Cosmetic treatments & skin
The procedure worked.
Your skin just needs the right support now.You chose this. The downtime is expected. What is less expected is why standard post-treatment advice often falls short, and why the skin keeps feeling dry and tight long after it should have settled. The reason is the same as it is for radiation patients. The barrier has lost its oil, not just its water. Here is what that means and what actually helps.
What's happening
Your barrier lost its oil, not just its moisture.
Omega-7 (palmitoleic acid) in macadamia oil
Procedures disrupt the glands that produce your skin's own oils.
Laser resurfacing, microneedling, and chemical peels all work by deliberately disrupting the skin barrier. That disruption is the mechanism. The skin responds by producing new collagen and new cells, which is the result you were after. During the recovery phase, the sebaceous glands in the treated area are temporarily impaired. These are the glands that produce palmitoleic acid (omega-7), the fatty acid that keeps the barrier structural and flexible.
Without it, the skin feels tight, dry, and sensitised in a way that standard moisturisers do not resolve, because those products replace water, not oil. Macadamia oil contains 17-22% omega-7 (palmitoleic acid), the same fatty acid your skin produces naturally. It gives the barrier what it has temporarily lost the ability to make.
See the full clinical research →Why macadamia oil
A structural match for what your skin produces itself.
Macadamia oil is one of the richest plant sources of omega-7 (palmitoleic acid). Unlike sea buckthorn, it is skin-tone neutral and absorbs cleanly, which makes it the only practical choice for a daily leave-on product during recovery. The fatty acid integrates into the barrier structure rather than sitting on the surface. When a cosmetic procedure has temporarily impaired your skin's ability to produce it, macadamia oil replenishes exactly what is missing.
17-22%
Omega-7 (palmitoleic acid)
Among the richest plant sources, and the only one suitable for daily leave-on use
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Structurally identical
The same omega-7 fatty acid your skin naturally produces
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Barrier support from day one
Suitable from the first day after your practitioner confirms skin has closed
Supported procedures
These all disrupt the barrier the same way.
Laser resurfacing
Ablative and fractional laser procedures remove or heat the outer skin layers. Sebaceous glands in the treatment area are disrupted during recovery. Barrier support from the first day after skin closes.
Microneedling
Controlled micro-injuries trigger a healing response but temporarily impair oil production in the treated area. Recovery skin needs lipid replenishment, not just hydration.
Chemical peels
Medium and deep peels remove the outer skin layers chemically. The recovery phase involves significant barrier disruption. Fragrance-free, lipid-replenishing products support the skin while new layers establish.
Dermabrasion
Physical resurfacing creates the same temporary barrier disruption. The same approach: fragrance-free, lipid-based, applied once skin has closed.
Daily barrier support
Calm+
500ml / 250ml
Formulated around macadamia oil, one of the richest plant sources of omega-7 (palmitoleic acid). Apply from the first day after your practitioner confirms skin has closed. Fragrance-free, no active ingredients that could irritate recovering skin.
For areas with more significant breakdown or sensitivity, Restore+ is a heavier cream formulation suited to intensive barrier support in specific areas.
Common questions
Skin care after a cosmetic procedure.
When can I start moisturising after laser resurfacing?
Begin applying a fragrance-free, lipid-based product once your practitioner confirms the skin has closed and is no longer weeping. For most laser treatments, this is within a few days. For deeper ablative procedures, it may take longer. Follow your practitioner's specific guidance on timing.
What should I avoid putting on skin after microneedling?
Avoid anything with active ingredients (retinoids, vitamin C, AHAs, BHAs), fragrances, or heavy occlusive products that might trap bacteria. Use only a clean, fragrance-free, non-active moisturiser until the skin is fully closed and no longer reactive.
Why is my skin still so tight and dry weeks after a chemical peel?
The barrier is still recovering. The sebaceous glands in the treated area take time to resume normal function. During this period, the skin cannot produce adequate oil to keep the barrier flexible. A product that replenishes the lipid component directly, rather than just adding surface moisture, supports recovery more effectively.
Is macadamia oil safe for post-procedure skin?
Yes. Macadamia oil's fatty acid profile closely resembles the skin's own sebum, making it well-tolerated by sensitised skin. It absorbs readily without a greasy residue and contains no active ingredients that could irritate recovering skin.
Can I use Calm+ alongside other products my practitioner recommended?
Calm+ is fragrance-free and contains no actives that conflict with post-procedure protocols. If your practitioner has recommended a specific product for the immediate post-treatment period, follow their guidance first. Calm+ is suited to the broader recovery period once the acute phase has passed.
Formulated for barrier recovery.
Calm+ is suitable from the first day after skin has closed following a cosmetic treatment. Fragrance-free, no active ingredients, and built around the fatty acid your skin needs to restore its barrier structure.
Shop Calm+Read the science behind it →