( plated ) INTENSE Serum Toronto | GLOW Beauty Bar Etobicoke

If your serum shelf is starting to feel repetitive, you are not imagining it. Another vitamin C. Another peptide blend. Another retinol at a slightly different strength. ( plated )™ INTENSE Serum is a different kind of product, and from November 1 you will find it at GLOW Beauty Bar in Etobicoke, Toronto. It is a platelet-derived exosome serum with 1+ trillion exosomes in every bottle, newly available in Canada.

Here is what it is, what it costs, how to use it, and how we are using it in our treatment rooms.

What is ( plated )™ INTENSE Serum?

( plated )™ INTENSE Serum comes from ( plated )™ Skin Science by RION Aesthetics. Its active ingredient is human platelet extract. Platelets are best known for helping blood clot, and they also carry nutrients and signalling molecules that the body uses in its own renewal processes. In this serum, that extract is brought into a topical formula through Renewosome™ technology, which the manufacturer describes as backed by more than a decade of research from physician-scientists.

It has some recognition behind it, too. TIME named it one of the Best Inventions of 2024, and it was a NewBeauty Award winner the same year.

What are exosomes, and why do they matter in skincare?

Exosomes are tiny, naturally occurring particles that our cells release to carry nutrients and signals to other cells. In ( plated )™ INTENSE Serum they are platelet-derived, and every bottle contains 1+ trillion of them. According to ( plated ), they carry peptides, antioxidant enzymes and phosphoproteins, and support the skin's natural renewal.

You may see this called an exosome serum. In plain terms, it is a serum built on platelet-derived exosomes, delivered through Renewosome™ technology.

Is ( plated )™ INTENSE Serum worth $370?

A 15 mL bottle is roughly two months of daily use, according to ( plated ). It does not replace anything in your routine, so nothing comes off the shelf to make room for it. And it goes underneath what you already use rather than asking you to rebuild around it.

If you are a GLOW+ member, it is 20% off throughout November, which brings it to $296, and your GLOW+ credits can go toward it. From December 1, the standard 10% member discount applies, which is $333. If you are not sure it is right for your skin yet, that is exactly what a complimentary consultation is for.

What to expect from platelet-derived skincare

In ( plated )'s clinical studies, users saw a visible difference in the appearance of wrinkles and redness due to dryness within six weeks, with continued results shown at twelve weeks. In everyday terms, that is skin that looks smoother, brighter and more even over time. Individual results may vary.

How we use ( plated )™ INTENSE Serum at GLOW

We are selective about what earns a place in our treatment rooms, and this one fits how we already work: results-driven treatments, backed by home care that keeps up. From November 1, it is part of select microneedling and laser treatments here, at no extra cost.

We like to call it microneedling in a bottle. It will not replace your treatments, but it lets you keep that same care going at home between visits.

The formula is short, with twelve ingredients and no added fragrance, essential oils or dyes, which is a big part of why we are happy to reach for it on skin that has just been treated.

What is in it

• Human platelet extract. Delivered through Renewosome™ technology, with 1+ trillion platelet-derived exosomes in every bottle.

• Hyaluronic acid. Binds water at the surface, so skin looks plumper and feels less tight.

• Glycerin. A humectant that draws in moisture and helps skin feel comfortable.

• Panthenol (pro-vitamin B5). Soothing and hydrating, and the quiet worker behind calmer-looking redness.

• Arginine. An amino acid that acts as a natural moisturising factor.
  

The full list is Purified Water, Glycerin, Pentylene Glycol, Panthenol, Human Platelet Extract, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Hyaluronic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydrolyzed Gelatin, Arginine and Silanetriol.

Hydrolyzed gelatin is an animal-derived protein used to condition skin, so if you avoid animal-derived ingredients, let us know before you buy. The manufacturer describes the serum as non-comedogenic and suitable for all skin types, including sensitive skin.

How to use ( plated )™ INTENSE Serum

1. Cleanse. Start with clean skin.

2. Apply first. This serum goes on as the very first step, before anything else.

3. Wait. Let it absorb and dry fully, about five minutes, before you layer anything on top.

4. Once a day. Or as directed by your aesthetician.
   

It has no exfoliating acids, no retinoid and no vitamin C, so it does not compete with what you already use. It goes underneath your routine instead of asking you to rebuild it.

Who it is for

We think it is a great fit if you already invest in your skin and want your routine at home to keep up with your treatments, or if redness from dryness is what you reach for concealer to cover as the weather cools.

As with any new skincare product, check with your physician first if you are pregnant or nursing.

Common questions

Does it replace microneedling? No. We like to call it microneedling in a bottle, but it does not replace a treatment. It keeps your skin cared for between visits.

How long does a bottle last? The manufacturer puts the 15 mL bottle at roughly 64 pumps, which it equates to about two months of daily use.

Will it break me out? The manufacturer describes it as non-comedogenic, with a short ingredient list and no added fragrance, essential oils or dyes. As with anything new, patch test first and stop if you notice irritation.

Can I use it with my retinol or vitamin C? Yes. It contains neither, and no exfoliating acids, so there is nothing to clash with. It goes on first and everything else goes on top.

Do other spas carry it? Yes. It is newly available in Canada and we are glad to bring it in. What is specific to GLOW is that your aesthetician uses it in your microneedling or laser treatment at no extra cost and plans your home routine around it.

Do you ship it? Across Canada, yes. Shipping is free for GLOW+ members and on online orders over $100.

Where to find ( plated )™ INTENSE Serum in Toronto

( plated )™ INTENSE Serum is available at GLOW Beauty Bar, 1128 The Queensway in Etobicoke, from November 1. Ask us at your next visit, or book a complimentary consultation and we will talk through how it fits your skin and your routine.

Book a complimentary consultation here!

Individual results may vary. ( plated )™ INTENSE Serum is a cosmetic product and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any condition. Contains human platelet extract and hydrolyzed gelatin (animal-derived). Full ingredient list available on request.

EltaMD UV Clear or UV Daily: How to Choose the Sunscreen You'll Actually Wear

If there is one question we hear more than any other in the treatment room, it is this: what sunscreen should I actually be wearing?

Not which one is best on paper. Not which one has the highest number on the front. Which one will still be on the bathroom shelf in March, half used, because it felt good enough to reach for on a Tuesday morning when you were already running late.

That is the real question, and it is the right one. The most effective sunscreen is the one you wear every day. Everything else is secondary.

Our answer has come back to the same two formulas for years, and we are glad to say they are back on our shelves. EltaMD UV Clear SPF 46 and UV Daily SPF 40 are available to pre-order now.

Why we are still talking about sunscreen in October

It is easy to put SPF away with the patio furniture. The days are shorter, the light is flatter, and it stops feeling urgent.

But UVA rays are present year round. They are there on grey days, and they come through windows — the car window on your commute, the one beside your desk. They do not announce themselves the way a summer burn does, which is exactly why they are easy to ignore.

October is also when many of our clients begin a laser, peel or microneedling series. Those treatments work by creating controlled change in the skin, and the skin needs protection while it does that work. Daily SPF is not an optional extra alongside a treatment plan. It is part of it. If you are investing in your skin this season, the sunscreen you wear in between appointments is doing a meaningful share of the work.

So the question is not whether to wear it. It is which one.

UV Clear SPF 46

UV Clear is broad-spectrum SPF 46, made with zinc oxide, and it is oil-free. It is lightweight to the point that most clients forget they have it on, and it wears comfortably alone or under makeup.

It also contains niacinamide, which calms the look of redness, and hyaluronic acid for hydration.

This is the one we reach for most often with skin that is sensitive, breakout-prone or flushes easily. It is also our usual suggestion for skin that is fresh from a treatment, once your aesthetician has told you it is time to restart products.

Choose UV Clear if: your skin gets shiny by the afternoon, congests easily, reacts to new products, or you are in the middle of a treatment series.

UV Daily SPF 40

UV Daily is broad-spectrum SPF 40, also made with zinc oxide, in a lightweight moisturising lotion. It contains hyaluronic acid, and for many of our clients it does two jobs in one step — hydration and protection, without a separate layer underneath.

Choose UV Daily if: your skin feels tight by mid-morning, tends toward dry, or you would rather simplify your routine down to fewer steps.

If you are genuinely somewhere in the middle, the simplest test is how your skin feels at 3pm. Shiny points you to UV Clear. Tight points you to UV Daily.

Tinted or untinted?

Both formulas come either way.

The tinted versions add a sheer wash of colour that evens the look of your skin tone. They are lovely on mornings when you would rather not reach for foundation at all, and many clients wear the tint as their entire base.

The untinted versions layer under anything, so if you have a foundation or tinted moisturiser you are loyal to, start there.

How to wear it

Sunscreen belongs at the end of your morning routine, after moisturiser and before makeup. Apply generously to your face and neck, and give it about fifteen minutes before sun exposure. Reapply as the label directs, and after swimming, sweating or towel drying.

At night, take it off properly. Sunscreen is designed to sit on the skin rather than sink in, and a single water-based cleanse does not always lift it fully. On heavier SPF days, start with an oil cleanser — our Glowtox Cleansing Oil melts sunscreen and makeup away — and then follow with your usual cleanser. This one change solves more congestion complaints than almost anything else we suggest.

How we choose it with you

Every GLOW client is welcome to a complimentary consultation with skin imaging. It is the difference between a recommendation and a guess.

Imaging shows us what is happening beneath the surface — congestion, redness patterns, sun damage that has not shown up yet — and it lets us match a formula to your skin rather than to the description on the box. It also lets us place SPF properly inside your treatment plan, including when to restart it after laser or microneedling and how to layer it with everything else you are using.

If you have been reading this and still are not certain which one is yours, that is exactly what the consultation is for.

Pricing

	Regular	GLOW+ members
UV Clear SPF 46	$75	$67.50
UV Clear Tinted SPF 46	$79	$71.10
UV Daily SPF 40	$74	$66.60
UV Daily Tinted SPF 40	$74	$66.60

GLOW+ members save 10% on retail skincare and 20% on facial treatments and add-ons. All four are 48g.

Pre-orders are open now, and we will email you as soon as your order is ready.

Pre-order EltaMD Today!

Sunscreens are regulated by Health Canada; always read and follow the label directions. Discontinue use if irritation occurs. Keep out of eyes. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, we recommend confirming with your physician. Full ingredient list on product packaging. Individual results may vary.

Skin Longevity vs Anti-Ageing: What's Changed | GLOW Etobicoke

Walk into any aesthetics conference this year and you will notice a word missing. Nobody is saying "anti-ageing" anymore. They are saying "skin longevity," and the change is not just a rebrand.

Anti-ageing was always a slightly strange proposition. It framed a normal biological process as an opponent, and it sold treatments as a way of holding a line that cannot actually be held. It also meant the conversation tended to start late, usually the year someone noticed something in the mirror they had not noticed before.

Skin longevity asks a different question. Not "how do we reverse this," but "how do we keep this skin functioning well for as long as possible."

The Practical Difference

The distinction sounds academic until you look at what it changes in a treatment plan.

An anti-ageing approach is reactive and correction-led. Something appears; something is done about it. A longevity approach is preventative and function-led. It looks at barrier integrity, collagen production, pigmentation load, and inflammation, the underlying systems, and works to keep them healthy before there is anything visible to correct.

In practice, that usually means starting earlier, treating more consistently, and choosing treatments that support the skin's own processes rather than only resurfacing what has already happened. Collagen-stimulating treatments like radiofrequency tightening and microneedling fit this model well, because they are asking the skin to do something rather than doing it for the skin.

Why Consistency Beats Intensity

The other thing the longevity framing gets right: cumulative, moderate treatment tends to outperform occasional intensive treatment.

Skin responds to rhythm. A treatment plan followed every four to six weeks for two years will almost always leave skin in better condition than three aggressive treatments crammed into a month before an event. This is not a new observation in our field, but the shift in language has finally made it the headline rather than the footnote.

It is also, quietly, the argument for a membership. Not because it is a product we sell, but because the clients whose skin looks best over a five-year horizon are almost always the ones who came consistently rather than dramatically.

What This Does Not Mean

It does not mean prevention makes correction unnecessary. Pigmentation still needs treating. Texture still needs resurfacing. Longevity is a framework for the long arc, not a reason to ignore what is in front of you.

And it does not mean starting at twenty-five with a full clinical protocol. For most people, longevity in your thirties looks like consistent SPF, a barrier that is not constantly compromised, professional treatment on a real schedule, and paying attention to the lifestyle factors that show up on your face whether you track them or not.

Where to Start

If you have never had your skin properly assessed, not sold to, assessed, that is the first step. A consultation will tell you what your skin's actual priorities are, which is usually different from what the internet has convinced you they are.

Book A Skin Consultation Here!