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There are beauty treatments you book because they promise relaxation, glowing skin and a blissful hour of switching off.
And then there are the ones you book because the internet has convinced you that looking mildly horrifying for 45 minutes might actually be worth it for your skin’s appearance.
This facial very much belongs in the second category.
A few years ago, I was lucky enough to try the DMK Enzyme Therapy treatment – otherwise known as the ‘Zombie’ or GOT (Game of Thrones) facial – and I genuinely enjoyed it.
But recently, it’s undergone some enhancements that piqued my interest all over again, especially after Australia’s celebrity skincare guru and founder of SSKIN Clinic in Brisbane, Emilee Hembrow catapolted it back into the zeitgeist.
It’s gone viral over the years for its striking visuals: faces covered in a firm-setting mask, intense tightening sensations and post-treatment redness that sparks plenty of curiosity online.
Beauty insiders like me were quietly obsessed, celebrities were lining up for it, and TikTok was doing what TikTok does best – fuelling curiosity and fear in equal measure.
‘It’s the ultimate skin workout,’ Emilee said.
The DMK Enzyme Therapy, often dubbed the ‘Zombie’ or Game of Thrones facial, has long been a popular professional treatment for glowing skin results. Pictured: Daily Mail’s beauty expert Elise Wilson
Recently, it’s undergone some enhancements with Australia’s celebrity skincare guru Emilee Hembrow (pictured) naming it one of ‘the ultimate skin workouts’
‘My skin looked noticeably brighter and more refined, I saw a visible improvement in overall tone, hydration, and texture, and my skin just had that healthy, fresh glow that makeup sits better on,’ she added.
Naturally, with an endorsement that good – and still sworn by A-listers like Madelyn Cline, Jennifer Aniston, and Kim Kardashian – of course I had to book in again.
Interestingly, the popular ‘Zombie facial’ isn’t positioned as a pampering treatment or a quick fix at all – and I can attest, it’s most definitely not.
According to DMK Australia skincare educator Daisy Lucas, the entire treatment is built around the fundamentals of healthy skin that often get overlooked in favour of instant plumping or exfoliation.
‘The foundation of DMK Enzyme Therapy is the iconic Enzyme Masque #1, originally developed in 1976 and refined over nearly 50 years,’ Daisy told me.
In other words, it isn’t about forcing the skin to behave differently, but more aimed at supporting it to do what it’s meant to do, properly.
What is involved?
The treatment itself begins in familiar territory, with a thorough double cleanse using a deep pore solution to remove surface impurities and congestion.
It’s a necessary but understated step, designed to clear the way so everything that follows can properly penetrate and work effectively.
From there, the skin is treated with a concentrate of kojic acid alongside 20 per cent ascorbic acid – a potent form of vitamin C – to support brightness, clarity and antioxidant protection.
Up until this point, everything feels fairly conventional and calm, apart from the cling wrap placed over my face to help the products absorb, which felt mildly claustrophobic.
The facial begins with a thorough double cleanse using a deep pore solution to remove surface impurities and congestion
The enzyme masque is then applied in a very deliberate pattern, starting across the chest, moving up and finishing across the face.
The mask remains on the skin for a set period before being carefully removed, followed by additional cleansing and finishing products to leave the skin feeling comfortable and refreshed.
As the masque begins to set, it hardens dramatically, and this is usually where most people start to panic. For the first 15 minutes, the skin enters what’s considered the purifying phase.
Next, a brightening cocktail of kojic acid and 20 per cent ascorbic acid – a potent form of vitamin C – is applied before the enzyme mask. Everything feels calm and conventional at this stage, apart from the cling wrap used to aid absorption, which is mildly claustrophobic
The tightening isn’t a trick or a gimmick either. The reason the mask firms so intensely is because one of its key setting components is egg white, which creates that unmistakable concrete-like finish as it dries.
During this stage, the enzymes work to cleanse the skin.
Around the 15 to 20-minute mark, the sensation shifts noticeably, and another layer is applied, but this time it’s green.
The best way I can describe it is that it feels like your heart has relocated to the centre of your face.
The enzyme masque is then applied in a very deliberate pattern, starting across the chest, moving up and finishing across the face.
As the masque sets, it hardens dramatically – the moment most people start to panic. During the first 15 minutes, the enzymes work to cleanse the skin. Around the 15 to 20-minute mark, the sensation shifts noticeably, and another layer is applied, but this time it’s green
The mask feels like it is pulsing rhythmically, it’s not painful, but does so insistently.
The final phase, lasting around 15 minutes, is considered the most important.
By this point, movement is impossible and talking is off the table. Smiling, laughing or adjusting your face in any way simply isn’t an option either, and this is where the ‘Zombie Facial’ nickname truly earns its reputation.
When the masque is finally removed using water, a deep pore cleanser and a milk cleanser, the relief is immediate. Active lipids break down the enzymes, and for most people, this moment is pure bliss. You can finally smile again.
As soon as the mask came off, my neck and chest was flushed
As soon as the mask came off, my neck and chest was flushed.
It can be more intense on some than others, which is confronting if you’re not prepared for it, but Daisy was quick to reassure me that this reaction is exactly what practitioners want to see.
The redness faded within about 15 minutes, revealing skin that looked noticeably tighter, brighter and more energised.
I was prescribed a full DMK home-care routine, including a gel cleanser, spray toner, serum, oil and moisturiser for both morning and night to follow
What comes next?
After the treatment, my skin was described as being ‘like a wet sponge’, and highly receptive and primed to absorb nutrients.
I was prescribed a full DMK home-care routine, including a cleanser, toner, serum, oil and moisturiser for both morning and night, which I would of course top up with an SPF of my choosing each day.
I was also warned off exfoliants, scrubs and retinals for two to three days and urged to drink plenty of water, as hydration plays a crucial role in optimising results post-treatment.
After the treatment, skin is like a wet sponge and highly receptive to absorb nutrients. My complexion looked brighter, firmer and more even. I was warned off exfoliants, scrubs and retinals for two to three days and urged to drink plenty of water, as hydration plays a crucial role in optimising results post-treatment
So, was it worth it?
This is not a facial for anyone chasing instant, superficial fixes. It’s tight, strange and occasionally uncomfortable.
And while you do look a little alarming mid-treatment, once the redness fades, the results speak for themselves.
My skin looked brighter, firmer and more even, but more importantly, it felt stronger. Not sensitised or inflamed, just healthier.
Dispelling a common myth, DMK Enzyme Therapy isn’t about ‘freezing’ time overnight, but more aligned to supporting skin long term.
Paired with proper home care, it finally explains why this so-called ‘Zombie Facial’ has earned its cult status around the world.
Fans of the treatment could go further with their beauty regime but undertaking the five-treatment StemZyne Therapy, with treatments scheduled every 12 days. Emilee stacks the Enzyme Therapy Treatment with StemZyme to elevate her skin routine.
As for the practical details, Enzyme Therapy starts from around $210, though pricing can vary slightly depending on the clinic.
The full appointment, including consultation, takes between an hour-and-a-half to two hours, and for best results, an initial course of four to six treatments is generally recommended.
