The Device For Optimal Skincare Penetration: The Lucas Machine
One the hallmarks of our facials is that use a Lucas Championnnaire cool steamer, which allows our skincare products to penetrate deeper into the skin. We use our Lucas machines in every facial, as it can be customized to each client and treatment by switching the emulsion or serum being sprayed.
The idea behind the machine is simple; it was originally designed for French hospitals as a hands-free method of sanitizing and preparing the skin for surgery. This simple-looking device offers a multi-faceted treatment approach, meaning that our facials provide you with results - not just a good feeling.
What Exactly Is The Lucas Machine?
The Lucas machine is a professional pulverizer (or atomizer) that is able to atomize essential oils, vitamins, teas, serums, and a variety of other liquids with varying viscosities. This device is able to create a delicate mist of skincare without altering the products’ molecular structure.
The ability to seamlessly turn any liquid into an extremely fine mist aids in penetrating the skin for extraordinarily deep hydration, and feels heavenly. It feels similar to soft sea spray, and the aromatic inclusion of Yonka's Emulsion Concentrate also helps you to relax and settle into your treatment. This super fine vapor mist is wells suited for even the most sensitive or reactive of skin since it does not add pressure or stimulation of blood vessels.
In addition to being an atomizer, the Lucas machine assists with calming down minor surface blemishes, as it prevents capillaries from dilating. An added benefit is that the Lucas also cleanses the skin, provides micro massages, and effectively deep cleans the pores.
The Lucas is different in function than a steamer, since it uses cool steam as opposed to hot steam. In addition, the Lucas machine:
- Assists in the hydration of the epidermis
- Aids in maintaining the skins suppleness
- Is excellent in the treatment of dehydrated, mature, and dry skin
- Suitable for use on sensitive skins
- Relieves couperose (rosacea) skin
- Is beneficial in the treatment of oily skin
- Deep cleanses the pores
Extractions are best done on hydrated skin, and is one of the many reasons why we use the Lucas in every facial.
How It Works
So how exactly does the Lucas machine achieve these benefits?
One of the primary benefits of the device is its ability to emit a super fine vapor mist, suited for even the most fragile of skin types. The glass reservoir on the unit is filled with an appropriate serum, which is then infused with water from the main cylinder into a soft mist that hydrates and soothes the skin while supplying beneficial minerals to spur intracellular communication.
All skincare works via cellular communication. If your cells don’t have energy to communicate, then you could put the best skincare on and it won’t really do anything. When you provide your skin with essential minerals, it is able to spur cellular communication into action, and thus makes internal communication work properly. You can read more about the trace minerals your skin needs to function its best here. If there is one thing to remember, remember that skin metabolism equals skin health. Without proper skin metabolism, your skin will not be able to regulate the rate of cell turnover, collagen production, and repair any damage that occurs due to UV light or aging as efficiently as it could.
In addition to improving intracellular communication, the Lucas device also stimulates cell regeneration, promotes healthy oxygenation and detoxification of the skin, and balances your skin's water and oil reserves.
It's not just the science behind the Lucas that makes it transformative - it's also about using the right infusion for your skin. We always talk about how we customize our facials to each person on each visit, and one example is with the Lucas. One example of this is that we may use more or less of Yonka's Emulsion Pure concentrate depending on how dehydrated or reactive your skin is.
The combination of the Lucas Machine and Yonka's Emulsion Concentrate* are still used together in several European burn centers, and have been since the beginning of the brand. Depending upon the temperature of the water and the concentration of the Emulsion Concentration being used, the benefit can change from:
- Regenerating (stimulating for sluggish skin)
- Antiseptic (great for blemishes)
- pH Balancing (great for everyone!)
- Decongesting (toxin and pollution focus)
- Calming (for sensitive and reactive skin conditions)
Another infusion variation we have is to add Phytomer's Oligoforce Serum to the Lucas. Much like the previous combination, this combination remineralizes your cells to improve cellular communication. Even if you're not using Oligoforce Serum or Emulsion Pure at home, you will see the improvements of this luxurious-feeling mist long after the facial has finished.
The combination of getting a fine mist from the Lucas and professional skincare products allows for these essential oils to cross the blood barrier in 20 minutes, and also boost your cellular energy. This seemingly simply initial step is truly an advanced toning technique that creates a wonderful basis to carry out the rest of your facial with. The immense hydration and cellular communication facilitates ease of extractions, as well as increases the efficacy of the skincare applied during and after your facial.
How the Lucas Device Came to Be
"There is no beauty treatment without atomization”.
The Lucas is named after its creator, Dr. Just Lucas Championniere, who created the design in 1870. The pulverizer apparatus was initially designed for French hospitals as a hands-free way to sterilize the area and to ward off post operative infections and airborne germs. This device later became a primary esthetic device in Europe. The Dr. Lucas Championnere Mist Sprayer & Pulverizer has recently increased in popularity due to the holistic esthetics movement, because it is a versatile water vapor accessory that may be used in place of the traditional esthetic steamer.
In sum, the Lucas's ability to shrink the molecular weight of essential oils allows them to penetrate the skin faster and deeper, which allows them to be even more effective.
One of our favorite parts of the Lucas is that it gets your body to communicate on its own, instead of relying on external stimuli. When your skin is able to support itself, then you will have to worry less about if your skincare is working. By optimizing your cellular communication, your products will work better.
Why not try it out for yourself? Book a facial at Bellini's Skin and Parfumerie, and let us take you on a relaxing experience.
*It should be noted that the Yonka retail product Emulsion Pure is not the emulsion concentrate. The emulsion concentrate is a professional only product. The Emulsion Pure is the concentrate with some distilled water added, much like how we would prepare the concentrate in the treatment room. In a sense, they are the same, just slightly different in concentration.
Resources
Fresquet, J.L. “Fuentes Materiales e Iconográficas De La Historia De La Medicina.” Pulverizador De Lucas Championnière, https://www.historiadelamedicina.org/Instrumentos/instrumento_49.html.
“Vaporisers (Steamers & Atomisers).” Cosmetics and Skin: Vaporisers, 6 Oct. 2014, https://www.cosmeticsandskin.com/ded/vapourisers.php.
