Get the glow with the best facials in London, reviewed by the Absolutely team

By Abbie Schofield, Helen Brown, Carly Glendinning, Zoe Delmer-Best and Eva Lehoczky 

The best facials in London for glowing skin

re:lax

At re:lax, a small and cosy skin studio in Hackney’s Gossamer Gardens, you are offered a fully-personalised treatment depending on your lifestyle and skin concerns. This all happens in a dim, candlelit setting with lavender aromas wafting through the air and gentle music playing – a true haven. The facial begins with a cleanse and a gentle scrub before a mask is applied. The highlight, however, is the head and shoulder massage that happens whilst you rest under the LED light, which is placed over the face to help heal any scars and marks. Then, a gua sha tool is used to clear any blocked lymph nodes around the chin and neck. Not only does skin look incredible afterward, but you feel utterly relaxed.

From £80, Gossamer Gardens, E2 9FN; relax-ldn.com

Abigail James

Abigail James is renowned in the beauty industry for her fantastic facials, and her facial spa in Mayfair is located in the elegant grand Beaumont Hotel. The 75 minute Hero Facial is a must for those looking for a clear complexion and restored dermal health. Beginning with a triple cleanse and a gentle peel, a cranberry enzyme mask and a blueberry peel with lactic acid are used to exfoliate and smooth the skin. A vitamin infusion tailored with specific actives to reduce acne and increase the production of cellular activity is then applied. The last part of the treatment is spent under a Dermalux LED light, before a calming mask is applied to restore the skin. The 75 minutes spent in Abigail’s capable hands are well worth it – you will leave with a clearer and softer complexion, and a week later your skin will have notably improved.

From £170, Brown Hart Gardens, W1K 6TF; abigailjames.com

Urban Retreat

The Haute Custom Beauty Tailored Flash Radiance Facial at Urban Retreat’s swish new home The White House is customised to your specific skin profile. After assessing your complexion, your facialist will assign you to one of +800 different ‘DermaProfiles™’ before giving you a highly targeted flash facial that promises to yield noticeable results. The facial provides a purifying process including a light AHA peel and an infusion of nutrients and actives designed to revitalise your skin. Your facialist will also contour and tone your skin using semi-precious stone and 24 Karat gold covered massage rollers, finishing the treatment with a pearl mask wrap. All of the brand’s products are free from nasties – including parabens, silicones and sulphates. You’ll leave looking more glowy and less prone to pesky breakouts.

£90.00, urbanretreat.co.uk

Skin Matters

Leading skin health expert Joanne Evans has been in the beauty industry for 25 years, having built a reputation as the creator of the multi-treatment approach – using different methods within one facial for maximum results. Skin-Matters, the first ever skin health studio, is a homely space is full of earthy tones and velvety fabrics. Unlike your average white, stark spa, Skin-Matters feels healing and warm, reflected in the ultra-personal service offered by Joanne’s staff, called ‘skin experts’. Their Advanced Vitamin Facial promises to deeply nourish the skin and deliver vitamins right into the dermis using a variety of technologies, from gentle electrical pulses to sound waves being administered via a probe. Relaxing and effective, Skin Matters is the place to go for a results-driven facial.

£165; skin-matters.co.uk

Young LDN

The Fire and Ice treatment promises to resurface the skin and give a fresh start to your face – perfect for a January facial. The treatment begins with a discussion about your skin and care regime, offering some helpful tips for keeping it in good condition. A scrumptious cinnamon-smelling peel is applied; it tingles and stings a tiny bit – the fire component. Once removed, skin is soothed with an icy cryo ball treatment and gua sha stone massage – the ice. To conclude the treatment, 10 minutes are spent under an LED lamp to boost collagen production and improve elasticity – it’s like basking in a pool of tropical sunshine. The Fire and Ice treatment gives the face a fresh glow and a new smoother complexion which will last for days.

From £145, Westbourne Grove, W11 2RH; youngldn.com

LPG Endermologie

LPG Endermologie’s resculpting treatment lasts just 30 minutes. This non-invasive facial uses Cellu M6 Alliance technology to send pleasant micro-pulsations over the surface of the face and neck. The beauty therapist begins by using what feels like a tiny, gentle hoover on the skin, which stimulates cellular activity. She then uses a more firm massaging tool. As well as increasing blood circulation, the sculpting treatment helps with water retention, tightens the skin, drains the toxins and stimulates the production of endogenous collagen, elastin and hyaluronic acid to leave you with a natural glow. The results can be seen straight away, and the face feels sculpted and tight. However, the real effects kick in a couple days later and skin looks lit from within.

From £40; endermologie.com

Elenique Aesthetics

The HydraFacial is a multi-step treatment designed to clean out pores, calm inflammation and replenish hydration by infusing skin with serums through a spiral-tipped machine. After a thorough cleanse, the HydraFacial machine carries out lymphatic drainage, followed by a lactic acid serum and a glycolic and salicylic solution to loosen debris from pores and prepare them for the extraction. The machine literally vacuums out everything gross that shouldn’t sit within the upper dermal layers. An additional hydrating mask is then applied, then a blast of LED light is used to reduce redness. On leaving the clinic, the skin is visibly brightened and plumped as promised.

£160, 957 Fulham Road, SW6; eleniqueaethetics.co.uk

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