What you need to know about Beauty's Viral Micro-Infusion Kit

Celebrity esthetician and skin expert Shani Darden recently revealed her love for Qure's viral at-home microinfusion treatment. One of Hollywood's most respected skin gurus, her clients include stars such as Kelly Rowland, Shay Mitchell, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and Emmy Rossum. She has also launched an eponymous skincare line with several award-winning items and celebrity fans such as Amanda Seyfried and Paris Jackson.

The beauty mogul may have it all—including a beautiful, close-knit family with her husband, two daughters, and pet labradoodles—but she admits that finding time for herself is a challenge. That's exactly why she loves the $99 Five-Minute Microinfusion System, which she sometimes works into her schedule between clients.

Not all beauty trends are worth adopting, but this seems to be a viral skin trend that has some merit. In addition to the celebrity facialist, other well-known skin experts as fans, including well-known dermatologists Dendy Engelman and Muneeb Shah, have also expressed their approval of the system. Plus, Darden is known for her permanently glowing, hydrated, and age-defying skin—and now we know one of her favorite beauty hacks to achieve it.

Qure has been named one of the fastest-growing beauty brands of 2024 as the number of at-home skincare treatments and devices on the rise. Still, a DIY microinfusion treatment is more invasive than a typical at-home beauty treatment—there are needles involved, even if they are “micro.” This raises several questions about the best practices and safety surrounding at-home microinfusion treatments, which celebrity esthetician Shani Darden answers below.

What is microinfusion treatment?

First, minimally invasive microinfusion treatments are nothing new – you've probably heard of Aquagold or in-office mesotherapy. But what Is New is the option to carry out the treatment yourself from home with the advice of a leading skin care expert.

Qure's treatment uses tiny 0.5mm antimicrobial gold needles, tinier than a hair, to “stamp” active ingredients into the superficial layers of the skin. The delivery method delivers the active ingredients deeper into the skin than a topical serum, but gentle enough that there is no downtime. Results improve with continued use as the treatment is said to stimulate collagen production, but fans typically love the glow that occurs the next day.

Qure currently sells two formulas – one to combat hyperpigmentation and melasma and one to target fine lines and wrinkles. The anti-coloring formula contains active ingredients such as fibroblast-stimulating epidermal growth factor (EGF), brightening tranexamic acid and niacinamide. The fine lines and wrinkles formula contains ultra-hydrating beta-glucan (which is more effective than hyaluronic acid), niacinamide and firming copper peptide. The incorporation of niaciamide is a nice touch due to its known skin barrier and tone-enhancing properties; Plus, each formula contains soothing moisturizers like Damascus rose water, glycerin, and peptides.

How to perform a microinfusion treatment

“I think the most important thing is to make sure everything stays sanitary,” Darden wrote in an email to Forbes.com. “I always do a deep cleanse first to remove makeup, products and dirt from the skin. This is really important to not only get the best results, but also to keep everything hygienic.”

Darden personally uses two bottles of the formula to complete the treatment, whether at midday in her studio or at home before bed. Although the needles have antimicrobial properties, it is still important not to touch them with your fingers and to avoid contamination if possible. When applying product, Darden recommends stamping with a “50% overlap” for optimal finish. You may want to take your time getting used to the treatment, but as mentioned, it now takes five minutes or less.

Follow-up care after microinfusion

After treatment, Darden recommends using a hydrating serum and non-comedogenic moisturizer without potentially irritating ingredients for two days. “Micro-infusion increases product absorption, so it's best to focus on moisturizing, nourishing ingredients and avoid active ingredients like acids for a few days,” she explains. “Although there is little downtime, behind the scenes your skin is still working hard to repair and rejuvenate itself for the best results.”

Shani Darden Skin Care sells vegan and cruelty-free options—the Moisture Boost Plumping Treatment for $78 and the Weightless Oil-Free Moisturizer for $50—that she personally uses post-treatment. She adds that a hydrating sheet mask can help enhance the effects of the treatment, just “not ones that are active or brightening.” Velez by Vesna makes a cooling, gently hydrating Bio-Cellulose Intense Hydration Face Mask for $30, a mask with no active ingredients to consider for hydration.

Finally, using an LED face mask can “accelerate healing and reduce inflammation.” [and] “Contribute to the collagen-boosting effect.” While you may not want to use the face mask if you have melasma, the red and infrared settings are ideal for post-treatment healing – they promote neocollagenesis, helping your skin cells (and their healing process ) to supply them with ATP and also reduce inflammation.

Go at your own pace

Darden recommends initially using the treatment once a month to ensure your skin responds well to the formula and administration. “Then you can use it up to twice a month if your skin can tolerate it,” she says. “I [use it] twice a month and I have personally seen great results in minimizing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles as well as overall brightening.” (One look above at the 50-year-old esthetician and we're inclined to agree!)

It can be tempting to want to see results quickly, but remember that cell regeneration takes time. Even though the needles are “micro” needles and this is a minimally invasive treatment, it still creates micro-trauma to the skin, and Darden insists that you follow the treatment guidelines and give your skin time to heal recover. Remember, when the skin barrier and microbiome are compromised, your skin's protective functions are compromised and bacteria and pathogens can more easily cause inflammation or worse on the skin.

Post treatment skin care trends

When it comes to post-treatment skin care, there are also some emerging skin trends to consider. For one, there are skin sprays that contain antimicrobial and antiviral hypochlorous acid, such as Tower 282 SOS Daily Rescue Facial Spray, $28. These can be helpful in keeping the area sterile after treatment. Likewise, the oxygenated CO2 Lift Carboxy Gel Face Mask ($100) is another post-treatment favorite among celebrity skin experts because it speeds healing and reduces redness.

While the above products kill bacteria and microbes – including the anaerobic bacteria that make up the microbiome – microbiome care has also been shown in studies to help skin recover after treatment. By using select pre- and probiotic skin care, you can help replenish the biome's beneficial strains. The iconic Biojuve Living Biome Treatment Duo, $225, which delivers a beneficial strain of probiotics, was tested in a clinical trial to show its effect on skin after microneedling. To be on the safe side, Biojuve's founder suggests waiting “at least four hours or a full day” before using the serum after the microinfusion. SIV Skincare ($68) also launched a serum that optimizes the skin microbiome using “quorum sensing,” quickly becoming a favorite among estheticians.

Remember that you should never try a new product on sensitive skin after treatment. Only try these if you have already tested the product and given your skin enough time to heal.

Will you try the at-home microinfusion trend?

One of the most common warnings we hear from experts is to avoid falling victim to rampant social media trends. However, in this case, it seems that the trend is here to stay – as long as you follow the guidelines to ensure the treatment is done correctly and you prioritize the cleanliness of your skin and tools.

Without the supervision of an on-site skin expert, it's easy to feel like improvising. Darden insists that you should follow the company's guidelines and give your skin time to recover between treatments. It remains important to protect the integrity of the protective skin barrier and maintain the balance of your skin's microbiome. So when it comes to post-treatment skin care, remember that less is more and stick to their non-sensitizing, moisturizing guidelines.

All in all, if you're looking for a way to improve your skin care routine at home with visible results that get better over time, this could be the right solution for you.

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