Less invasive than traditional chemical peels, the procedure involves cleansing and de-greasing the skin, scraping or planing the skin with a blade, briefly applying a 15- to 50-per-cent glycolic acid solution and then rubbing the skin with a block of dry ice to remove any leftover dead cells.

Although it sounds high-tech, the concept is simple. The micro- peel procedure simply speeds the natural shedding of dead skin cells, revealing a fresher layer. Cleopatra used to soak in sour milk to take advantage of the exfoliating lactic acid it contained.

At an accessories trade show in Toronto recently, Leon Elkaim, distributor of Sahara clay facial masks, promoted this unusual concept with large photos of actress Lindsay Wagner demonstrating an "accupressure facelift." It's based on the principle that pressure unblocks congestion in the body's invisible grid of electrical channels.