Where to get the best facials in Melbourne
PHOTOGRAPHY BY SIMON SHIFF FOR CLINICA LASE
WORDS BY MAEVE KERR-CROWLEY
Our favourite spots.
The almighty facial is the point where self-care and skincare meet, marrying indulgent rituals with health and self-improvement. A facial could be a once-in-a-while treat to celebrate an achievement or brighten up a bad day, or it could be an integral part of your routine that you schedule like clockwork.
Either way, sitting in a chair for an hour while a trained professional works their magic is never a bad way to spend an afternoon. But ‘facial’ is also a very broad term, covering a whole host of treatments like peels, masks, infusions, massages, laser sessions and more.
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Add to that the unfathomable number of salons, clinics and spas around the city, and making the right appointment can be stressful enough that you need a facial just to recover. To help you out, we’ve gathered some of our favourite spots around Melbourne to get a facial – whether you’re a novice looking to try something new or an old hat in need of a new go-to.
Grown Alchemist
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Grown Alchemist’s Retail Lab in Carlton is a meticulously designed holistic beauty destination, made up in an industrial-inspired style and fitted with an air-purifying filtration system that detoxifies and improves your skin from the second you step through the door. The treatment menu includes targeted facials for dehydration, ageing skin, rosacea, sensitive skin, blemishes, pigmentation and more, all of which can be packaged up with other treatments for a full pamper experience.
Loft
Have you ever heard of an LED facial? They’re one of Loft’s specialties, using specific wavelengths of visible and infrared light to kick your cells into top gear and help stimulate their natural regenerative properties. Cells can renew up to 200 per cent faster to repair skin damage, boost collagen production, increase hydration, calm redness and eliminate blemish-causing bacteria. Facial appointments can be booked via Loft’s Instagram DMs.
Clinica Lase
Specialising in an extensive range of skin and laser treatments, Clinica Lase’s latest outpost in Carlton is worth a visit for a long list of targeted skin concerns. Highlights of the treatment menu include a celebrity-favourite Oxygen Facial which uses a hyperbaric oxygen machine to infuse serums deep into the dermal layers of the skin. There’s also the clinic’s Medi Facial which brings together a combination of procedures for optimal results, depending on your skin type – think chemical peels, skin extractions, a soothing mask and LEDs.
Little Company
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Little Company offers two signature facials: the Remedy Facial and the Ritual Facial. Both sound uber-relaxing and luxurious based on name alone, and certainly deliver on the promise. The Remedy Facial is a personalised treatment that targets individual skin concerns, working to kickstart a restorative skin journey. The Ritual Facial is a full mind-body-spirit experience, incorporating meditation, massage, Manuka honey formulations, scent and soundscapes to engage all your senses. Better yet, it caters to both Northsiders and Southsiders with its Collingwood and Cremorne locations.
Hüd Skin + Body
St Kilda’s Hüd (rhymes with food) specialises in enzyme therapy facials, with the aim of treating the cause of skin issues rather than just the symptoms. The facials are separated into four tiers, starting with a beginner’s session to get your blood flow going and your skin’s nutrients at an optimal level, then moving on to more intensive treatments. This does mean you’ll need to schedule more than one session to get the full benefits, but what wonderful benefits they are.
Made by Self
Made by Self is tucked away off Glenferrie Road in Hawthorn like a little beauty oasis, and uses all the best products and potions. The East Meets West Gua Sha Facial utilises traditional Chinese traditions to optimise blood flow and revitalise lacklustre skin, the Thermal Infusing Facial uses warmth to push nutrients deep into the skin, and the Facial Sculpting Buccal Facial targets all the layers of muscle in your face to alleviate jaw problems and reduce puffiness. Alternatively, just opt for the studio’s incredibly popular Tailor Made Facial that takes all your individual skin concerns into account.
Comma
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Cremorne boutique bathhouse Comma has a signature facial on its menu dubbed The Calm Visage Facial. It’s billed as “a facial without the new age fancy”, relying on good old-fashioned massage to create a relaxing and rejuvenating spa experience. The process as a whole involves cleansing, exfoliating, a vitamin infusion, a hydrating face mask and a whole lot of massaging. While you’re there, you can also treat the rest of your body with add-on treatments, the sauna and some time in the bath.
Skin Day Spa
Along with waxing and organic massages, St Kilda’s Skin Day Spa offers a diverse menu of facials. The Relax and Hydrate menu includes an antioxidant-replenishing treatment, an Oxygen Rejuvenation Infusion and an incredibly luxurious 75-minute facial called the Super Hydrating Spa Escape. For more intensive, targeted treatments, the Powerful Results offering includes specialised services like microdermabrasion, derma peels and light therapy. So, whether you’re after a laidback treat-yourself moment or to go on offence against skin concerns, there’s an option on the table.
Miss Fox
Another salon-spa-clinic hybrid, Miss Fox, located in Melbourne’s CBD, offers both prescribed medifacials and clinical-strength spa facials. The Luxury Aromatherapy Spa Facial is a great all-rounder for indulgence and relaxation, or step outside the box with the Divine Rose Gold Facial for super-glowy skin. This treatment utilises 24K gold leaf and organic rose oil in a process involving cleansing, exfoliation, massage, masks, mists and crystal healing.
Melanie Grant
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Melanie Grant has launched herself to near-cult status in the beauty world, thanks to her individualised approach to skincare and her focus on clinical beauty. Her Los Angeles studio is a favourite among celebrities, but you can also visit the Armadale outpost for Melanie’s range of clinical and organic treatments. Prices vary depending on what options you choose and can err on the steep side (one FJ writer spent $750 on her treatment). That said, testimonials don’t lie and a host of followers swear by the clinic.
Me Skin and Body
Me Skin and Body is staffed by a team of consummate professionals, offering up a wide range of facials from the salon’s extensive treatment menu. This includes detoxifying treatments, infusions (including a blueberry infusion, which sounds delicious), laser toning, lactic peels and more. For newbies who aren’t sure what they need, the Therapist Choice is a guided experience that involves a complimentary skin analysis to figure out the most effective treatments for your skin.
Rationale
Skincare brand and clinic Rationale serves up a total of 12 unique facial experiences, so there are plenty of treatments to choose from. As a science-forward brand, it uses only the best technology, products and techniques – all backed up by thorough lab research. With names like Photogenic Resilience, EpiNova Brilliance and LuminousLift Renewal, each facial is guaranteed to be an experience you won’t get anywhere else.
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