very good client base.”

Unlike her former mentor, however — known as the “Baron of Botox” and the “King of Collagen” for his prodigious use of both — Fox does not inject any products. “We don’t do any injectables. We are purely a skin care spa, not a med spa. I don’t have a medical director and don’t want one.” What she does want is to give her clients flawless skin. “It’s about taking care of you, with a deep passion for the well-being of your skin.”

Fox is all about the latest technologies for repairing and restoring your skin, with procedures like Jet Peel, an Israeli technology to plump up skin. We decided to try the IonixLight Facial, a customized facial treatment involving ultrasound, LED lights, microdermabrasion, and microcurrents.

It starts out as most standard facials do, with a double cleanse and a few questions about your skincare routine. Then comes the fun stuff, starting with microdermabrasion, which uses a diamond tip aided with sonic vibration to deeply, but gently, sand the skin, removing the uneven outer layer. In doing so, it treats light scarring, discoloration, and sun damage, among other concerns. While sanding your skin may sound painful, it’s really a light scrubbing sensation.

Now for the ultrasound. Ultrasound technology penetrates deeply, reaching the second layer of muscle under the face to tighten up the skin. This is crucial because collagen production takes place in the lower layers. As the machine moves over the face, it also flashes a combination of LED lights, each one hitting the skin at a different depth and targeting a different issue: blue kills acne-causing bacteria, green evens out skin tone, and red reduces inflammation.

Another LED treatment follows, coupled with an ionic oxygen mist to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, improve blood circulation, and promote collagen production. Microcurrents — low-grade electrical currents that lift and tighten muscles under the skin — come next. Starting at a low-current setting, the volume increases until tiny pulses can be felt, lifting and sculpting the face. Metal prongs engage the facial muscles, often leaving a slight metallic taste in the mouth. Take this as a sign that the anti-aging device is doing its job.

Benefits of the luxe facial include reduced fine lines and wrinkles, chiseled cheekbones, and an overall lifted appearance. It also tends to subdue forehead movement, making it a great alternative to Botox and other neurotoxins. “It’s like a workout for your face,” Fox says. “You are training the muscle to stay at the insertion point using radiofrequency to trigger that collagen.”

While the facial provides immediate results, perfect for a special occasion, for long-term results Fox recommends coming in every two weeks for three months, then transitioning to once a month for maintenance. “The more you do it, the better it gets.” To elongate benefits, Fox recommends washing makeup brushes and swapping out pillowcases right after treatment and, of course, remaining diligent with at-home skin care routines.

Flawless by Melissa Fox
470 Biltmore Way
786.615.3736
flawlessbymelissafox.com