You surely have seen a lot of salons and spa centers offering different facial treatments, but doing a facial at home will save you a ton of money and allow you to modify any of the steps and change products when needed.
But remember, facial is not the same as your everyday skincare routine. The general recommendation for facials either done at the salon or home is not more often than every three to four weeks or once a month. That’s how long your skin’s life cycle is and how long it takes for skin cells to grow back. Facials help this process and assure your skin always glows. Want to try doing facials at home? Follow these 7 simple and easy steps, to do a great facial at home:
1. Cleanse your skin well
The first and foremost step to starting your home facial is to clean your face. Eliminate make-up, excess oil, and dirt that’s on your skin. By gentle massage motion, clean your face and neck with an oil cleanser or facial oil. You can use coconut or olive oil as well.
2. Exfoliate
Any good at-home facial or facial in general involves exfoliation to remove dead skin cells, open up the clogged pores and leave your skin glowing. But be careful if your skin is sensitive. Use an enzyme or chemical exfoliator instead of a physical exfoliator (like a scrub). Scrubs leave little micro-tears on the face just like tiny scratches, which can get your skin irritated and lead to breakouts. And remember – don’t exfoliate around your eyes.
3. Steam your skin
It may sound like an extra step, but it is an important one. Steaming your face opens up the pores, and helps absorb the products better. But be careful not to overheat your skin. For safe at-home steam treatment try these 2 options:
- hover your face over a bowl of hot water and cover your head with a towel to trap the steam in;
- soak a towel in hot water and put it over your face.
But make sure the water isn’t hot enough to burn you, test it out on a hand before, and don’t use boiling water!
You can add aromatic essential oils like lavender oil or rose oil to the water for a salon-like experience and more relaxing treatment. Also, you can put green tea or rosemary for extra skin benefits.
4. Extract
If you’re considering extracting your blackheads, it’s important to do it correctly to prevent damage to your skin and pores. Remember, to wash your hands before. Squeeze gently and clean the spot after with acne treatment. If you’re using an extractor tool, follow the manufacturer’s instructions and sanitize it before.
5. Apply a face mask
When your skin is squeaky clean, it’s time to nurture it with a facemask. Face masks get all the impurities out and give their radiance back. Grab your favorite face mask and enjoy some relaxed time while your skin relaxes as well. There are several kinds of masks, like:
- Gel – is good for all skin types — especially those with redness and spots.
- Clay – helps draw out impurities from the skin.
- Cream – is great for drier skin types that need more lipids, oils, and nourishing components.
- Sheet masks – are also great for dry skin types or irritated skin.
You can also DIY a great mask at home with ingredients in your fridge – like yogurt, honey, oatmeal, or avocado. But be careful if you have some allergies. Here are a great and easy DIY mask recipe. You will need:1 teaspoon of honey1 teaspoon coconut oil¼ ripe avocado2 drops of lavender oil (optional)
And no matter which type you reach for, leave it on for 10–20 minutes and then remove it with a damp washcloth.
6. Tone it up
Using a toner is a crucial step to brighter and glowy skin. When your skin has absorbed the nutrients and goodness of the face masks, toner will close and clean the pores, as well as help to restore the balance of the skin.
You can use your favorite store-bought toner or a homemade one. How to make one? Easy – mix one tablespoon apple cider vinegar and one tablespoon water. Soak a cotton ball in this mixture, and gently wipe it all over the face. Just remember, do not wipe near your eye area.
7. Moisturize
And last but not least, the cherry on top – moisturizer! Massage in your favorite serum or a good layer of moisturizer to lock all the treatment in. Use moisturizer without alcohol and look for hydration and nurturing effect.
After the facial:
- Keep yourself hydrated – when your face is treated nicely, it’s time to take care of your body as well. Drink at least 3 liters of water every day for the next three days to maintain that facial glow, And for more extra antioxidant effect – choose green tea as well.
- Be gentle on your skin – after all the cleansing and exfoliating, your skin can be a little sensitive. So, be gentle on your skin for the next few days. Do not try new products and other treatments for the next 4 days as well.
- Don’t pick at your skin – keep your hands off your face. It will cause breakouts and irritations.
- Don’t wear makeup immediately – some pores on your skin will remain open after your facial session, so they need time to breathe and close on their own. Make-up will block that process and can lead to breakouts. That’s why you must ideally wait for at least 24 hours to apply any makeup.
- Protect your skin from the sun – facial makes skin more vulnerable to harmful UV rays of the sun. So it’s better to stay away from direct sunlight for some time, but if you do need to go out in the sun (and in the summer cloudy day as well) make sure you wear sunscreen.
Final thoughts
Using the right products and the right steps in the right order will lead you to a luxurious spa-quality facial at home. Just be gentle to yourself, listen to your body, and look out for any reactions, to prevent them the next time.