How to give yourself a Spa Quality At Home Facial

Lately, it has been harder than ever to make it to the spa in time for your monthly facial. Maybe you have not yet ventured into trying professional facial treatments, either. All you know is, it’s time for a little self care. With the help of some trusty skincare products, you can easily perform a spa quality at home facial with a few helpful tips from the pros.

A bathroom full of scented candles or your favorite scent diffuser. You are all warm and cozy in your favorite fluffy bathrobe. The skincare products are laid out in front of you, about to be absorbed into your glowing, perfect skin.

Sounds amazing, right? In my opinion, this is the best feeling ever.

At home facials are perfect for the mind, body and soul. Here is my guide to the perfect at home spa facial, from a Licensed Esthetician!

What you need for at home facial:

Step 1) Cleanser

Firstly, you should begin every skincare routine, facial or not, with a proper skin cleanse. Your skin should be left feeling soft and hydrated after cleansing. But if it feels dry, tight, or irritated, pick a new cleanser! In addition to a normal cleanser, you can also perform a double cleanse. This uses an oil based cleanser before going in with your regular one. I love doing this to ensure I have gotten all the excess makeup, dirt and oil from my skin. At the spa, we normally perform a double cleanse during all facial services.

A few of my personal favorites include the CeraVe Hydrating Face Wash, Drunk Elephant Beste No. 9 Jelly Cleanser, La Roche-Posay Toleriane Hydrating Gentle Cleanser, and the DHC Deep Cleansing Oil.

Step 2) Exfoliant

Next, there are two types of exfoliants you can choose from: Chemical or Physical. Chemical exfoliants include AHAs (glycolic acid, lactic acid, etc) and/or BHAs (salicylic acid) that work below the skin to exfoliate. AHAs help to loosen the bonds between dead skin cells, while BHAs penetrate deeper to extract impurities.

AHAs work great for dry skin or if you are looking to work on anti-aging or scarring. Alternatively, BHAs can assist to cleanse the skin deeper, which would be most beneficial for oily or acne prone skin types. Also I have found that BHAs work great for those pesky blackheads we often see on our nose and chin. Not sure what your skin type is? Read up on ways to figure that out!

Examples of mechanical exfoliants would be a scrub that you can physically feel working to remove dirt and impurities. However, I personally much prefer chemical exfoliants! Do not let the word chemical scare you. There are plenty of gentle versions to start out with. Despite many scrubs being too harsh for the skin, there are still some good ones out there. As always, choose your products carefully and seek help from a skincare professional.

My favorite chemical exfoliants are the Bliss Jelly Glow Peel and the Paula’s Choice 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant.

Otherwise, if you enjoy the feeling of a scrub, then I would recommend trying the Dermalogica Daily Superfoliant or the Dr. Brandt Skincare Microdermabrasion Skin Exfoliant as a physical exfoliant.

Step 3) Mask + Steamer

If you want a one time use sheet mask, try using the Neutrogena Hydro Boost and Hydrating Hydrogel Mask, TONYMOLY I’m Real Honey Nourishing Mask Sheet, or the TONYMOLY Master Lab Collagen Sheet Mask.

A few of my favorite masks to buy if you don’t want a sheet mask option are the FarmHouse Fresh Guac Star Soothing Avocado Hydration Mask and the Drunk Elephant F-Balm Electrolyte Waterfacial. Also, be sure to read here if you want more options for the best facial masks!

On the other hand, if you are opting for the non steamer version, you can always heat up a hot shower and let the bathroom steam up a bit. Or, you can boil some water and cover your face with a cloth over the pot. I highly recommend the steamer option, though, because you can use it during plenty of occasions outside of a spa facial! Either way, steam the skin for about 8-10 minutes. Do not put your face too close to the steam!

Extractions

The next step in this at home facial is entirely optional. After you remove your mask gently, you may choose to extract some blackheads or pimples on the skin. This is a step I normally would only give to the pros, but I have a few tips for safer at home extraction.

Remember, picking with your nails or harsh pressing on the skin, is absolutely not permitted unless you want scarring, and longer healing times… we are trying to do a spa quality at home facial, right? I personally like to use a skin scrubber, which is super easy to use on yourself and prevents you from applying too much pressure. You can also use the comedone extractor that comes in the set of tools with the steamer. Just be gentle! I use the GUGUG Skin Scrubber. It has several settings and options that you can use for other steps in the facial process besides just extracting impurities. Always keep the skin wet while using this! It feels like tiny vibrations on the skin while it works. It is painless and ultra satisfying.

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Massage

Last but not least, the best part. If you have never had your face massaged before, or massaged it yourself, you are missing out! Also there are numerous skin health benefits from simple facial massage techniques. It helps lift and tone the skin, improve blood circulation, enhance hydration, improve lymphatic drainage, and reduce puffiness!

I love incorporating a high quality facial oil that will sink into the skin as you massage. You will not be removing this oil, so choosing one that helps with your skin concerns is key! I personally love using the Herbivore Emerald Deep Moisture Glow Oil because it calms and soothes my skin so well. Similarly, using this Organic Rosehip Oil is also a fantastic option that aids in anti aging as well as moisturization.

If you want to be a little fancy and add in a massage tool, then you get major points! You can add in a Gua Sha or Jade Roller to enhance penetration of the facial oil.

Here is a tutorial on how I use my Jade Roller Tool:

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A post shared by Tara Gable (@taratheestie) on Apr 3, 2020 at 10:22am PDT

Finishing Products

Now that you have: cleansed and exfoliated, masked and extracted, massaged with a delicious facial oil and Jade Roller or Gua Sha, the facial must come to an end. I know you want it to continue forever. However, you will have some amazing skin to show for it!

Next, apply your favorite skincare products gently to the skin. Pat in some eye cream, choose a potent serum that addresses your skin concerns, and apply a moisturizer on top! If you chose to perform this in the morning then don’t forget to add SPF too.

As you can see, my skin is brighter, more hydrated, and visibly less puffy!

Lastly, you can heat up some warm tea and curl up on the couch. It feels so refreshing to give your skin the extra love that it deserves! Facials are recommended once monthly, and with a gentle routine you can easily perform this twice a month if you choose. But, I highly recommend visiting a skincare professional first, and getting help with your skin concerns before performing any at home treatments. Be sure to continue visiting the spa for more potent skincare treatments.

Thank you for reading! As always, enjoy the skin journey!

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