Essential steps for a spa facial.

Facials are among the most popular spa treatments and are used to nourish the skin by exfoliating and cleansing. Being pampered by an esthetician is a relaxing and rejuvenating experience that everyone should make a part of their beauty routine. In this blog, I will explain the steps of a basic facial. While there are countless facial techniques, most of them have these steps in common: Cleanse Your esthetician will wrap your hair in a headband or a towel and remove any makeup that you may be wearing. Some spas have their estheticians rub cream, jell, or lotion onto your face and neck and use cotton pads, cloths, and warm water to remove the cleanser. Once your face is completely clean, you are ready for the next step. Consultation During step two, your eyes will be covered by moistened pads and your esthetician will use a lighted magnifying glass/lamp to look at your skin and determine what kind of treatment you will need. The magnifying glass/lamp will help show what type of skin type you have (oily, dry, etc.) and if you have any skin conditions (acne, sunburn, blackheads, etc.) that need to be accounted for during your treatment. Your esthetician will give you his/her recommendations for the treatment and the two of you will come to an agreement about what will best fit your needs. Steam This is where the fun stuff starts. Warm steam will be applied to your face using either a heated, moist towel or a machine that gently directs a layer of steam to your face. The warm steam is extremely relaxing and loosens up the muscles in your face. The steam weakens blackheads and whiteheads and the sweat it produces will help clear your pours. Exfoliation Depending on the facial technique being used, the exfoliation process can take place before, after, or during the steam. An exfoliation gel, cream, mask, peel, or gommage will usually be applied before or after the steam. These products need to be left on your face to treat blackheads. Exfoliation products that involve scrubbing or massage techniques can usually be used during the steam step. Extraction Now that your skin has been exfoliated and the steam has relaxed your face, it is time to extract any whiteheads and blackheads. Because the previous steps were preparation for this one, the extractions should not be very painful. Your estheticians may use the lighted magnifying glass/lamp again to locate the imperfections in your skin. Different estheticians use different extraction techniques. You can discuss this before your facial or the extractions. Massage Who doesn’t love a massage? After the extraction procedure you deserve to be pampered. A facial massage will be used to stimulate your facial muscles and put you in a state of deep relaxation. Depending on the type of facial, oil or lotion may be used during the massage. Facial Mask After your massage a facial mask will be applied. The mask will be specially formulated to match your skin type and help treat any skin conditions that were discussed during the consultation. During most facials you will receive a massage while you wait for the mask to work its magic. Final Applications After the mask is removed you will likely receive an application of skin specific cream or gel. You may also receive moisturizer, serums, and sunscreen. Following the final step, your esthetician will give you advice on how to best take care of your skin in the future. Facials are recommended once a month for the best skin health results.