Our current economy pivots around two ideals: speed and convenience. It’s an on-demand economy fueled by app-booking, in-home everything and an Uber to take you everywhere you need to go. All that, and a love of green juice. With these ideals, the beauty industry is adapting to our quick-paced lives, demand for organic, green products,and desire to make appointments with a moment’s notice. Here, find five places to experience the new wave of beauty/wellness for yourself.
New Ways to Get a Facial
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New Ways to Get a Facial #1
By Sara Spruch-Feiner
Our current economy pivots around two ideals: speed and convenience. It’s an on-demand economy fueled by app-booking, in-home everything and an Uber to take you everywhere you need to go. All that, and a love of green juice. With these ideals, the beauty industry is adapting to our quick-paced lives, demand for organic, green products,and desire to make appointments with a moment’s notice. Here, find five places to experience the new wave of beauty/wellness for yourself.
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New Ways to Get a Facial #2
With locations on either coast (plus Hong Kong and Arizona) Skin Laundry’s 10-minute ultra-deep-cleaning treatment is the definition of a beauty shortcut. While the laundries started in CA and maintain a surfer theme even on the East Coast, the laser-and-light deep cleaning treatment is perfect for New Yorkers, whose faces are constantly submerged in straight-up grime. As for the treatment itself: let me be clear -- there are no plush white robes or scented candles to speak of. And yet, this is perhaps the most effective thing I’ve done for my skin in a long time.
After I tried Skin Laundry, I noticed the biggest difference to the congested pores I’m constantly battling on my nose that I’ve ever seen. Lying on a chair similar to one you might be in at the dermatologist, a healthcare professional will use a laser on your face, which vaporizes dirt in minutes. The laser isn’t painful --it’s more of a slight tingle you’ll feel as it goes over your face. After the laser, a cool gel is applied to your face and the light segment of the treatment (which is again, a total of 10 minutes) begins. The light works to cool redness and even out skin tone. Finally, your face is cleansed, toned and moisturized with Skin Laundry’s SPF 35 cream and off you go.
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New Ways to Get a Facial #3
Think of Heyday as the Drybar of facials, except way more hip. Heyday takes everything you know about getting a facial and makes it more down-to-earth. The chic, minimalist interior is ultra pinspiring. And the minimalist, friendly storefront makes it the perfect place to simply walk in -- even if you’ve never had a facial, and perhaps even with a male plus one.
As for the service itself, you’re still getting the deep clean you need, and extractions too, if you spring for the 50 minute option, but there’s no time wasted changing out of your clothes and no private rooms, per se -- just curtains to separate the rows of facial beds. That doesn’t mean the care your skin is getting is any less serious though. Heydey is stocked with organic, and ingredient-conscious lines like Image, Naturopathica, and Alchimie. Your aesthetician will send you an email with skincare tips tailored just for you after, and it will be the least pushy email imaginable. Heyday goes out of their way not to push the products they carry on the customer. They don’t have to. The mask that Jenna, my aesthetician used on me at my 30-minute appointment was so lovely, I’m still thinking about it weeks later. Heyday is currently in the Flatiron district in Manhattan, with additional locations on the way. We hear Los Angeles is coming soon too.
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New Ways to Get a Facial #4
Aesthetician Ling Chan’s skincare line, sold at her namesake spas is constantly popping up in the “what’s in my bag” or “by my bed” or “must-haves” of supermodels.
Given the lives of her clientele, it’s no surprise that Chan decided to open the Instant Lift Bar (formerly called just, Face Bar) which uses her signature energy lift machine which sculpts your face anew in no time (literally, a welcome farewell to any puffiness!) I opted for the brand new Mimosa treatment, which uses the line’s SparkLING Makeover Mask and new Hi-Vitamin C Serum for brightening and renewing the skin.
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New Ways to Get a Facial #5
MassageNow is a booking app (so you can just click on over to the app store when you’re done here) currently available in San Francisco and New York. In spite of the name though, you can book more than just massages. So, if you ever have a day when you wake up blotchy, it’s perfect to check out MassageNow’s offerings which are available on a solely day-of basis, and score a discounted appointment at a top spa.
Further, they’re categorized in ways that make it easy to get just what the facial looking for, whether it’s “luxe,” “classic,” “boutique,” and so on.
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New Ways to Get a Facial #6
Back in 2010, before Brooklyn was the hipster mecca it is today, they hardly had a space for beauty junkies to congregate. Now, it’s become a must-go for celebs and editors alike. Founder Jessica Richards (formerly a Vogue stylist) is known for sourcing the coolest global beauty brands—in fact, Richards has helped launch many brands in the states. Shen carries indie faves like Georgia Louise, May Lindstrom, and Aurelia. This curation set the stage for the transition to offering treatments. (Personally, I love a facial that uses products across different lines and find myself wanting to get the dets on every last pick). Shen now also offers spa services including the Petit Custom facial, which is a quickie service for those on-the-go.
