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The 33 best facials in London to get your skin glowing
Looking for a facial massage or treatment? These are the services that are worth splurging the cash on
Living in London can instigate a plethora of skin issues; from the pollution and dirt in the air to sweating in 30-degree heat on the underground, city life just isn’t a good match for healthy skin. If you’re finding your skincare shelf just isn’t cutting it these days, it’s time to bring in the professionals. And by that, I mean a facialist.
If, like us, you’re looking for results, rather than being tickled with a feather and doused in sage and being charged £100 for the pleasure, we’ve tried and tested the best hard-working facials in London that are guaranteed to deliver results. There are thousands of facial treatments in London that can achieve everything from sorting dry, dehydrated skin to getting rid of hyperpigmentation, so it's kind of hard to know where to start as you whittle down your hit list. Luckily, we've done the legwork for you.
Whether you’re looking to purge your pores with some extraction, fancy some brightening microneedling, or a luxe LED sesh, these are the facial treatments that are worth splurging the cash on.
Best facials in London
Thermal Sculpt Renewal, Dr Barbara Sturm
Price: £225
If you're looking to reduce inflammation, boost oxygen and nutrient supply, stimulate collagen production, and enhance lymphatic drainage in the skin, look no further.
The all-new Dr Barbara Sturm Thermal Sculpt Renewal is ideal for anyone over the age of 25 wanting to boost hydration, lift and contour thanks to the shocking hot and cold therapy. After cleansing and analysing the skin, your therapist will warm your complexion up to 39 degrees for two minutes with a swanky STAR Face device before BAM, reducing the temp to a chilly 7 degrees for eight minutes. (Visualise an ultrasound machine massaging your face and you're halfway there.)
Of course, with any facial, this isn't a permanent fix, but a recommended monthly treatment. Snatched skin, we're coming for ya!
Kichi Baby Facial, Kichi Skin Studio x 180 Health Club
Price: £365
Skin feeling dull and rough? Need some party season prep? If it’s good enough for Sienna Miller and Iris Law, then it’s good enough for us. Natasha Clancy is the A-lister fave facialist and founder of Kichi Beauty, famed for their ‘baby laser’ resurfacing facial. If lasers freak you out, don’t fret: their Lutronic Thuillum LaseMD Ultra is risk-free, suitable for all skin types, and works to create ‘dermis level induction’ – so the serums used in the treatment penetrate far deeper and work far harder than they could without. A tried and tested, transformative investment.
In a 45 minute treatment, you target wrinkles, stimulate collagen and elastin production, tighten pores and even out uneven texture. It helps to be in the hands of Natasha, a wisdom filled expert with her own certified radiant skin. You’ll leave a lovely little shade of pink, but trust us, downtime is minimal and your skin only gets softer and glowier with each passing week. We dare you to stop touching your face (no really, stop it). An incredible tip if you have an event coming up (or party invites piling up).
Gulay’s Skin Clinic, Camden
Price: from £75
Our Features Editor, Jennifer, stumbled across Gulay after a last-minute Treatwell browse for an emergency facial (thanks to some mega stress spots wreaking havoc) – and couldn’t be happier with the results.
Gulay has ample five-star ratings on the platform for good reason: not only did she amass 17 years in a Harley Street setting before opening up her own clinic, but Gulay's caring, personalised approach for each client is first rate and you’ll leave feeling truly cared for.
After booking in for a 90-minute appointment, Jennifer says she ended up staying for 2 hours, learning more about her skin needs and being cleansed, toned and moisturised to perfection.
Gulay also included radiofrequency during Jennifer’s facial, unclogged her pores and introduced her to new products, such as zinc powder (to dry those pesky zits out). She can’t wait for another visit!
Lush Spa Rewilding Facial
Price: £125
A once-in-a-lifetime trip to the Amazon rainforest is, let’s be honest, mostly the stuff of eco-influencer fantasy and David Attenborough documentaries. Enter: Lush’s new Rewilding Facial — a 50-minute odyssey that doesn’t require a machete, just a quick trip to their Covent Garden spa in London.
From the moment you’re ushered into a treatment room that smells like heaven’s bathroom cabinet — mossy, mineral-rich and botanical — you’re tucked into a heated bed and gently lulled into a meditative state, while a bespoke soundtrack of historic folk songs guides you through the seasons.
The facial itself is a skin-to-soul reset, using fresh, handmade formulas crafted with ingredients that actively help rewild habitats around the world.Designed to echo the resilience of the skin’s own ecosystem - the microbiome - it combines hot and cold therapy, deep facial massage and lymphatic drainage with standout products like the antioxidant-rich Full Of Grace serum; Fukushima-sourced rapeseed oil, which supports communities rebuilding after nuclear disaster; and a forest-friendly dark patchouli mask that funds orangutan conservation and reforestation in Sumatra.
I willingly drifted off halfway through - the most relaxed I’ve ever felt - and woke up with a glow that whispered week-long wellness retreat, not West End basementIt’s rainforest escapism for the city-weary soul. No long-haul flight (or carbon footprint) required.
AXO Method at Argentum
Price: £138
If detoxing your face is the biggest thing you want to get out of your facial, you need to try the AXO method at Argentum’s oasis in Notting Hill. While we love the products used (all Argentum, natch) it’s more about the technique the therapist uses to do lymphatic drainage on your face – which is SO good for depuffing – using their hands to tone and stretch the skin.
The facial is all about helping to harmonise inside to allow the skin to glow on the outside, so it’s a good one for post-parties or when you’ve felt a bit sluggish and it’s showing in your skin.
Also, if you’re into energies, you can start your session with a setting an intention (or orientation) with an archetype card reading in which you’ll discover the scent that matches your energy
Dr. Miriam A - Bespoke treatment with skin boosters
Price: skin boosters begin at £360
For anyone curious about tweakments and who’s eager to know that their face is in the best possible hands (erm, so all of us?), might we suggest Dr Miriam Adebibe – an NHS surgeon turned aesthetics whizz? After retraining in the beauty space at the request of her own mother, Dr Miriam A now has a calm, boho chic clinic in Dalston (while also offering appointments in Liverpool Street and Walthamstow).
Dr Miriam A’s approach is to look at the skin holistically. Her skin booster package will begin with a non-rushed consultation that allows you the chance to chat through everything – from your main skin concerns to your diet and lifestyle – where she’ll share guidance, product recommendations and suggest which treatments might suit you best.
Minus any peer pressuring into Botox (although she offers that too if you’re after it!). When Cosmopolitan’s Features Editor, Jennifer, dropped by the clinic, she found Dr Miriam to be patient, skilled and super reassuring during her skin booster injections (baby’s first needles-in-the-face experience), which are designed to help stimulate the body’s own collagen production levels and leave you with a glow.
In the weeks after, multiple people commented on ‘how bright her skin looked’ and actually, the needles weren’t even that bad. A big win.
Acuskinlift Treatment with Dr Tsagaris
Price: £450
Granted, having dozens of acupuncture needles stuck into your face doesn’t sounds like a relaxing facial, we know but I promise you, it’s 100% worth it. Our beauty director swears by this facial.
With the Acuskinlift, Dr Tsagaris uses acupuncture needles to reorganise the skin's collagen fibres and the results are pretty instant. As it’s bespoke, if you have any issues with facial symmetry, it’s something that can truly help by increasing firmness and aiding with skin cell regeneration.Afterwards, you’re treated to mesotherapy, which is basically light micro-injections infusing the skin with hyaluronic acids and antioxidants to moisturise and plump.
Then to finish the treatment, he applies 24-carat gold acupuncture ear seeds to address internal imbalances, a real holistic ending to a super luxe and effective facial treatment.
Hydrafacial
Price: from £125
From congestion to lizard-like dry patches, Hydrafacial delivers instant results, all with zero downtime. I know, it almost sounds too good to be true.
You can customise your facial and pick the ‘booster’ that best suits your skin on the day, whether you want to quench thirsty areas or turn up the wattage. The treatment starts with a deep cleanse, followed by extraction to remove impurities and finishes off with a hydration saturation using the booster of your choice.
The best part? In the end, you get to see all the gunk the mini vacuum (not the technical term, I admit) has removed from your pores. SO satisfying. Expect instant results, with skin glowing for at least a month afterwards and making it a top pick if you’re a bride-to-be.
Shane Cooper Clinic Aqua Glow Facial
Price: £200 (add-ons also available)
Shane Cooper boasts a celebrity client following for good reason. Maya Jama, Sienna Miller and Hannah Waddingham are just some of his regulars. As well as seeing Shane for one of his exclusive facial treatments, you can also book in with one of the incredibly talented advanced practitioners at the Kensington Mews clinic like Vivian, who did my glorious Aqua Glow Facial.
Suitable for all skin types, it includes extraction to remove any impurities, followed by a big hydration boost with hyaluronic acid and serums. The final step is an oxygenation mask with LED light therapy. I’ve got very delicate and thin skin, and at each step Vivian checked my tolerance and really focused on what my skin needed (lots and lots of hydration).
She also gave me sage skincare advice to take home. Not only was my skin looking fresher and more glowing than it had in years (and still does), I also came out feeling super relaxed and revitalised.
Skin Laundry
Price: first facial is £50
Want a laser treatment without all the fuss? This speedy facial allows you to walk in and out with better skin in just 15 minutes. Talk about instant gratification.
The aim of the game with a laser facial is to leave you with clearer, brighter and overall, healthier skin, all with zero redness or irritation after. The idea of a laser coming into contact with your skin might seem more sci-fi than beauty, but we promise you *almost* won’t even notice the little lasers doing their thing.
There’s no fancy pampering facial massage or jade rolling with this one – laser is the only thing on the menu – but if you’re struggling with post-acne scarring, this is way more effective than a bunch of cryo sticks.
Our Editor-in-Chief Claire tried it a few weeks before her wedding and was a big fan. "Literally overnight my acne scarring was softened and red patches from rosacea reduced. I only wish I could afford them weekly...".
Sarah Chapman Glow Intense Facial
Price: £85
If you’re time poor, but in need of a speedy skin saviour, then step this way for one of Sarah Chapman’s Glow Zone treatments. Located on the ground floor of the chic Sloane Square clinic, these facials are designed to achieve optimum results in a short amount of time and I was in and out in under 50 minutes.
I had the 45-minute Glow Intense treatment which features platinum-powered peptides and reparative plant stem cells as well as exfoliation and lots of layers of hydration. My therapist massaged, needled and stretched my skin before rounding off with a cooling, relaxing face mask. When winter draws in my skin always starts looking lacklustre, but I left the clinic looking healthier and more glowing than ever.
If you’re after a quick treatment that provides long-lasting results, this one’s for you.
AIRE Ancient Baths UK Orange Garden Experience
Price: £225
Have trouble picking between a facial and a body massage? AIRE has got you covered with their new Orange Garden experience. Not only do you get a 35-minute head to toe body massage but you also get a 25-minute Gua Sha facial massage combined in one treatment. Yep, your body will feel as relaxed as jelly afterwards.
If that wasn't enough, the package also includes access to their iconic underground thermal baths, which feature cold water plunges, a toasty sauna and a relaxing saltwater pool, to name a few. Whether you're celebrating an anniversary with your other half or a chilled birthday sesh, this experience is not one to be missed.
Did we mention you get a free glass of cava and their changing rooms are fully stocked with everything from L'Occitane shower gels to Cantu hair products? Beware: you will have to tear yourself away once your time is up.
Astro Facial
Price: £295
Yes, your birth chart dictates everything, even your facials. This unique facial at one of the coolest beauty spaces in Soho is for you if you like a bit of woo-woo with your treatment.
The Astro Facial is a development from the signature Salon C Stellar facial; The Best Facial (no, really that’s the name) and incorporates massage, exfoliation, extractions and a super high-tech laser to cap it off.
Oh, and if you’re wondering where your birth chart plays into this, the oil used for your massage is based on your moon sign to connect to your emotions as well as your skin. Bliss.
HydraElixir Presso
Price: £400
Want a body reset from head to toe? Look no further. This combines a Hydrafacial, red light therapy and micro-infusion to deliver nutrients to the skin, whilst you sit back and relax in a pair of compression trousers (basically, a sleeping bag-trouser hybrid) to promote oxygen flow and lymphatic drainage all-round to reduce inflammation.
Skin might be a bit tender and red immediately afterwards but by the next day, expect to see healthier-looking skin and a more even skin tone, not to mention how much softer your skin will feel. I had glowy skin for weeks after, too.
Egyptian Facial by Dr David Jack
Price: £250
Yes we know, most facials claim to leave the skin looking brighter and plumper but few do this in such a speedy time.
The Egyptian facial by Dr David Jack is a pain-free fuss-free facial that works for pretty much everyone and takes just 30 minutes. It begins with a deep cleanse before moving onto a triple-action peel and dermaplaning for an extra smooth finish.
The facial is rounded off with lymphatic drainage massage for unreal sculpting.
Glow Getter Facial by Dr Paris Acharya
Price: £600
Yes, this isn’t cheap but it does deliver long-lasting results you can see for weeks – if not months – after. It involves using 24k gold plated (we told you it was fancy) micro-needles to deliver a vitamin-rich blend of B, C and E into the skin to maximise results.
If you’re suffering from pigmentation or post-acne scarring, this is the equivalent of bringing in the big guns. Amino acids (key for collagen and elastin production) and hydrating hyaluronic acid are also used in the mix to deliver a glow like no other.
You won’t be able to go for a drink afterwards (unless you want to scare your date) but the redness and sensitivity you feel directly after the facial will be gone by morning. Top tip: always ask for the numbing cream, there are needles involved, after all – no pain, with all the gain.
FACEGYM Signature Sculpt
Price: £90
If there's one facial you should opt for before a big event it’s the Facegym Signature Sculpt Facial. We aren’t being dramatic when we say it sculpts your jaws to the gods.
Using both manual sculpting (read: massage heaven) and a nifty but powerful EMS machine to help tone your facial muscles, this facial is perfect for depuffing.
If you suffer from stress-inducing jaw-clenching or poor lymphatic drainage (hi, yes, me) this massage is the best for easing tension and draining water retention too.
My Osteo Buccal Massage
Price: £165
If you’re guilty of grinding your teeth when you sleep or locking your jaw when you’re stressed, the chances are you’re in desperate need of a Buccal Massage. Created by My Osteo London, aka Charlotte Mernier, the one-hour treatment aims to relieve jaw tension through a number of different hand and Osteopathy techniques, as well as a focus on the intraoral muscles.
This, combined with a neck and shoulder massage, aims to help with teeth clenching and relieve accumulative tensions in the jaw, while the treatment also features lymphatic drainage, which will leave you with lifted and refined features around your cheeks and jawline. A very welcome side effect!
Cleopatra Facial by Dr Ifeoma Ejikeme
Price: £450
This 90-minute facial crams in using seven different bits of tech, including the likes of LED therapy, radiofrequency and electronic extractions (just to name a few).
Paired with de-puffing lymphatic drainage (hello, cheekbones) and a gentle chemical peel, this is like a reset button for your skin. The result? Skin looks juicer, smoother and firmer.
Facestellar
Price: From £85
Another spot that doesn't waste time and just gets down to business is Facestellar. Dubbed the 'beauty spaceship', this South Kensington location has a space-age feel and specialises in non-invasive treatments that deliver snatched results.
You can pick between treatments featuring luxurious lymphatic drainage to detox and reduce tension or lifting facials that include everything from electric muscle stimulation to a manual massage that involves the facialist's hands moving so fast it will make you feel like a dog sticking its head out a car window – trust me, it works wonders.
Charlotte Bitmead (she/her) is the Senior Beauty Writer at Cosmopolitan UK. She has over six years experience writing about beauty and has previously written for ELLE and The Sunday Times Style, covering everything from politics to sustainability to inclusivity within the beauty industry. When she’s not writing in-depth features, testing out the newest skincare fad or trying to decide what nail art to get, you can find her overspending in bookshops or shouting at Arsenal matches. Find her on LinkedIn
Keeks Reid is the Beauty Director at Cosmopolitan UK. While she loves all things beauty, Keeks is a hair fanatic through and through. She started her career in beauty journalism in 2013 as editorial assistant at Blackhair and Hair magazines working her way to Acting Editor of Blackhair magazine at 23 years old. She spent much of her career working in trade hairdressing media at Hairdressers Journal, Salon International and the British Hairdressing Awards. Which is why she is a regular contributor to Cosmo's Curl Up franchise. Now, alongside her Cosmo work, she presents, creates content on social media and works with a range of beauty companies; from magazines and websites to beauty brands and salons.
Lia Mappoura (she/her) is the Beauty Writer at Cosmopolitan UK, with over four years of experience reporting across the brand's print, social, video and digital platforms. Lia covers everything from emerging trend analysis to viral celebrity hair and makeup moments, making her an expert at spotting the season’s next big beauty look (before it takes over social media feeds).
In 2025, she was named The Rising Media Star at the Love Perfume Awards with The Perfume Shop, recognised for her outstanding digital fragrance content and for building genuine authority within the space. She is passionate about challenging outdated beauty stereotypes, championing inclusive representation in beauty, and educating readers on the trends, products and conversations shaping the industry today. Follow her on Instagram or find her on LinkedIn.
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