Here’s something that we can’t do by ourselves at home, even if we have the best skincare routine: a good extraction facial that removes all the gunk that are congesting our pores. Clearing our pores of whiteheads and blackheads isn’t just a great way at preventing the occurrence of acne, but is also what we need if we want brighter, more radiant-looking skin.

If you’re looking for a good extraction facial to try, here are a few great ones that you can consider.

1. Face Shower Bar

Reviewer: Grace Ang

Face Shower Bar is the first “dry bar of facials” in Singapore that offers fast, customised, affordable facials for modern women who have little time to maintain a healthy skincare routine. They billed itself as the new facial bar that give you the clearest skin of your life in 30 minute flat.

I found out that Face Shower Bar was opened by Ikeda Spa, a very reputable Japanese spa brand, and furthermore, I had never heard of a ‘facial dry bar’ before, so I was very excited to see what was in it for me.

Face Shower Bar, opened by Ikeda Spa, is located at CityLink Mall, only about 5 minutes’ walk away from City Hall MRT towards Marina Square exit. It’s just a few units down from Sushi Express, and trust me when I say that you won’t miss it!

As the first facial dry bar in Singapore, they advocate a fuss-free experience, so customers are attended to on a first-come-first-serve basis. This means you don’t have to worry about planning your facials ahead, simply walk in whenever you feel like you need a quick pick-me-up!

When you get there, the first thing you should do is get a queue number at their ticket kiosks. After that, you can either proceed to the dressing table to remove your makeup in preparation for your facial, or simply kick back and relax in their lounge area.

Face Shower Bar’s signature facial is called the Quick Shower Facial and it includes a customised exfoliation process using hydra-dermabrasion (which is usually an expensive add-on in other facial places). Face Shower Bar is offering this facial at a great price of SGD48 for first-timers (usual price SGD90)! You can also opt for other add-ons like their Quick Shower Boosters, which includes the latest trending modelling mask to RF V Contour Lift, with prices ranging from SGD40 to SDG70.

A questionnaire application so that their beauty advisors can customise your facial to address your skin concerns

Using an iPad, I answered 10 questions which were similar to what a dermatologist would ask during an in-person visit. In fact, they were written with help by an expert real dermatologist.

The questions allowed my beauty advisor Elaine to make very specific customisation to my facial to address my skin concerns. Elaine then gave me a quick rundown on the steps that I’d be undergoing and why this was suitable for my skin concerns.

Elaine used the hydra-dermabrasion machine on my face, along with a set of three patented skin solutions called DermaSOS. Each solution have different functions:

• DermaSoften-1: It first dissolves impurities and soften dead skin cells with a gentle vortex liquid wash.
• DermaOpen-2: It then opens up the pores and unclog blackheads with painless suction.
• DermaSoothe-3: Soothes irritated skin and revives dry, dehydrated patches with a cocktail of calming solution through vortex infusion.

My skin was first cleansed, just to make sure that all the makeup residue on my face had been removed. She then followed with a really soothing lymphatic face massage which I enjoyed a lot.

Next, the hydra-dermabrasion machine was used to thoroughly cleanse and exfoliate the skin. This step is similar to an extraction, but instead of manually picking out gunk, it uses technology to do so. It removes dead skin and blackheads too! Do not be alarmed if your skin looks red at first; the redness subsides very quickly with the help of a soothing lotion which is later massaged into the skin.

The fourth and optional step was the Quick Shower Boosters. I have combination skin, and clusters of acne that are still active, so I opted for the Charcoal Modelling Mask for its purifying and balancing effects.

“I always tell my clients this isn’t a quick fix”, Elaine warned me. “We’re giving your skin a really deep, professional clean. We’re getting rid of makeup residue, dirt buildup from pollution, dead-skin cells, and letting your skin rejuvenate at a much faster level, but it’s not a one time thing.”

As she explained it, one treatment is basically like washing a week’s worth of buildup. It will make your skin look better, but it won’t be a permanent solution.

“You can’t go to the gym once and expect to lose weight in one session,” she said. “This is the same thing.”

The Quick Facial Shower facials are gentle enough that you could do it as frequently as every other day. At SGD48, you could do four sessions of the Quick Shower Facial for the price of one regular facial too! I was so excited to know that busy, working adults had an option like this now in Singapore.

Busy, working adults looking for a quick “perk-me-up” will definitely be pleased at how seamless and efficient the service is at Face Shower Bar. They work efficiently, and without compromising on the quality of the facial experience.

For returning customers, you only need your mobile number to access your facial and skin improvement track records via tablets in stores or on their website. This will greatly assist in speeding up the facial process, so you can really just pop in and out to get a once-over!

After the treatment, my skin looked and felt good enough for me to head back to work. It was not too red, and I noticed that it had a nice glow to it. One thing’s for sure, it was totally painless and I did not experience any downtime. Moreover, Face Shower Bar gave me a great opportunity to catch up on some sleep while getting my facial done.

For a relatively short 45-minute affair, my skin was feeling much smoother and cleaner after the treatment. I would definitely be willing to sacrifice my lunch break for this quickie facial once a month!

Face Shower Bar 

Address: One Raffles Link, B1-17A, Citylink Mall, Singapore 039393

Opening hours: 11am – 9.30pm

Contact details: Call 6920 8772 | Website | Email [email protected]

2. The Spa-Lon

Reviewer: Eli Alias

If you take a look at The Spa-Lon’s Facebook page, you’d notice that it has very favourable reviews. Given 4.8 out of 5 stars among almost 40 reviewers, The Spa-Lon is clearly a salon that is well-loved by its customers. This is why I was excited to visit them.

Upon entry at The Spa-Lon, I was welcomed with warm greetings and directed to the consultation room. I was introduced to the Senior therapist, Irene. A skin analysis was conducted to measure my skin’s moisture level, texture, elasticity, and exposure to UV light. I learnt that I have sensitive skin that is oily, especially around the cheeks and T-zone. My skin is prone to breakouts too.

Based on my skin’s condition, Irene recommended the 90-minute Marine Breeze Pollution Shield with ATP-38 Lightwave treatment, an extraction facial that is suitable for unclogging pores and revitalising skin.

I was told that this treatment helps regulate sebum, brighten the appearance of complexion, deep cleanse, detoxify, and purify skin. The ATP-38 Lightwave treatment aids in collagen production and regulates melanin level, resulting in a more radiant-looking complexion.

The products used are from Phytomer, a brand that’s backed by marine biotechnologies. For the last five decades, they have been creating high-quality products, using active ingredients that can be harvested responsibly from the sea.

After gentle cleansing, Irene applied the Phytomer Enzymatic Exfoliant all over my face. Unlike certain exfoliants that contain granules that can be harsh on skin, this uses enzymes to gently exfoliate skin, which was perfect for my sensitive skin. This step helped remove dead skin cells and refined skin texture for better absorption of treatment products.

The spa experience is further elevated when Irene placed the Back Rebalancing Self-Heating Mask under my back. This warms up the back muscles and has a detoxification effect. It felt divine and I’m sure you’ll appreciate it most if you suffer from stiff back or back aches.

Application of the Pure Pore Heating Mask.

Irene continued by slathering the Pure Pore Heating Mask all over my face. Targeted to deep cleanse while absorbing toxins from skin, this heated mask dried down eventually and helped prep for the next step: extraction.

Extraction was focused mainly around my T-zone, where I suffered from blackheads and whiteheads. These were extracted meticulously and I did not feel any pain at all!

Subsequently, Irene applied the alcohol-free Eau Marine Lotion, Oligoforce Purifying Enforcement Serum, and Soufflé Marine Energizing Oxygenating Serum onto my skin. These were coupled with massages that were done with the right pressure. These steps help calm and relax skin while enhancing the efficacy of the facial.

The ATP-38 Lightwave Treatment is at the heart of this facial.

Then, Irene prepared the equipment for the ATP-38 Lightwave Treatment, which was the star of the show. This device uses special ‘cold lights’ developed by NASA that does not generate any heat. Photo Stimulation (aka Phototherapy) is a non-aggressive treatment that exposes skin to different wavelengths of light, intensity, and pulsations based on your specific skin needs. The ATP-38 is unique because of its use of Photo Rejuvenation technology that helps align the LED lights produced for deeper penetration into the skin. In the long run, it is proven that this helps boost cellular activity as it helps skin repair itself better, which in turn improves skin condition.

For me, the Anti-Inflammatory and Deep Cell Repair option was chosen. A pair of goggles was put on me for eye protection during this entire process.

Applying the Oligopur Mask.

Finally the cooling Oligopur Mask was applied above a facial gauze to help soothe and hydrate skin while refining the pores. Hydrating Matte Cream and Sunblock were applied right at the end to complete the treatment.

Stepping out of the treatment room and back into the consultation room, I definitely noticed a difference in my skin. It looked brighter, smoother, and I was glad that despite it being an extraction facial, I didn’t experience much redness. I left The Spa-Lon feeling rejuvenated and confident in my own skin!

The effects don’t just show up instantly. Three days after the treatment, I noticed that the acne scars around my chin and jawline became less visible than before. Yes, this is certainly one of the best extraction facials around that you should try!

The Spa-Lon

Address: Four outlets available, in Bedok, Choa Chu Kang, City Square Mall, and Tiong Bahru. See all locations here.

Opening hours: Vary according to outlets.

Contact details: Call 65098523 (City Square Mall), 62420013 (Bedok), 68910030 (Choa Chu Kang), 62766313 (Tiong Bahru) | Facebook

Indulgence Beauty

Reviewer: Sim Zhi Xin

Indulgence Beauty is located at a small and unassuming corner on the second level of International Plaza, just a five-minute walk from Tanjong Pagar MRT station.

When I first arrived, Anna, my therapist-for-the-day greeted me and ushered me into a room where I got my face cleansed in preparation for a skin analysis. Indulgence Beauty uses a computerised skin analysis machine from Korea that measures important elements such as moisture, sebum level and pigmentation to name a few. It even generates an image that shows where the blackheads reside in your pores!

After seeing my analysis results, Anna took time to explain what they mean and then conclude that an extraction facial and an after-treatment hydrating facial were what my skin needs (since I scored so highly on sebum level and so low on moisture).

Now this is the part which makes your money well spent: you get BOTH a facial consultation and a treatment that is specifically tailored to your skin condition. Furthermore, I was really grateful that Anna went the extra mile to understand my skincare routine and advised me accordingly.

The facial began with the application of an exfoliating scrub to soften the dead skin cells, followed by a steamer to open the pores and make them ‘ripe’ for extraction facial. I’m happy to say the steamer was extremely gentle on the skin – no burning sensation; just a gentle heat that will most definitely lull you to sleep.

Afterwards, Anna used her fingers for blackhead extraction. Compared to using the traditional metal extractor, this method is supposed to reduce skin-tearing and bruising. It was certainly less painful, although some pain is definitely expected.

To be honest, I was initially skeptical about this fingers-method because I didn’t think it could extract as many blackheads as using a metal extractor but boy did a whole lot came out. In addition to her fingers, Anna also used a surgical needle to prick my skin which allows those underskin blackheads an avenue to come out. Despite this invasive procedure, it was pretty much painless.

As I have sensitive skin, the extraction left red, inflamed marks on my skin. However, Anna assured me that this was pretty unusual and from my own research, it really seems to be an unusual case as other clients do not have this issue.

I can only attribute the redness to my own sensitive skin and to infrequent extraction (since I rarely do extraction, even on my own). So for those who are first-timers, don’t be alarmed if your skin gets red like mine – it soothed after a couple hours for me.

Anna also applied a Blemish Control Lotion immediately after the extraction followed by a hydrating gel, which helped to soothe the skin.

Then came my favourite part of the entire treatment – rolling jade balls on my face. It was like a mini facial massage and I could feel my muscles relaxing as the jade balls pushed the tension out. Imagine my disappointment when it ended all too soon. Usually a facial massage is done after this, but Anna recommended that I forgo it so that my face won’t be over-stimulated.

Finally, the treatment concluded with a hydrating mask that cooled my angry skin and reduced the redness.

While I experience some pain and redness, overall, I was still very happy with the outcome. My skin was smoother, especially on my nose area. I could definitely feel the difference each time I wash my face.

The huge underskin blackhead on my cheek that had been bugging me was also removed, making my cheek nice and smooth again. My skin was also brighter than before even a few days after the facial – an added bonus!

Indulgence Beauty

Address: 10 Anson Rd, #02-58, International Plaza, Singapore 079903

Opening hours: 11am – 8.30pm (Mon to Fri), 10am – 6pm (Sat), 1pm – 3pm (Sun)

Contact details: Call 6225 8980 | Website

4. Absolute Skin

Absolute Skin has a 4.7 out of 5 rating based on the opinion of 92 people on Facebook, which tells you how satisfied their customers are.

Most reviewers are happy with the results that they see after going for treatments at Absolute Skin. Many attested that their skin problems were resolved from the customised treatments and advice from the therapists and others say that they love how there is no hard-selling and that the staff are friendly and professional.

For a good extraction facial, consider their Signature Deep Pore Cleansing treatment. This uses the Biomaster cleansing machine as extraction tool to remove both superficial and deep whiteheads and blackheads.

Besides improving breakouts, this facial treatment can also improve roughness, dullness, and improve overall skin quality.

Redeem a special deal valid for first-time customers for this treatment here.

Absolute Skin

Address: 360 Orchard Road, #03-01/04, International Building, Singapore 238869

Opening hours: 11am – 8.30pm (Mon to Fri), 10.30am – 7.30pm (Sat and Sun)

Contact details: Buy your session here.