London’s Finest Facials

A Note From Jenn

“I’ve been ridiculously lucky to trial many, many facials – easily over 100 in my time. And while there are always new names, exciting technologies and emerging brands, the seven treatments I’ve chosen are the ones I find myself recommending – and returning to – time and time again.”

SARAH CHAPMAN SKINESIS

I’m often asked where to get the best facial in London and, as you can see from this list, it’s impossible to pin down one must-visit as there are so many brilliant options. However, the place I recommend constantly is Sarah Chapman’s Skinesis Clinic, tucked away on Pavilion Road in Chelsea. Why? Because it delivers a true do-it-all option, mixing Chapman’s signature manual massage techniques (tapping and slapping and speeding fingers across the skin, which I promise feels better than it sounds) and an arsenal of gadgets and machines, as well as seriously efficacious skincare products, so you can carry on the good work at home. The whole experience feels like a treat but also a proper MOT for your skin – a worthwhile use of your time and money. The two-hour Introductory Bespoke Facial is best for newbies, while for those in a rush the Glow Zone downstairs offers 20-minute speed-facials that give an instantly perky complexion (I often recommend these for London brides wanting a boost on the big day).
Introductory Bespoke Facial, £220 for 120 minutes

WILDSMITH AT LIBERTY LONDON

I’m going to be honest and say that the best place to experience a Wildsmith facial is at The Bothy – the spa at Heckfield Place, which might just be my favourite hotel in the UK (the treatments, the food, the interiors all being 10/10). However, since it’s quite a trek outside the M25 and you have to book a hotel room to use the spa, I’d happily settle for a visit to Wildsmith’s Treehouse, situated on the shop floor in Liberty. It sounds weird, but it’s so cleverly designed: a purpose built, sound-proofed space, draped in linen and bathed in light that somehow appears to trickle through treetops, with a background audio of woodland sounds captured at Heckfield’s Hampshire estate. Wildsmith offers a 30-minute facial, which makes for a lovely little post-work treat. It includes deep massage (great for a tight jaw) and will leave a hydrated glow that you’ll still notice the next morning.
Facials from £60 for 30 minutes

AESOP

You’d be forgiven for thinking a facial in the heart of Regents Street would be a pretty unrelaxing experience, but allow Aesop to prove you wrong. Hidden below its store are four treatment rooms within a spa-like space – dimly lit, with burnt-orange walls, antique furniture and incredibly cosy treatment beds. There are no fancy bells and whistles here, no hi-tech gadgets. Instead, they rely on precise handiwork and stellar product formulations to treat the skin, with the massage and application techniques feeling thoroughly practiced – almost like a well-rehearsed dance across your face. Oh, and a top tip: don’t come with a fresh blowdry as you’d be a fool to turn down the mind-melting scalp massage that happens as a face mask gets to work. If you’re lucky to get May as your therapist, try not to fall asleep (tricky as that may be) and quiz her for her ingredient and formula knowledge, which is seriously impressive. She’ll adjust which Aesop products she uses depending on your skin type, which is especially useful if, like me, your skin is on the sensitive side.
Facials from £110 for 45 minutes

TERESA TARMEY

Tarmey is famed for tackling pigmentation, lifting and erasing it with various peels and lasers. Some of these might require a bit of downtime (I have taken the Tube post-treatment, looking a tad terrifying to other commuters) but are worth the few days of redness or peeling for the clearer, brighter skin that follows. She’s constantly adding to her skincare artillery, with one of her newest toys being a body-sculpting machine that she pairs with manual lymphatic drainage for a slim-lining, toning session. These are results-driven treatments, which is why Tarmey – with over 25 years’ experience in her field – remains one of the most in-demand facialists out there. It helps that she’s totally charming too.
Teresa Tarmey Advanced Facial, from £289

NATALIYA ROBINSON

Working out of her studio tucked discreetly within residential Chelsea, Russian-born Robinson is a specialist in Chinese medicine, so her facial treatments are always so much more than surface level. She’ll be looking for the root cause of issues, not just dealing with the effects, which in turn delivers longer-lasting results for skin health. This makes her a particularly good choice for those suffering from acne, as she’ll approach each case individually, even suggesting diet and lifestyle adjustments that could help. Personally, I love how well she can read a complexion; I’ve seen her many times and no appointment has been the same. She’ll wheel in different machines and mix various tinctures in response to what my skin is crying out for that day – whether it be microdermabrasion or facial acupuncture. She’s got one of the steadiest pairs of hands, too, so if you’ve got a pesky skin tag or milium that won’t budge, she’s your girl.
Signature Advanced Facial Therapy, £360 for 90 minutes

KATHARINE MACKENZIE PATERSON

KMP is many a beauty editor’s favourite, and not just because her studio sits in a Georgian townhouse on Hanover Square (a stone’s throw from Vogue House, where publishers Condé Nast used to reside). Her skills are second to none, especially her massage techniques, which she’ll take down to your hands and feet whilst you’re under her Dermalux LED light, but her secret weapon is not something you can learn: she’s intuitive, warm and maternal and has a knack of chatting your deepest feelings out of you. A few tears are not an uncommon side effect during her treatments. When it comes to her treatment approach, she won’t do anything aggressive for the sake of it, so don’t expect extractions unless you need them (though if you do, not a single pore is safe from her squeeze) which makes her a great option for nervous beginners or brides looking to start a skincare journey.
Facials from £285 for 60 minutes

SISLEY

Sisley is one of my favourite skincare brands: the formulas, the textures, the results… I can’t get enough. When it opened its first stand-alone Maison last year – a dedicated store and spa on Mount Street – I wanted to move in, recline all day surrounded by the incredible furnishings (all handpicked by Sisley founders the D’Ornano family, who are famed for their design taste) and hop from facial to body treatment downstairs in the three spa rooms. Sadly, I think I’d get arrested for loitering, but I’d settle for a regular facial. These use the brand’s efficacious and luxurious products, along with a host of massage techniques and tools to leave you looking sculpted and plump. Upstairs you can splash out on your new favourite serums, oils, creams and masks (the Velvet Sleeping Mask is my top recommendation) in the fully stocked boutique.
Sisley facial, from £220 for 60 minutes