The reality is that there is an esthetician on every corner, and it’s confusing to know who will provide you with the very best results.

1. Do some research to find a facial spot that speaks to your specific skin care concerns.

• Get a referral from a friend who takes her skin care seriously.
• Check out Yelp Reviews.
• When you spot someone with glowing skin, compliment her and ask her where she goes for facials. Women love to share a good find.
• Ask your hairdresser, personal trainer or yoga instructor, they usually have an amazing Rolodex of really good estheticians.

2. Don’t go to the cheapest spot on the block. Facials are one of those things where you get what you pay for.

* A good price point for a facial can range from $85.00 – $200.00 depending on your skin type, the results you would like to achieve and the technology that will be used during the facial.

3. Look at the menu of services and see if the esthetician offers a complimentary skin care assessment.

Setting up a complimentary facial assessment gives you the opportunity to get to meet the person providing the facial. A meet in greet is a good way to determine if you feel comfortable spending your hard earned money with this skin care practitioner.

Let’s be real… having someone touch your face and extract your pimples and blackheads is an intimate and personal thing, and you’re going to want to make sure that you feel comfortable with this person and if you are anything like me you’re going to want to make sure the facial room is spotless.

4. Plan in advance.

I suggest booking your facial appointment a few days before any event.

If you’re prepping for a major life event (ex: wedding, bat mitzvah) start a few months out so your esthetician can get to know your skin and see how it reacts to certain products and techniques.

5. Enhance the results by investing in a good home care regime.

It is not any different than going to the dentist… you wouldn’t invest in a dental cleaning and then go home and never brush your teeth, would you?

After you have invested in a good facial, you can easily continue to enhance the results by working with your esthetician to create a customized (for your skin type) home care regime.

I always recommend a cleanser, moisturizer and chemical SPF as facial regime starters.