I recently had the supreme gift of riding a random elevator in midtown up to a skincare paradise.

Ildi Pekar’s midtown NYC facial atelier is deeply peaceful from the minute you step in. A native of Budapest, Ildi combines her cultural and educational experiences with a very modern, clean, and Zen aesthetic to create an overall sense of relaxation, wellness and health. Her belief: “skin care is health care.”

I’m personally not a big facial person for a number of reasons. My perception is that it’s expensive and the results are short-lived. I have acne prone skin that gets red and annoyed very quickly so I usually anticipate WORSE skin after a facial rather than better. My skin is also very hormonal so what is happening on the day you perform my facial may not be what is happening 3 out of 4 weeks of the month. And lastly, I have a dermatologist and I guess I just think the MD approach is good enough, considering insurance helps cover it.

Ildi kind of changed all this for me - because it was so beyond the norm. Here’s a literal rundown of the facial experience:

Ildi analyzed my skin, asked me what I was using, and really listened to me about what I wanted (extractions and overall glow).
She decided to exfoliate using a gentle chemical peel, but explained it to me and gave me options about the strength.
She used steam to ready for extractions (the norm), but also gave me THE MOST AMAZING FACIAL MASSAGE I’ve ever had. It was like an octopus made of relaxing love. I don’t know how else to explain it … She is not your every day beautician and believe me my derm will never touch my face like that LOL … her experience showed.
Manual extractions, but avoidance of hormonal acne. This is the first time anyone has said to me - I’m not touching XYZ bumps and things because they’re hormonal and will pass in a few days. Again, her experience shows …
Multilayered LED Light Therapy with Polarized (Filtered) Light was used to address my skin’s tendency to get red and irritated by extractions etc. This was very br ight and intense but overall extremely helpful.
Customized mask, shoulder and decollete massage - when I fell asleep. HA.
Application of I Pekar Tissue Repair Serum infused w CBD (which provides powerful antioxidants, and anti-inflammatory benefits), penetrated into the skin by an oxygen mist. Finishing with the Glowing Honey Moisturizer to hydrate the skin and the Eye Cream to soften lines and nourish the skin around the eyes.
Ildi’s “diagnosis” was that my larger pores could improved by more exfoliating. This kind of shocked me because I always think exfoliation is irritating and will increase my acne issues. But, I’ve been giving it a try because it made sense … my pores need less old skin in them, plain and simple, without being overly irritating. She gave me her CBD Exfoliating Face Polish … more below.

This water activated powder actually transforms from a grainier feel - so larger, rougher exfoliation - to a softer scrub … so all you have to do is gently press to create a softer, smoother scrub. The packaging, with its elegant gold spoon and black lacquer, kind of blew my mind and needless to say it’s one of my new favorites.

I walked out of the place looking and feeling like a zillion bucks. My skin was NOT red (the LED light really helped I think) and the glow is still going (probably thanks to the extra CBD exfoliation). I actually weirdly think about this facial all the time (it was the octopus love) - and can’t wait to go back.

Does This: Next Level NYC Natural Facialist
Is This: European Deep Cleansing Facial (1 Hour - $195); Exfoliating Face Polish by IIdi Pekar ($69)
Get This: ildipekar.com

the facial, elevated