Elle offers eight different facials. If you’ve looked at that list and thought “I have no idea which one of these I need” — that’s a completely reasonable reaction.
Here’s the simplest way through it: don’t start with the menu. Start with what’s bothering you about your skin.
Start With Your Concern
“My pores are clogged and I get blackheads”
You want the Detox Deep Pore Facial.
This is the one built around extraction. Double cleanse, steam, a pore-refining treatment, and thorough extractions. If congestion is your main issue, a gentler facial will feel lovely and won’t actually solve it.
“I’m breaking out”
You want the Acne Clarifying Facial.
Similar to the Detox in that it extracts, but with antibacterial and calming therapy layered in to reduce inflammation rather than just clear pores. Better suited to active breakouts, where aggressive extraction alone can make things angrier.
If breakouts are persistent rather than occasional, it’s worth asking about AviClear at your appointment. A facial manages acne. AviClear treats it.
“My skin looks dull and tired”
You want the Revitalizing & Brightening Facial.
The shortest treatment on the list at 30 minutes, and genuinely the right answer for a lot of people. Cleanse, exfoliate, brightening serums, light massage. No downtime, and you walk out glowing.
If dullness is more about oxygenation than surface buildup, the PCA Oxy Trio goes at the same problem differently.
“I have an event this week”
You want the Fire & Ice Facial.
Sometimes called the red carpet facial. A resurfacing masque that warms the skin, followed by a cooling hydrating masque. Designed for immediate visible radiance with little to no downtime — which is exactly what you need before a wedding, a reunion, or photos.
Not the one to book if you have very sensitive skin. Ask us first.
“My skin feels dry and I’m seeing fine lines”
You want the Collagen Renewal Facial.
A collagen-infused mask with peptides, plus massage to support circulation. This is the hydration-and-firmness option rather than the clearing-and-extraction option.
“I have pigmentation, texture, and a few things going on”
You want the Custom Medical Grade Facial.
The most corrective treatment on the facial menu, using clinical-grade actives — advanced exfoliation, enzyme therapy, layered acid boosters. Your esthetician designs the protocol after analysing your skin, which is why it runs longer than the others.
This is the one to book when you’ve outgrown what a relaxing facial can do.
“I just want the full experience”
You want the Luxury Signature Facial.
Extended massage of the face, neck, shoulders and décolleté, aromatherapy, warm steam, and products chosen for your skin. It’s fully customisable, so your esthetician can steer it toward whatever your skin needs on the day.
It’s also the safest choice if you genuinely don’t know. Book it and let the esthetician adjust.
The Add-Ons Worth Knowing About
Several treatments can be layered onto any facial:
- Dermaplaning — removes fine surface hair and dead skin; makes everything applied afterward absorb better, and makes makeup sit noticeably smoother
- Collagen Eye Treatment — targeted at the under-eye area
- Collagen Lip Treatment — for dryness and fine lines around the mouth
- Collagen Blanket Mask — a full-face collagen layer
- Enzyme treatment — additional exfoliation, gentler than an acid peel
You don’t need to decide on these in advance. Your esthetician will suggest what fits once she’s looked at your skin.
When a Facial Isn’t the Answer
Worth being straight about this, because booking the wrong category wastes your money.
Facials work on the surface and just below it. They clear, hydrate, exfoliate, and brighten. What they don’t do is remodel the deeper structure of your skin.
If your concern is:
- Acne scarring, deep texture, or laxity — that’s RF microneedling territory
- Brown spots, sun damage, or broken capillaries — that’s IPL
- Deep hydration with medical-grade serums — look at the AquaFacial, which sits between a facial and a medspa treatment
- Expression lines — no facial addresses those; that’s injectables
We’d rather tell you that at the consultation than sell you a facial that was never going to get you there.
How Often Should You Come In?
Every four to six weeks is the common rhythm, which roughly matches how long it takes your skin to turn over a new layer.
That said, plenty of clients come seasonally or before events and get real value from it. Consistency compounds, but a single facial isn’t wasted.
Still Not Sure?
Book the consultation. It’s complimentary, it takes a few minutes, and an esthetician looking at your skin will get you to the right treatment faster than any list will.
Full descriptions, treatment times, and current pricing for all our facials are on the Facials in Reading, MA page.
We see clients from Reading, Wakefield, Stoneham, North Reading, and Woburn — many of whom booked the wrong facial somewhere else first and want someone to actually look at their skin before recommending anything.
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