@lovergirly888: Starting my IPL / photofacial journey 🤍 I wanted to target overall uneven tone/texture. IPL uses broad-spectrum light to treat both brown pigment and redness. The way it works is kind of wild: pigment gets darker first, then the little spots “pepper” and flake off over the next few days. So yes… it gets worse before it gets better, but that’s literally the point. Treatment day: they cleanse your skin, you wear protective goggles, and they stamp the device across your face in sections. Each pulse feels like a hot rubber band snap (some areas are spicier than others… around the nose/upper lip/cheekbones). You might even smell that faint burnt hair smell which is super humbling. Right after, my face was red, hot, and tight like a mild sunburn, and I had some puffiness. Normal, but dramatic lol. Recovery timeline: immediately after (0–3 hours) I was flushed/blotchy and felt warm + prickly. Days 3–4 is the “trust the process” phase: the dark specks/peppering shows up (it literally looks like tiny coffee grounds or dirt freckles) and you can get rough texture + flaking. I’m NOT picking or scrubbing anything, just letting it shed naturally. Days 5–7 is where you start to see the glow… pigment flakes off, skin looks smoother/brighter, and tone looks more even. The biggest improvements usually keep building into week 2 which is when people start saying you look good but can’t tell why. Post-care has been super simple: gentle cleanser + moisturizer only, and avoiding actives (no retinol, no acids, no vitamin C if sensitive). Also avoiding heat for 48 hours (no sauna/steam/hot showers, intense workouts, etc). And yes… SPF is non-negotiable after IPL. stay tuned for the week-by-week updates + before/after. #ipl #photofacial #skincarejourney #nyclife #GlowUp

✨shelby✨

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Thursday 22 January 2026 00:08:07 GMT