It would be a shame to spend a month in Budapest, the thermal bath paradise, without a facial. However, my Google search for “Budapest facial treatment” did not give me satisfactory results. I had to search on my own like a big one. Here are some addresses that I tested for you.

Quick Hair Salon

Address: Budapest, Haris köz 6, 1052
Price: 7200 HUF or 24€ for a facial treatment (deep cleansing and massage) lasting about 1 hour

It is while passing in front of this small hairdressing salon not very far from my home that I had the idea to do a facial in Budapest. If even a small salon like this offers facials, it’s because the need is real and the locals often go there.

We can go without an appointment but I recommend you to make an appointment if you prefer to come in the late afternoon or during the weekend. On the other hand, at the beginning of the afternoon (during the week), there are always provisions.

Frankly, given the price and the main activity of the salon (hairdressing), my expectations were very low. But I was completely bluffed.

Deep cleansing” does not have the same meaning here as in France. In France, we take away the blackheads for fun and it lasts 2 minutes maybe. Here, it’s no joke. After a serious cleaning of the skin and a quick peeling, the beautician massages me while a device diffuses steam on my face. Then, she removes EVERY ONE OF MY SEAKED FILAMENTS. Since there was a lot of work, I think she spent at least 30 minutes:( and since there are no clients after me, she took her time. Honestly, I was too embarrassed, I think she must really think she’s got a shitty job. I shed a few tears, but you have to suffer to be beautiful, don’t you?

Then she passed a glass thing that sends out small electrical discharges to close the pores and kill bacteria. What I blame her for isn’t warning the client. I’m used to this device, but for a client who has never seen it before in his life, it may come as a bit of a surprise. The discharges are minimal, it doesn’t hurt at all, but the sensation is a little unpleasant. But I assure you that without it, the pores might stay open and get infected. So the presence of this device is a guarantee of quality!

Then she rubs an alcohol-soaked absorbent cotton over my face. Ouch, it stings! Finally, I am given a mask that smells like mint and really does my skin good, for 15 minutes.

Result: At the end of the session, my skin is radiant and clean. I am so happy that I left a big tip to the beautician (2000HUF or 6€), she was too surprised and too happy! Well, I think it was too much. But seriously, even I don’t have the patience to spend so much time extracting my own blackheads, and for once, someone has the patience to do it for me, she deserves it!

In short, I recommend!

Update September 2019: the salon in the city center (where I went) is closed, but a small search on google maps will allow you to find other salons of the same brand (Quick Hair) in Budapest.

Gellert

I read on TripAdvisor UN very good opinion on a small living room which is in the same building as the Gellert thermal bath. I trusted it blindly and went there.

It is a small living room hidden at the end of the entrance of the thermal bath, on the left. They only do facial treatments (and facial hair removal if necessary). Two beauticians work there, they have very pretty skin and present me with their 100% natural products that smell too good. So I opted for a deep cleaning and anti-aging treatment for 16000HUF (52€).

Unfortunately, I had a more than summary cleaning. My neck and décolleté were not cleaned, even though the massage was for both the face and the décolleté. And I think the dirt from my neck went directly into my freshly opened pores. Here too, they also have a machine that sends small electric shocks to close the pores, but it wasn’t enough to disinfect everything.

Result: if at the time, my skin seemed to love the treatment, the same evening, it gave me two cystic pimples that hurt like hell + lots of other little pimples => I feel like I’m disfigured. I went to the coworking area without make-up and I got a few (discreet) shocked looks, I think they are trying to find out if it’s just a “break-out” or I fell on my head, on concrete/glass. Sadness…

In short, you will have understood it. I do not recommend this institute.

P/s : this institute has nothing to do with thermal baths, it is located in the same building, the baths are top on the other hand.

Omorovicza boutique & spa budapest andrássy út

Address: Budapest, Andrássy út 2, 1061
Price: 30 000HUF for 1 hour, or 100€

Well, it’s not very funny to be disfigured like that, so in desperate mode, I made an appointment a week later at an institute known for their facial care and also their products based on thermal water. Their products are even on sale at Sephora US, UK.

Already, I am asked to fill out a form to find out my expectations, allergies, problems, etc.. And I have a serious discussion with the esthetician who advises me which treatment is best adapted to my skin. I told her that I couldn’t do another deep cleansing and that I needed a gentler treatment.

After cleansing my face and looking at it with a magnifying glass, the beautician screams out in horror, telling me that it was a mess, the treatment I had been given (I know, I know). So she advised me to take the Gold something treatment.

Here, the massage is DIVINE! It is strong enough to make the skin firmer, but gentle enough for sensitive areas such as the eye contour. This is really THE TIP of this institute, their massage techniques are the same, in all the spas of the brand. It’s like at Clarins, the right products + the right gesture, it changes everything!

The cleaning is well done too, and during the application of the mask, I get a good peeling and hand/arm massage.

What I like less is the marketing side of the show. I am told before and after the treatment that if I buy more than 200€ of products, the facial treatment (at 100€) is free. Hmm… knowing that each product costs around 100€, it’s not very difficult to reach 200€, but hey.

I politely refused, saying that my face looked like nothing at the moment and that it was better to keep the same routine. On top of that, the esthetician offered me a ton of samples, which I can’t wait to try as soon as my pimples are gone.

Result: the price is a bit high, but I have never had a massage like this, even in the best institutes in Vietnam. The next day, my skin is still plumped, radiant and the treatment has visibly accelerated the healing of the pimples.

I highly recommend, to do at least once in a lifetime!

Linen flower

Address: Budapest, Bástya u. 19, 1056
Price: between 10 000 and 15 000HUF (33€ to 49€)

In my quest for the best facial treatment in Budapest, I was led to contact this institute, run by a French-speaking woman.
Unfortunately, she only works on certain days of the week and our dates aren’t compatible.
But she looks serious, has good opinions, her treatments last a long time (like 2 hours!!). You can make an appointment with her via Facebook.

If you have other good addresses to recommend, please leave a small comment below! Have a nice day!