Courtesy Andrea Lavinthal
What it is: A facial for people who can’t decide between a facial and a massage
Who tried it: Style and Beauty Director, Andrea Lavinthal
Why she did it: Because the only thing better than a facial is a facial that starts off with a massage.
Level of pain: More like level of pleasure!
While Brittany is oil-pulling, Alex is running around the streets of San Francisco in runway makeup and Zoë is attempting to style her hair with a hotel blowdryer (truly terrifying), I’m over here sipping a glass of cucumber-infused water after yet another facial. My love of facials has been well-documented in previous posts, and as a result, I’ve become the go-to for any We Tried It challenge that involves laying down while someone rubs fancy lotions on my face.
This time, it’s the Energy Lift Facial at Ling Spa, which contrary to its name, is all about deep relaxation. So much so, that the treatment started off with me face down on the table so my aesthetician could release all the tension in my back before working on my face. (Note: Already the best facial ever.) She ran this heated wand-like device embedded with tourmaline — an energy-producing crystal that has detoxifying abilities — up and down my spine, neck and shoulders to encourage the movement of chi (energy) while I tried to stifle my embarrassing moaning sounds.
Once my spine felt liked cooked spaghetti, it was time to turn over for the facial. After a rigorous cleansing, my skin was treated with a three different peels to get rid of dead skin and dirt. Next was extractions, which I never mind since I’m immune to pain when it’s beauty related. That said, she spent so much time squeezing every single pore on my face (and some on my ears!), that I wondered out loud if I was some kind of clogged-pore freak. She assured me that I’m normal and explained that she’s just meticulous when it comes to extractions.
The facial ended with the same heated device that it started with, only this time on my face. My skin was fresh and glowing when I left the spa, but the rest of me needed a nap from all that relaxation.
Verdict: Normally, the $200-plus price tag would be tough to swallow, but considering it’s two spa services in one, and she found pores on my face that I didn’t know existed, it’s totally justifiable. By the way, this was a couple’s day, so hearing my boyfriend talk about his microdermabrasion experience was priceless.
What beauty trends have you been trying lately? Which ones should we try out for you? Share your thoughts below!
