Is beauty pain? Well, yes, if your beauty routine involves microneedling, lasers and chemical peels.

Now, this isn’t to say that one should experience torture to maintain a certain look, but as someone who loves non-invasive treatments, if someone says any of the above doesn’t hurt just a little, they’re straight up lying to you.

While all of these treatments are different, they have one thing in common, and that is that they’re predicated on injury. Lasers, for example, injure the skin to trigger collagen production. The same goes for microneedling and chemical peels. Some doctors call these micro-injuries or controlled trauma. Basically, you hurt the area in question, causing just enough inflammation so that the body makes new elastin and collagen. It sounds extreme, but it’s actually kind of genius. 

Sometimes you’ll be given numbing cream for these types of treatments — very helpful. But this won’t stop the redness or discomfort that takes place once that wears off, and it’s crucial to use the right products to support the skin during this phase. Many women (and men) choose Calecim, a medical-grade skincare that uses a proprietary PTT-6 complex of growth factors and exosomes that signal cell regeneration. 

Used by clinicians around the world, Calecim can be applied post-procedure to reduce inflammation and aid skin repair. Derived from ethically sourced stem cells, it triggers cell-to-cell messages so the body makes proteins (FYI, collagen is a protein).

I had a chance to try its Professional Serum after an at-home laser session, which, to be clear, is nowhere as powerful as what one would experience in a clinic. Still, I found the serum soothing and non-irritating. It’s made with a pink pH indicator, so you can tell that the biologically derived active ingredients are still potent. It’s fragrance-free but has a slightly tangy smell from an ingredient called Cord Lining extract. Truthfully, not my favorite part of the serum, but it vanishes in less than five seconds after application and that extract is loaded with peptides and exosomes — really good stuff if you want to promote more resilient skin. 

Along with the serum, Calecim offers a variety of products, formulated for skin and hair. And no, you’re not required to have in-office treatments to enjoy them. 

“I have tried hundreds of products,” shared one customer reviewer. “These by far are the most transformative of almost all of the products I’ve tried. If you’re looking to actually change your skin, this is what you need … My eye hooding is less heavy-looking. The texture on my cheeks has improved and some redness I had around my mouth and on my chin has all but disappeared.”

Another shared, “Amazing products have made a HUGE difference to my skin. I absolutely love it. Especially the professional serum; it has helped with both my rosacea and wrinkles and age spots. I can’t stop using it.”

Whether you’re looking for something to boost your in-office results or to aid your DIY-style beauty routine, Calecim just may be the thing to make the (sometimes painful) price of beauty worth it.

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