Worth It: Metacine InstaFacial Collection

Welcome back to Worth It, our weekly seal of approval on noteworthy launches and bespoke collaborations in the worlds of beauty and fashion. If it's featured here, consider these investments worthwhile.

The Promise 

Chances are you know of Dr. Jason Diamond—and you most definitely know of his work. The Beverly Hills-based double board-certified facial plastic surgeon (and resident 90210 doctor) has a celebrity clientele including the likes of the Kardashians, Katy Perry, and Chrissy Teigen. He's best known for his natural facelifts, rhinoplasties, and, of course, his very famous, $4+ Diamond InstaFacial. It’s the latter, which merges light laser treatments, microneedling with platelet-rich-plasma (commonly known as PRP), and a collagen mask, that inspired his brand new skincare line: Metacine, which seeks to recreate the results of his iconic in-office treatment at home. 

“My goal was to create formulas with the same bioactive molecules found abundant in youthful skin that would mimic my in-office InstaFacial procedure,” says Dr. Diamond. Of course, the in-office lasers and microneedling PRP, which require drawing a patient’s blood, spinning it in a centrifuge to harness skin-renewing compounds like growth factors, and reinjecting it into the skin isn’t at-home friendly or cost-effective. Via years of testing, Dr. Diamond was able to identify a combination of molecules and ingredients capable of creating a similar end result over time. Carefully selected growth factors, peptides, and proteins signal the cells to renew collagen, repair the skin barrier, and regenerate—without the need for machines, or Dr. Diamond himself. 

The two-sku system, the Metacine Plasma and Emulsion, are designed to be used synergistically. The former is supposed to mimic the benefits of PRP with growth hormones whipped up in a lab, while the latter is touted as a nightly treatment capable of boosting collagen production, speeding up cell renewal, plumping, tightening, and firming—all without irritation. So, how does it stand up to the test? Read ahead to find out. 

Why I’m Obsessed 

I’ll be candid: Growth factors, peptides, and proteins aren’t *really* anything new in the skincare world. Dozens of luxury serums and creams, many of which are staples in my routine, do a damn good job at regenerating the skin, decreasing fine lines, and creating a plumper appearance. But what separates the good from the great is the combination of said ingredients—the concentration, the specific chains, the delivery mechanism. That is what makes new releases exciting, and exactly why I couldn’t wait to try the Metacine lineup. The praise surrounding the Diamond InstaFacial is unparalleled—and if a skincare set can mimic those results, well, that skincare is going to be unparalleled too. 

I started my testing with the Plasma, which is supposed to mimic the effects of Dr. Diamond’s PRP treatment. For those unfamiliar, the in-office version involves drawing your own blood, spinning it in a centrifuge to isolate the growth factors, and then injecting it back into the skin to signal the cells to increase collagen and elastin production. That in mind, I filled a dropper and squeezed the blood-color liquid onto my face. I’ll be honest: It has a pretty strong, not-so-pleasant scent—but a lot of products that work damn well do too, so for the time being I decided to look past it. The texture was smooth and gave me a pretty immediate glow and hydration.      

That night, I turned to the emulsion, which is my personal favorite part of the duo. The silky water-gel texture is quite frankly like nothing else on the market. It glides onto the skin and absorbs in entirety within five seconds (I counted). There’s no tackiness, wetness, or even moisturizer-like feel—it completely sinks in, leaving a soft, primer-like finish on the skin. The texture is truly magical. Despite its mattifying effect, it did leave my skin looking plumper. It’s hydrating, however given my extremely dry skin, I did find myself layering on moisturizer overtop. 

I won’t lie and say I was blown away right off the bat—this is a system that’s inherently designed for long-term results. So I repeated the process; plasma in the morning, emulsion at night, like clockwork, for weeks. Aside from the immediate plumpness and glow, I didn’t notice any crazy results—until somewhere around the four-week mark. 

It was around this time that I genuinely looked like I just came out of facial. My skin had the even tone and smoothness that I’ve historically only experienced during a resurfacing treatment. The red dots and hyperpigmentation that harassed the outer corner of my eye disappeared. My first fine line (which popped up on my forehead three weeks ago and prompted me to contemplate Botox for the first time in my life), was effectively gone. The most dramatic change, however, was to my under eye. For as long as I can remember, I’ve had these little, crepey lines that make me look sleep deprived 24/7. Concealer always sinks in—it’s without a doubt my biggest pet peeve. The plasma completely changed my under-eye texture in a way that no eye cream ever has. 

The thing is: I’m not new to growth factors. It is one of my favorite ingredients and has long been a staple in my routine. But Metacine’s particular combination and concentration has changed my skin in a way that no other product has. It’s truly a transformative facial in a bottle.