Beauty School: Borba's HD-Illuminating Plasma Crystals Diamond-Dermabrasion Peel Treatment

You might think this sounds strangely like a twofer deal of a flat screen TV and an appointment with a dermatologist to the stars. However, Borba's HD-Illuminating Plasma Crystals Diamond-Dermabrasion Peel Treatment is a two-step home facial treatment. Launched in 2004, Borba is a young nutraceutical (you might remember my experiment with their "drinkable moisturizer" during New Zealand Fashion Week) and cosmeceutical company that promises to reveal "celebrity" secrets to QVC shoppers. It's a relatively new and boutique-y line that tries to gain mass appeal and this makes me feel a bit like a guinea pig but, hey, I'm game.

So hurdling over the convoluted name, I forged ahead and gave myself the first HD Blah Blah treatment. There are two separate products here -- Plasma Crystals and Plasma Activator. The Crystals is an exfoliating cream with micro-beads that are supposed to be tiny little diamonds. It also contains rice hull powder and lactic acid. When you add the Activator, you feel a light degree of heat spreading over your face due to what the lab people call exothermic reaction. The process is designed to cleanse and minimize your pores so that your skin can "more optimally reflect light so it looks picture perfect." When I did this at home it was quick (just a couple of minutes) and non-invasive. Also, this is very inexpensive compared to getting a professional peel. You are instructed to do two treatments a week for a month to be ready for your high-definition close-up. Available at borba.com, $59. Grade: A