Facial at home, anyone?
Who wouldn’t love the luxury of relaxing, listening to soothing music, while a therapist treats your face to a divine massage, enhanced by the fragrance of earthy scrubs and masks! As for me, I feel incredibly rejuvenated after a spa facial. I find absolute delight in the serenity which follows, and love how soft and nourished my skin feels. So, I indulge in these spa facial treatments 2-3 times a year, but I bring the spa home more often. Taking care of our face is not something that we limit to four times a year after all. Every fortnight, I do a mini- facial at home which is fairly simple yet works wonders for my face. I limit the spa facials to twice or thrice a year as I do not see the need for it more often as my skin is fairly problem free, and also the products that I use at home serve my skincare needs. So that spa facial is normally reserved for special occasions.
Facial is a multi-step targeted treatment for the face, which helps in improving the condition and appearance of our skin thus achieving a radiant complexion. The concerns that we may be looking to address may vary from clearing pores to de-tan to simply boosting hydration. There are just 4 steps in my routine which is very similar to what is done during a spa facial. Trust me girls doing these religiously would keep acne, tan and other skin concerns at bay.
1. Cleanse
The first step in any facial treatment is cleansing the skin. I do a double cleanse especially if I am wearing makeup. The first cleanse is using a Makeup Remover/ Face Oil to remove all traces of makeup. The second cleanse is using a cleansing milk or mild face wash depending on the skin type (dry/oily/sensitive) to remove any excess oil, bacteria etc. This step of cleaning and preparing the skin is vital so that the products used in the later steps are easily absorbed into the skin and our skin yield best results.
2. Exfoliate
The step of Exfoliation removes dead skin cells and helps in revealing the fresh skin underneath. Apply the needed amount of the scrub to damp skin and massage gently in upward circular motion concentrating on the T-zone area of the nose, forehead and chin, avoiding the area around the eyes. As the scrub dries, moisten the face with water and continue the massage for about 4 to 5 minutes. The scrubs that you use can vary from homemade fruit and floral scrubs to targeted exfoliators that helps with pore control, brightening etc. A few of my favorites are Kiehl’s Skin Brightening Exfoliator, Kiehl’s Pineapple Papaya Facial Scrub, Bobbi Brown Radiance Boost Mask, Forest Essentials Hand Pounded Organic Fruit Scrub.
3. Mask
The mask that you choose for your facial depends basically on your skin type. If you have dull skin with a tan, choose a radiance mask with brightening ingredients. Those with oily skin can benefit from a mud/clay mask which are ideal for removing excess oil. Dry skin can quench the thirst with a hydrating face mask. And lucky are those with normal skin, the choices are countless. The only concerns that I deal with is that my skin tends to tan easily and a bit of dehydration. One of my all-time favourites is the Narangi & Nagkesar Facial Ubtan from Forest Essentials. Orange peel and Turmeric in it are great for clearing the tan. I mix it with yoghurt to make a thick paste which I generously apply to the face and neck avoiding lips and the area around the eyes. Once the mask is dry, I rinse it off with cold water. Another hot favorite is the Turmeric & Cranberry Seed Energizing Radiance Mask. It’s good to stock up on a few that address your key skin concerns and alternate between them for your home facials.
4. Moisturize
No facial ritual is complete without the final step of Moisturizing. Moisturizer hydrates, nourishes the skin and ensures that the effects of your facial lasts long. Again it’s important to choose one that suits your skin type, an intensive one for dry skin and a lighter one for oily skin type.
You may have come across a step of Steaming in spa facial treatments. Steaming opens the pores and helps in letting out dirt and other impurities. It’s recommended for those who struggle with whiteheads or blackheads as the steam softens them up to be easily extracted. There is also a step of extraction of blackheads/whiteheads which I recommend to be done by a trained person than done at home. I skip these steps as I do not have these concerns.
Essential Tips
- Cleansing the skin is an absolute must for a facial treatment.
- Choose products based on your skin type and skin concerns.
- Always do a patch test for a new face product to check for suitability on your skin.
- Leave steps like pore extractions to professionals, don’t attempt it at home.
- Don’t overdo facial treatments. For e.g. Over exfoliating can remove too much skin and weaken skin’s barrier function making it vulnerable to infections. Fortnightly facials at home and a spa facial once in 4-5 months is good unless otherwise advised by your esthetician.
So ladies, are we game to set aside half an hour once every 2 -3 weeks for some FACE-time? Play relaxing spa music, light a few candles, get those Reed diffusers out and indulge in your Me-time!
