An acne facial is a professional skin treatment specifically designed for acne-prone, congested, or oily skin. Unlike a standard relaxation facial, it focuses on deep cleansing, regulated exfoliation, manual extractions, and anti-bacterial treatment to reduce active breakouts and prevent new ones.
If you've been dealing with persistent breakouts, clogged pores, blackheads, or skin that feels congested no matter what you do at home, an acne facial may be exactly what your skin has been missing. At Beautifully Made Esthetics in Greenville, SC, it's called the Clarifying Acne Facial.
It's worth knowing what the appointment actually involves, who it is and isn't right for, and what realistic results look like. This guide walks through all of it.
What the Clarifying Acne Facial actually includes
The Clarifying Acne Facial is an 80-minute appointment priced at $130. It's built around professional Dermalogica and Circadia products, formulas developed for clinical-grade acne treatment that aren't available over the counter.
The protocol moves through six stages: a thorough deep cleanse, steam to open the follicles, careful manual extractions, a targeted anti-bacterial treatment, a calming treatment mask, and a hydrating finish to close and protect the skin. Each step serves a specific purpose. Nothing is rushed.
Sie Sie takes the time to assess your skin before the treatment begins: what's active, what's congested, what's healing. That assessment shapes how the treatment is customized for you that day.
Who is an acne facial for?
The Clarifying Acne Facial is a strong fit if you're dealing with any of these: active breakouts or cystic congestion, blackheads and clogged pores that home cleansing isn't clearing, oily or combination skin that feels backed up, or skin that's been acne-prone for years and hasn't responded to drugstore skincare.
It's also a good choice if you've tried facial treatments elsewhere and felt like they weren't addressing the actual problem, just soothing the surface.
That said, it's not the right appointment if your skin is in a severe cystic flare, or if you've used isotretinoin in the past six months. If you're unsure whether your skin is ready, reach out before booking. Sie Sie would rather talk through it with you first than put your skin through a treatment that isn't the right fit for it right now.
Is an acne facial an overnight fix?
No. And any esthetician who tells you otherwise is being dishonest. A single acne facial won't clear your skin permanently. What it will do is give you a meaningful reset: cleared congestion, reduced active breakouts, and a cleaner surface for your home routine to actually work on.
The real results from a professional acne treatment come from consistency. Most clients who book the Clarifying Acne Facial on a monthly basis, alongside a simple, supportive home routine, see a measurable shift over two to three sessions. Less congestion, fewer breakouts, skin that stays clearer between appointments.
Think of it as managing and improving your skin over time, not a one-time cure. The monthly rhythm is where the real change happens.
Add-ons that pair especially well with acne-prone skin
Two treatment add-ons are worth knowing about if acne or congestion is your main concern: LED Light Therapy and High Frequency Treatment.
LED Light Therapy uses targeted wavelengths of light to reduce inflammation and calm acne-causing bacteria without touching the skin. Blue light has a direct effect on the bacteria responsible for most inflammatory breakouts. It is gentle, painless, and amplifies the anti-bacterial work already done during the facial.
High Frequency Treatment uses a mild electrical current to further sanitize the skin and reduce inflammation after extractions. It's especially effective on active breakouts and helps speed healing. Both are available to add to your appointment. You can find pricing and details on the facial add-ons page, where LED Light Therapy is $20 and High Frequency Treatment is $15.
When acne scarring is the concern
Acne scarring (post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, textural irregularities, deeper pitted scars) is a different concern from active acne, and it responds to a different category of treatment.
If scarring is your primary goal, chemical peels are the more effective tool. Professional peels work below the surface to accelerate cell turnover, even out pigmentation, and improve skin texture over a series of sessions. Sie Sie is certified in chemical peel protocols through Med Peel by Vitalibis.
The Clarifying Acne Facial is focused on clearing and managing active acne. Once the skin is more stable, peeling protocols can address what the breakouts left behind. Many clients work through both: acne management first, scarring second.
The honest role of your home routine
Professional acne facials work best when your home routine is supporting them, not working against them. That doesn't mean a 12-step regimen with expensive products. It means a simple routine: a gentle cleanser, a non-comedogenic moisturizer, and SPF every morning.
Fragrance-heavy products, heavy balm cleansers, and over-exfoliating at home are the most common ways clients slow their own progress between appointments. After your facial, Sie Sie can walk you through what to use and what to skip based on how your specific skin responded that day.
Consistent professional treatment plus a clean, simple home routine is the real path to clearer skin. Not either one alone.
How to book the Clarifying Acne Facial in Greenville
The Clarifying Acne Facial is available on Tuesdays and Thursdays, 10am to 4pm. Beautifully Made Esthetics is appointment only. No walk-ins. Book directly through Fresha, where you'll find all current availability.
Because this service is priced at $130, a $30 deposit is required at booking to hold the appointment. The deposit applies to your final balance and is fully refundable with at least 24 hours' notice if you need to cancel or reschedule.
The studio is located at 823 S Church Street, Suite D-120, Greenville, SC 29601, inside MIX Sales Studios. Questions before you book? Reach out at hello@beautifullymade.skin.
