Hot Spot: Su-Man Hsu’s Skin Reborn Facial
Facialist Su-Man Hsu doing her signature facial treatment.
The Treatment: Celebrity facialist Su-Man Hsu’s Signature 60-minute Skin Reborn Sculpting Facial
The Lowdown: Su-Man’s facials have found a cult following among celebs like Anne Hathaway and Juliette Binoche. Blending her background as a professional dancer with her training in shiatsu and other massage techniques, Su-Man’s treatment has been likened to a natural version of Botox. She exclusively uses her own line of products that combine Asian skincare philosophy (she’s a serious proponent of product layering) with Western technology.
The Backdrop: Though she has her own private studio in London, Su-Man also makes appearances as a guest facialist at spas around the world from Bali to Dubai. I was lucky enough to land a coveted appointment during her stopover in New York at the Sense Spa at the Carlyle Hotel. The luxe treatment room was covered in fresh rose petals, making it a real oasis in the middle of the city.
The Scoop: As someone with super-sensitive skin, I am always a bit wary of facials. I’ve come out of one too many rooms looking worse than when I entered. But, with a particularly dry winter coming to a close, my skin was dull, lifeless and limp. Luckily she had a solution. According to her philosophy, if you make a 2-minute face massage part of your everyday routine, you will breathe new life into your skin and won’t need a facelift later in life either. “Like anything, skincare requires a little effort to get results,” she says. “You can’t just ignore your skin and expect it to look beautiful on its own.” But, the 51 year old who doesn’t look a day over 25 also assures me that her own morning routine takes no longer than five minutes. “With this method, my skin looks so good that I never have to wear makeup!”
The Result: My treatment started out with a personalized skin analysis. Su-Man’s diagnosis: redness and dryness. After an hour of vigorous massage, a few light extractions and layers of product from toner to essence to eye cream (which I learned should always be applied in a zig-zag motion), my face felt completely rejuvenated. My skin was brighter and plumper and there were no red spots to be seen. I felt so refreshed that I was reluctant to step out of the spa and into the less-than-pristine NYC subway. But Su-Man’s facials don’t come cheap, so back onto the city streets I went. But, I’ve already booked a spot for Su-Man’s next NYC visit in September. Until then, I’ll be practicing my massage technique, care of this helpful how-to:
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