Open almost any spa menu and you'll see it: the Hydrating Facial, the Brightening Facial, the Anti-Aging Facial, the Acne Facial. You pick the one that sounds closest to your skin, book it, and hope it was the right call. It's a simple way to shop, but it asks you to diagnose your own skin before anyone has looked at it.
More clients are asking for something different: a facial built around what their skin needs that day. Here's why I think a personalized facial beats a menu facial, what the research says about how much your skin really changes, and what a custom facial looks like at my Henderson studio.
What's the difference between a menu facial and a personalized facial?
A menu facial is a fixed protocol. "The Hydrating Facial" uses the same cleanser, exfoliant, serums and mask for everyone who books it. The steps are decided before you walk in.
A personalized (custom) facial starts with an assessment of your skin, then the esthetician chooses the steps, products and tools based on what they see. Two people booked into the same time slot can get very different treatments.
Menu facials aren't bad. They're predictable and easy to book. But they're built for an average client, and nobody's skin is average for long.
Your skin isn't one "type," and it doesn't stay the same
We're all taught to pick a skin type (oily, dry, combination, normal) and shop for it. The research shows skin is more complicated than that.
Different zones behave differently. A study that measured sebum at five spots on the face across a full year found oil output was higher on the forehead, nose and chin than on the cheeks. The authors suggested that "combination skin" should be defined by both regional and seasonal differences (Youn et al., 2005).
Your skin shifts with the seasons. In that same study, sebum was highest in summer and changed across the year in both the T-zone and the cheeks (Youn et al., 2005). The skin you had in July may not be the skin you have in December.
Dry, cool air weakens the barrier. A review of the research on climate and skin found that low humidity and low temperatures lead to a general decrease in skin barrier function and can make skin more reactive to irritants (Engebretsen et al., 2016). That matters a lot in the Las Vegas valley, where the air is dry most of the year and winter adds cooler temperatures on top.
Sensitivity is common. A meta-analysis of 26 studies covering more than 50,000 people found that about 71% of people report some degree of sensitive skin, and about 40% report moderate or very sensitive skin (Chen et al., 2020). Sensitivity can come and go, which is exactly why it helps to check before choosing products and tools.
Put those together and a fixed menu facial has a problem. A treatment chosen for "oily skin" might be perfect for your T-zone in August and too stripping for your cheeks in January.
Why I prefer a facial designed in the moment
This is the part I love about my work. When you're on my table, I'm not following a script. I'm reading your skin and adjusting as I go. A personalized facial lets me:
Treat zones separately. I might decongest your nose and chin while keeping your cheeks calm and hydrated.
Match exfoliation to your barrier. If your skin is reactive or compromised, I go gentler. If it's resilient and congested, I can do more. (If your barrier needs some TLC, my guide on how to repair a damaged skin barrier is a good place to start.)
Skip what you don't need. No paying for a step just because it's on the menu.
Change course mid-treatment. If your skin flushes or feels tight, I can switch to something soothing on the spot.
Send you home with a plan. Clients often ask me what to use at home, and the answer depends on what I saw that day, not a generic routine.
What a personalized facial looks like at my Henderson studio
My all-inclusive Curated Facial is built around your skin that day. Every session starts with a skin analysis and a conversation about your concerns and goals, so each step has a purpose. From there it includes a double cleanse, exfoliation, extractions, lymphatic and facial massage, targeted serums, a mask, hydration and SPF.
You choose the length:
The Refresh (60 minutes)
The Signature (90 minutes)
The Ultimate (120 minutes)
Curated Facials start at $175, and here's what makes this one different: the advanced add-ons are included at no extra cost. Depending on what your skin needs, I may use:
Dermaplaning
Hydrodermabrasion
Diamond tip microdermabrasion
LED and oxygen infusion
CoolJet cold plasma
You don't have to know which ones you need. That's my job. I choose what fits your skin in the moment, and you never have to weigh whether an add-on is "worth it." You can read more about how it works in my post on all-inclusive facials in Henderson.
New to my studio?
If it's your first visit, the New Client Consultation + Curated Facial ($175, 90 minutes) gives us 30 minutes to go through your skin history, lifestyle and goals, followed by a 60-minute facial. (Add-ons are not included with this option; they come with the all-inclusive Curated Facial.)
And through December 31, 2026, new clients get a free full Bio-Logic skin scan with their first Curated Facial. It's a great way to get a closer look at your skin and give us a baseline to track over time.
If you already know you want a peel, the Advanced Custom Facial ($200, 75 minutes) is a customized facial that includes a professional chemical peel chosen for your skin type and goals.
What about the massage?
The massage portion of a facial is more than a nice extra. In my facials I use lymphatic drainage and muscular, sculptural massage techniques. The research on facial massage is still small, but one study found that five minutes of facial roller massage on one cheek increased skin blood flow in that area for at least 10 minutes, and that daily use over five weeks improved how well the small blood vessels responded to heat (Miyaji et al., 2018). If you're curious about the de-puffing side, I wrote about lymphatic drainage facials and what they can and can't do.
Personalizing your routine at home
A custom facial works best when your home routine is customized too. A few examples of how I match products to what I see:
Reactive or stressed skin: a calming serum like EltaMD Skin Recovery Serum.
Combination skin that's oily in some zones and dry in others: a balancing serum like Skinbetter Mystro Active Balance Serum.
Moisturizer that matches your skin right now: Skinbetter Trio Rebalancing Moisture Treatment for normal to oily skin, or Skinbetter Trio Luxe Moisture Treatment when your skin needs richer hydration, like during a dry desert winter.
Not sure which fits? That's exactly what we'll figure out together during your facial.
A quick note
A facial is a cosmetic treatment, not medical care. If you have a skin condition such as persistent redness, a rash, or acne that isn't improving, please see a dermatologist or medical provider. I'm always happy to work alongside your doctor's plan.
Book your personalized facial in Henderson
If you've been picking facials off a menu and hoping for the best, try one that's designed around you. I'd love to see you at my studio at 64 N Pecos Rd, Suite 2000 in Henderson, just a short drive from anywhere in Las Vegas.
Book your Curated Facial here, or contact me with any questions.
References
Chen W, Dai R, Li L. (2020). The prevalence of self-declared sensitive skin: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, 34(8), 1779–1788. https://doi.org/10.1111/jdv.16166
Engebretsen KA, Johansen JD, Kezic S, Linneberg A, Thyssen JP. (2016). The effect of environmental humidity and temperature on skin barrier function and dermatitis. Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, 30(2), 223–249. https://doi.org/10.1111/jdv.13301
Miyaji A, Sugimori K, Hayashi N. (2018). Short- and long-term effects of using a facial massage roller on facial skin blood flow and vascular reactivity. Complementary Therapies in Medicine, 41, 271–276. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ctim.2018.09.009
Youn SW, Na JI, Choi SY, Huh CH, Park KC. (2005). Regional and seasonal variations in facial sebum secretions: a proposal for the definition of combination skin type. Skin Research and Technology, 11(3), 189–195. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0846.2005.00119.x
