What [the heck] is a Facial? Rock Your Beauty Routine!

What is a Facial?

Do you think facials are for celebrities and only the very wealthy? Think again. When you discover what a facial can do, you may consider adding it to your monthly regimen.

The definition of a facial is that it is a treatment for the skin that has a goal for your skin type and conditions. The steps of a facial are different for every type, but include the following basic steps:

• Consultation – a complete and thorough analysis of your lifestyle, your genetics, what you eat and your skin care regimen are all part of a good consultation.
• Cleansing & Skin Analysis – an experienced esthetician will analyze the skin before cleansing and after cleansing. The “before” analysis shows lack of exfoliation, how oil lays on the skin and dehydration.
• Exfoliation – there are many types of exfoliation including physical and chemical. Physical exfoliation could be a scrub or ultrasonic exfoliation, while chemical is enzyme peels (lemon or papaya or bromelain) or lactic acid. Exfoliation allows the esthetician to work gently “in” the skin. Removing the top layers allows for extractions to be loosened and products to be absorbed.
• Steam is not used any more as it does not completely cover the face and hot towels do a much better job of loosening the toxic debris.
• Extractions – One of the critical reasons for having a facial is to remove whiteheads, blackheads and milia from the skin. It’s amazing that anyone would want to walk around with anything on their face. That’s why they have 10X Magnifying mirrors! But during this part of the facial, a great esthetician also checks for hair on the lip, chin, eyebrows or other areas there should not be hair.
• Massage – Most people who have never had a treatment facial before assume that every facial is for relaxation which includes massage. Sometimes with an acne facial or a treatment facial, the massage is eliminated to allow more extractions or for less stimulation on the face. Some estheticians will extract after the massage, while other will extract before. The estheticians who extract after believe that it helps to loosen the debris.
• Mask – A mask serves many purposes but mainly to either hydrate, calm or detoxify. The mask itself will determine the goal of the mask and the selection by the esthetician will give the facial a “wow” outcome. Masks are amazing for the skin, because it forces the skin to send it’s own natural serums to plump and hydrate the skin.
• Hydration / Sun Protection – Hydration or sun protection is the last step of the facial. It gives you a glow and protects you from the environment. At Bella Reina, we love a translucent SPF 50 powder. It’s water resistant and protects the skin totally.
• On-Going Skin Care Recommendations – A great facial has home care recommendations that allows you to keep your skin glowing at home.

When looking at different types of facials, it is best to leave the recommendation up to the experienced esthetician. Additionally, a facial of any type works much better when it is part of a home care skin care program. Just from experience, facial results will not last as long, if you are going home and cleansing with bar soap or an oil-stripping sulfate cleanser.

[clickToTweet tweet=”What is a facial? Why part of my beauty routine? How often? #facial #skincare” quote=”Share what a facial is and why you should get one!” theme=”style1″]How Often Should You Get a Facial?

Each person has different skin conditions and skin types. The best is to have a facial monthly. The skin cell cycle goes 28-30 days to regenerate new skin cells. By having a facial every month, you are feeding the new skin cells optimum nutrition and the skin will look amazing.

For acne clients, you may need to come weekly or twice a week until the acne is cleared up. For those with specific skin concerns, like wrinkles or pigmentation, the frequency of facials is going to be more than monthly.

• Monthly Maintenance – 1 Time per Month
• Acne Clients – 2 Times per Week tapering to 1 Time per Month when under control
• Wrinkles – 1-2 Times per Week for muscle stimulation tapering to 1 Time per Month for maintenance.
• Pigmentation – 2 Times per Month to lighten the discoloration. A combination of peels, exfoliation and introduction of Vitamins and peptides helps to disperse the melanin and lighten the pigmentation
• Dehydration – 1-2 Times per Month. Depending on the dehydration causes, will result in either lipid or water hydration of the skin
• Rosacea – 1-2 Times per Month to eliminate the bacteria and exfoliate the skin.

What is a facial covers many aspects of skin care. Knowing a great esthetician and having the right treatment is just like taking your car to the right mechanic. You want your car to run right….same with your skin. You want your skin to look amazing, check out the types of facial rejuvenation treatments that you can have.