Interview: Ställe Studios Founder Elizabeth Grace Hand

WORDS Emily Algar PHOTOGRAPHY supplied PUBLISHED Tue, 19 Nov 2024 - 3:13 pm

I first heard about Elizabeth Grace Hand from a friend in New York who asked me if I'd ever had a facial with her. I hadn't, but it didn't take a lot of research to understand that her Soho clinic, Ställe Studios, is the hottest beauty ticket in NYC right now.

Hands was always into beauty, but a personal experience with acne got her into skincare. She worked at L'Oréal for the Dermablend brand and then Dr Barbara Sturm, meanwhile training as an aesthetician. All this set her up to open her own space, a magic combination of customised facials, Swedish interior design and herbal tea served in Hermès china. Her approach to skin is equally as interesting: Hand seamlessly blends growth factors with Manuka honey, LED light with buccal massage. Every single Ställe treatment is bespoke, but the commonality is the signature dewy 'angel' skin her clients leave with. It's no surprise it's has become known as the skin spot in NYC.

The next best thing to a treatment is a chat with Hand herself (she graciously answered my cold call DM). From routines to Roaccutane, to the viral Amazon mask she uses religiously, all her wisdom, below.

Where did your interest in beauty and skincare come from?

I’ve always been obsessed with beauty products, I was the girl who was giving her American Girl Dolls full makeovers at six. But the real obsession began at Sephora. I grew up in North Carolina, an hour from the closest store, and a day trip there was a special treat... I loved it. Beauty was more about makeup than skincare at the time. Urban Decay, glitter, Pink Sugar perfume, Stila, palettes... The only luxury skincare I can remember is Perricone and La Mer.

It wasn’t until I first experienced acne in my teens that I got more interested in skincare. I tried everything — peels, prescription and OTC topicals, supplements, antibiotics. Nothing worked. During my first semester in college, I did a course of Roaccutane. The acne went away, but I was left with horrible scarring, which led me to try Fraxel laser. I was only 19 at the time. Fraxel really helped with the scars but when I moved to New York a year later, the acne returned. This turned into years and years of experimenting with different products, attempting to clear my skin.

What products made up your very first skincare routine?

Clinique everything! Everyone was using it. I'd steal La Mer from my mum and mix that in, too. I'd top it with Bare Minerals loose powder of course. Mineral makeup was such a thing at the time.

I also remember my mum buying me a SkinCeuticals CE Ferulic when it first launched, maybe 20 years ago? They sold it at my brow waxing place in North Carolina. I was 14 and had no idea what it was supposed to be doing but I remember it made me feel very adult and expensive so I would apply it religiously.

Describe your approach to skincare now; what’s your current philosophy?

I believe in consistency over intensity. TikTok trends aren't helping our skin at all. A streamlined, consistent routine is much more effective.

What was the vision with Ställe studios?

Having my own business wasn’t even on my radar. It was completely accidental. I came of age during the 'Girl Boss' era, so having my own thing was always in the back of my mind... but it was more a pipe dream than a plan. I was enjoying working for Dr. Barbara Sturm, but in July 2021, they closed our Crosby Hotel popup while looking for the next location. All of my clients still needed their monthly facials, so I decided to transform my one bedroom apartment — that I share with my husband and cat — into a makeshift spa. After a few weeks it got so busy to the point where my husband, in order to stay out of our ‘spa’, was essentially roaming the streets of New York from 9 in the morning until 8 at night. I had no choice but to find a legitimate location. At first, it was a windowless room in a Soho office share. After two years I added a second room, and finally this past April we secured a full floor space on Howard St.

It's evolved so much since that first location. I started with zero products because I didn’t have the extra money to buy into them, and a cot as our facial bed. But I think a big part of why it's worked so far is that all of our treatments are completely customisable. No two facials are ever exactly the same, down to the cleanser I'll use, or the type of massage. I also think what's special about Ställe Studios is that we combine the results you’d get from a derm or medispa with the luxury and feel-good quality and experience of a spa. And we serve tea out of Hermès cups.

How did you curate the treatment menu and decide what’s worth it for your clients?

The signature facial is completely customised by me once I’ve done a full assessment of my client’s skin. I work with a variety of brands that I love and have tested which means I’m able to make every component of the treatment bespoke. But everyone always leaves the one hour treatment with dewy, lifted, glassy angel skin.

What piece of in-clinic tech is your favourite?

I love LED. It’s great for all skin types and concerns. Of course consistent use will bring the most benefits but even after one fifteen minute session the skin becomes more reflective and glowy.

What makes a great skincare product, in your opinion?

A great skincare product combines high-quality ingredients, an effective formulation and thoughtful design to deliver results without compromising the skin’s health.

What’s the best skincare product you found this year?

Everything Auteur. Their products are next level. I've literally watched my clients' skin change since incorporating them, as well.

What about makeup?

The Lisa Eldridge Kitten Lash Mascara. I always want my lashes to took lifted, separated, long and with a slight curl. This does all that and more. It’s taken me my entire life to find a mascara that doesn't give me raccoon eyes by the end of the day. But this also removes so easily. It's perfect.

Okay, walk me through your morning and evening routines — what are you using?

The specific products vary depending on the state of my skin, but I always start my day with a cleanser, growth factors, antioxidant serum, moisturiser and SPF. I end with a cleansing balm or micellar water, cleanser, more growth factors (I love BioEffect), eye cream and moisturiser mixed with Manuka honey, the Activist one is incredible. If I need extra hydration, I'll add an oil. I’ll alternate incorporating an acid or retinol every couple of nights, too.

And I use my Celluma Pro LED three to five times per week at night. I like to do it after cleansing and before all of my other serums.

What skincare products have you repurchased the most over the years?

For sure my Bioeffect 30 Day Treatment. When I don’t use it, even for one day, I notice the elasticity in my skin declining.

What about a cheap beauty thrill — anything you can share?

Oh I love a good Korean face mask. The Biodance one is my current obsession because it makes my skin glow to the point where it’s almost reflective. I also swear by it for event-ready skin.

If you’ve got some time on a Sunday, what products or tools are you using?

I’m giving myself a manual massage to get my skin nice and hot (which means you’re increasing blood flow, bringing oxygen to the skin making it glow) and then applying my CO2Lift Pro Mask to cool it down and increase the oxygen in my skin by 117%. I’ll follow that with my LYMA laser then apply an overnight Biodance mask. I'll wake up the next day with the juiciest skin.