Ask ELLE Editors: These Are Best Beauty Treatments of 2024
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This year, ELLE editors tried many facials, massages, hair cuts, and manicures, all in the name of finding some of the very best available. We tested treatments both at home and abroad, noting our favorites along the way in every category. Nina Garcia, ELLE’s editor in chief, shares her favorite facial for a red carpet glow. ELLE’s beauty director, Kathleen Hou, finally achieved the bangs of her dreams. Our digital director, Claire Stern Milch, saw a brow specialist that gives her “Lily Collins-esque” brows. Katie Berohn, ELLE’s beauty editor, got a life-changing massage in Paris that seemingly reset her back. For details on these services and more, keep reading for the best beauty treatments that ELLE editors tried in 2024.
Hair
Pearlita Blowout with Megan Robinson
“I’ve gotten some incredible blowouts this year. But one of the most memorable by far is the one I got at Pearlita, celebrity stylist Megan Robinson’s downtown hair studio. Yes, I left with bouncy, shiny hair, but what really stood out to me was Robinson’s care and expertise. She’s such an easy person to talk to about whatever’s going on in your life, and you can tell how much experience she has, especially when you ask her about her go-to techniques and styling products (in case you were wondering, she loves Dae, Crown Affair, and 14th Night). I’m growing out a bob, so my hair was pretty much one length all-around. We also decided to trim my strands a little while I was there, and she expertly cut some layers into my hair that gave it some much-needed movement, as well as some face-framing pieces à la Rachel Green that flatter my rounder face shape.”—Carol Lee, associate beauty writer
Haircut at the David Mallett Salon
“My new bangs try to remind me to live in the moment. Hairstylist David Mallett gave me my perfect bangs—not too wispy, with some shortness in the middle to frame my eyes, and a gentle taper to the sides so that they can grow out nicely. The good news is that these are the bangs of my dreams. The bad news is that your bangs are only as good as your last trim. Mallett and I are in a long-distance relationship (he splits his time between New York and Paris), so I especially treasure his visits. If you ever have the chance to visit his salon in Paris, you won’t forget it. It’s one of the most beautiful I’ve seen, with herringbone floors and a majestic ostrich in the center (don’t miss the leopard by the hair-washing station). To tide me over between meet-ups, I did order a ‘bang trimming razor’ off Amazon, which I may use in an emergency when I look a little too much like a highland cow. But a better fix may be his hair serum, which works perfectly on my fine hair to give it shine and moisture, without greasiness.”—Kathleen Hou, beauty director
Haircut at the Jerome Lordet Salon
“I always joke that I only let artsy French men cut my hair, and Jerome Lordet is the person I usually turn to. I have incredibly thick hair that tends to get curtain-y quickly, and with the wrong haircut, it looks regrettably triangle-shaped. Lordet is able to tame my hair into something manageable (and dare I say French-girl chic?). He’s also fast, so I don’t have to dread spending hours in the chair like I normally do when I get my hair cut.”—Katie Berohn, beauty editor
Color at the Suite Reyad Salon
“I have been going to see Kylie and Reyad at the Pierre Hotel for years. They do the best highlights and color, and keep my hair looking bright and shiny. Now that they’ve made their own haircare line, it’s a little easier to keep the magic going between visits (and their shampoo happens to be one of the best-smelling ones our editors have tried).”— Nina Garcia, editor-in-chief
Face
Cynthia Rivas Facial
“Becoming an esthetician is the new ‘getting my yoga certification.’ I meet more and more people at parties who tell me that they are going to esthetician school. New York now has more ‘cool girl’ facialists than ever, known for their knowledgeability, style, and their nurturing ‘bedside manner.’ Some of my favorites this year include Cynthia Rivas, whose new studio sits on the beauty floor at Gabriella Khalil’s WSA (she is known as the ‘facialist with the windows’ since her space has a tourist-worthy view of the Brookyln Bridge). Rivas is very goal-oriented, and the more specific, the better. You could tell her something like, ‘I want my cheek to shine across the bar in a dimly lit room,’ and she would relish the challenge (as one of the go-to facialists for celebrity red carpets and big events, she has a lot of special tricks up her sleeve). For me, I had a much more mundane goal—I was on long streak of really stubborn under-the-skin breakouts, and she put me on an exacting two-month plan to get rid of them for good. The process—a combination of lasers, specialized peels, and feather-light extractions—was like a gentle restoration for my skin. Often times, acne-clearing facials can make you look a little bit worse before you look better, but with Rivas, the glow was immediate.”—KH
Joomee Song’s Signature KAIKA Facial
“I first met facialist Joomee Song a few years ago, when someone whispered to me that she was Lady Gaga’s facialist. Now, she is the facialist for LA celebrities in the know, including Greta Lee. In her new role as an Estée Lauder ambassador, I was lucky enough to get another facial from her, and her hands were just as sculpting and magical as I remembered. Her ability to pinpoint the exact tension point in my jaw to release years of TMJ pain was a game-changer for both my teeth grinding and facial muscles. She uses a special Japanese microcurrent machine, which conducts tiny amounts of electricity through your body (harmless, I promise), to sculpt and release tension points in the face.”—KH
Soo-Young Kim’s All-Access Facial
“Soo-Young Kim spent years at Rescue Spa (and actually started her career as an editor at Complex), and her new spot gives the same detailed facials, but with an emphasis on what I consider to be the trinity of a perfect facial: extractions, massage, and sculpting. My skin is particularly prone to hyperpigmentation, so Kim is extra careful with her extractions, using an expert hand to thoroughly clean, but not to dig too deep. Her massage technique centers on firm, sweeping motions, and she has an arsenal of special peels and masks to keep you glowing.”—KH
Sania’s Brow Bar Eyebrow Shaping
“I recommend Sania’s Brow Bar to anyone with eyebrows. Other specialists use wax, but Sania’s method involves only tweezing. She’s invested in the longevity of your eyebrows, so she cleanses, tweezes, and trims them, and finishes by filling them in with a pencil for a fuller shape. You leave with thickest, fullest, Lily Collins-esque brows. During the pandemic, I accidentally over-tweezed one brow, and Sania gently restored me to equilibrium.”—Claire Stern Milch, digital director
Facial with Raquel Medina-Cleghorn at Raquel New York
“Raquel’s facials are surprising in the best way possible. Her studio is inspired by ’70s Italian postmodern design, and it’s in an airy Tribeca loft. She doesn’t dress in smocks, but wears Simone Rocha and feather-edged pants. There’s also no boring, instrumental music—she opts for alt-rock, like The Velvet Underground. Her treatments are all tailored to whatever your skin needs at the moment, and they might involve a combination of microcurrent, LED, and lymphatic drainage. The result is supremely glowy skin. Kathleen also recently experienced her four-hand massage experience, in which Cleghorn works on your face, while masseuse Sophie Bolvary does the rest of your body. She called it the best treatment— emphasis on the treat—in New York.”—KB
Joanna Czech’s Ultimate Facial
“Like many facials, Joanna Czech’s facials are more like a gossip session with a close friend than a reason to fall asleep, but they are effective at both (there’s a reason she’s been Kim Kardashian’s go-to facialist for years). A facial with Joanna is probably the most fun that a facial can be—she’s wildly funny and has a surplus of stories to tell, since she has over 35 years of experience. She’s also an expert at manual massage (including her signature ‘slap’ method), and you’ll leave looking sculpted, with chiseled-out cheekbones, a defined jawline, and a smile on your face.”—KB
DiamondGlow Facial
“It doesn’t matter what season it is, my skin always feels dry. But this treatment uses a dermabrasion tool to exfoliate and extract any dirt from the skin, while simultaneously infusing it with nourishing SkinMedica serums for glowing, smooth skin. The facial also works as a lymphatic drainage massage to help with puffiness. My skin felt completely revived with a soft, hydrated finish and a dewy glow. The treatment also doesn’t require much down time, so I was able to go on with my day with fresh, smooth skin.”—Tasha Nicole Smith, beauty assistant
Edyta Jarosz’s Red Carpet Facial
“It makes sense that Edyta Jarosz is one of the most sought-after facialists in New York City. Her bespoke ‘Red Carpet Facial’ is the best of all worlds, as it blends her skillful manual facial massage with high-end machines. Jarosz is always one of my first calls before any event, as a facial with her is a luxurious experience that makes me feel rejuvenated and leaves my face sculpted. Her facials truly are the secret to a near instantaneous red carpet glow whenever you need one.”—NG
Facial with Iván Pol
“I had never heard of a beauty sandwich, but then I met the Beauty Sandwich. Kathleen and some other friends of mine have been telling me about him for years, known for his signature technique in which he ‘stacks’ a series of facial treatments to sculpt jawlines and cheekbones. Like any good sandwich, the finishing touch is a good condiment, or in this case, his custom-made face oils or Sauces like the SS01, which he calls the Snatching, Brightening Vitamin Sauce.”—NG
Facial at L’Institut Guerlain in Paris
“Guerlain’s facialists are highly trained in traditional (meaning hands-only) facial massage. I asked my facialist if she could lift my face and give me a more contoured jawline, and she did just that, by kneading every inch of my face in an upward motion and using her thumbs to repeatedly smooth out my smile and forehead lines. It was so incredibly relaxing—a combination of the massage and the soothing, honeyed scent of the brand’s Abeille Royale products—that I fell asleep for about 30 minutes. The entire facial featured formulas from the Royale line, which helps the skin heal itself and reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles with the assistance of black bee honey from places like France, Greece, and Finland. If you were in Paris and looking for one very special treatment to try, I’d point you in the direction of L’Institut Guerlain.”—CL
Joanna Vargas’s Triple Crown Classic Facial
“Joanna Vargas’s facial techniques have earned her a long roster of celebrity clients, including Julianne Moore and Maggie Gyllenhaal. She was an early adopter of microcurrent, and her signature facial uses microdermabrasion and a gust of green tea- and vitamin-infused oxygen to sculpt, tighten, and lift your face. I’m not kidding when I say that the results are immediately visible, and I recommend taking before and after selfies so you can really appreciate the difference.”—CL
Body
Dior Spa D-Tissue 90-Minute Massage
“This year was a bad year for my back—I threw it out four times. The worst time, I was nearly incapacitated for 10 days, and I had to cancel all of my workouts and take copious amounts of Advil to function. Fresh off a flight to Paris, I was jet-lagged and still feeling the effects, and I went straight from the plane to the Dior Spa and proceeded to have the best massage of my life. The treatment starts with a glow shot made of rose water, sakura, collagen, and acerola, a vitamin C-heavy cherry, which actually tasted good. Since I have a bad back, one thing I dread about massages is the inevitable shaming that typically comes with them—I’m used to masseuses lecturing me about the knots in my back (as if I have a choice!). During this massage, my masseuse instead was very understanding and kept telling me she was sorry that I’d been in pain, while giving me practical advice and working out every single knot in my back and my entire body. Not only did my back feel better, but I also felt like it eliminated any puffiness from my overnight flight and made me feel relaxed. It helps that the new spa at the Plaza Athénée is one of the prettiest, most serene spas I’ve ever been to, thanks to marble floors, wood-paneled walls, and Dior pillows.”—KB
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy at Remedy Place
“Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is supposed to boost your immune system and give you more energy. I decided to try it at Remedy Place this year, and I couldn’t believe how good I felt after—like I was walking on air. The treatment itself is kind of wild: You’re put into a little chamber that looks like a tin can that’s slowly pressurized once you’re inside, and you have to wait for it to depressurize if you want to leave (your ears pop like you’re on an airplane). It might not be for the claustrophobic among us, but if you’re OK with tight spaces, it’s actually relaxing—they give you fuzzy socks, and I brought in a book. It feels like you’re breathing a slightly enhanced version of regular air, and you can stay in the chamber for an hour. Remedy Place itself is one of my favorite places in the city for wellness therapies. Don’t miss out on the homemade bone broth or the bespoke fragrance wall, in which a wall of fragrance is ‘painted’ on a sheet of cork every hour to improve overall well-being.”—KB
Escape Together massage at Aire Ancient Baths
“If you want to book a couple’s massage (I’ve also done this with my friends) Aire is the best place for it. You get to experience the thermal baths, the sauna, and the salt scrubs before you go in for a massage, so it’s a great experience to bring someone else along to. Exploring all of Aire’s different baths is so much fun (I like the Flotarium, which is a salt bath) and their massages are incredibly relaxing. You leave with a cold juice in hand, feeling like you could sleep for 10+ hours.”—KB
Nails
JinSoon The Balm of Purity Mani/Pedi
“Call me spoiled, but if I’m getting my nails done, I don’t want to go anywhere but JinSoon. The experience is more relaxing than anywhere else, the manicurists are insanely meticulous, and the polish lasts the longest. I’ve gotten regular polish there that lasts over 10 days. I like the Balm of Purity experience, since it includes a massage with the essential oil of your choice (I prefer the French lavender).”—KB
Pedicure at Majesty’s Pleasure
“I used to be a complete gel nail devotee, but I don’t always have time to visit a salon to get a professional removal. So in the latter half of the year, I went back to regular polish for both my fingers and toes—not without some reservations, though. For one, regular polishes obviously don’t last as long. And two, I don’t feel like my nails get as much careful attention as they do when I go for a full gel manicure or pedicure. However, at Majesty’s Pleasure—a beauty social club that serves as a watering hole, salon, spa, café, and boutique in one—I got the most comprehensive, thorough, and long-lasting regular pedicure of my life. The nail artist really took her time shaping my toenails into near-perfect squares, trimming my overgrown cuticles, and buffing away all of my calluses until my feet were as smooth and soft as a baby’s. The salon also exclusively uses Dazzle Dry polish, which tends to stay put longer than other formulas for me; this time, my toes were flawless for at least three weeks. During the experience, I ordered snacks and a mocktail to my table, and there’s an entire full service bar in the middle of the space for anyone who’s feeling a drink before or after their service. The entire club feels like less of a typical sterile nail salon and more of a chic hangout spot for the cool girls of the city, and I hear that the location’s hair styling area and facial studio will be opening up soon, too.”—CL
Rose Extract Anti-Aging Manicure at Sundays
“Sundays is one of my go-to nail salons in the city, because it offers services that feel extra and high-maintenance in the best way. For example, the Rose Extract Anti-Aging Manicure involves soaking your hands in a bath of coconut milk and rose petals, then following that up with an orange-peel scrub and a 10-minute hand massage with rose essential oil. All of this is before the actual manicure begins, and you can even opt to grab a pair of headphones and enjoy a guided meditation as well.”—CL
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