SKIN CARE

Facial Treatments

The Basic Steps of a Facial

• Consultation
  A facial should begin with a consultation. You might fill out a form with questions about your skin concerns, your diet, how much water you drink, which drugs and supplements you take, and products you are currently using. Retin-A and other drugs can affect your skin and what kind of treatments the aesthetician recommends. More commonly, the aesthetician will simply ask about your skin concerns and if you are using Retin-A.

• Preparations
  Usually, the aesthetician offers a wrap that goes around your body and underneath your arms, then closes with velcro. She leaves the room so you can put it on in privacy. Some people remove all their clothes before putting on the wrap, some leave their pants on, and some even leave their bra on and put the straps underneath their arms. At some spas, you are invited to take off some or all of your clothes and get between the sheets. The aesthetician will let you know the protocol where you are.

• Cleansing
  Usually, the aesthetician starts by wrapping your hair with a towel or headband to keep products off of it. The first step is thorough cleansing, using cotton pads, aesthetician wipes or sponges. Most professional facials do a double-cleanse.

• Skin analysis and cleansing
  Depending on whether you have makeup on, the aesthetician might look at your skin under a bright lamp first, or covers your eyes and looks at your skin through a brightly lit magnifying lamp. She is determining your basic skin type (dry, oily, combination, sensitive or normal) and skin conditions (acne, blackheads, whiteheads, aging, sun-damage, dehydration, etc.). The aesthetician then chooses the appropriate products and treatments and consults with you about what he or she sees and recommends.

• Steam
  Most facials use a machine that directs a thin vapor of warm steam to your face. This is relaxing and helps softens up any blackheads and whiteheads to be extracted. If you have very sensitive skin, the aesthetician may not use steam.

• Exfoliation
  Exfoliating the skin uses mechanical or chemical substances. Mechanical exfoliants have a gritty texture that rubs away the surface dead skin cells. This type of exfoliation usually happens during the steam. Chemical exfoliation uses enzymes and acids to loosen the bond between skin cells. A gentle enzyme treatment can be done during the steam.

• Extractions
  This is the removal of blackheads or whiteheads if you want it and need it. People have different pain tolerance for extractions. 

• Facial Massage                                                                         Using classic strokes like effleurage to both relax you and stimulate your skin and facial muscles.

• Facial mask
  A mask is targeted to your skin type (dry, oily, combination, sensitive, mature) and condition. During the facial, you can choose to receive a scalp, hand or foot massage.

• Finishing Poduct
  An application of toner, serums, moisturizer, and sunscreen if it's daytime.

• Advice on home skin care
  I will let you know what I recommend for home care to achieve your personal skin care goals. 80% of the change you will see in your skin comes from what you do at home to care for your skin.