Those who set out to cherry pick the best skin-care products from around the globe will often say that France and Korea are areas of interest. But Australia is an emerging favorite, thanks to the country’s climate.
Australia is a “land of extremes,” as described by its government, with temperatures that reach 104° C in its desert regions. With the highest rate of skin cancer in the world, the country’s national regulatory authority has adopted relatively high standards for sunscreens, and it tests and licenses all sunscreens before they can hit the market. (For comparison, while manufacturers in the U.S. are required to test their sunscreens, they don’t need to submit their results to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) before it hits the market.)
Ultraceuticals, a brand that hails from Australia, has been shaped by its country of origin. “They're doing a lot of clinical trials, and they’re testing in one of the most extreme climates in the world, where the ozone layer has been depleted,” says Ashley Hudson, director of operations of Spa at Equinox. “If products have been tested there, they've got to be doing what they say that they're going to be doing.” Naturally, the brand places an emphasis on sun protection with its research and development.
Cosmetic physician Geoffrey Heber founded Ultraceuticals in 1998, with the goal of offering science-driven, high-performance products. Cut to 2020, the brand that had established prominence in Australia officially launched stateside. Now, it’s partnered up with Equinox to make its products available at Equinox Spa locations.
Ultraceuticals places an emphasis on personalized recommendations, which makes the Spa partnership a natural fit, says Hudson. Whenever you visit a spa location, an esthetician can perform a skin analysis to create a custom plan based on your skin type and concerns.
“I look at all factors when recommending products,” says Melissa Xaysana, an esthetician at Equinox in San Ramon and Berkeley. “Some people are really not interested in a long, drawn-out regimen, while others are skin savvy and want to add in elements that they are missing from other brands they might already be using at home.”
The Ultraceuticals lineup includes everything from a pore refining serum to a firming eye cream, to, of course, thoughtfully formulated sunscreens. “I find that the products that interest members the most are Ultraceuticals’ range for sensitized skin,” says Xaysana. “They can start with that mild range and work up to a stronger potency to avoid adverse effects from starting with the stronger products.”
You can stop into an Equinox Spa to receive a skin consultation and browse the brand’s products, but booking a treatment is perhaps a more gratifying way to experience Ultraceuticals’ product range. Whether you try the deep-cleansing Refresh facial, the anti-aging Renew facial, or the Hydrafacial which incorporates hydradermabrasion, your esthetician will start and finish the service with Ultraceuticals products.
If you won’t be visiting Australia in the near future, you can still take advantage of the continent’s acclaimed skin care. Ultraceuticals’ full product range is now available at all Equinox Spa locations.