NIOD’s New York Facial Will Depollute Your Face

There’s defying convention, and then there’s NIOD.

The Canadian beauty brand’s latest campaign, centered around its Superoxide Dismutase 3 Enzyme Mist, puts a mirror up to the harsh effects of big city-living with a satirical “New York Facial,” which is basically everything you don’t want in a skin product. Or in general.

Instead of eucalyptus and salicylic acid, the New York Facial comes with harmful contaminants and pollutants. Delightful.

The campaign also highlights the hundreds of toxins the skin gets exposed to in a single day and to really top it off, the product imagery includes a piece of chewed-up gum, a purposely gross display of the nitty-gritty streets of NYC. 

Instead of promising glowing skin and reduced pores, this fabricated New York Facial guarantees accelerated aging and dull skin. It’s like the anti-Substance.

Basically, the New York Facial begs the question that no one is asking: What if we put all of the pollutants in the air on our faces? This, of course, draws attention to the real issue at hand: the harmful effects of constant exposure to polluted air, which NIOD is primed to treat.

The actual SDEM3 treatment was created as an antidote to the unique stressors that come with big city living, like dust mites, car exhaust and pollen. As such, the product protects against said environmental stressors which NOID says can, in turn, help prevent wrinkles and increase hydration.

So while the New York Facial doesn’t actually exist —at least not this bottled-up version — the grime and grit of the New York streets is about as real as it gets.

Highsnobiety has affiliate marketing partnerships, which means we may receive a commission from your purchase. Want to shop the products our editors actually love? Visit the HS Style Guide for recs on all things fashion, footwear, and beauty.