What’s the Difference Between Hydrafacial, DiamondGlow, and Glacē?

11.11.2026, 02:11 allure.com

Regardless of what you call it—dewy, glass, glazed-donut, or mochi skin—it seems the vast majority of us are in pursuit of the same thing: a bouncy, luminous, ultra-hydrated complexion. I certainly was, especially after a packed summer at the beach. As the temperature dropped, I noticed my face looked dull and lifeless, and while there could be many causes for that, the main culprits for me were dehydration and a buildup of dead skin cells.

A great skin-care routine helps, but it can get you only so far. Once we seem to have reached that plateau, many of us turn to professional-grade treatments for an extra boost. Enter Glacē, Hydrafacial, and DiamondGlow, three facials that supposedly restore your glow. Each of them has zero downtime, is tolerable on most skin types, and is based on a three-part skin-resurfacing regimen: cleansing, exfoliating, and infusing the skin with serums. They’re all performed using similar devices that help vacuum gunk out of blackheads and whiteheads, and help topicals penetrate the skin more effectively.

But what makes these three options stand out in the industry? I tried them all to give you the lowdown.

Glacē—pronounced “glassy,” because its main objective is to give you glass skin—is a fairly new treatment, launched in 2025 by Candela. It’s a non-invasive facial that combines hydrodermabrasion (a fancy word for vacuuming pores while pushing actives into your skin), LED light therapy, and lymphatic massage. This is a great facial for anyone looking to boost hydration and radiance, but also experience cooling and soothing treatment, according to Sameer Bashey, MD, a board-certified dermatologist and clinical instructor in dermatology at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles.

With that, Dr. Bashey had described me to a T, so I booked a visit with Julianny Goncalves, an aesthetician and founder of On Esthetic in lower Manhattan. We started my Glacē treatment with a double cleanse to rid my face of any debris (hello, subway air). Then, Goncalves used two TheraFace Depuffing Wands (a two-time Best of Beauty winner) on my face and let me relax under a facial steamer for a few minutes to further loosen up whatever might be clogging my pores.

She reached for a handheld device equipped with “diamond-integrated disposable tips” for the main event: hydrodermabrasion. (Both Glacē and DiamondGlow have diamond-encrusted tips in the devices used during the exfoliation step, while Hydrafacial recently introduced the feature as an add-on.) “Diamond is an exceptionally hard material, so tiny diamond particles create a durable, textured surface that buffs away dead skin cells as the wand moves across your face,” says Mona Gohara, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in Hamden, Connecticut. “Think of a nail buffer smoothing a rough nail, only with a tool designed specifically for skin. Removing that uneven buildup makes skin feel softer and reflect light more evenly, which translates to glow.” Since the intensity is adjustable, this works for a variety of skin types—it’s just not recommended for people with irritated skin or an active eczema or rosacea flare.

As Goncalves swept it across my complexion, its suction-y tip felt like a little slug with a very rough tongue licking my face—not unpleasant, but strange nonetheless. I got used to it after a few passes across my face and was able to relax (even with that freaky slug image stuck in my head).

The hydrodermabrasion step.

As the diamond tip buffs away dead skin cells, it's designed to simultaneously infuses two separate serums into the face. One is always for exfoliation, and the other is to target the client's specific skin concerns. (The esthetician can choose between four Met2morph serums for the latter, including one for evening skin tone and another to boost suppleness of aging skin.)

Because I have sensitive skin, Goncalves chose a serum called “Silky Touch,” which, according to Candela’s website, “provides hydrating and restorative agents to soothe and protect reactive skin” via niacinamide, lavender, and cranberry. Dr. Gohara says that while niacinamide helps strengthen the barrier and retain moisture and cranberry can offer potential antioxidant benefits, lavender may irritate sensitive skin. (I personally did not find any part of this step irritating.)

After we were done using the vacuum wand, we moved on to the lymphatic drainage portion of my treatment, which involved cupping to reduce puffiness and sculpt the skin. Cupping on your face may sound a bit intimidating—I’m sure you’ve seen those huge, hickey-like red and purple bruises left behind on athletes’ backs from the technique—but this was a much milder and calming version of the modality thanks to the smaller cup size and gentle suction. In fact, it might’ve just been my favorite part.

Gonvalves then applied a soothing sheet face mask paired, again, with two TheraFace Depuffing Wands, a feeling I’d equate to entering the gates of heaven. I then sat under an LED light treatment to reduce inflammation for about 10 minutes before having a thin layer of SPF massaged onto my skin.

Adding a TheraFace Depuffing Wand to my facial must-have list.

My face tends to get red during facial treatments, but as I left On Esthetics, my skin was immediately glowing. My complexion looked like I just emerged from the womb—it felt clean and bouncy to the touch. My pores looked smaller, my skin had luminosity, and my self-confidence soared. If only I’d had somewhere to go besides NJ Transit to catch a train. Luckily, the effects of this particular facial can last up to two weeks.

Goncalves says that for those who can spare the funds, getting the treatment once a month is ideal (no need for any more, though she says she has patients who beg to come back ASAP). With average prices ranging from $150 to $350, that’s a substantial monthly splurge. But if you want to treat yourself before a big occasion, like a formal event, a wedding, or your 30th birthday, I think it’s totally worth it. Out of the three facials, this one left me with the brightest and clearest complexion immediately after.

Before the Glacē treatment.

After the Glacē treatment.

The TL;DR is that Hydrafacial is “a hydration tool that also decongests and sucks all the gook out of your pores,” according to Corey Hartman, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in Birmingham, Alabama, who works as a paid consultant for the brand. “It can give that patient that red carpet look with no downtime.” This particular facial would be great for someone with clogged pores, blackheads, oiliness, or dehydration, Dr. Bashey adds.

Instead of using a crystal-encrusted tip for physical exfoliation, Hydrafacial starts with a mix of glycolic and salicylic acid serums to provide chemical exfoliation. (The brand recently started offering the use of a diamond-encrusted exfoliation tool for an extra fee, the price of which is set by providers.) A patented plastic spiral tip and patented Vortex-Infusion technology work together to apply the exfoliating serums onto the face.

Dr. Gohara acknowledges that these terms may sound complicated, but the idea is straightforward: “The wand’s spiral-shaped tip helps that fluid circulate across the skin as the provider moves it,” she explains. “Think of washing a floor with a machine that puts down clean water and picks up the dirty water, rather than pushing the same wet mop around.”

I went to Skin Spa in Flatiron for a “deluxe” treatment, which is the mid-tier version of the facial. (Hydrafacial offers an entry-level “signature” treatment and the top-tier offering is dubbed the “platinum.” Each level exfoliates, extracts, and saturates the skin surface with serums—more steps are added on as treatment levels up.) After cleansing my skin, my aesthetician Alisa had me put on protective eye gear similar to small tanning goggles to shield my eyes from any spraying serums. They blocked out light but did not feel uncomfortable or obstructive.

Then, we went on to the first portion of the facial: lymphatic drainage. This step involved running two clear glass tubes along my face to reduce puffiness and firm up the skin. This was extremely similar to Glacē’s cupping step and was probably the most relaxing part of the facial for me. Then, we did a light chemical peel with the glycolic and salicylic acid mixture, which made my face feel hot and tingly, a normal side effect of acids for my sensitive skin.

My chemical exfoliation was immediately followed by a spicy mechanical exfoliation, which involved a wand-like tool that utilized suction and a whirling vortex of water to flush gunk out of my pores. That same tool helped serum infuse into my skin, which felt similar to Glacē’s tool. Also like Glacē, Hydrafacial offers add-on boosters that aid with skin concerns like dullness and acne for an additional cost. For my facial, we used the DermaBuilder, an “peptide-infused serum booster” that is supposed to improve skin laxity. The session then ended with an LED red light treatment to reduce inflammation and stimulate collagen production, and a layer of SPF.

A signature Hydrafacial treatment is around $150 to $350 depending on the provider, location, and treatment type—the range can also increase depending on whether you choose a deluxe or platinum treatment. The price is fair for the results, especially since you can book the lowest tier and still receive a glowy result from the exfoliation technique. Maybe I wouldn’t plan a dinner or a night out on the town after this particular facial since it left me feeling and looking red, sensitive, and tight, but those side effects aren't out of the ordinary after exfoliation.

By the next morning, my skin had settled down, and I looked pretty dewy and glowy for days after—including at my engagement party, which was just two days after the treatment. I would choose Hydrafacial again, but if I wanted to commit to a monthly treatment, I’d definitely choose the lowest tier, “signature