Get me 30 seconds into any cosmetics conversation lately and I'll be spreading the Bluemercury gospel. The makeup and skincare store—opened in U Village last April—has a friendly, well-trained staff, a range of brands and price points, and a fresh boutique-y atmosphere you don't find in the big box shops (and don't get me started on those m-61 Power Glow Peels).

It also has a spa, and with such a solid experience on the sales floor we decided to check out one of Bluemercury's signature facials to see how it stands up.

Leanne was in charge of my SkinCeuticals Summer Repair Facial, the featured treatment for the month of August. She performed the usual cleaning, extractions, peel, and mask routine, all of which were excellent. But what made her my new go-to gal: the face massage.

Now I don't know if there's a day in esthetician school dedicated to mastering a tension-reducing, perfect-pressure massage on someone's face, but Leanne totally aced that class, and likely all the rest of her lessons considering how carefully she went over each process with me, making adjustments and recommendations as needed.

Which brings me to my favorite part of the entire Bluemercury experience: The staff here know what they're talking about. Whether I'm asking my facialist about my fear of parabens or someone on the floor about the best sunscreen for my skin type, I am always met with an informed and thoughtful answer—and often a sample.

Through October, the spa is featuring a line-erasing facial with products from French line RéVive ($95, 50 minutes). In a hurry? Try the fan-favorite Fast Blast Facial, which includes a cleansing, glycolic peel, and vitamin oxygen blast in 30 minutes ($85).

Lastly, stop by the shop on Saturday, September 13 as Bluemercury celebrates its 15th anniversary with a day of free makeovers, minifacials, treatments, and giveaways.