Skin Resolutions

Does anyone know where she went??? Since the shop is closed and the phone number doesn’t work :(

Renee does a great job extracting yo face! My God, there were no scarring but yes, I looked like hell.
I do not have acne prone skin, I have normal skin with deep black heads. She got them all! Whoop. I have smooth skin without the bumps here and there. Its not visible, but feelable. lol.
Minus stars goes to: their booking. My first appointment I came out on a weekday that they were CLOSED. They wrongfully booked me on a wrong day. I came from Fullerton, drove to Monterery Park… LA traffic? ROAR. I luckily ran into a worker (secretary who also does Renee’s grunt work such as face washing). She said «ohhh we uh close.» I confronted to her and told her how far I have driven and why she booked me on a closed day? She would not admit fault and but then told me that I was booked on a different date. :/​I was irritated but what can i do? Her English sucks.
So the day of my appointment rolled around. I came and luckily they were they. As I waited on my bed or room for Renee. Another client came in (Caucasian) for her appointment. She said her appointment was the same time as mine! The secretary (once again the same lady who does Renee’s bitch work) says that she was wrong and its on a different date. That Caucasian older lady said «oh okay Sorry. I thought it was today and this time. I wrote it down.» She looked confused.
SAME SCENARIO AS ME!
I feel like I wanted to sprint out and tell her, «ma’am! i was in your shoes! You didnt make that mistake. THEY DID!» But I would but myself at risk for a terrible facial. lol.
Renee’s skills — No doubt she is great.
Everything and everyONE else — booking, scheduling, customer service, prices, IS IT WORTH IT??? MINUS 2 STARS, HOMEY.
Your customers give you business because of Renee’s great skills. In order to keep it a float, you have to reassess and reevaluate the business as a whole! I drove 40 miles not including LA traffic for this. I would do it again if I wouldn’t wonder if I had they correctly book me the right slot.
Bookkeeping and customer service aint hard you know? –_​– It takes humility and basic writing 101.

Visited Renee this weekend and she is is as always very professional and awesome. I love the office. It is clean and neat. Renee and Jennifer are extremely courteous. And the prices are super awesome.
I am still swollen, but hope to get the glow in the next days.

Sad to say but they have been double booking people and I can no longer give it a 5 star recommendation. What use to be a nice 30 minute to 45 minute session turned into a waiting game or you hear the person next door complaining about waiting too long. About 20 minutes max is spent on my face by the facialist.
I would still recommend this place if you have acne or milia and nothing seems to be working.

Had a facial here due to my intense acne breakout all over my face that has never been there before. Honestly I feel like it could just be me but even after the facial, it’s not like the calm after the storm; I just ended up having acne breaking out from the places she didn’t poke at.
I didn’t see much of a change and I decided to just save my money on water and cleanser.
This is just my experience & everyone’s hormones and skin is different SO… not saying this place is bad but didn’t work for me.

I’ve been here twice for facials and Renee was the one that helped me out. Yes, the extractions hurt very much and in the end, I’m left with such a hideous face (which is what I expected). The second time I visited her, she talked me into a light derma-​brasion, along with the facial, for over $ 100 (I can’t remember the exact price). I stopped going to her because her personality didn’t particularly make me feel comfortable. (I feel like she brags, which is unnecessary)
I did more research and found another facial spot that was nearby. I didn’t expect much but I noticed that it was a little cheaper. Not only that, I received a lot more bang for my buck! This new place did so much more to my face, made it relaxing and her extractions didn’t leave my face so horrid (pain was still there though). The facialists there are super nice too.
So my rating was only due to experiencing better, instead of being biased and using only one person. Overall, a ²⁄₅ stars because as Unilocal says it for 2 stars… «Meh. I“ve experienced better.»

I’ve been holding off on writing this review, because I adore Renee and I think she’s a terrific person. However, I’ve gone to her for extractions at least 10 times now (well over a year) and the quality of service just isn’t what it used to be. Each time I go, I pray that Renee is not overbooked, late, or rushed. However, aside from my first appointment, she has consistently been all three of these things. One time, I waited 54 minutes before she saw me. When I mentioned that she was very late, she responded in an irritated tone that she has to be thorough with everyone and the last session ran long b/​c it was a first-​time client with a lot of acne. Ok, great – I understand that. I, too, was once a first-​time client with a lot of acne so I know how much time she spends with first timers. But, if she knew she was treating a first-​time client, then why didn’t she block off extra time for that person? Instead, her staff booked us at the same time (SAME TIME! not even half an hour apart), and I had to wait nearly an hour to see Renee. Neither Renee nor her staff offered an apology, a discount, extra service – nothing.
I’ve tried making the first appointment of the day, thinking there’s no way I’d have to wait if I’m the first one. Wrong! Another girl showed up at the same time as I did, so we were given our pre-​cleanse and steam back to back. So what’s the big deal? Well, there’s only one Renee. So while one of us was getting extractions for 30+ minutes, the other person was laying under the steam. Lucky for me, I was the first one to get my extractions done the other day. But can you imagine the other poor girl who was left under the steam for that long? Well I can, b/​c I’ve been that girl on numerous occasions.
Ok, so first appointment of the day obviously didn’t work out for me. What about last appointment of the day? I thought maybe that way Renee would spend a little more time on me and not be in such a hurry to rush off to the next client. Wrong again! You see, Renee has a life and friends outside of work, which again, I understand. But what annoyed me is that Renee was 20 min. late for my appointment, she asked Jennifer to start me off (I declined), Renee then came in and did a quick 10 – 15 min. job on me and hurried off with her friend. She was already out the door before Jennifer came in to finish me off with the dry ice. Side note: Stick with the dry ice, which is free! I used to pay extra for the oxygen, b/​c Renee and Jennifer pushed hard for it, but I never noticed a reduction in healing time as they claimed.
So what about mid-​day appointments? I took work off on a Tuesday and a scheduled an appointment at 2. That was the only good day I had. Renee wasn’t overbooked, wasn’t rushed, and wasn’t late. If you can take work off or you don’t work, then I think mid-​day mid-​week is the way to go. BUT, Renee recently just changed her schedule. She only works Tues, Wed, Fri, and Saturdays now. So good luck trying to get an appointment without any overlap.
As other reviewers mentioned, Renee is really great at extractions. That’s why I find myself going back to her despite all the complaints I have. Just mentally prepare yourself that you’re going to have to wait no matter what, even if you have an appointment, and you’ll be fine. Also, as other mentioned, this isn’t a relaxing spa experience. People with moderate to severe acne come here to get heavy duty extractions done. If you’re looking for a massage, you’re out of luck! Jennifer used to give great facial massages during the pre-​cleanse stage, but she’s started to slack on that. It went for 10 min, to 5 min, and this last time she just didn’t do it at all. Please Renee and Jennifer, if you’re reading this, make sure you’re consistent with each client. Make sure to give everyone the facial massage before they sit through extraction torture. And please, please, please stop with the double-​booking. And stop slacking on your long-​term clients, who have been loyal to you and grown your business. We understand that this is your livelihood and you’re always looking to get new clients, but please don’t take your older clients for granted.

I did not have acne at all in high school or even college. I occasionally have breakout here and there, but not anything bad. Then, graduate school hits, and I started to see the breakouts worsening with acne scares and multiple pimples on my forehead. It was painful emotionally and physically to endure. I used all kinds of acne products including proactive and facial acne treatment from expensive spas, but nothing seem to work until I Unilocaled and found Renee. I have been going to her for a 1.5 year.
Renee is very knowledgeable and experienced in this field and has treated many many people. You can ask to see some of her before/​after clients.
Another thing that I like about Skin Resolution is the ease of making appointments. Since Renee is popular, it can be hard to make an appointment a day before. I usually text her Skin Resolution number with my availability. They respond quickly back. They let me know when is the next available appointment or they put me on standby if someone at the last minute cancel. They always send a confirmation text to avoid any confusion and send a reminder text a day before your appointment, which i greatly appreciate it!
If you have bad acne, I recommend giving her a try and wholeheartedly try all her recommendations. Yes, she is right that certain food can trigger acne. I limited those food, and I have seen less breakouts.
I guess you can say I am another Skin Resolution successful story. Thank you, Renee and her team for helping me have back my beautiful skin!
Warning: yes, the extractions are painful (I cry each time I am there)!

Renee’s facials really work. She rids your face of acne, and her facials even prevent them from coming back. Yes, it can be painful, but it’s relieving to not have to deal with breakouts. I used to see Renee regularly about every 2 – 4 weeks, but now my visits to Renee are few and far between. Not because of anything bad, but the opposite. She’s really helped rehabilitate my skin. You don’t have to be a constant regular here for clear healthy skin, because she totally weans your skin off of having to get regular extractions.
I was struggling with my skin for a while, and trips to multiple dermatologists and facialists weren’t working. Renee really does work wonders, and she’s completely adorable! She’s a sweetheart. I have nothing but good things to say.
In response to some of the negative reviews, her assistant does give you the option for her to start the extractions or to wait until Renee finishes her other client. Just opt to wait and her assistant will give you an epic facial massage until Renee is ready for you.

I have struggled with adult onset acne for the last six months. So, on my visit to LA, my sister took me here to experience the magic of Renee. She really does have a gift. Immediately after I left, my acne was significantly better. Every week since my facial, my face has significantly cleared up and I thank Renee for her work. I’ve gone to many facialists in NYC and I’ve never had this level of results! I am tempted to fly back to LA just to see Renee. :)

I have had acne and acne scars on my cheeks since college, and I’ve spent a lot of money trying to get clearer skin. In addition to buying OTC bleach and acne products, I’ve seen dermatologists to get microdermabrasion and/​or various harsh prescription creams. The microdermabrasian made my skin feel soft, but the scars and acne never went away. The creams dried out my skin and got rid of a small percentage of acne, but I was still unsatisfied with the results.
I had gotten facials in the past, and while I felt pampered, they didn’t do much for my skin problems. My cousin later told me about Asian extraction facials. She said they weren’t luxurious and they hurt like heck, but that they produced great results. I decided to give a facial another try, and that’s when I found Renee at Skin Resolutions.
First off, all of the reviews are spot on when they say Renee’s facials are extremely painful. Even though I had prepared for that the first time I went, I was still shocked that the facial reduced me to tears and my face was a bloody mess when I left the office. However, the next day, not only was my skin way softer than when I had tried microderm, she had removed all of my pimples and bumps. When I put makeup on, my skin looked smooth and clear, something that I could never achieve before even with expensive cover ups. Since that initial appointment, I have seen Renee either every month or every two months, and I no longer spend a ton of money on products. Now I only use makeup remover, cleanser, and a drugstore moisturizer, and my skin has never looked softer and fresher.

Renee… I love you. I’m in a real pinch debating whether or not to go back to you. I love that you get torture me, dig up all the buried treasures, sometimes scabbing me… but I’m a fast healer, I can do with an ugly face for a day. Anywho, I dislike the time you’ve allocated in our sessions. You’re so busy with new customers now, double booking and what not. Half the time I’m there, Jennifer is working on my face. She does an okay job, but she doesn’t clean my face like you do Renee. You use to be so thorough, searching and feeling around for those pesky pimples, but last time I found a few that you missed, and that’s because you were rushing to finish someone else’s face.
To new people, give Renee a try… but don’t say I didn’t tell you so! OH and warning, if you have sensitive skin, I wouldn’t recommend Renee’s extraction sessions, it’s possible your skin will never heal. She will DIG until she reaches the «core» otherwise that pimple will just keep growing back. Renee’s treatment is meant more for those who have major to medium skin problems.
If you have light blemishes and what not, I’d suggest going to Heather’s Beauty on Valley Blvd, Alhambra –a session includes extractions, massages, and masks ALL for around the same price that Renee charges. $ 60ish?

Okay, two weeks later and I decided I should update on my facial.
My face, for the first time in months, is smooth and clearing up. I still get small ones here and there but nothing like before. I can’t put it all on the facial though. Per Renee’s advice, I cut caffeine out of my diet. It was ROUGH the first few days, as I’m used to 2 – 3 cups a day. But I upped my water intake instead and I have to say, I feel better and my skin is no longer acting up.
The only problem was it took longer than I expected for my scabs to form and my face to heal. I literally hid from the world for three days before I felt comfortable enough to venture out. Due to that, I had to reschedule my second appointment twice now. Plans keep popping up and since I have to allow 2 – 3 days of recovery, I haven’t been able to go in again. Hopefully next week will work out because a couple of days of recovery is SO worth having better skin.

So first things first. My face looks like Ive been mauled by a rabid raccoon and it burns just to put water on it. :(Now for the review. :P
PROS:
–VERY Professional and knowledgable
–Renee is very meticulous and thorough
–Feel the immediate improvement in skin
–Nice atmosphere
–Not pricey for the service you receive
CONS
–In a jank plaza
–HURTS like a b**ch!!! (A BIG one)
–Takes time to heal and see MAJOR results
Spa Resolutions is tucked away in the Kim Tar plaza right on the corner of New and Garvey. From the outside it looks kinda jank but on the inside, it is very tastefully decorated. Very professional and to the point. If you’re looking for something extravagant, this may not be the place for you.
Jenny the receptionist/​assistant was very nice. She had me fill out a quick survey and sign the consent form. Nothing special or hard. The nice thing is, each table is in an individual room so there is privacy.
Jenny started me off with some moisterizer and steaming which I found pleasant. She was very easy to talk to. She also showed me some before/​after pictures of a previous client which they affectionately nicknamed «Peanut Butter Girl». Apparently she REALLY loved peanut butter. Lol. PEANUT BUTTER GIRL!!! If you’re reading this… YOUR SKIN LOOKS SO BEAUTIFUL!!! :D
Then came Renee. I have to say for a woman of her age… her skin was AMAZING! I feel like if I touched it, it would feel like tofu. :) She was very nice and sooooo knowledgeable. She noticed that the left side of my face had more acne than the right and asked if I had been drinking (I just came back from NYE in Vegas: P) and she explained that the left side of the face tends to signify liver function and apparently mine was not very good (I wonder why). LOL
The extraction was SO painful. It literally felt like I was being stabbed, scrapped, and prodded in the face repeatedly with a spear. But it was SOOOOO worth it! She extracted acne that I didnt even know EXISTED. She is very meticulous about her work. Not only did she clear my face, she also spent her time explaining how to improve my skin by being more healthy, eating certain foods, drinking more fluids. I can’t believe I was doing so many things wrong! I particularly love the fact that her advice was personalized to my skin and lifestyle. She also explained what she was doing when she was doing it, and she also provided a mirror so that I could see what she was doing. There was never a moment that I doubted her work and you can tell that she knew EXACTLY what she was doing.
After the extraction was finished, she gave me a complimentary oxygen treatment to expedite the healing. She also gave me Vitamin E gel pills to put on my face to expedite healing.
My face felt so LIGHT and HEALTHY despite it looking like I had eaten it hard while skateboarding down a gravelly road. It felt so good to the point where I was AFRAID to open my windows while driving home for fear that the pollution in the air would dirty my SUPER CLEAN face. :P
I will update/​review again after my face heals and I go to my next appointment in two weeks! :D :D
All-​in-​all, if you have acne (severe or not) I highly recommend Renee Tseng and Skin Resolutions. They know what they’re doing (she’s been doing it for 16 years) and your skin will thank you for it (maybe not right away)!!! :P :P

I have downgraded this place from 5 to 3 stars.
After almost a year of coming here (about once a month), I’ve decided to stop. It has nothing to do with Rene’s skills. She’s great at getting rid of acne. However, I got tired of 2 things:
1. Rene’s always in a rush since she has many other clients, so her receptionist does the initial extraction and Rene would finish it up. I don’t like the receptionist’s work. I wouldn’t mind her doing the facial/​massage/​or whatever she does, however, the extraction… is a BIG NO! scarring alert!!! — and this is pretty much their routine.
2. They keep rescheduling my appointment. I always make my next appointment right after the facial. It has always been for a month later, but every month, the day before my appointment, they would call me to see if I could come either 1 – 2 hrs earlier or later. This has happened for the past 4 – 5 months. Sorry, but I have things to do, I can’t postpone things every month to accommodate an appointment that was made a month earlier. I thought I was the paying customer?
Anyways, I’m actually quiet sad because Rene does wonders and the location was so convenient, but there are things that I don’t tolerate.
NOTE: if you want to purchase some type of product, pay in cash, because by using a credit card, you’ll get charged more…

It’s been 34 hours since my extraction with Renee. I left the place looking like I’d been attacked by an animal, but that was expected. Bright red patches of raw skin ran through several sections of my face, throbbing, oozing blood and pus as I drove home.
On the night after the extraction, it hurt to take a shower because even droplets of water splashing on the raw skin caused pain. Now, 34 hours later, I am no longer in pain (I just took a shower too), but I still look too beat up to go outside. The raw red patches are slowly becoming scabs, which I presume is a good thing. I have a history of picking and from my experience the wounds usually form a scab in 1 – 2 days and the scab will peel off on the fourth or fifth day. That is what I am hoping for.
It was my first time seeing Renee, but it was not my first extraction. My main issue with my skin is clogged pores — deep ones that never surface or become blackheads that can be extracted on my own — and they sometimes get inflamed and develop into nasty cysts. Years ago, I had two extractions done at two different clinics. I was unhappy both times, as I found that the esthetician did not completely remove the plugs, turning clogged pores into pimples or cysts. They also missed multiple spots of clogged pores. I gave up on extractions for a while after that, and managed to do some of them at home on my own. In the last 1.5 years, however, my growing collection of clogged pores got so large and unmanageable that I decided to find a skilled esthetician to properly take them out all at once, and this is where Renee comes into the picture.
Renee is much more skilled than the others, and I feel that she really got all the gunk out of my face in one session. However, I must say that it was a complete torture fest. At first, I took the pain well. I was thrilled to see all the clogs being pulled out of my face (that I couldn’t get on my own) as I squirmed in the chair. After a while though, I had to refrain myself from kicking my feet and screaming. I almost felt like I was in one of those godawful Saw movies. It was honestly the worst pain I’ve experienced in a while.
The most painful part was when Renee cleaned out spots that were recently cysts. I occasionally get these huge, underground cysts that stick around for 2 – 3 weeks and never come to a head. They just eventually flatten a little, but never fully heal since the contents were not expelled. I watched as Renee stab, squeeze, and dig repeatedly into these spots until the contents came out. I’m kind of worried that these spots will scar, but we will see what happens when the scabs come off…
If you have a problem with clogged pores, Renee is your woman. I’ve been a compulsive picker for years but I don’t think I will pick anymore. I will save all the stubborn clogged pores for Renee to extract all at once for me. It’s simply impossible for one to do it as efficiently as an esthetician without the magnifying glass, skill, and good angle.
As others have mentioned, do not book an appointment right before an event where you wish to look good. You should give your face at least a few days to heal. I planned my appointment right before my days off so I can hide at home while my face heals. That should explain the too long, too much information Unilocal review :)
I am hoping to see smooth skin when these scabs fall off. My goal is to stop wearing makeup as I believe that it’s a major contributor to my acne. Even though I use expensive mineral make up and concealer that is «designed» for acne-​prone skin and is non-​comedogenic, I always notice a decrease in congestion on my face when I go make-​up free for a few days. I have had enough of the make up – acne – more makeup – more acne cycle. Good luck to us in our quest for beautiful clear skin!

With all the stress as of late, I’ve been breaking out like crazy. Admittedly, my break outs aren’t bad. I was one of those lucky girls who didn’t break out much in hs and had relatively clear skin. but as of late. going from no pimples to lots of little ones everywhere + cystic acne. I was definitely going «meth head» on my face (as another Unilocaler succinctly put).
So after Unilocaling for weeks, I’ve been eyeing Skin Resolutions. All the people kept talking about how amazing this woman was at getting every last white/​black/​cystic, etc. she sounded like a godsend. Prior to my visit, I’ll admit that I nonchalantly overlooked all the talk about pain from their visit. Pain? Not me… I’m sure I could rough it — can’t be that bad. I have a high tolerance for pain. Hell, I’ve broken my hand and didn’t even notice. So appointment made, visit there.
HOLY MOTHER OF FREAKING GOD ON HIGH. This woman is NO JOKE. I swear I was holding my breath, near pass out, and the more thrill she seemed to be getting — the harder I prayed that it would end.
But let me start off first by saying Renee is EXTREMELY knowledgeable about skin and super sweet. Even before telling her, she was able to tell I slept late (yea usually like 3:30am as of late), slept on my left side, drank a lot of caffeine, etc. Something about Chinese medicine and where the breakouts were. Totally awesome and extremely informative. She taught me a lot about my skin. I really liked hearing her talk about her expertise.
Oh but going back to the experience. I was so relieved when the first round was over… THEN SHE DOUBLE CHECKS AND GOES AT IT AGAIN! I mean, A+ for thoroughness but the «double check» near made me pee myself.
It was kind cool that she showed what she was digging out (I mean DIGGING out) and by no means were her moves unnecessary. She got rid of the huge bump on my face from the cystic acne (singular) and even got stuff out from areas that I thought were impeccable!
The reviews were no lie: you WILL ABSOLUTELY leave here looking like your face went through a meat processor. I had to send my bf a photo and he literally responded: «WTF baby. It looks like someone dragged you face down through the street.» I had originally planned to go study after — my appointment was at 3pm and returning back to the OC border meant dreaded LA traffic. I will tell you, I VOLUNTEERED to sit in traffic after I saw what I looked like. No way in hell I was going anywhere with that face post-​visit.
The oxygen mist thing was a godsend. It was so nice and cool on my face after the pulsating pain. I also like how she didn’t push products and she was HONEST about the price and quality. I am a HUGE fan of this Phytomer product – which I never heard of. I definitely plan on visiting her again (maybe this time drugged up with vicodin or hell. I might need an epidural) and letting her have her masochistic fun + buying some of this product from her. Her prices are MUCH lower and fair for the quality + amount of product.
I’m granting two weeks before I update this review. I’m a little worried that these marks on my face won’t disappear but they have slowly been reducing. She assured me that in two weeks time they would be gone and I won’t have to be at this wedding looking like a connect-​the-​dot puzzle. It’s only been a couple days after my visit and they have been going down but the big ones — the cystic ones. they still have a pretty significant mark. I will admit that the bumps are gone (meaning the gunk is out). but I would have rather had no mark on my face and a slight bump than the amount of marks and scabs I have on my face now.
Two weeks. I’ll update this.
As of now, her service was excellent, her work extremely detailed but hella painful, the products were excellent, her understanding and expertise was evident… we’ll just hope that the final result will bring my recommendation. I will adjust up to a five star with recommendation if these marks are gone in time for my friend’s wedding in 2 weeks.

First I’d like to thank all these negative reviews that made my facials at Renee’s better and better. Renee does care about every client thats why she takes all these negative reviews into action. She does use gloves now, she does cover up your eyes now (although I don’t get why you’ll want to open them unless you want to see every little treasures on your face), and I’ve never ran into Renee double booking. It’s a common sense that its going to be packed during the weekends, so if you don’t want her assistant to do your face, simply avoid the busy days/​times. Otherwise deal with it.
Renee deserves every praise on here, enough said. I just want to add that this is not your typical facial at a spa because you’ll be in and out within an hour. Don’t expect a mask or some sort of pampering, and be prepared to be tortured and look horrible for the next few days. But its all worth it because you’ll look amazing after 3 days or so until your next appointment with Renee.
I’m not a big fan of the oxygen mist, don’t get me wrong tho, it does help your face than nothing. I prefer LED light treatment much more but Renee does not offer this service… as of now, but I know she will be soon! Can’t wait until my winter break back to Cali!

How do I live without you? How do I breath without you? I want to know… How do I make it through another day without you? Renee, hope you can hear my song. :)
I’ve been going to Renee every 5~6 weeks for a whole year now! Our 1 year anniversary is coming up in 2 weeks. :) My face is soooo clear now it’s amazing, just ask her for the before and after photos and you’ll see the difference.
Prices at time this review is written:
Acne/​Pimple Treatment $ 55
European Facial $ 55
Oxygen Therapy Treatment $ 30, combined w/​other treatment $ 20
Mini Spa-​style facial $ 40
Micro-​dermabrasion $ 100
She also does waxing, ear candling, masks, lash perms, and hand softening treatment. I’ve never had these, so call for more details.
Enjoy!

Hey, FacePicker! Yes, YOU! Read this…
Before discovering Renee through Unilocal,I had wasted a good deal of my savings over the past two years going through series of, first, spa facials, then microdermabrasion, and finally glycolic peel sessions to help me with my recurring breakouts.
Actually the breakouts were not that horrible to begin with. It’s that I impulsively, unconsciously and constantly PICK at any little whitehead/​blackhead/​blemish that shows up on my face. And THAT leaves my face with scabs, red marks, or infected red angry bumps.
Yes, I, too, am a FacePicker — ever-​ready with both index fingers to meet anything that pops up to the surface… only to fail miserably because our enemies remain beneath the surface gathering strength to launch their never-​ending offensive. That is, unless we get to the root of things — which brings me to Renee.
Yes, as others have written in their reviews, Renee’s treatments are not gentle (an understatement), but they are THOROUGH. Unlike most other day spas out there, she not only extracts what is visible on the surface, but goes deep to get to «the core» which is the cause of repeated eruptions on the same site.
That last bit about «the core» I learned during my first appointment with Renee, which included some educational information about breakouts and instruction on the proper way of extracting a pimple (since Renee does not live in my purse and in case this facepicker does require emergency popping between appointments). All this being delivered while she walks you through her process.
A couple of notes:
1. This is not Burke Williams.
Renee’s facilities are more suited for medical treatment so don’t expect the relaxing ambience with mood lighting — how can she clean your skin if she can’t see it? Nevertheless, feel prepared to leave highly satisfied
2. Renee is not a sadist.
Yes, YOU WILL CRY, but this is definitely a scenario where pain=gain. She will not relent until she gets that «core» out. And when Renee offers to show you whatever she digs out of your face, do not liken it to a serial killer showing off some gory trophy. She is simply expressing her sense of satisfaction and accomplishment in being able to do successfully do her job.
2. Watching does not make you a masochist…
…or maybe it does. I must admit that I’ve been curious about how extractions look as they’re being carried out but have been embarrassed to ask because my previous aestheticians looked horrified when I ask for permission to watch. So imagine my delighted surprise when Renee actually offered me a mirror during our first session. At first I was incredulous to see the amount of yellow-​green stuff come out of my nose pores (TMI?) but once we progressed through the facial, I found myself celebrating each extraction with her («Yay! You finally got it out!», or «Whoa! That was a big one! Never thought all THAT was under there.»).
Long story short, if you want to watch, just ask.
3. Results within a day or two.
You will walk out of each appointment with red splotches due to Renee’s aggressive ministrations so I highly advise not scheduling a facial within 2 days of any occasion/​party where you need to look gorgeous. But once the redness dies down, you’ll feel and see the benefits of the treatment and you WILL book another appointment with her.
4. Always use toner after washing…
… just another pearl of wisdom I picked up from Renee (this time during our second appointment). Reason being, the skin’s pH is naturally slightly acidic to fight off bacteria, but facial cleansers tend to neutralize your skin pH. Additionally, washing with warm to luke-​warm water opens your pores which allows more pollutants in. Using a toner: 1) restores your skins pH and, 2) cleans out those pollutants while closing your pores. (Did I get that one right, Renee?)
5. Cash only.
Believe me, for what she charges, you can pay her cash.
Now, onto the serious stuff…
As I mentioned in the first part of this review, I had bought series of microdermabrasion and chemical peel sessions, mostly because I had two dark blemishes — raised dried scars from my constant picking. Neither repeatedly blasting it with diamond particles or burning it with acid made it fade or even flattened it out.
During our first session two months ago, Renee showed me why it never went away — to my initial horror, she peeled off the scabs, then to my surprise, from each she extracted the small «core». Needless to say, my two-​year old scars have flattened out and have already begun fading.
For that, I give Renee my sincerest thank and this review.