Welcome to Face It, in which practitioners, dermatologists, facialists and other beauty experts answer our rapid-fire questions — revealing their hottest takes, most controversial opinions and the hard truths they wish their clients could come to terms with.
New York City is full of “IYKYK” beauty and wellness destinations — elite outposts for skin care, hair color, workouts, you name it — that their devotees hold so dear, they tend to gatekeep, lest they become overrun by TikTokers, making it impossible for everyday clients to get an appointment. Soho’s Ställe Studios, known for its individualized, results-driven facial treatments that blend the latest technology with smart restraint and a really, really damn good facial massage, is one such spot.
Founder and esthetician Elizabeth Grace Hand is one of the main reasons it’s so beloved by in-the-know beauty lovers and the generally cool, good-taste havers of NYC. With a background in fashion and a stint working at L’Oréal, she has an impeccable eye and can identify with many of her clients on a personal level. After leaving the corporate world to pursue an education in esthetics, she helped launch the Dr. Barbara Sturm brand and spa, quickly becoming a highly sought-after practitioner.
Hand branched out on her own in 2021 to found Ställe Studios, which now boasts a roster of seven renowned skin-care experts, including Hand herself.
Some of her hottest takes? Not everyone should use tretinoin. Those chin straps you see on TikTok do absolutely nothing for your double chin. And tea — yes, the kind you sip — can go a long way toward enhancing your glow.
In the video below, Hand gets honest about the skin-care treatment she thinks is totally worth it, the beauty technology she “invented” in fifth grade, and much more.
