Skin Care Spotlight: CO2Lift

Carboxytherapy has been used in medicine since the 1930s, originally for circulatory conditions, and later adapted for skin rejuvenation and scar treatment. However, the standard method required injecting CO2 gas directly under the skin, which meant clinic visits, trained practitioners, and a fair amount of patient tolerance for the procedure. In 2016 a topical version became available and has been a very popular product for skin rejuvenation.

Founded in 2016, the brand CO2Lift brought a professional-grade carboxytherapy gel to both clinical and at-home use. When the two gel components are mixed, a chemical reaction releases CO2 that penetrates the skin during a roughly 45-minute mask session without needles or downtime.

CO2Lift has two channels: a professional tier (CO2Lift Pro, available through medical providers) and a consumer line sold through authorized retailers. The core technology is the same across both. Here, we take a deep dive into that technology and how CO2Lift products can benefit a variety of skin concerns.

Just curious if CO2Lift is right for your skin? Take our free quiz, and use code BLOG20 at checkout for 20% off all eligible items in your order!

CO2Lift is the flagship brand of Lumisque Skincare, Inc., a Florida-based cosmeceutical company. Its product line is built entirely around transdermal carboxytherapy, using carbon dioxide delivered through a topical gel rather than a needle to stimulate the skin's own oxygenation response.

The starting point for CO2Lift was the observation that injectable carboxytherapy, a well-established technique in aesthetic medicine, was producing reliable results in clinical settings but remained inaccessible to most patients. Lumisque partnered with Japanese researchers who had developed a method of encapsulating CO2 in a two-part gel system. The result is a self-administered treatment that replicates the core mechanism of clinical carboxytherapy without requiring injections.

Lana Kerr, Founder and CEO of Lumisque Skincare, spent over a decade as a wellness coach and author focused on weight management, building a client base that eventually led her to open a spa. Once she was running a treatment space, she started looking for something that could differentiate her offerings from what was already widely available, and that search led her to carboxytherapy.

Kerr has described the discovery process as extensive research that eventually pointed her toward Japan, where scientists had developed and patented a gel delivery system for transdermal CO2. Lumisque secured exclusive rights to that technology and used it as the foundation for CO2Lift.

CO2Lift has since built a provider network of dermatologists, plastic surgeons, and med spas alongside its consumer channel, positioning CO2Lift as a treatment that works in both contexts rather than choosing one at the expense of the other.

• Transdermal carboxytherapy – delivering CO2 through the skin via a patented two-part gel system that activates on mixing, without needles or injections.

• Post-procedure compatibility – CO2Lift Pro is used clinically after lasers, microneedling, chemical peels, and cosmetic surgery to reduce inflammation and support healing.

• Intimate wellness – the CO2LiftV line extends the carboxytherapy technology to address vaginal dryness and atrophy associated with aging and hormonal changes.

• Broad skin type applicability – the treatments are fragrance-free, non-irritating, and formulated to work across all Fitzpatrick skin types, including sensitive and post-procedure skin.

The foundation of CO2Lift is its patented two-part carboxy gel system. The two components are mixed immediately before use, triggering a chemical reaction that generates carbon dioxide transdermally. The CO2 produced penetrates the skin's surface and initiates a cascade of physiological changes.

The mechanism at the center of this is called the Bohr effect, first described by Danish physiologist Christian Bohr in 1904. When CO2 levels in tissue rise, the body responds by releasing oxygen from hemoglobin into the surrounding tissue. Blood pH drops slightly, causing red blood cells to release their oxygen more readily. The result is a localized increase in tissue oxygenation and blood flow without any externally applied oxygen molecule (6).

Alongside the carboxytherapy mechanism, CO2Lift formulations incorporate supporting ingredients. Hyaluronic acid, for example, is included as a humectant in the Carboxy Mousse Moisturizer and the DEFEND serum to support hydration and surface plumping.

The CO2Lift Beauty Cleansing Tablet uses effervescent technology to release CO2 in the wash step, providing a low-level carboxytherapy effect even during routine cleansing. It's not equivalent to the full treatment mask, but it extends the brand's core technology into a gentle daily format.

The Bohr effect is a well-characterized physiological mechanism. When CO2 concentration in tissue rises, hemoglobin releases oxygen more readily, local vasodilation occurs, and blood flow to the area increases. This has been documented in the context of injectable carboxytherapy for decades, with applications in wound healing, circulatory conditions, and aesthetic dermatology (3).

Topical delivery of CO2 through a gel system requires the gas to penetrate the stratum corneum and reach the microvascular network. A 2015 split-face study published in the Journal of Drugs in Dermatology measured transcutaneous oxygen tension (tcPO2) after a CO2 facial treatment versus microdermabrasion and found that the CO2 treatment produced measurable increases in skin oxygenation, whereas the microdermabrasion did not (4).

A 2023 pilot study published in the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology investigated the effects of a CO2-emitting facial mask on facial photoaging at four and ten weeks. By week four, skin retraction time decreased by approximately 12%, suggesting measurable improvement in elasticity. Luminosity, radiance, tactile roughness, visual roughness, and erythema scores all improved significantly by week four and continued to show benefit at week ten. No adverse events were reported, and all Fitzpatrick skin types were included (5).

A 2025 review article in the Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology summarized current evidence on topical carboxytherapy and found consistent support across the literature for the mechanism's ability to improve skin elasticity, tone, hydration, and structure, citing enhanced oxygenation, fibroblast stimulation, and controlled inflammatory signaling as the primary drivers (6).

Finally, research published in Frontiers in Medicine on CO2 therapy and wound healing identified improved blood flow, local oxygenation, reduced inflammation, increased collagen production, and improved wound healing across a range of carboxytherapy delivery methods (7).

The clinical research on CO2Lift specifically, as opposed to carboxytherapy generally, is limited. The 2023 pilot study was funded by Lumisque, which is a conflict of interest to acknowledge. The study was also small and lacked a placebo-controlled comparator group, which limits what conclusions can be drawn with confidence. 

The broader carboxytherapy literature is predominantly built on injectable protocols, and while the Bohr effect rationale extends logically to transdermal application, the transdermal route is less well-studied. Independent, controlled trials on topical carboxytherapy masks at scale have not yet been published.

CO2Lift is formulated to work across all skin types. Dry, dehydrated skin types are likely to see the most immediate benefit from the hydration component. The carboxytherapy mechanism also supports barrier function by improving circulation to compromised skin, which benefits types that struggle with chronic dryness.

For aging skin types concerned with firmness and elasticity, CO2Lift can be a useful complement to retinoids and vitamin C, providing a mechanical circulation boost that complements the cellular repair work those ingredients do.

The PRO treatment mask requires mixing two gel packets immediately before use and wearing the mask for 45 minutes. For people with busy routines, that time investment may limit how frequently they use it.

The price point for CO2Lift is also higher than most non-medical-grade products, which is consistent with other cosmeceutical brands at this tier.

The research base, while encouraging, is still relatively thin for the transdermal-specific format and more clinical evidence is needed. 

CO2Lift is worth considering if you're looking for a non-invasive treatment that works through a different mechanism than the active ingredients already in your routine. The main caveats are cost and the still-limited body of transdermal-specific research. 

Take the Baumann Skin Type Quiz to find out which products in the line make sense for your skin.

1. Baumann L. Antiaging Ingredients in Ch. 37 of Baumann's Cosmetic Dermatology Ed 3. (McGraw Hill 2022)
2. Baumann, L. Ch. Cosmeceuticals and cosmetic Ingredients (McGraw Hill 2015)
3. Brandi C, D'Aniello C, Grimaldi L, et al. Carbon dioxide therapy in the treatment of localized adiposities: clinical study and histopathological correlations. Aesthetic Plast Surg. 2001;25(3):170–174.
4. Seidel DK, Moy RL. Effect of carbon dioxide facial therapy on skin oxygenation. J Drugs Dermatol. 2015;14(9):976–980.
5. Draelos ZD, Shamban A. A pilot study evaluating the anti-aging benefits of a CO2-emitting facial mask. J Cosmet Dermatol. 2023;22(8):2198–2204. doi:10.1111/jocd.15860. (Funded by Lumisque.)
6. Susini P, di Seclì D, Bacchini S, et al. Carboxytherapy in dermatologic surgery and aesthetic medicine: current knowledge and future perspectives — a systematic review. Dermatol Surg. 2025;51(7):673–678.
7. Pasqua A, da Silva SG, de Oliveira Boing L, et al. Effects of carbon dioxide therapy on skin wound healing. Front Med. 2024. doi:10.3389/fmed.2024.1498761.