[Review #688]
2022 Yelp 100 Challenge (9/100)…read more
I've been a client of Susan Halpern since 2014 when she worked at Murad Inclusive Health Spa (refer to Review #111) where I first started my recurring monthly facial treatments in 2002. I lost touch with Susan after the spa closed, & it took me another 5 years to find & reconnect as a client of Forever Young By Susan in 11/2020. Her "studio" is located in The Face Place & More Skin & Body Care, sharing the space with Linda Hirsch, Cloud 9 Massage, SkinFX, & Advanced Skincare By Marilyn.
Services include anti-aging/acne facials (Luminesce, Acne Complex, Sun Undone, Resurgence, Back, Youth Building, Chinese Gua Sha, AHA Rapid Exfoliator, Men's)
& waxing (Chin/Lip/Sideburns, Brow/Underarm, Traditional Bikini, Playboy Bikini, 1/2 Leg, Full Leg/Back/Chest). The facials are customized to client's needs & 50+ min. facials include additional services.
I used to alternate between Luminesce, AHA Rapid Exfoliator, & Resurgence as a Murad client. Since reconnecting, I've been booking the CHINESE FACIAL GUA SHA (detoxification of face, neck, & shoulders with special jade gua sha technique; combats aging, reduces inflammation & puffy eyes, decreases pore sizes, help speed up cell regeneration, reduces stress) on a monthly basis to clean my face healthy & glowing.
The daily life workload & stress, in addition to COVID-19, I really need this monthly getaway, even if it's just a small fraction of time. I'm usually just on time or a couple minutes behind, Susan always opens & greets me at the door with a smile (a huge + in my book that I'm not delayed because that cuts into my paid time)! =) The space is private -- just us -- but I always wear my mask & make sure I'm healthy before going even if we're vaccinated & boosted, & there's a temperature check at the entrance.
The intimate room is clean & well-organized with dimmed lighting, comfy & warm bed, & relaxing background music to promote a serene & zen treatment. Before starting, Susan did a thorough analysis (to make sure this is the best facial for my current needs). As mentioned in the previous review, a good esthetician should recommend a different method than your standard MO because your skin changes with age, sun exposure/the elements, etc. Susan ALWAYS does just that at each appointment, adjusting the technique, timing of each process, etc. And if you're a new client, she explains what product & process in each step. At times, I don't even have to point out the problem areas because she spots these changes under the magnifying glass & adjust the treatment to rebalance & rejuvenate my skin.
Sometimes Susan focuses more on my face, & other times when I'm rather stressed/tensed, she spends a little more time on the mini massage to remove the kinks & knots in my shoulders & neck. I'm highly sensitive to touch (= extremely ticklish), yet she skillfully maneuvers over these stress points with ease without my breaking out into delirious laughter. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Only 1 other professional, Francine (also from defunct Murad), was able to give me a massage without me squealing or squirming. Under Susan's proficient care & deft hands, the extraction process was minimal in discomfort that I can nap through the facial process when I'm tired.
Most recently, I've been awake through my facials to chat in Cantonese. It's so nice to find someone who can speak the language so I can strengthen my Chinese roots, help me with common idioms & phrases, etc., bond over upbringing & familial care, etc. =)
Comfort, quality, & care is what Forever Young By Susan is all about. Susan incorporates Eastern & Western techniques to detox & take care of the my skin issues that leaves me with dewy, glowing skin! I highly recommend Susan for your facial treatments. So sit back & relax... you're definitely in good hands (pun intended). ;-)
