Custom Facials in Iowa City
Our facials are built on Aveda skin care and customized after we look at your skin under a lamp. Dehydration, congestion, redness, and sun damage each need different products and different pressure, so nothing here comes off a script. You get cleansing, exfoliation, extractions where appropriate, a mask suited to your skin that day, and a massage sequence through the face, neck, and shoulders. You leave with a short, honest home routine rather than a shelf full of products.
- Aveda plant-based formulas customized to your skin at each visit
- Face, neck, shoulder, and scalp massage worked into every facial
- Skin care consultations available on their own if you just want a plan
What Happens During Your Facial
We begin with a skin analysis and a few questions: what you use now, what you have reacted to, whether you are on a retinoid or an acne prescription, and how your skin has behaved in the last month. That last question matters more than it seems, because skin that was fine in August can be reactive by October. Your esthetician then chooses a cleanser and an exfoliant for the skin in front of her that day. Someone with congestion and an oily T-zone gets a very different exfoliation than someone with a compromised barrier and visible capillaries.
From there, the service follows a familiar rhythm with customized steps. A double cleanse lifts sunscreen and makeup, then exfoliation clears the dead surface layer so everything after it can absorb. Steam softens the skin before extractions, and we only extract what will release without trauma, since forcing a congested pore leaves a mark that lasts longer than the blemish would have. A treatment mask sits while we massage the neck, shoulders, and scalp, which is the part most guests remember.
We close with serum, moisturizer, and sunscreen, and send you home with three or four specific steps, in order, with the reasoning behind each one. If you want your brows or lashes addressed in the same visit, ask about pairing your facial with an eyebrow or lash service, or add a lip or brow wax at the right point in the appointment.
Skin Care Through the Eastern Iowa Seasons
Iowa gives skin a rough ride. Summer here runs humid and bright, which means more oil, more sweat-triggered congestion, and real UV exposure even on overcast days. Winter runs the other way, with single-digit wind chill outside and dry forced air inside, and most guests see their barrier break down sometime in January. A gentler cleanser and a richer moisturizer in winter, plus daily SPF year-round, resolve most of it.
Booking every four to six weeks matches the skin’s natural turnover cycle, and that cadence is where guests see real change, not just a nice afternoon. We recommend scheduling at least two weeks ahead of a wedding, graduation, or photo shoot, and our bridal services build that timing in automatically. Meet our estheticians, or book your facial online whenever you are ready.
Frequently Asked Questions
No, and we see everything. Congestion, adult acne, rosacea, and years without a routine are normal in our treatment room, and our job is to work with where your skin actually is. If you want to ease in, book a skin care consultation first, or pair it with a lighter service like an eyebrow tint so the appointment feels less clinical.
Some flushing is normal for an hour or two, especially after extractions or a stimulating exfoliant, and it usually settles by evening. Tell your esthetician at the start if you have an event that night, and she will adjust the exfoliation and skip aggressive extractions. For anything photographed, book at least two weeks out, the same guidance we give bridal clients planning hair and makeup.
Every four to six weeks is the sweet spot, since that tracks with how quickly skin turns over its surface cells. Quarterly still helps, particularly if timed to the seasonal shifts that are hard on skin here in January and July. Ask our estheticians for a cadence based on your goals, and consider a brow wax at the same visit to save a trip.
Usually yes, but tell us beforehand, since most retinoids need to be paused for several days ahead of exfoliation and extractions. Your esthetician will adjust the service and may recommend a gentler approach on your first visit. Sharing allergies, medications, and skin conditions at consultation is part of our standard intake, outlined in our salon policies, and any lash or brow service booked the same day may need the same heads-up.
We use Aveda in the treatment room, and you are never obligated to buy anything. If you do want to take the routine home, you will get a short list in order of priority so you can start with one or two pieces instead of the whole regimen. If your consultation touches on makeup as well, our makeup artists can recommend complementary products, and you can ask about Aveda Plus Rewards if you buy regularly.