I wrote last month about my favourite facial, at the Miraj Hammam Spa by Caudalie. They do some amazing work, and at a very high price point – but that’s not always what you want. A Caudalie facial is great for when you’re on vacation and you’re out to treat yourself; a Hand and Stone Classic Facial is for when you feel like your skin is aching for some TLC. It’s the perfect antidote to too much sun, weeks of brisk winter winds, and one too many gin & tonics.
Hand and Stone is my favourite chain of spas out there, and for good reason. It’s a little utilitarian, and very blue – but so am I. Each treatment is professional, affordable, and most importantly, effective.
I always stop into the Hand and Stone on College Street when I’m in Toronto for a trigger point massage with Tommy Tran. This time around, though, I popped into the one on Dan Leckie Way as well, on my last afternoon in the city. I came dressed from brunch at Planta: wearing false lashes, dripping in the 28 degree heat, and armed only with my smartphone.
Some spas feel ethereal, like sacred spaces that you need to be a little careful in. This one does not. Instead, it feels ship-shape and smart, like somewhere you stop between work and grocery shopping because you’ve been up until 2 AM hitting deadlines for five days straight. It exists around you, with no pressure for you to be meek.
Hand & Stone facial room (image c/o Hand & Stone)
What a Hand and Stone Facial is like
To understand what a Hand and Stone facial is really like, you first need to take a peek at the brands that the spa uses. Their treatments centre mostly on Dermalogica: clinical, results-oriented, and known throughout the entire beauty industry for being effective. They also dip into Diego Dalla Parma (created in Italy by RVB, which stands for Research, Value, and Beauty) and Yon-Ka.
Let’s get frank. The beauty industry is just as much about things that aren’t beautiful as it is about things that are. And the Hand & Stone Classic Facial is there for you when you’re feeling the lack more so than the presence. I left their Dan Leckie Way location with my face feeling squeaky clean and tingly… But my skin was glowing.
My Photoshop-free skin immediately post-treatment. Left: no foundation / Right: with full makeup.
Every facialist has a slightly different technique, but this facial went exactly as I was expecting. My facialist used brisk movements with even pressure, beginning by double-cleansing my skin with Dermalogica’s Special Cleansing Gel (a cornerstone of the brand) and Skin Resurfacing Cleanser on warm, wet cotton pads. My Hand and Stone facial was pretty standard after that, with a long exfoliation, two masques, and a soothing mist.
I’m always wary of trying out new facials because I’m never sure who’ll be willing to work with my silicone intolerance and who won’t. The Hand and Stone facial team falls firmly in the former category, going out of their way to make sure I could comfortably use each and every product.
A pre-facial brunch at Planta / My skin 14 hours later, when my plane landed
Three cool Dermalogica products from my Hand and Stone facial
Dermalogica is a brand that I’m not too familiar with, but my facialist at Hand and Stone introduced me to three really fascinating products in their line.
The Dermalogica Scaling Fluid is a unique liquid that helps dissolve sebum – essentially loosing up your clogged pores before you extract them. My facialist paired it with the brand’s Exfoliant Accelerator 35 (pro), turning my facial into a mini-peel. Then, because I was headed to the beach, she blended their Solar Defense Booster SPF 50 in with my SPF 30 moisturizer to finish. The Scaling Fluid and Defense Booster can both be purchased at Hand and Stone, whether or not you have a treatment booked.
I don’t say this lightly, but the results from my facial were instant. My skin was noticeably smoother the second I walked out of the spa, and my foundation stayed on for hours longer than usual. I walked into the spa in the afternoon (fresh from brunch at Planta) and rolled out with skin so bright that it still looked good when I got home 14 hours, 2700 km, and two timezones later.
Which spa delivers your favourite facial?
