Cleanse, exfoliate, extract and hydrate — the classic skin treatment
A facial is the treatment most beauty therapists build their skin menu around. A beauty therapist cleanses the skin, exfoliates it with a scrub, enzyme or gentle acid, steams and clears congested pores where needed, applies a mask chosen for your skin type and finishes with a facial massage, serum and moisturiser. A good one starts with a few questions and a look at the skin under a magnifying lamp, so the products match what is in front of them rather than a set routine.
The result is skin that looks clearer, brighter and better hydrated for a week or two. Facials suit almost everyone, from a first visit to a monthly habit, and salons usually offer variations by concern: hydrating, brightening, calming for sensitive skin or deep-cleansing for congestion.
Expect 45 to 75 minutes. Many salons offer an express thirty-minute version that skips the mask and massage. Avoid exfoliating at home for a couple of days beforehand, and arrive without make-up if you can.
Also known as: facial treatment, deep cleansing facial, hydrating facial.
Elite
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Kensington, London
Results-led facials, peels and dermaplaning from a private Kensington studio
5.0 · 1 review
Exclusive
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Clifton, Bristol
Skin-led clinic: peels, LED and microneedling with vegan product ranges
Prime
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Ecclesall, Sheffield
Facials, waxing and lash lifts from an Ecclesall home studio, mobile to the Peak villages
Prime
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Salford Quays, Manchester
Facials, waxing and electrolysis for fine and fair hair, home visits for waxing
Prime
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Chelsea, London
Mobile spray tans, bridal make-up and waxing at home, Zones 1–3
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Roundhay, Leeds
Mobile waxing, facials and pedicures across north Leeds
5.0 · 1 review
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Cardiff Bay, Cardiff
Bridal make-up and spray tans to Cardiff Bay hotels and venues
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Jewellery Quarter, Birmingham
Microneedling, skin peels and dermaplaning with free consultations
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Leith, Edinburgh
Waxing, manicures and facials, at home in Leith or at yours
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Woolton, Liverpool
Facials, dermaplaning and LED from a garden studio in Woolton village
Typically £40 to £75 for an hour with an independent therapist or high-street salon outside London, and £70 to £130 in central London or at a clinic using branded professional ranges. Express facials start around £30.
Every four to six weeks is the usual recommendation, which roughly matches the skin's renewal cycle. A one-off before an event is fine too; book it a few days ahead rather than the day before, in case the skin needs time to settle.
Ideally not for the rest of the day. The skin has just been cleansed and exfoliated, and leaving it bare lets it settle. If you must, a light mineral powder is kinder than a full foundation.
What separates a therapist worth returning to from one you try once — at a home studio, a salon or your own door — and how to tell before you sit in the chair.
How a first skin appointment actually runs, from the consultation form to the sunscreen you will be told to wear afterwards.
