The In-Office Beauty Treatments That Are Worth Your Money
1 min read
Let’s be honest: There’s no such thing as Botox in a bottle. If you want the effects, you’ll have to get the real deal. The same can be said for most aesthetic treatments—while many very good products exist, none will rival the power of an in-office laser or biostimulatory injectable. But since some aesthetic treatments can have side effects and cost thousands of dollars, you should know which are truly top of the line before booking an appointment. (You should also consult with your doctor before deciding if certain cosmetic or medical treatments are right for you.)
That’s why, for our third annual Tools and Treatments Awards, we recruited 28 ELLE staff members to try the most sought-after treatments. We tested the gold standards like Botox and SkinPen. But we also tried new and buzzy treatments, like XERF, a radiofrequency skin tightener from Korea, which Kim Kardashian called her “new fave,” and Exomind, a transcranial magnetic stimulation device that helps regulate your mood and emotions.
We asked staff to rank services based on how painful they were, whether they’d pay for them with their own money, and if they were recommendation-worthy to their friends. The winners excelled in every category. Keep reading for the best aesthetic treatments on the market.
SEE EVERY WINNER FROM THE 2026 TOOLS AND TREATMENTS AWARDS
SkinPen
BEST MICRONEEDLING TREATMENT
Microneedling is everywhere now, but SkinPen was the first-ever microneedling device to receive FDA clearance, and it’s still one of the best of its kind. It creates small punctures in the top layer of skin using fine needles, which triggers your body’s natural healing process and boosts collagen production. Our tester found the treatment painful (he compared it to getting your face tattooed) but worth it. “In the week following the treatment, my skin is very clear and I’ve noticed an improvement in the texture,” he said. “It looks healthy and radiant.”
Juvéderm Volux
BEST JAWLINE FILLER
Have you ever wished your jawline were slightly more defined, or that you had a bit more of a chin? Juvéderm Volux XC is the first and only hyaluronic acid filler that has FDA approval for the jawline. It’s a stiffer gel than similar treatments, making it ideal for faking a more defined bone structure. Our tester said to trust the process, since initial swelling can make your jaw look like you had too much done. “By day five, I noticed everything settling and realized I still looked completely like myself, just with a more natural jaw contour.” Since it’s a thicker filler, results last up to a year.
Teoxane RHA Filler Collection
BEST NATURAL-LOOKING FILLER
Some traditional fillers can break apart and migrate when you move your face, causing unnatural-looking lumps or asymmetries. RHA gels, however, are made to stretch with motion rather than snap, which leads to more realistic-looking results. They can be used in the cheeks, nasolabial folds, and lips, where our tester tried it. “I really love the results. My lips have added volume, but I find it to be subtle and still natural,” she reported.
Ultherapy Prime
BEST SKIN-LIFTING TREATMENT
Often called a “facelift alternative,” this treatment uses micro-focused ultrasound technology to stimulate deep collagen production for a lifted and sculpted finish. This newer version is larger and faster with up to 20 percent less treatment time, though it’s important to work with an experienced provider. Our tester, who tried the treatment on her neck and jawline, noted that recovery was easy and that the pain was tolerable. “If you can take a root canal, you can take this,” she says. “I saw a marked difference with my skin looking and feeling tighter. After one month, the fullness under my chin had shrunk, too.”
XERF
BEST SKIN-TIGHTENING TREATMENT
A new treatment straight from Korea, XERF’s relative painlessness and fast results have quickly made this a popular treatment in U.S. dermatologist offices. Using dual-wavelength radiofrequencies, it uses heat to stimulate collagen and elastin. Our tester marveled, “I did notice an immediate tightening, and in combination with the Ultherapy Prime I did the following week, my skin overall feels tighter and brighter. I was pleased that XERF could be used even though I have melasma on my face. I’m excited to see the results as they develop over time.”
DiamondGlow Facial
BEST IN-OFFICE EXFOLIATING FACIAL
Think of this treatment as a spring cleaning for your face. Cleansers are good at removing daily dirt and oil, but a treatment like this can go further to reset your complexion. It has a patented diamond-tip wand that deeply cleans and gently exfoliates without irritating sensitive skin and infuses skin with serums to add radiance and glow. Your aesthetician can customize the tips and use different levels of abrasion and suction based on your needs. “My skin looked visibly plumper, glowy, and noticeably smoother,” said our tester, noting that this would be a good facial to get before a big event, because her complexion looked “amazing” immediately after treatment.
Daxxify
BEST PEPTIDE-ENHANCED NEUROTOXIN
“Peptides” are the biggest buzzword of 2026, and Daxxify is the only neuromodulator on the market that’s powered by them. These amino acid chains help impart a certain radiance dubbed the “Daxxify glow.” Not only does it set in within just two days (most neuromodulators take two weeks), but 64 percent of people in a clinical trial noticed improvement in their skin texture in addition to smoother fine lines and wrinkles. “By day five, I already began to notice a reduction in smile lines and lines between my brows,” our tester said. “The look is very natural and not frozen-looking.”
Glo2Facial
BEST OXYGENATING TREATMENT
You don’t have to choose between a relaxing facial and a results-driven treatment—this lets you have both at once. Oxygenated bubbles moisturize and a pleasantly vibrating ultrasound tightens skin, while a lymphatic massage increases circulation and depuffs. Our tester raved about her experience: “The Glo2Facial is my favorite facial treatment to date,” she said. “The experience felt like a relaxing facial but with the benefits of a more intense clinical treatment. I like that it could be tailored to my skin and had a range of levels for intensity.”
Radiesse
BEST FILLER FOR STRUCTURE
Radiesse is different from other fillers because it’s biostimulatory and works over time to boost the skin’s natural collagen production. It uses hydroxyapatite (CaHA) gel microspheres, a compound that is similar to the mineral found in bones and teeth, to add instant volume, smoothing fine lines and wrinkles and gently contouring the face. It often takes about a week to become fully noticeable, but results can last for approximately 12 to 18 months. “I feel like it completely changed my look in a subtle and incredible way,” our tester raved. “It’s made my face more defined, and it’s given me new confidence. Moreover, my skin feels more hydrated and firm.”
Morpheus8
BEST FIRMING TREATMENT
Part radiofrequency and part microneedling, this machine uses both to stimulate collagen. It delivers noticeably firming results, according to our tester. While some find microneedling painful, she said that after numbing cream, the experience felt akin to “love taps” on her face.
Sofwave
BEST ULTRASOUND TREATMENT FOR FINE LINES AND WRINKLES
For those looking to rejuvenate their skin with a gentler alternative to microneedling, Sofwave offers an effective solution. This ultrasound treatment requires no downtime and no needles. Its ultrasound technology helps stimulate collagen, smooth fine lines and wrinkles, and lift skin, especially for those with mild laxity. Our tester noted that this was less painful than other energy-based treatments she’s tried, and that the effects were gradual but noticeable. “My nasolabial folds looked softer and cheekbones were slightly higher a few months after treatment.”
HydraFacial
BEST FACIAL FOR PAINLESS EXTRACTIONS
HydraFacial is like an express car wash for your face. In just 30 minutes, it cleanses, extracts, and hydrates your skin for a full detail. It’s pain-free and uses suction to clear your pores rather than squeezing them as happens in a manual facial. “I most enjoyed the part where they sucked things out of my face—like an extraction on steroids,” our tester said.
Xeomin
BEST LONG-LASTING NEUROMODULATOR
Xeomin differs from other neuromodulators because it is “purified”—there aren’t any accessory proteins or peptides added to the formula, so your body is less likely to react to or become immune to it. One study also found that it may last longer than similar neurotoxins. Our tester, who regularly gets neuromodulators, found that her results were subtler and softer than similar injectables she’s tried. “The overall result looks much more balanced and natural,” she said.
FILAMENT:TS.02/Tt
BEST DEEP-CONDITIONING TREATMENT
This nourishing conditioner is an in-office treatment that requires a professional application technique and uses a proprietary technology called Tensilyx, a strengthening blend of molecules, fatty acids, and polyphenols (micronutrients found in plants). The treatment works by penetrating the hair cuticle to rebuild the hydrogen and disulfide bonds to repair the hair at a structural level, rather than simply coating the strands. After just 15 minutes, our tester noticed that her hair seemed sleeker and more hydrated. After a few weeks, her strands were stronger and appeared less dry and damaged.
Guerlain Longeviskin
BEST MULTIMODAL SPA TREATMENT
The French skin care brand developed a proprietary spa device that blends seven different skin care technologies into one. It has LED for skin regeneration, plasma for collagen production, micropeel to smooth, ultrasound to tighten, microcurrent to lift and tone, cryo to brighten and depuff, and radiofrequency to firm. It’s currently in two locations—Cheval Blanc in Paris and the Waldorf Astoria in New York City. Our tester found this treatment to be relaxing and was stunned by how “luminous” and lifted it made her skin look. “My aesthetician took a photo of my face after she did one side, and my cheekbone was an entire inch higher on the side she’d treated. For the week afterward, people kept asking me for my skin care routine.”
Dysport
BEST FACT-ACTING NEUROTOXIN
Dysport proves that neuromodulators are not one-size-fits-all. Like all neuromodulators, Dysport paralyzes the muscle it is injected into, but it diffuses and spreads a bit more than Botox and sets in faster; results start showing up in two days compared to a week. Dysport is approved for the glabellar lines, or the frown lines between the eyebrows. Our tester reported that the results were “fast and natural.”
Skinvive
BEST INJECTABLE MOISTURIZER
In Europe, people can get Profhilo, an injectable moisturizer that isn’t FDA-approved in the United States. Many in-the-know aesthetics patients would fly across the ocean for it, but since 2023, many have turned to Skinvive, a microdroplet hyaluronic acid filler many dermatologists compare to Profhilo. Injected all over the face, it pulls water from the deeper layers of skin into your epidermis to hydrate, add radiance, and boost your skin barrier. While Profhilo requires monthly injections, Skinvive only needs to be injected twice a year. Our tester, who normally has dry skin, said that the injectable completely changed the way her skin behaved. “While I normally need to layer on moisturizer for my skin to not feel dry in the winter, Skinvive made my skin soft and supple, even before I put moisturizer on. I didn’t experience the tight, itchy feeling I typically get when I wait too long to moisturize after a shower.”
Exomind
BEST BRAIN TREATMENT
Exomind sounds too good to be true—a treatment that uses a device that “taps” on your head to help with emotional regulation, cognitive function, and self-control? But it has been FDA-cleared for depression and uses transcranial magnetic stimulation (noninvasive magnetic pulses, similar to a light tap on your knee to test your reflexes) on your prefrontal cortex. It works by stimulating nerves in the brain to help improve mood regulation. Our tester was skeptical, but after just a few sessions, described her brain as feeling “quiet.” “I’d go in for treatment thinking about my to-do list, my life, and a million other things. The device feels like small rhythmic taps on the top of the left side of your head with each tap sounding like a rubber band snapping (but not in a bad way). After each treatment, which lasted about half an hour, I left feeling calmer, less anxious, and had a strange, fuzzy feeling on the back of my head for a few minutes, almost like when you get a shiver down your spine.”
Sculptra
BEST BIOSTIMULATORY INJECTABLE
Sculptra is biostimulatory—meaning that it doesn’t just look like it’s giving your skin more volume, it does so by actually stimulating collagen. Made of a polymer called poly-L-lactic acid, it softens deep lines and thickens skin over the course of six to 12 weeks. Our tester noticed that this worked wonders in hollow places, such as around her temples. “I just looked more ‘filled in,’ without looking puffy or unnatural.”
UltraClear
BEST LASER TO EVEN SKIN TONE
UltraClear is the first cold ablative fiber laser that stimulates collagen without creating a ton of downtime. (“Cold” refers to a wavelength, not a temperature.) The device delivers quick pulses of energy in intervals to minimize discomfort and redness from the treatment. Compared to other ablative lasers, UltraClear’s 3DMIRACL treatment has less downtime and pain; it often doesn’t even require numbing cream. Our tester said her skin was a bit red and sensitive for four to five days, but the treatment left her skin looking even and supple.
EmSculpt Neo
BEST BODY-SCULPTING TREATMENT
Imagine being able to look more toned without going to the gym. Emsculpt does just that by using high-intensity focused electromagnetic technology to stimulate muscle contractions, plus radiofrequency to help reduce fat. It takes four 30-minute sessions to see results, and you can use it on your core, buttocks, biceps, triceps, calves, and thighs. “My abs have noticeably tightened a bit, and they feel stronger, which is perhaps the transformation that excites me the most,” said our tester. “I’ve already noticed more stability in my core when I’m working out.”
Botox
BEST CLASSIC NEUROTOXIN
There’s a reason that when we talk about neurotoxins, we say “Botox” by default. It’s long been the gold standard of neurotoxins, and it’s still just as good. It’s FDA-approved to treat moderate-to-severe forehead lines, frown lines, platysmal bands in your neck, and crow’s feet. Our tester noted that Botox left her with glassy, completely smooth skin on her forehead, lessened her crow’s feet, and made the “eleven” lines between her eyebrows disappear.
Moxi
BEST ‘LUNCHTIME LASER’
Our tester called this a “low-stakes laser in the best way.” It’s a gentle, fractionated laser that only takes 10 minutes and requires very little downtime. It’s nonablative, which means that it doesn’t heat or damage the surface of your skin, and instead works on the tissue underneath to brighten and tone. The tester said she had no problem being in public after her treatment, and her skin was softer and brighter.
Picofy
BEST GLASS SKIN LASER
Pico lasers, short for picosecond, deliver heat in extremely short bursts (in picoseconds), shattering pigment particles. Picofy is the laser with the fastest speed, making it extremely popular in Korea before becoming available in the U.S. It is known for stimulating collagen and reducing hyperpigmentation. Our tester reported that the laser worked really well at lightening up acne scars that had lingered for months, and made her skin look uniform and dewy.
AnteAGE P.E.A.R.L. Advanced Cell Signaling System
BEST SKIN-REJUVENATING TREATMENT
Two of beauty’s buzziest ingredients are in this treatment—exosomes and PDRN (salmon sperm). The combination, used with microneedling, can be used to repair and nourish skin on a deeper level. When our tester normally does microneedling, her skin is usually red for several days. But this time, her redness time was cut in half, and she had glowy skin that didn’t require much makeup for weeks.
Sofwave PureImpact
BEST BODY-TIGHTENING TREATMENT
The experience of Pure Impact is so easy that fans say it redefines the idea of “no pain, no gain.” Using a mixture of electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) and the brand’s Plyopulse technology, it works to induce deep, involuntary muscle contractions. With multiple paddles, it can be used to target more than one set of muscle groups in a 30-minute treatment block. Our tester noticed results after just one ab session, leading to her pants and waistline fitting better and looser.