Cleanse, exfoliate, extract if needed, mask, hydrate. The complete, customized facial that suits every skin type and asks nothing of you but an hour.
A classic facial at Life Massage and Wellness in Portsmouth, NH is the complete, foundational skin treatment: a thorough double cleanse, exfoliation, gentle extractions where they are needed, a mask chosen for your skin on the day, facial massage, and layered hydration and protection to finish.
What makes it classic is the structure rather than the products. Every step is customized once your esthetician has actually looked at your skin, so the same appointment name produces quite a different treatment for oily congested skin than it does for dry, sensitive, or mature skin. Nothing is applied by default.
It suits first-timers particularly well, because there is nothing to research and nothing to decide in advance. It equally suits regulars who want reliable, thorough maintenance rather than a specialized treatment. If you are not sure what your skin needs, this is the appointment that answers the question.
Suitable for every skin type, and the right first booking if you are new to facials.
A classic facial is a structured multi-step treatment that cleanses, exfoliates, treats, and hydrates the skin, delivered by a licensed esthetician who adapts each step to what your skin needs that day. It is the foundation of professional skincare, and nearly every specialized facial is a variation on this sequence.
The treatment opens with a double cleanse, first removing makeup, sunscreen, and surface debris, then cleansing the skin itself properly. Your esthetician then examines your skin under a magnifying lamp, which is the point at which the rest of the treatment is decided rather than assumed.
Exfoliation follows, chosen for your skin type: a gentle enzyme for sensitive skin, a physical or chemical exfoliant for congested or dull skin. Where extractions are appropriate, they are performed carefully after the skin has been softened with warmth or steam, and never forced. A mask suited to your skin sits while your esthetician performs facial and often neck and shoulder massage, which is invariably the part clients remember. The treatment finishes with serums, moisturizer, and sun protection layered to seal everything in.
A good home routine matters more than any single facial, and we will always say so. What professional treatment adds is depth and expertise: exfoliation stronger than anything sold for home use, extractions performed properly rather than at a bathroom mirror, and an experienced eye telling you what your skin is actually doing rather than what a label claims.
The honest expectation is a visible improvement in brightness, texture, and comfort that lasts a couple of weeks, and a cumulative benefit if you come regularly. We would rather set that expectation than imply one appointment transforms anything, and your esthetician will happily tell you which two products in your routine are doing the most work and which you could stop buying.
The decisive moment is the skin analysis after cleansing. Your esthetician looks closely at hydration, oil, congestion, sensitivity, and texture, then chooses the exfoliant, mask, and finishing products accordingly. Two clients booking the same appointment on the same afternoon will receive noticeably different treatments.
Your input shapes it too. Tell us about your routine, any actives such as retinoids or acids, recent treatments, sensitivities, and anything coming up in your calendar. Actives in particular matter, since they change what exfoliation is safe.
Nothing happens without explanation. Your esthetician will tell you what they are applying and why, and will ask before extractions rather than proceeding on assumption.
A classic facial is a wellness and skincare treatment rather than medical care, and we make no medical claims. These are the reasons clients book.
Please tell us about retinoids, acids, recent peels or laser treatment, injectables, active acne, rosacea, or any skin condition when booking, since these affect what is appropriate. If you are on prescription skincare, check with your prescriber first.
A comfortable, straightforward hour. Here is the whole of it.
We talk through your routine, actives, and sensitivities, then double cleanse. Arrive ten minutes early, and without makeup if convenient.
Your esthetician examines your skin closely and chooses the exfoliant accordingly, followed by warmth or steam to soften the skin.
Careful extractions where appropriate and agreed, then a custom mask while you receive facial and often neck and shoulder massage.
Serums, moisturizer, and sun protection layered to finish, plus honest guidance on your routine if you would like it.
Skin may look slightly flushed for an hour or two, which settles into a glow. Avoid heavy makeup, strenuous exercise, saunas, and direct sun for the rest of the day, and wear sun protection tomorrow. If you have an event, book a week or two ahead rather than the day before.
Our estheticians customize genuinely rather than running a fixed protocol, and they will tell you honestly what your skin needs, including when the answer is simply drinking more water and using sunscreen. Nobody here is on a mission to sell you a shelf of product.
The studio at 95 Brewery Ln, Unit #17 is minutes from downtown Portsmouth with free parking right at the door, and treatments happen in private candlelit rooms rather than curtained bays. We are open seven days a week with evening hours, and the facial massage in a quiet warm room is a large part of why clients rebook.
Clients come to us from across Portsmouth and from Rye, Greenland, Newington, Dover, Newmarket, and Kittery. If a hydrating or anti aging facial would serve you better, we will say so rather than booking you into whatever you clicked.
Skin renews on roughly a monthly cycle, which makes a membership a natural fit. One service each month from $105, member rates on additional bookings, 10% off retail, and hours that roll over for up to six months.
A classic facial suits every skin type, which makes it one of the safest gifts there is. Any amount, any service, either studio, purchased online in minutes.
Still have a question? We’re happy to talk it through before you book.
Yes. Oily, dry, combination, sensitive, and mature skin are all suited, because the steps adapt rather than the appointment changing. Your esthetician chooses the exfoliant, mask, and finishing products after examining your skin, so two people booking the same treatment receive noticeably different sessions.
Monthly suits most skin, which roughly matches the cycle of skin renewal and is why our membership is built around it. Some clients come every six to eight weeks and do perfectly well. Regular treatment produces a cumulative benefit that a single appointment cannot, though even an occasional facial is worthwhile.
Only where appropriate and only with your agreement. Extractions are performed after the skin has been softened with warmth or steam, which makes them far more comfortable, and they are never forced. Some areas are more sensitive than others and your esthetician will stop the moment you ask.
Yes, but a week or two ahead rather than the day before. Skin can look slightly flushed for a couple of hours and extractions occasionally bring something to the surface over the following days. Booking with a buffer means you get the glow without any of the settling.
Customized to your skin, comfortable from start to finish. Reserve online in under two minutes.
Therapeutic massage and specialty wellness in Portsmouth, NH and Amesbury, MA.
Portsmouth: 603 373 8780
Amesbury: 978 792 5201
Sunday 8:00 am – 5:00 pm
Monday – Thursday 8:00 am – 7:00 pm
Friday 8:00 am – 6:00 pm
Saturday 8:00 am – 5:00 pm
Sunday Closed
Monday – Thursday 9:00 am – 8:00 pm
Friday 9:00 am – 6:00 pm
Saturday 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
Sunday 8:00 am – 5:00 pm
Monday – Thursday 8:00 am – 7:00 pm
Friday 8:00 am – 6:00 pm
Saturday 8:00 am – 5:00 pm
Sunday Closed
Monday – Thursday 9:00 am – 8:00 pm
Friday 9:00 am – 6:00 pm
Saturday 9:00 am – 5:00 pm