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Pampering, shmampering: This place is about results. Long considered the go-to spot for facials that leave skin clear and glowing for weeks, Ling Skin Care performs targeted, effective facial treatments that have hooked a legion of fans. Owner Ling Chan opened her first salon in Barneys in 1986, and has since expanded to three peaceful locations. Her approach is intense: Clients are instructed to schedule a facial every six weeks and to follow an individually prescribed, at-home regimen using her highly touted products, of which Uma Thurman and Gisele Bundchen are fans. Extractions are a given (“no pain, no gain” is her motto), and every visit is capped off with a freshly concocted mask of Chinese herbs and botanicals designed to address your particular needs. What sets Chan apart is her mastery of both centuries-old Eastern techniques and cutting-edge Western technology. Pressure-point facial massages might be followed by an electrical-current micro-lift to stimulate muscles; ultrasound facials help banish blotchiness and allow products to better penetrate the skin; and photo-rejuvenation helps lighten hyper-pigmentation. When you need your skin to be its glowiest, you might add on a salt microdermabrasion treatment—which, Ling says, is gentler and more effective than the crystals favored by many aestheticians. — Melissa Foss

These bare-bones salons aren't places you'll want to settle into for a day of pampering, but some consider their facialists the best in town. For groups, they offer 20 percent off their triple-peel facial.