DiamondGlow vs. HydraFacial: What's the Difference?
The short answer
Both are in-office facials that exfoliate, clear pores with suction and put a serum on the skin in one appointment. The difference is how they exfoliate: DiamondGlow uses a diamond-tipped wand and SkinMedica serums, while HydraFacial uses a spiral-action tip and adds a chemical peel step. We offer DiamondGlow, from $200.
If you have had a facial in the last few years, there is a good chance somebody offered you a HydraFacial. It is one of the best-known names in the category. So when people see DiamondGlow on our menu, the first question is usually some version of: is that the same thing, and if not, what is the difference?
It is a fair question, because on paper the two sound close. Both clean, exfoliate and put a serum on the skin in a single appointment, and both use suction to do it. The real difference is in how each one exfoliates and what each maker puts on your skin afterwards. Here is the plain comparison, in each maker's own terms, with no verdict about which is better, because that depends on your skin rather than the machine.
What is DiamondGlow?
DiamondGlow is a facial treatment from SkinMedica. Its maker describes it as doing three things at once: exfoliate, extract and infuse. A wand with a diamond tip gives what SkinMedica calls a controlled physical exfoliation, removing the top layer of dead skin rather than dissolving it with a chemical. Suction lifts away the dirt and debris the tip loosens, from the skin's surface and the pores.
In the same pass, a SkinMedica serum goes onto the freshly exfoliated skin. The maker offers several, each for a different concern, and the diamond tips come in different levels of abrasion, with the suction adjusted to your skin. In practice that means two choices are made for you on the day: which tip, and which serum.
With us it starts at $200, and customizable add-ons are discussed at your consultation rather than listed on a page.
What is a HydraFacial?
HydraFacial is made by a different company, and its maker describes it as cleansing, exfoliating, extracting and hydrating the skin in a single session. Its tip works with what the company calls a controlled spiral, or vortex, action: gentle suction and disposable tips remove impurities and dead skin cells while serums go on at the same time.
Where DiamondGlow exfoliates physically with diamond grit, the HydraFacial maker lists a customizable chemical peel among its steps, alongside hydration, extraction and, in its higher tiers, a booster serum, LED light and lymphatic drainage.
We do not offer HydraFacial. We describe it here because it is the comparison people bring to us, and a fair answer has to describe both treatments accurately.
How do DiamondGlow and HydraFacial compare?
Here are the two side by side. Each row is how that treatment's own maker describes it.
| Aspect | DiamondGlow | HydraFacial |
|---|---|---|
| How the maker sums it up | Exfoliate, extract, infuse | Cleanse, exfoliate, extract, hydrate |
| How it exfoliates | A diamond tip, physical exfoliation | A spiral-action tip, plus a chemical peel step |
| How it clears pores | Suction, with the diamond tip | Suction, with the spiral-action tip |
| What goes on the skin | A SkinMedica serum, chosen for your skin | HydraFacial's own serums and boosters |
| How often the maker suggests | Every two weeks, or as your provider suggests | About monthly for many people |
| The days after, per the maker | Minimal downtime; temporary tightness, redness or slight swelling | Described as no downtime |
| At éclat | From $200 | Not offered |
What does DiamondGlow feel like, and what about afterwards?
SkinMedica is candid about this, and so are we. During the treatment most people feel a scratchy or stinging sensation from the diamond tip and the suction. It is not usually described as pain. Tell us if anything feels like too much and we adjust as we go.
Afterwards, its maker describes minimal downtime: you can go back to your day. Some people notice temporary tightness, redness or slight swelling, and the maker asks for sunscreen of SPF 30 or higher once you leave. In Phoenix, that is advice worth taking whatever you had done.
Anything about preparing your skin beforehand, we go over with you when you book, because it depends on what you already use.
Which one should you choose?
Honestly, the machine matters less than the person reading your skin. If you have been happy with HydraFacials elsewhere, there is nothing wrong with that. If you are curious about DiamondGlow, the free consultation is where we look at your skin, talk about what you want from a facial, and decide together whether it is the right fit, and which add-ons, if any, are worth it.
And sometimes the answer is a facial with no device at all. Our Signature facial is a customized cleanse, exfoliation and hydration with lymphatic drainage and massage, dermaplaning included, and for some skin on some days that is the better choice. Results vary, and we would rather recommend the right appointment than the most impressive-sounding one.
If you are weighing the two, these are the questions worth bringing to your consultation, whoever you book with:
- Which tip and which serum would you choose for my skin, and why?
- Which add-ons, if any, would actually make a difference for me?
- How often would you suggest I come back, given my skin and my budget?
- Is there anything I use at home that I should pause before the appointment?
- Would a facial without a device suit me just as well right now?
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Is DiamondGlow better than HydraFacial?
Neither is better for everyone. Both exfoliate, clear pores with suction and put a serum on the skin in one appointment. DiamondGlow exfoliates with a diamond tip and uses SkinMedica serums; HydraFacial uses a spiral-action tip and adds a chemical peel step. Which suits you depends on your skin, which is what a consultation is for.
Does DiamondGlow hurt?
Most people describe a scratchy or stinging feeling from the diamond tip and the suction, not pain. That is how SkinMedica, its maker, describes it too. If anything feels like too much during the treatment, say so and we adjust as we go.
Is there downtime after DiamondGlow?
Its maker describes minimal downtime, so most people go straight back to their day. Temporary tightness, redness or slight swelling can follow, and SkinMedica asks for sunscreen of SPF 30 or higher afterwards. We go over anything else to plan for when you book.
How often can you have DiamondGlow?
SkinMedica says every two weeks, or as your provider suggests. How often is actually worth it for your skin is something we set together at your consultation, and plenty of people come less often than that.
How much does DiamondGlow cost at éclat?
DiamondGlow starts at $200 on our menu. Customizable add-ons are discussed at your consultation rather than listed, because which ones make sense depends on your skin. The consultation itself is free.
Do you offer HydraFacial?
No. We offer DiamondGlow, a different facial from a different maker that also exfoliates, clears pores with suction and puts a serum on the skin in one appointment. If you are used to HydraFacial and want to talk through the difference for your skin, book a free consultation.
Sources
- SkinMedica (Allergan Aesthetics), The DiamondGlow treatment: exfoliate, extract, infuse. diamondglow.com/content/diamond-glow/en/the-treatment.html (opens in a new tab) · Retrieved September 24, 2026
- SkinMedica (Allergan Aesthetics), DiamondGlow: customized for you (tips, suction and serums). diamondglow.com/content/diamond-glow/en/customized-for-you.html (opens in a new tab) · Retrieved September 24, 2026
- SkinMedica (Allergan Aesthetics), DiamondGlow frequently asked questions and safety information. diamondglow.com/content/diamond-glow/en/faq.html (opens in a new tab) · Retrieved September 24, 2026
- Hydrafacial, The Hydrafacial device. hydrafacial.com/pages/the-device (opens in a new tab) · Retrieved September 24, 2026
- Hydrafacial, The Hydrafacial treatment. hydrafacial.com/pages/the-treatment (opens in a new tab) · Retrieved September 24, 2026
- Hydrafacial, Hydrafacial frequently asked questions. hydrafacial.com/pages/frequently-asked-questions (opens in a new tab) · Retrieved September 24, 2026
General information, not medical advice — for your own skin and your own plans, that is what a consultation is for. Our Terms of Service put it in full.
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