When I was nearing the end of my twenties, I told myself I would find an esthetician I loved in my thirties so 20 years from now people would suspect I was a vampire. Ya know, like Jared Leto or Bianca Lawson. I’ve had several facials since then but nothing has compared to my experience at the NYC outpost of Rescue Spa.
I first found out about Rescue Spa when trying to purchase a bottle of the toner I couldn’t stop reading about, Biologique Recherche P50 1970. After discovering the magic that is this smelly potion, I wanted to know what else this place offered. Rescue Spa is a treasure trove for skincare junkies like me and what I love is they don’t stock products just because they’re trending — the carefully curated inventory is made up of products that just plain work.
When I started coming to NYC more often for my job, I got the chance to visit the spa to re-up my P50 and knew I had to make an appointment. Bright, elegant and with an incredibly friendly and helpful staff, Rescue Spa is truly luxurious. My first visit was on my birthday in December so I decided spring was a great time to do another deep clean.
My appointment last week was with Maven for a microderm facial. I love microdermabrasion to help even and refine my complexion, but when I’ve had it done at other places, it always felt rushed and not really tailored to my face. It also hurt. But everything about the Rescue Spa facial is customized.
After chatting with Maven about my skin — and settling into one of their super treatment soothing rooms — she gave my skin a thorough double cleanse. After that, it was time for steam and extractions, which are the definition of “pain is beauty.” But Maven worked quickly and efficiently, getting out all the nasty shit in no time. She even checked my ears.
Next came the microdermabrasion. What I loved is that she really took her time, getting not just my face but all under my jaw. She also changed tips on the machine to go back and target specific areas that need a bit more love. Best of all, no OMG-this-chick-is-taking-sandpaper-to-my-face feeling.
Once the microdermabrasion was done and my skin had been wiped clean once again, it was time for her to start “building” my glow. Rescue Spa primarily uses Biologique Recherche products in their facial treatments and the art is in the application. Maven started with P50, applied upward from my collar bone, all up my neck to boost circulation and really help the product sink in. After that, a mask was applied and I settled in for an amazing facial, arm and shoulder massage.
Once the mask had done it’s magic, Maven applied a range of serums and creams including Serum Placenta and Amniotique E. to moisturize and help the skin recover. When it was time to get up, my face was a bit pink but not painful (I’ve had facials that leave my face feeling tender for almost 24 hours). I looked dewy and fresh and walked around barefaced for the rest of the day.
The team at Rescue Spa helps you develop a custom routine for your skin to help you achieve what you desire but are never pushy about making sales. Yes, they make product recommendations, but are very upfront about costs and they take “no” for an answer. Let’s be honest, the products they carry aren’t cheap.
I also left with some tips from Maven about how to sneak more water into my diet, since I am always dehydrated. She suggested celery…I left and ate pizza. Learning curve, am I right?
The entire treatment took about an hour and 15 minutes and a week later my skin is still soft, smooth and clear. The carefully selected products she applied after made all the difference to keep me from breaking out, which has happened after the majority of facials I’ve had before, both bargain and expensive.
This is why I’ll keep going back to Rescue Spa time and again because I, too, believe everyone’s skin is different and beautiful skin is worth investing in. Oh, and NYC air is pore-clogging gross.
