Spa treatments have significant benefits for your skin’s health. They remove impurities, promote new cell renewal and support your skin’s moisture barrier. In addition, facial treatments leave you with a much-desired glow. The question is: How do you maintain that glow? And what should you do or avoid doing before a facial? We got you covered. Follow these dos and don’ts to extend the life of your next facial.
Before a facial | After a facial
Dos and don’ts before a facial
Preparing for a facial is vital to ensure you get the maximum benefits from your treatment. Facials can rejuvenate your skin, but they require some preparation to enhance their effects. Here are some basic guidelines to prepare your skin for this rejuvenating experience:
I am doing:
Avoid sun exposure
Minimize sun exposure for a few days before your treatment. Sunburnt skin can be overly sensitive and may need to forgo certain products or treatments that are commonly used during a facial.
Clean gently and avoid rubbing
Stay hydrated
Drinking plenty of water in the days before your facial helps hydrate your skin from the inside out. Hydrated skin is more elastic and responsive to skin care treatments, making the results of the facial more intense.
Do not:
Use retinol products
Retinol and other strong ingredients should be avoided a few days before your facial. These substances can sensitize the skin, increasing the chance of irritation from facial treatments.
Wax or shave
Try not to wax or shave your face at least 24 – 48 hours before your facial. These hair removal methods can leave your skin vulnerable to irritation when certain facial treatments are applied.
Schedule other skin treatments
It’s best to avoid scheduling other aggressive skin care treatments — such as chemical peels or laser treatment — around your facial appointment. These can over-sensitize your skin, making the facial too harsh for your newly treated skin.
Go back with heavy makeup
Going makeup free on the day of your facial is ideal. It reduces the time your esthetician needs to cleanse your skin and allows for more healing or moisturizing steps to begin immediately, enhancing your overall facial experience.
Following these simple dos and don’ts will help you get the most out of your facial appointment, ensuring your skin is primed and ready to receive all the care and benefits of professional skin care treatments. Now, here’s what to do after your facial to extend your results.
What to do after a facial
Immediate results on a face usually last between five and seven days. During this time, the skin looks and feels firm, hydrated and radiant. To extend your results, keep these aftercare steps in mind:
Keep skin hydrated
Proper hydration is key to maximizing the benefits of your face. Us Product Support Agents advise: “Make sure you drink plenty of water afterwards. Staying hydrated will flush out toxins and leave you with healthy, glowing skin.”
When you’re adequately hydrated, your skin cells work more efficiently and are better able to eliminate impurities, absorb nutrients, and help you maintain your post-facial glow. In addition to drinking plenty of water, increase your intake of fresh fruits and vegetables and apply a daily moisturizer to maintain your glow.
Weekly exfoliation
While we advise against exfoliating right after your facial (ouch!), we recommend adding this step to your weekly skincare routine. Continuing to exfoliate at home will keep your skin soft and smooth, as well as prevent oil and dead skin from building up and dulling your complexion. Be gentle with your freshly exfoliated skin: Wait two to three days before exfoliating and choose a gentle scrub like Eminence Organics Strawberry Rhubarb Dermafoliant, Stone Crop Oxygenating Fizzofoliant™ or VitaSkin™ Exfoliating Peels.
Use a vitamin C serum
Environmental stressors are the biggest threat to your fresh skin. Extreme temperatures and air pollution can drain the life out of your skin, contributing to dullness, dehydration and the development of fine lines and wrinkles. To protect your face impact, our Product Support Agents we recommend adding a vitamin C serum to your skin care routine. This superstar ingredient not only brightens dull skin and boosts collagen production, it also fights wrinkles and fights harmful free radicals. Vitamin C is able to keep skin balanced, toned and glowing, even after you leave the sanctuary of your favorite spa.
Follow your Esthetician’s advice
A quality home care routine is essential to boosting the life of your face. Celebrity face Joanna Vargas says Refinery29: “Following up at home with a great routine designed by your doctor always extends the results of the facial for the next month. Use a facial as an opportunity to take your skin to the next level, not just restore it to its original state.” Work with your esthetician to develop a skin care routine that’s tailored to your specific skin type, concerns, and skin care goals. Following their expert advice can do wonders for keeping your skin healthy between spa appointments.
Book your next appointment
The best skin care routines combine home products with spa treatments. In fact, many dermatologists liken spa visits to trips to the dentist: Professional treatments provide the extra care and expertise needed to enhance your daily life. Together, home and spa treatments condition your skin for optimal health and vitality. Most estheticians recommend booking facials between four and six weeks apart to take advantage of the skin’s natural renewal cycle. At the very least, Josie suggests quarterly treatments to keep your skin healthy and address its special needs as the seasons change.
What NOT to do after a facial
While there’s a lot of good you can do for your skin after a facial, there’s also the potential for some damage. To keep your skin glowing, it’s wise to avoid some common post-facial pitfalls. Here’s our guide to what you should not do after a facial:
Visit the Steam room
A trip to the steam room might seem like the perfect way to end a blissful spa day, but your best bet is to avoid it. Your skin is already exposed to plenty of steam during your facial, and adding it can lead to irritation and broken capillaries. Going to the gym is another no-no: Increased heat and sweat can also irritate your freshly exfoliated skin, causing redness and inflammation. Instead, take advantage of the spa amenities before your facial and leave the steam management to your esthetician.
Wax, shave or laser hair removal
Hair removal and facials do not mix. While it can be convenient to book a wax, shave or laser treatment along with your facial, it’s best to spread out your appointments. Most facials include deep exfoliation with professional peeling to eliminate old skin cells and bring new cells to the surface. Doing a hair removal treatment right after your facial runs the risk of over-exfoliating and burning your fresh skin. To avoid discomfort and damage, experts advise spacing your waxing appointments between 24 and 48 hours before or after your facial treatment.
I am sunbathing
While we highly recommend protecting your skin from UV rays every day (yes, even in winter!), this is especially true after a facial. Your freshly exfoliated skin is especially sensitive to sun damage after treatment, and its vulnerable surface can easily burn. Additionally, exposing your skin to the sun puts you at risk for melanoma and accelerates the development of fine lines and wrinkles. After facial care, always apply a sunscreen or moisturizer with SPF 30 or higher to minimize potential damage.
Choose your skin
It can be tempting to pop and pick at your pimples, but it’s best to keep your hands off after treatment. Every time you press or touch a blemish, you run the risk of spreading bacteria and signs of your skin.
During your facial, your esthetician will have performed the necessary extractions to clear blackheads and pimples. If any defects remain, it is because they are not close enough to the surface to be safely extracted. Further picking and pushing will only do damage. Your best course of action is to leave them and make a follow-up appointment with your doctor for further extractions.
Use peels or retinol at home
Give your skin a week to heal before using strong home remedies like peels and retinol-based products. Your skin is especially sensitive after a facial. Harsh and potentially irritating products like retinol can do more harm than good. Rest assured that your esthetician has exfoliated your skin to the max and is focused on protecting your skin’s moisture barrier with nutrients face oils, rich moisturisers and deeply hydrating mask treatments. Our pick: Mix Rosehip Triple C+E Firming Oil with Coconut Corrective Moisturizer for long-lasting hydration.
Are you ready to put them into action after the dos and don’ts? Book your next facial at an Eminence Organics Spa partner near you.
