THERE WAS A time when all one needed for flawless skin was a jar of Ponds cream as part of a nightly cleansing routine. And nothing could compare with an indulgent facial massage, so basic and primal that all it required was a pair of good hands and the latest miracle cream.
Beauty rituals have radically changed, largely due to ageing baby boomers' zealous pursuit of ageless, wrinkle-free skin.
Today, face treatments have also become increasingly reliant on machines to deliver more than just the natural afterglow of a relaxing spa experience.
Parked in spas and facial salons - looking more like modern-day torture instruments - hi-tech machines have become a mainstay of the anti-ageing arsenal. Their popularity, especially in Asia, is evidence of the growing demand and acceptance of cutting-edge technology in the name of beauty.
Skin purists may frown at the gadget trend. But, according to Dee DeLuca-Mattos, president of the Medical Spa Society in the US, the benefits of using machines in facial treatments far outweigh the benefits of manual touch.
'Skincare equipment offers us the ability to drive the products into the deepest layers of the skin and offer deeper exfoliation,' DeLuca-Mattos says. 'Technology is advancing at an astounding rate and the beauty of today's equipment and technology is that they're totally non-invasive and offer long-term results.'