Situated on Dublin’s Baggot Street, the unassuming River Medical head of operations sits in a gorgeous old Georgian building. It’s here that Her.ie headed to try out Vit-illume, a treatment that’s new to Ireland and available exclusively from River Medical. We met the super-friendly Ailish, a qualified nurse, in reception as she was waving goodbye to her most recent client. Said client was beaming and thanking the team profusely as she left… always a good sign. So, up the stairs we headed to a gloriously bright and airy treatment room to find out what the Vit-illume is all about. Bascially, Vit-illume uses a pioneering skin re-surfacing technology, deeply cleansing and exfoliating your skin. The good folks at RM promise that the skin is left super-hydrated and revitalised, following the application of a tailored combination of meso vitamins and potent peptides. The treatment also utilises the power of LED light therapy, which works to renew, plump and tighten the skin cells. The first step involves cleansing and exfoliation, where dead skin cells are removed to reveal healthy new skin. Next, a gentle skin peel helps to loosen stubborn dirt and debris from the pores. Extraction is the next step – but trust us, it’s not as scary as it sounds. Gentle but effective suction is used to clear up those nasty blockages. The final stage is hydration, as antioxidants and the ultimate beauty buzz ingredient of the past two years, Hyaluronic acid, are infused into the skin. Take-home serums or “Daily Essentials™” containing the same potent ingredients used in the in-clinic treatment are available for purchase exclusively to River Medical patients also. They say: The unique combination of the treatment delivers an immediate radiance, leaving the skin beautifully dewy, visibly nourished and uplifted. There’s no down time and the results are visible immediately. We say: We’re honestly skeptical of a lot of facials. The gentle kind are all well and good, but honestly often leave us feeling like we’ve paid serious money for a nice cleanse, tone and moisturise that we could have done at home. So, we far prefer the more intense varieties. The danger here is being dazzled by gadgets or tingly sensations, and not judging the treatment on its actual merits. The Vit-illume gave us the best of both worlds. The treatment felt intense enough to give the sensation of a deep clean, but at no point was this uncomfortable. We had some impressive technology at our fingertips, and also the results to back up its use. Though Ailish, our therapist and a qualified nurse, was perfectly capable of suggesting products used in the treatment which could be purchased for home use, she didn’t hard sell them – an absolute bugbear for Her.ie! Our tester saw an immediate difference in her skin’s radiance and luminosity, an effect that is still clearly in play a week later. Make up is going on smoother, and not a single blemish has dared to raise a head in the days since. Even Her.ie’s mammy said she was looking great. Top-notch! Prices at €150 per treatment. If you're of the mins you could avail of a summer special offer and get the Vit-illume for only €50 when you book into River Medical for your next anti-wrinkle injections. To book a free, no obligation consultation with one of their registered nurses call River Medical on: 1850 88 50 50 or visit www.rivermedical.ie