Oooh that fresh after a facial feeling!
Your skin is glowing and hydrated. You feel refreshed, confident and pampered after your monthly facial appointment. Want to know the best ways to keep your skin just as happy long after your facial? Read on as you give the serums and creams your facialist put on your skin time to absorb overnight.
HERE’S HOW TO MAKE IT LAST
1. Try Not to Touch or Pick
Your skin may look and feel amazing, but you must not touch it. You want to leave the great skincare products your esthetician has used alone, so that they can continue to work their magic on a cellular level. If you must touch, do so with freshly washed hands and be gentle. As amazing as your skin feels, just try to leave it alone. It needs some time. It also will benefit from not having your hands’ dirt and oils sitting on it. If your esthetician extracted your skin, your skin will begin it’s healing work-carefully follow the recommended home care instructions for complete and proper healing. Be patient. Don’t get frustrated if there are pimples still remaining after your facial because it probably means they were not ready to be extracted during your facial. For the best long-term skin, try to avoid touching, squeezing, and picking, especially in the hours and days following your facial.
2. Don’t Wash Your Face
You can wash your face the next morning, but try to avoid washing your face for the rest of the day after you get a facial. The best facials are meant to soak into your skin, penetrating deeply to provide the skin restoration you’re looking for. Got dry skin? You want the hydration to penetrate. Got acne? You want your face to heal and stay cleansed at the deepest level. Got wrinkles? You want those antioxidants to absorb into your wrinkles and revive your face. Plus, your skin just underwent some of the deepest cleansing it can get, so you really don’t need any more cleansing after that! Wait until the next morning for best results. (If SPF was part of the facial, this should be washed off before bed.) Also, make sure your pillowcase and towels are fresh and clean! Pillowcases can hold onto oils and towels can remain wet and harbor bacteria.
3. Stay Out of the Sun
Your skin has just experienced powerful cleansing, leaving the surface of your skin vulnerable to the sun’s rays. Hold onto the benefits of your facial by staying out of the sun, ideally all the time, but at least for the next 24-48 hours following your facial. On the day of your facial, you will leave with products on your skin that will continue to work throughout the rest of the day. Your skin is begging you to stay out of the sun with it being vulnerable after your facial. Skin needs to be protected, especially right after a treatment, so you can get the best results from your facial. (If you had a daytime facial an SPF will be applied and should be washed off before retiring for the evening. Your daily SPF should be a minimum of 30.)
4. Don’t Apply Makeup
I recommend avoiding makeup on the day of your facial. Your skin should feel amazing, this is a great chance to let it have a break from makeup. If you can, wait until the next day to wear makeup. Also, make sure your makeup brushes and sponges are clean and washed weekly with gentle soap and water going forward. Don’t use old makeup either as it can be carrying dirt, oil, & bacteria.
5. Stay Away from Harsh Products at Home
In the first 72 hours after a facial, your skin remains vulnerable. The exfoliation that took place during your facial brought the new layers of your skin to the surface, possibly making your skin more sensitive. So, trust the power of the work your facialist did and avoid using harsh products at home for 72 hours after a facial. These include Retin A, Renova, or other alpha-hydroxy acid peels. Your skin will thank you for it.
6. Resist Hot Showers or Saunas and Reschedule Workouts
Your skin has already been steamed to the max during your facial, and adding any more could lead to sensitivity and even broken capillaries. You should also wait at least a day to workout if you weren’t able to get your workout in prior to your facial. The increased heat in the skin and sweat can be irritating to your freshly exfoliated skin.
7. Postpone Facial Hair Removal
Please wait at least a week before getting waxing or laser hair removal. Waxing especially exfoliates the skin, and over-exfoliation will make it more likely that the wax will lift the skin and leave you with an ugly scab instead of beautifully groomed brows.
8. Keep Hydrated!
Proper hydration is key to maximizing the benefits of your facials. Be sure to drink lots of water afterward. Staying hydrated will prevent dehydration, flush out toxins and leave you with a healthy, glowing complexion. When you are sufficiently hydrated, your skin cells function more effectively and are better able to eliminate toxins, absorb nutrients and help you retain your post-facial radiance. In addition to drinking plenty of water, increase your intake of fresh fruits and vegetables and apply a recommended daily moisturizer to maintain your glow.
9. Follow your Esthetician’s Advice
A quality home care routine is essential for boosting the life of your facial. Following up at home with a great routine designed by your facialist always extends the results of the facial for the month to come. Use the facial as your chance to take your skin to the next level, not simply bring it back to baseline. Work with your esthetician to develop a skin care routine that is customized for your specific skin type, concerns and skin care goals. Start that home care routine the next day! Following expert advice can do wonders for maintaining your skin’s health between spa appointments.
10. Your Next Appointment
The best skin care routines pair at-home products with in-spa treatments. In fact, many dermatologists liken visits to the spa to trips to the dentist: Professional treatments provide the extra care and expertise needed to enhance your everyday routine. Together, at-home and in-spa treatments set your skin up for optimal health and vitality. Most estheticians recommend booking facials between four and six weeks apart to take advantage of the skin’s natural turnover cycle. At minimum, I suggest quarterly treatments to maintain your skin’s health and address its specific needs as the seasons change.
In order to get the best results from your facial, follow these ten tips. I look forward to seeing you in the studio soon!
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