I Flew To Paradise For A High-Tech Treatment To Revive My Stressed-Out Skin

One of beauty’s golden rules is one many of us had to learn the hard way: If it stings, it’s probably not great for your skin. And yet, here I am, swaddled in a heated blanket in the newly renovated spa at the Ritz Carlton Grand Cayman, as a lovely and talented spa technician named Tarcie rubs a prickling serum into my skin in the name of a smoother, brighter complexion.

I’ve flown to the luxe resort on the famed Seven Mile Beach in the Cayman Islands to experience a new facial exclusive to this Ritz Carlton location. The 111Skin Exosome Regeneration Facial combines two of skin care’s buzziest ingredients — exosomes and spicules — to target aging skin and provide a lifting and tightening effect.

What Is The Exosome Regeneration Facial?

Available exclusively at the Ritz Carlton’s Grand Cayman property (for now — there are plans to expand the availability of the facial to other Ritz Carlton properties in the future), the Exosome Regeneration Facial is a 90-minute experience that combines two intriguing new-ish ingredients — spicules and exosomes — and incorporates111Skin’s signature NACY² technology (the brand’s signature antioxidant complex) throughout the treatment. Notes Dr. Yannis Alexandrides, M.D., a board-certified plastic surgeon in London and founder of 111Skin, “Exosomes work to stimulate collagen production, promote tissue repair, and improve firmness, while NACY² contributes powerful protective and reparative benefits by supporting skin recovery, neutralizing oxidative stress, and improving the skin’s collagen content.”

According to Alexandrides, exosomes have been used at his London clinic for a little over three years, however he has hesitated to incorporate them into the product line. “We have seen great results with our in-office treatments,” he says, “but my philosophy with topicals is how can I implement modalities and treatments that we are doing at the clinic into products? We couldn't launch an exosome product for many years until we found the right technology to allow the exosomes to go deeper into the skin in order to work better there.”

The answer was microspicules, says Alexandrides. “During our research, we came across a technology that uses microspicules that create small injuries into the superficial layer of the skin and create little channels into the skin in a safe way,” he says. “They can help the exosomes go through and work deeper into the skin.”

Think of it like microneedling in a topical serum, but unlike microneedling, the spicules provide a more user-friendly experience, as at-home microneedling is still considered questionable by dermatologists. “I think microneedling at home is a really bad idea,” says Dr. David Kim, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist at New York City’s Soho Derm. “In office, we wipe the device off and clean your skin with alcohol to make sure there's no risk of an infection. When you're doing that at home, are you replacing the needles every single time, or are you using the same needles? If the goal is to deliver optimized delivery of skin care ingredients, I think spicules make sense.”

Adds Alexandrides, “Whenever you put the variable of a consumer using an instrument, you get into a whole different parameter of factors that I cannot control as a doctor. How many rolls are they going to do and how deep are they going to push? Are they going to clean this instrument or are they going to just use it day after day without cleaning it? Whereas when you use something that people can buy without a doctor's prescription, it needs to be safe for everybody and it has to be standardized in a way that everybody gets the same treatment. With microspicules, everyone who uses it will get the same treatment.”

Instead of stem cells, the 111Skin Exosome Face Lift — a spicule-spiked exosome serum and an overnight mask featuring the proprietary NACY² complex — utilizes a more stable bacterial exosome sourced from lactobacillus. According to Alexandrides, while human stem cell-derived exosomes have been shown to be more clinically powerful, there are both sourcing and testing concerns for a topical commercial product, as well as shelf stability concerns. This makes the bacterial exosome the “sweet spot of being both safe and effective.”

My Experience With The Exosome Regeneration Facial

When I walked into the Ritz Carlton Grand Cayman’s lush spa space, I was instructed to hop into the steam room before my facial to help open the pores. After a quick five-minute steam session, Tarcie came to grab me and led me into the treatment room. I climbed into the bed and settled in, where I immediately noticed the bed was vibrating in tune to the music. I later learned this was a new update to the spa — a technology called vibroacoustics, which synchronizes vibrations with sound to enhance relaxation. If someone could figure out a way to incorporate this into my mattress, I will give them all of my money, as I’m pretty sure it would make my insomnia a thing of the past.

Tarcie started by cleaning off my SPF with a cleansing oil, then applied the Exfoliating Enzyme Cleanser, coupled with a sonic cleansing device to slough off dead skin and debris, which helped the spicules to penetrate deeper. She then toned my skin with the Celestial Black Diamond Brightening Essence and followed with the Hyaluronic Acid Aqua Booster Serum to infuse moisture into the skin. Then it was time for the main event — the Exosome Shot Serum. The goal with spicules is to create those micro-channels, so application is focused on pressing and rubbing it into the skin instead of the usual quick swipe one might do with a moisturizer. Tarcie paired this with a pass of red LED light to aid in regeneration. Once she began to apply the spicule serum, I felt a light stinging sensation on my skin. It was mildly spicy — if you’ve ever had the displeasure of dousing your skin in an alcohol-based astringent, this felt along the lines of that prickliness. Mildly uncomfortable but totally tolerable.

Because it was the middle of the afternoon, Tarcie skipped the Exosome Overnight Mask that is the second part of the Exosome Face Lift and opted to apply the Y Thereom Bio Cellulose Facial Mask instead, again accompanied by another pass of the red LED light device. This provided an immediate cooling sensation on my prickly skin and prepared it for the microcurrent massage that followed to provide an immediate lifting and sculpting effect. This was followed by a trio of Celestial Black Diamond masks — the Eye Mask, the Lifting and Firming Face Mask, and the Lifting and Firming Neck Mask — and another round of LED. As the masks sat on my skin, I was treated to a scalp massage, which had me melting into the gently vibrating table. The masks were removed and an eye cream, moisturizer, and lip balm were applied, followed by SPF and the All-Day Radiance Face Mist to enhance my already glowing skin.

What Are The Benefits Of The Exosome Regeneration Facial?

Clinical studies of the Exosome Face Lift showed a 20% improvement in skin elasticity and skin tightening after four weeks. However, Sandrine Dixneuf, spa director of The Ritz-Carlton Grand Cayman, says that they have anecdotally seen a wide variety of benefits. “We compare the exosome technology to the same benefits as if you were getting microneedling without any needles,” she says. “The delivery system is a lot deeper than any other products and that’s what truly makes the difference. With the Exosome Regeneration Facial, we combine it with a cleansing device, an LED light for regeneration, and a microcurrent tool to firm and lift the skin.” This translates to improvements in fine lines, pigmentation, and dullness. While the product used is the same, Dixneuf notes that the facial adds to the product by incorporating the devices and adding in a multitude of products that are also more effectively delivered into the skin via the spicules.

Who Should Get This Treatment?

“The main benefits of the Exosome Regeneration Facial is anti-aging,” says Dixneuf, “so I would not recommend this for anyone in their 20s. For someone who has seen the first signs of aging or has more pronounced wrinkles, this is where you are truly going to get the most benefits.” While spicules are a safer at-home option than microneedling, they can still cause irritation for those with more extremely sensitive skin or a damaged barrier, notes Kim, so if you have sensitivity or are reactive to ingredients like retinol or exfoliating acids, this might not be the best option. Kim notes that there is too much of a good thing, which is why most products with spicules are recommended to be used every few days or, like the Exosome Face Lift, to only be used for a set amount of time. “People have a tendency to use too much, too frequently. And then that's when problems happen,” he says. “I think people can be over-irritating their skin with spicules, thinking more is better.”

As for the facial, Dixneuf says that it’s not something she would recommend monthly so as not to cause the potential for irritation. “It’s a kickstart for the skin,” she explains. “It’s not a product that you would use all year — it’s something that you would do maybe twice a year to really see results.”

How Much Does It Cost?

The 90-minute treatment costs $550 and includes 14 products, three devices, and a facial and scalp massage. If a trip to Grand Cayman isn’t in your near future, 111Skin has the exosome and spicule duo of the serum and overnight mask used in the facial — the Exosome Face Lift — as a topical at-home treatment for $825. It’s meant to be used nightly for four weeks. If that’s out of your price range, the Medicube One Day Exosome Shot is an under-$25 option that comes in two strengths — 2000 (as in 2,000 parts per million of the exosome-covered spicules) and 7500 — with the 7500 resulting in a higher concentration of spicules, which translates to a more intense stinging sensation.

The After Care

Despite the initial tingling, my skin felt and looked calm after the facial was finished. I was warned by Alexandrides about making sure I was diligent with my SPF after my treatment, but as an extremely pale woman who is prone to melasma, I am already obsessive about sunscreen usage and reapplication. I’m fully stocked on Korean SPF from brands like Round Lab and AHC, so I paid special attention to ensure I was reapplying throughout the day.

Because both Alexandrides and Kim confirmed that any products you apply after using a spicule cream will also have the benefit of deeper penetration, I reached for another regenerative ingredient that evening with a double dose of PDRN via the Rejuran Dual Effect Ampoule and the Dr. Reju-All Advanced PDRN Rejuvenating Cream. Kim noted that like exosomes and EGF, PDRN is another ingredient that can benefit from being combined with a spicule cream because it’s a topical product with questionable penetration if not used in conjunction with microneedling.

What Are Exosomes?

So, why exosomes instead of a more well-known ingredient like ceramides or niacinamide? The potential for their efficacy in topical treatments (alongside a similar buzzy ingredient, PDRN) has led formulators, derms, regenerative medicine experts, and cosmetic chemists to be very interested in incorporating them into products. In technical terms, exosomes are nanoparticles excreted by the cells that help with intercellular communication, traveling between fibroblasts and transferring everything from growth factors to peptides and lipids to help increase collagen and elastin production. They are produced naturally by the body, but you create fewer of them as you get older, so exosome treatments typically are sourced from human stem cells — although there are plenty of beauty brands using plant-derived stem cells these days. Put more simply by Kim, “Exosomes are little packets made out of proteins, lipids, RNA, and DNA which help cells communicate with each other and, theoretically, help with inflammation and tissue repair.”

While exosomes are popular as injectables in Korea, they are not FDA-approved for that delivery in the U.S. When applied in-office, they are typically used after a microneedling session or radiofrequency microneedling. Topical exosome creams and treatments do exist over the counter, but there is a lot of skepticism around their ability to penetrate into the skin where they are needed without first creating the tiny microchannels via microneedling. “Exosomes do not work properly unless they are [delivered] deeper into the skin,” explains Alexandrides.

What Are Spicules?

If you’ve ever used or heard of a popular K-Beauty reedle cream, then you’re probably familiar with spicules. According to Kim, they are everywhere in Korea and seem to have appeared out of nowhere, with a peak saturation for spicule creams and serums hitting last year. Derived from the structural skeletons of marine sponges, they are typically made of either silica or calcium carbonate. “Spicules are smaller than the size of your pores,” says Kim, “and create these tiny channels that help deliver your skin care [ingredients] more optimally. Delivery and absorption are always a problem, but spicules help deliver active ingredients into the pores, essentially helping your products become more efficacious.” Depending on the size of the spicule and the concentration of them in a product, they can feel like a slight tingling to a more intense stinging when applied on the skin.

There are not a lot of clinical studies to back up these claims, mostly because the ingredient is so new. The ones that do exist, however, are promising on those delivery and absorption theories. One 2017 split-face study of an epidermal growth factor spicule cream showed a minor yet noticeable improvement in wrinkles around the eye area after eight weeks versus using the EGF cream without spicules.

The spicules used in the 111Skin Exosome Regeneration facial are so-called microspicules. They are derived from the same traditional sponge spicules, but according to Alexandrides, they are different in composition and performance. “Conventional spicules on the market tend to be larger, irregular, and mechanically abrasive,” he says. “Our microspicules are a highly refined, hydrolysed fraction of the sponge, filtered to a precise 200-mesh size. This creates smaller, uniform, and smoother structures that soften — or even dissolve — upon contact with skin moisture. The result is controlled micro-stimulation that enhances the penetration of active ingredients while minimising irritation compared with traditional spicules.”

The Takeaway

After the facial, my skin felt hydrated and plumped, but despite the layer after layer of product that was applied, I did not feel any tackiness or heaviness. When I looked in the mirror, my complexion was so dewy and smooth, and I had the ultimate glass skin effect. My fine lines were less pronounced and my skin looked more sculpted and less tired. I don’t typically see results like that from a standard facial, so I’m now a spicule and exosome acolyte.

Since returning home, I’ve been more diligent with my spicule cream usage. Whereas before I used a spicule cream once a week, I’ve upped it to twice a week and switched to the Medicube One Day Exosome Shot 2000 in an effort to prolong that regenerative effect I experienced during my Ritz Carlton facial. I don’t follow it with 14 products, because I have a life and don’t feel like spending 90 minutes a day on my skin, but I am more thoughtful about the products I use afterwards, adding in an EGF serum along with the PDRN products at night. I do find that my skin feels a little sensitive the night of and morning after using the spicules, so I make sure to add in some barrier boosting and soothing products, like the Aestura ATOBARRIER356 Moisturizing Cream Mist and the Illiyoon Ceramide Ato Lotion to reduce any lingering prickliness.