5 of the best facials to help your skin get through winter

Winter is officially here, and that only means one thing: your skin hates you. The persistent dryness, the indoor heat and the outside cold, and the chaffing wind that’s out to get you and make you look like a rough, red, flaky mess.

Your mission? It’s time to get serious about your skin care and turn that not-so-happy complexion into a glowing, hydrated and juicy slice of goodness. Apart from getting your skin care routine on point (check out these expert-approved skin tips), treating your skin to a change-of-season facial can really help rejuvenate and nourish your complexion.

To help you get started, we Beauty Crew ladies have taken one for the team and tried out some of the best facials getting around (hard job, but someone has to do it). So here are a few of our top picks for facials to try for a winter skin booster.

The facial: Biologique Recherche Facial

The review: “The Biologique Recherche facial is quite a unique facial and because so much of it is customised to suit each client’s specific skin needs (the French skin care brand has over 90 products in their range and each one can be mixed with others for a tailored concoction), it’s a great option for just about everyone. For me, the facial was targeted towards helping heal my acne, combating dehydration (thanks winter), as well as plumping the skin (which is what the facial specialises in). What sets this treatment apart is the use of facial massage techniques. My facialist used specific movements to help tone my skin and also encourage lymphatic drainage. She worked on just one side of my face first then showed me and I couldn’t believe how contoured the side she’d just massaged looked, and how puffy the other side appeared! Post-treatment your skin will be a little red - but that’s just because of all the blood circulating, not because it’s irritated. The next day my breakouts were considerably reduced and my skin felt soft and looked glowy.” – Chelsea Tromans, Beauty Crew’s Contributing Editor
The cost: $220 for 60 minutes at the Kailo Wellness Medispa at The Calile Hotel in Fortitude Valley, Brisbane (90-minute and 120-minute sessions are available). This facial is also available in Sydney, Melbourne and Perth (find a clinic here).

The facial: HydroPeptide Deluxe Detox Facial

The review: “Thanks to my congestion, I’m always looking for treatments that can help clear and purify my skin, but won’t leave me feeling dry and uncomfortable. This facial from HydroPeptide more than ticked the boxes. After cleansing, a combo of a clay mask and an enzyme and AHA-based peel worked to slough away dead skin cells and smooth my skin. By the time I was done (I added an Omnilux light treatment at the end), my skin was positively glowing, and the texture felt amazing for ages.” – Carli Alman, Beauty Crew’s Editor
The cost: $155 for 50 minutes at No. 13 The Beauty Avenue in Potts Point, Sydney.

The facial: Re Balance Facial

The review: “Thanks to a combination of poor sleep, a stressed-out brain and a less-than-ideal diet (I just can’t seem to put the chocolate down!), my skin has not been my best friend of late. So, I booked in to see Vaia Pappas at Vaia Beauty for a personalised treatment based on their signature Re Balance Facial with the hope to calm my skin and make it go back to normal again. The facial involved a cleanse and exfoliation to smooth out my bumpy texture, an extraction to degunk, a nourishing mask to restore hydration, and layers of serums, oils and creams massaged into my face to null my neglection over the past couple of weeks. Needless to say, my skin was absolutely radiant afterwards, not to mention my mind was cleared of any guilt for not looking after my skin.” – Iantha Yu, Beauty Crew’s Beauty Editor
The cost: $250 for 75 minutes at Vaia Beauty in Darlinghurst, Sydney.

The facial: The Heart Chakra Signature Facial

The review: “The therapists at Jocelyn Petroni really know how to take you to another place during a facial. Starting with a consultation, the therapists build a bespoke facial that not only feels like actual heaven, but they use products with ingredients that WORK (I was lucky enough to have Ultraceuticals products used in my facial). I love a functional facial that helps my problem skin and will usually pick that over something relaxing, but with this one, you get the best of both worlds. The facial itself went through the usual cleansing, treating, masking and moisturising steps (with a few much-needed extractions), but what really took it to the next level was the relaxing massage technique (that had the perfect amount of pressure). I may or may not have fallen asleep. Afterwards my skin was BEAMING and felt so plump and healthy, and the party kept going for a few days post-treatment.” – Carli Alman, Beauty Crew’s Editor
The cost: $280 for 60 minutes at Jocelyn Petroni in Woollahra, Sydney.

The facial: Jurlique Nutri-Define ‘Touch of Luxe’ Contouring Facial Treatment

The review: “I walked into this treatment looking like an absolute poster girl for angry, winter skin – my face felt super dry, flaky and red, with a nice side of congestion around my chin (my skin doesn’t like to do things by halves). This treatment was *exactly* what I needed to repair the texture of my skin, reduce inflammation, and add a solid dose of hydration. The treatment involved a double cleanse, a deep exfoliating treatment to slough of dead skin cells, and a nourishing facial mask chosen specifically for my skin type. My favourite part? The therapist used a combination of cool jade rollers and warm rose quartz stones to massage a hydrating oil into my skin, concentrating on the contours of my face for lymphatic drainage and to improve circulation. Afterwards my skin looked like it was actually alive again – it looked fresh, dewy and plump with not a single sign of winter madness. The results are instant, so it’s the perfect facial if you have an event or party coming up, and need to give your skin a little pick-me-up!” – Erin Docherty, Beauty Crew’s Beauty Writer
The cost: $170 for 90 minutes at the Jurlique store in Mid-City Centre, Sydney.

Looking for more winter skin care tips? Check out these nourishing body oils you need in your skin care kit, STAT.

Have you tried any of these facial treatments before? Let us know in the comment section below.

Main image credit: @zotheysay