While your bathroom might not hold a candle to a spa experience, don’t let a lack of fancy spa tools or professional-level skin care products prevent you from embracing your inner esthetician – giving yourself a decent facial treatment from the comfort of your home is completely doable.

You can even go so far as setting the scene with candles and doing other treatments like dry brushing. This way you can continue to experience professional-like spa facial treatments by yourself. Boost your skin care regime with an at-home facial that’s as easy as following a few steps.

What Is A Facial? | Why Give Yourself A Facial At Home? | Facial Steps At Home | Facial Contouring | Facial Steps For Acne Prone Skin | Body Treatment At Home

What Is A Facial?

Whether you’re a facial fanatic or complete newbie, it’s important to understand what exactly a facial contributes to your beauty routine. An all-inclusive approach to skin care, a facial is a treatment or series of treatments that can target multiple skin ailments. You may be aware that the skin on our face is a map for our body’s needs, and a facial serves as an infographic to point out any nutritional deficiencies or general health conditions that need specific care.

Now, not all of these facial treatments are safe — or even possible — to achieve on your own.
Due to the precision and experience required, extractions should be avoided at all costs. Professional-level chemical peels are also not wise to attempt on your own as they can cause pigment irregularities and even scar your skin permanently when they are misused. Even without these more advanced spa treatments, you can give yourself an hour of skin pampering that will reset your skin. Although nothing will replace the expertise and experience of a professional treatment, an at-home facial by yourself can maintain the health of your skin until your next opportunity to visit your esthetician. If you do want a professional facial peel, we recommend learning more information at your nearest Eminence Organics Spa Partner.

Why Give Yourself A Facial At Home?

Experts advise a facial once a month if your skin is frequently problematic, or every time your environment changes or you enter a new climate. Facials are an extension of your other skin maintenance, like exfoliation, dermaplaning or masks. Designate time for them the same way you might pencil in a manicure or tidying your eyebrows.  

A facial is also a chance for you to disconnect from working at home and relax into leisure time. Simultaneously pamper yourself and tend to your skin’s needs under different circumstances. Whether you’re contending with a lack of work, relationship strain or any psychological anxiety related to the current circumstances, this is a way to decompress and boost morale. Facials should be done at night when your skin is most ready to repair, so think of it as another method to unwind. Your skin also renews every 20 – 30 days, so you’re likely to see results within several weeks of your facial. 

Facial Steps At Home

Light some scented candles, put on the most relaxing, mediative music you can find and line up the facial care products you need. First up is a guide to an at-home facial for most skin types. If you have acne-prone skin, please skip forward to the next section designed for you.

Here is your step-by-step guide for giving yourself a quality facial: 

Step ​1. Prepare Your Facial Products

Make sure you pull your hair away from your face and secure it with a headband or towel so you can apply your skin care products easily. Now, it’s time for makeup removal! Start by applying an oil cleanser before rinsing or removing with a warm washcloth. If you’re battling against stubborn eye makeup, in addition to the oil cleanser, you can also pour a little eye makeup remover onto a cotton pad and wipe your eyes gently. 

Step 2. Cleanse 

After removing your makeup, double-cleanse by massaging a small amount of another cleanser into your face and neck for 1-3 minutes (dilute with water if needed). Not only do facial massages allow your skin to better absorb the product, but they encourage the drain of build-up in your face that causes puffiness. Make sure to push skin up as you massage to give your face a natural lift. Gently smooth forehead and eye area wrinkles as you go. This will relax the facial muscles. Rinse thoroughly.

Step 3. Tone

Next, spray or apply toner with cotton pads. Remember the neck and decolletage (avoid eye area here), as they are the first areas, other than the face, to show age. Toners are essential to complete the cleansing process and protect the skin from environmental stressors. 

Step 4. Steam

If you particularly enjoy facials that get a little steamy, never fear – this is something you can definitely DIY. Pour boiled water in a large bowl and place your skin six inches away while covering your head with a towel to trap the steam. This will open your pores and prepare your skin for exfoliation and absorption. You can steam up to 10 minutes, two minutes at a time.

Step 5. Exfoliate

Gently massage an exfoliant into the skin. Be careful not to scrub or drag, particularly around the delicate eye area where the skin is thinner. Massaging an exfoliant onto your skin gently removes dead cells and any remaining dirt or makeup. Rinse thoroughly.

6. Facial Masking

It’s masking time! Apply a thin, even layer of your mask (it may be tempting to go thick, but it’s not necessary) and leave on for five to 10 minutes before removing with a damp face cloth. For extra facial benefit, employ your former massaging techniques to maximize absorption and natural lift. Remember to include your neck and decolletage. 

Step 7. Massage

To deeply hydrate the skin, reach for your facial oil or moisturizer for another massage. Make sure to avoid acne-prone areas. Gently knead your face for five to 10 minutes before rinsing the product off. 

Step 8. Apply Serum

Now to lock in the moisture: Apply a serum that suits your skin and massage into the skin in circular motions. For example, the Citrus & Kale Potent C+E Serum has a potent dose of non-irritating Vitamin C that brightens the appearance of all skin types. You can leave most serums on and follow with a moisturizer (only two steps away!). 

Step 9. Eye Care

Next you want to target dark undereye circles, puffiness or fine lines around your eyes. Reach for your favorite eye cream, lightly blending and tapping the product until it’s absorbed. 

Step 10. Moisturizing

Take your moisturizer and apply a thin layer to the face, neck and decolletage. And you’re done with your first at-home facial! If you deal with acne, and you’re concerned that any of the steps would trigger further breakouts, up next we’ve gathered some insights on how to give yourself a facial designed for acne. 

Facial Contouring

If you’d like to improve the look of puffiness, redness or conditions like rosacea, facial contouring using cold therapy can greatly assist. Cold therapy works by diminishing swollen tissue and broken capillaries to reduce redness and puffiness in the face. To do this at home, all you need are two ice globe tools that you pop in the fridge or freezer before rolling them across your skin to depuff and tighten the appearance of your complexion. 

Ice globes are freezable wands with one spherical end that can be rolled or massaged on your face or the body. They are typically made from steel or glass and are ideal for lymphatic drainage as it relieves sinus pressure. The technique is easy to do at home.

Step 1. Place Your Ice Globes In The Freezer

Place your ice globes in the freezer or fridge until they feel cool. 

Step 2. Apply Moisturizer

Apply a lightweight moisturizer, lotion or oil onto your face before using your ice globes to help them glide along the skin. For example, the Mangosteen Gel Moisturizer works easily with all skin types. You don’t need a lot of product, but just enought to allow the globe to slide easily.

Step 3. Roll The globe To Lift Your Eye Area

Starting from your under eye area, swoop upwards towards your temple. When you reach your temple, pause to place a small amount of pressure. Swoop up and down approximately six times on each side of the face.

Step 4: Glide Under And Across The Brow

Next, you can roll the globe under the brow as well as across the top of the brow. Start by placing the globe near your nose and rolling it outwards across your eyebrow and eyelid towards your temple, pausing at the temple spot again with gentle pressre. You can repeat around six swoops on each side of the face and left side of your face. These actions should depuff and lift the eye area for a more contoured appearance. 

Step 5. Use Lifting Motions Across Your Brow

Place the globe from the bride of the nose and roll across the eyelid and eyebrow, pausing at the temple. With each swipe (around six on each side of the face), roll with a lifting motion. Then, you can also glide the globe upwards from the centre of your brows to your forehead and then across to your temple in an L-shape. 

Step 6. Contour Your Chin And Jaw

To contour your chin and jaw, place the globe from your chin, gliding the globe upwards across your cheekbones, pausing at the temple, at the top of the ear. For the jaw area, pull the globe up from the base of your jaw and upwards towards your temple, placing gentle pressure on the temple. You can even release tension by gliding the tool under your chin and down your neck. 

Step 7. Cleanse

Continue with your facial cleansing routine. Lightly exfoliate your face, if needed. Apply your moisturizers and serums as you normally would. 

Facial Steps At Home For Acne Prone Skin

If problem skin is your specific concern, you may wonder if it’s still possible to give yourself a facial at home. Although you will need to take special care, an at-home facial can still be accomplished in a safe and effective way. Here is our step-by-step facial at home guide: 

Step 1 to 4: Same As Above

Follow the same first four points in “Facial Steps At Home.” 

Step 5. Exfoliation 

If you’re experiencing active acne breakouts, you’ll want to avoid physical exfoliating scrubs in those areas. You can use a light chemical exfoliating peel that has gentle acids that exfoliate without irritation with natural ingredients like salicylic acid from willow bark.

Step 6. Mask

Apply a thin layer of a mask with fingertips to cleansed skin, avoiding the eye area. Dilute with water for easier application. Leave on for five to 10 minutes. Remove with a damp face cloth. Tea tree oil, absorbing charcoal, clay and salicylic acid are going to be the active ingredients to clear your pores and help with those breakouts. 

Step 7. Serum 

Treat your skin with a spot treatment or a serum all over that contains acne-fighting ingredients like salicylic acid or tea tree oil.  

Step 8. Moisturize

Don’t forget this finishing step, even if you do experience breakouts. Apply eye cream and a thin layer of a light moisturizer to the face, neck and decolletage.

Even after completing one of these two facials, the pampering is not complete! 

Body Treatment At Home: Dry Brushing Or Body Scrubs

Removing dead skin cells is usually an integral part of the professional body care routine too – that’s where dry brushing or a body scrub come into play. Dry brushing involves using a dry bristled brush to gently exfoliate your body. There are numerous benefits including removing dead skin cells and improving the skin’s circulation. Another option is a body scrub or polish. These products are usually delicious-smelling and formulated with oils that remove dry, flaky skin. Lastly, your hands need some love and attention. Treat your hands to long-lasting hydration and select from an array of hand creams, repair balms or oils, depending on your preference.

Whether you’re using facials to address specific skin issues, maintain your skin from pre-quarantine or simply de-stress, it’s the perfect self care in trying times. You don’t have to be a skin care expert, or perform a facial weekly, but putting aside half an hour occasionally to give yourself or your partner a pick-me-up has immense beauty and mental health benefits. Plus, your skin will repay the investment, tenfold. 

Want to learn more about at-home skin care? Take a look at our selection of masks and acne prone problem skin products. Or, if you’re looking for skin care at a professional level, get in touch with your Eminence Organics Spa Partner.

This article was originally written in April 2020.