When it comes to facials and other skin treatments, I have long accepted that a moderate amount of pain is to be expected. From pricking and extractions to vigorous scrubs, there seems to be no way to avoid discomfort when you’re trying to achieve a smoother complexion. After a recent experience at PAUSE spa Château Berger, I am happy to report that a perfectly painless and thoroughly effective facial treatment exists. PAUSE Spa’s California Dream facial, which uses Château Berger products exclusively, is what facial dreams are made of. You know you’re in for a pampering time as you settle onto the soft, heated bed — a luxurious detail that I appreciate. It starts off with a gentle cleansing, steaming, and exfoliating routine to unclog the pores, followed by a nourishing mask to protect the skin against stress factors and unwanted lines. The rejuvenating Vitamin C treatment, combined with three types of lifting massages, is designed to activate cell renewal, which leads to smoother, clearer, brighter skin. With the use of naturally derived potent ingredients and precise expert technique, the California Dream facial is able to target my skin concerns without resorting to any invasive and painful procedures. By the end of the treatment, my complexion was visibly firmer and more hydrated — without a needle in sight.

AED640 for 75 minutes
PAUSE Spa Château Berger
Business Bay
(+971) 4 246 6750

Skin Laundry basically invented laser facials, or at least, they made them a thing. The concept recently landed in Dubai all the way from California, offering every kind of laser facial for every skin concern under the sun. Whether your concern is fine lines, acne, damaged skin cells, sun damage, melasma, hyperpigmentation…we can go on. You name it, Skin Laundry’s laser facials can fix it. Don’t believe us? Check out the mind-blowing before and after photos on their website. And the treatments only take about 15 minutes, so anyone can fit laser facials into their schedules, no matter how busy they are. We tried the carbon laser facial, ideal for acne-prone and oily skin. You can watch the experience in the TikTok, here.

As it is literally a "laundry", you need to be consistent to be able to see real results. This is exactly why Skin Laundry has a membership system. There are three types of memberships, all of which allow you to get huge price cuts on laser facials. For example, the Renew package costs AED995 per month and gives you two laser facials, Signature (AED800), Fractional (AED1,200), or Carbon (AED1,045), as well as discounts on add-ons and additional treatments. With the two facials alone, you’re basically getting two treatments for the price of one with the membership.

Price upon appointment
Skin Laundry
ICD Brookfield Place, 312 Al Mustaqbal Street, Dubai
(+971) 4 244 7450

Browns & Co., a brand new Balearic beauty escape in Al Wasl, is the dreamy oasis where I had the best facial of my life. After years of reviewing facials for Savoir Flair, I braced myself for the worst when I signed up for Browns & Co.’s Face Sculpt facial. Typically, face sculpting is a painful process, where your face and underlying muscles are intensely massaged, prodded, and scraped with various tools and implements. But Browns & Co. puts to rest the notion that you have to suffer for beauty. Instead, in the capable hands of my therapist, my skin was gently stimulated, exfoliated, oxygenated, and hydrated. It was so soothing I almost fell asleep. My tension melted away as she started with a steam cleanse and exfoliating scrub, followed by a firm but gentle face sculpting massage that enacted lymphatic drainage to reduce puffiness in my face. The best part by far was the hot Gua Sha massage, followed by the application of a micro current device, a mask, and ice rollers. The facial finished with the 001 Skincare London Alpha Glow facial serum to seal in hydration. As I blissfully floated out of the room, I checked my reflection and noticed my cheekbones looked higher and more pronounced, my jawline was chiseled, and my face looked slimmer and healthier. 

AED1,000 for 60 minutes
Browns & Co.
343 Al Wasl Road
(+971) 58 581 4243

Newly opened Skin Experts Polyclinic is a one-stop-shop for every kind of patient. With a multi-specialty team of physicians focused on advanced skincare, plastic surgery, dental care, and functional wellbeing, you can find virtually any treatment you need at this clinic. We now have the privilege of having renowned Lebanese dermatologist Dr. Dany Touma available in Dubai for any and all skincare concerns including plastic surgery, laser hair removal, and injectables.

I had the pleasure of seeing Dr. Touma for a consultation and as we were discussing my skincare and aging concerns, I could tell that he wasn’t looking at me thinking about what he can do to my face. His goal is to make you feel confident enough about your skin that you won’t want to put makeup on. I had the glycolic peel treatment, which targets fine wrinkles and acne scars. There is virtually no recovery period for glycolic peels, only a few hours during which your face might be red. Your skin does not shed like with harsher peels, so it’s perfect for giving your skin the reset it needs without disrupting your plans. My skin is the smoothest it’s ever been and I can’t wait for my next appointment.

AED1,000
Skin Experts Polyclinic
Villa 261, Jumeirah Beach Road
(+971) 4 323 0030

With one of the most stunning beauty clinics in all of Dubai, Browz is a one-stop shop for everything from the decolletage up. Founded in 2016 by internationally recognized Creative Artist Michele Barclay, Browz now has locations in both Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Focused on semi-permanent makeup, results-driven facials, and of course, perfect brows, the skilled aestheticians at Browz are passionate about helping you put your best face forward. With the ultimate HydraFacial experience appearing on the menu as its newest offering, I headed to Browz to give my parched summer skin some extra love. The facial started with detoxification through firm lymphatic drainage, then deep cleansing, exfoliation, extractions, and a soothing infusion of hydrating Natura Bissé products. The treatment finished with LED light therapy to help reduce visible signs of aging, and its warming light had my skin humming by the end. The gorgeous setting, soothing treatment (save for the extractions; that’s always my least favorite part), and the fact that my skin was visibly plumper and tighter after I left had me planning my next treatment before I had even exited the building.

AED1,000 for 60 minutes
Browz
Al Wasl Road Opposite ENOC Petrol Station
(+971) 50 841 4289

I am super lucky to try amazing facials as part of my job, and I don’t take that for granted. When people ask for recommendations for the best facial I’ve had in Dubai, I always point them to Aesthetics International. This quiet clinic, tucked away on a row of similar buildings on Al Wasl, is home to one of the best HydraFacial around. HydraFacials are an amazing value for your dirham, because the results last 4-6 weeks. That means over a month of glowing skin, for the cost of one facial. Aesthetics International uses the patented HydraFacial developed by Dr. Paul Nassif (yes, the one of RHOBH and Botched fame) that gently cleanses and exfoliates while simultaneously pumping your skin full of moisture. With exfoliation, dead skin cells are removed, allowing new ones to come to the surface. Since HydraFacials exfoliate and then blast your skin with hydrating serums, it guarantees that the new cell turnover – prompted by exfoliation – will be plump with moisture. This is the secret to why the results last so long. At Aesthetics International, the overall steps are similar to most HydraFacials, but applied with a gentle touch, followed by blue light and red light LED therapy. The results are absolutely incredible.

AED788 for 60 minutes
Aesthetics International
Utamah Villa # 1049c,
Intersection of Al Wasl Rd & Al Thanya Rd
(+971) 4 384 5600

Inside Biolite Aesthetic Clinic’s friendly, stylish, and bustling atmosphere in Umm Suqiem, we experienced the new ‘OxyJet Leo’ facial and walked away with ‘glass’ skin. Originally created to treat children with eczema who required the effects of hydration to last longer, this facial injects biologically active preparations into your skin with medical-grade oxygen. Although the word “injects” might seem invasive, this treatment isn’t just gentle, it feels amazing. First, you’re given a soothing exfoliating treatment, followed by hydrating serums that are pushed deep into your dermis with cool blasts of rejuvenating oxygen. All the products used during the facial are plant-based, safe for sensitive skin and pregnant or nursing mothers, and contain no silicon or parabens. The penultimate step includes a face mask and a 10-15 minute session under blue LED light, followed by cooling cryo-oxygen application, and a final serum. Your skin will instantly feel thoroughly cleansed, fresher, and bouncier, plus the regenerative nature of the treatment means you’ll see results for weeks to come.

AED1,260 for 60 minutes
Biolite Aesthetic Clinic
57 Al Thanya St, Umm Suqeim
(+971) 04 346 6641

One glance at Ciel Spa on Instagram, and I couldn’t wait to try this spot in the recently opened SLS Dubai Hotel. It is utterly gorgeous, serene, and sun-soaked, sitting on the 69th floor of the hotel with an incredible view of the city below. In person, the spa does not disappoint. The staff were so friendly and professional, greeting me by name when I arrived, and offering a mango cookie and a refreshing tea while I filled out the first-time visitor forms. Then I was whisked away into a quiet treatment room, and greeted by an adorable rubber duck, (he’s the hotel’s mascot), who would be my “companion” during the treatment. While my new duck friend looked on, I was treated to a 90-minute hydrafacial that was so soothing that I nearly fell asleep (several times). The three-step hydrafacial includes cleansing, exfoliating, and then infusing skin with intensive Natura Bissé serums, with a mask applied as the second-to-last step. As the mask set on my face, my aesthetician lulled me back into a state of stupor with an incredible scalp and shoulder massage. Afterward, the mask was removed and was replaced by LED light therapy, which tingled and warmed my skin (in a good way). My Ciel Spa experience was what spa dreams are made of, and with such an inviting space and lovely staff, I was tempted to check into the hotel and never leave.

AED1,250 for 90 minutes
Ciel Spa
Level 69, SLS Dubai Hotel & Residences
(+971) 04 607 0757

Get ready for a ride. ‘The Supernova’ facial at Facette Facial bar is intense, but it’s so effective that it takes years off of your face. Facette is the very first facial bar concept in the UAE, located in a new, modern space in Business Bay. Focusing on facials and facials only, they are the city’s foremost experts when it comes to non-invasive, super-effective treatments. The Supernova, as its name might suggest, is a powerful facial that gets deep into your dermis to promote collagen growth, cell regeneration, and triggers your body to oxygenate from within for long-lasting results.

Oxygeneo technology is the key to this facial, and a hand wand is used that suctions and exfoliates your skin, which forces oxygen-rich blood to the surface. It starts off with an easy tingle and escalates to a scorching feeling that is just this side of tolerable. Multiple hydrating serums are applied to the surface, followed by a “slugging” mask that is slathered all over your face (including your eyes) leaving your nostrils free to breathe. It is cooling and soothing and peels off easily after it dries. When I looked at my face after the treatment, I nearly dropped the mirror. A younger version of myself was staring back. The deep lines around my nasal-labial folds were completely gone, the lines between my brows were erased, the tiny wrinkles around my eyes had evaporated. It looked like I had just gotten a face lift! If you want a radically good facial, book your appointment at Facette now. Slots fill up fast. For good reason.

AED 899 for 75 minutes
Facette Facial Bar
Millennium Atria Business Bay, Shop 10 & 11
(+971) 50 404 9329