We’re deep into autumn, which can only mean one thing—party season is fast approaching. As diaries start to fill with work events, family gatherings and festive nights out, don’t forget to reserve a little time for your skin. While at-home products and devices can help you prep, nothing rivals a professional, results-driven treatment. The key? Zero downtime. Here, we’ve rounded up the best pre-party facials that deliver instant glow—no recovery required.
Hydrafacial
One of the best facials you can get, this customisable treatment is readily available up and down the country and gives immediate results. Using a special wand that uses water power to exfoliate, clean out pores and pump powerful, targeted serums deep into the skin, the Hydrafacial works on all manner of skin goals. From hydrating and brightening to smoothing and clearing, party prep doesn't get much better than this. With instant results and zero downtime, you can be back at your desk or on your way to dinner straight away.
Facials starts from £135 for 60 minutes (find a provider: Hydrafacial.co.uk)
Emface at Dr Leah Skin Clinic
Welcome to the world of hands-free facials. Emface is a non-invasive device that sits across the forehead and cheeks and works on lifting, improving tone, giving better definition and smoothing out lines. It uses two clever technologies—Synchronised RF, which heats the dermis and boosts collagen and elastin, and HIFES energy that contracts the muscles in the face to improve tone and structure. It's recommended that you book in for four 20-minute sessions 5-10 days apart to see the best results. Book in for November for a more lifted appearance in December.
Treatments start from £535 for 20 minutes (book now at Drleah.co.uk)
Skin Theory Peels at Thérapie Clinic
Sometimes what you need is a good old boost of radiance, and that's often done by improving texture and refining the appearance of pores. Head on down to your local Thérapie Clinic (there are now 52 across the UK) and ask for a Skin Theory Peel. There are five to choose from, but the Mango Radiance Peel uses super gentle fruit enzymes to break down dead skin cells and vitamin C to brighten the complexion. It's particularly good as it works on all skin types, including those with rosacea and sensitive skin.
Peel treatment starts at £70 for 30-60 minutes (book now at therapieclinic.co.uk)
FaceGym
We've all seen the videos of the muscle twitches and wobbling lips during a FaceGym treatment and trust us when we say it's all worth it. Nothing will give you a more instant lifted look than this facial workout. Utilising signature massage techniques and clever tools, this treatment aims to get your face looking more 'snatched and sculpted in under an hour'. If you've got a certain special event happening in December, book in to see a FaceGym trainer for the same day. You won't be disappointed.
Treatments are £110 for 45 minutes (book now at facegym.com)
The Best Facial at Salon C Stellar
Salon C Stellar is such a cool clinic that we can't think of a better place to start the party season. Head to its Beak Street HQ and book in for The Best Facial, which really is an excellent name that it well and truly lives up to. It's completely customisable, but founder Andrea Pfeffer always recommends it to clients before a party. "We combine radiofrequency + microcurrent to give you that snatch, lift and sculpt for days, "she says. "We also incorporate lots of sculpting massage, LED therapy, deep exfoliation and infusion so your skin absolutely twinkles."
Facials start from £195 for 75 minutes (book now at saloncstellar.com)
Clinic Signature Skin Grade 1 Facial at Debbie Thomas
Ask a beauty editor about facial treatments and chances are they'll recommend Debbie Thomas. The laser specialist does a jolly good facial treatment and her Signature Skin Grade 1 Facial is the one to book in when you're after a complete skin reset at the start of the season or as a skin reviver slap bang in the middle. It's a bit of a does-it-all treatment, which will be completely down to you and your needs. It can include everything from extraction and peels to microdermabrasion and pulse-triggered cold laser, LED therapy, radiofrequency and lymphatic drainage. Whilst there is no downtime, the team recommends getting this done the day before a big do.
Treatments start from £160 for 25 minutes (book now at dthomas.com)
Bespoke Treatment with Keren Bartov
If you look at Keren Bartov's website it says "These are not traditional facials," and it's correct. These facials are completely tailored to your skin on the day that you go in for your treatment. However, as someone who helps A-Listers prepare their skin for the red carpet, she knows a thing or two about creating a service fit for a party. "When it comes to achieving that pre-event glow with no downtime, there are a few trusted technologies I rely on. I often combine a signature Glow Facial with deep hydration and gentle IPL (intense pulsed light) to even out tone and revive dull skin, RF (radiofrequency) lifting for subtle firming and improved definition, TriLift by Lumenis for tightening and natural facial contouring, peptide-rich serums to boost elasticity and deep hydration and cooling therapy to calm the skin, reduce puffiness, and refine contours before make-up."
Treatment from £400 (book now at kerenbartov.co.uk)
Korean Glass Skin Facial at Dr David Jack
There was a time when you couldn't scroll your social feeds without seeing someone showing off their bouncy and dewy glass skin. It's tricky to nail at home, but with Dr David Jack's help you can get a lot closer. This multi-step facial uses a micropeel, a traditional Korean deep cleanse, followed by an Ionised Oxygen Bubble Mask, then a spot of ultrasound, Korean massage and LED. All of this helps to sculpt the face, boost hydration and improve texture.
Facials are £195 for 45 minutes (book now at drdavidjack.com)
