The other day I had a client who was telling me that before coming for her treatment, she was trying to explain to her 8 year old son what a facial is – well, the son couldn’t understand how someone can spend an hour ‘cleaning mummy’s face’!!!
So for those 8 year olds, for the first-timers, and for the seasoned client, I am going to go over the procedure of a facial step-by-step, and why each step is necessary. As many of you might be aware, on a spa’s menu of services there usually is a plethora of options under Facial Treatments. However, for this article’s purpose I am going to focus on a ‘basic’ facial, which is the foundation of many facials – it is usually one hour long and no treatment machinery is generally used.
THIS IS THE DETAILED CONSULTATION PART
1. Filling out a Skin Health Form
The front-desk or the skin treatment therapist will greet you, settle you in ‘their home’ and ask you to fill out a Health Form. This is done, so the therapist would know whether you have any particular skin concerns, any allergies, any contraindications (when particular procedures can’t be done because of some medication, particular home-care products that are used,…), what are your expectations, and other relevant details to the treatment.
2. Greeting
The skin treatment therapist escorts you to the treatment room. The therapist would greet you, clarify some information that was written on the Skin Health Form, ask for your expectations, and would give you a brief outline on what treatment will be performed on you and the products used during the treatment. You are then given instructions as to how to prepare for the facial
THIS IS THE CLEANSING PART OF A FACIAL ROUTINE:
3. Cleanse
The therapist begins by cleansing your eyes and face. At this point, therapist can judge the best cleanser for your face, since it is best to do a skin analysis after face is cleansed. Note: Before the facial cleanse is performed, at times the therapist can start with a short welcome massage.
4. Skin Analysis
Usually under a magnifying lamp or using other skin diagnostic equipment such as a Woods Lamp or a skin scanner, your skin is analyzed. Therapist might ask you questions as to your lifestyle, nutrition and home-care routine, which would lead to a better skin diagnosis, and hence a better, customized treatment plan.
5. Exfoliation
This is the deeper cleansing stage, where a facial exfoliation is performed to remove the dead skin cells, to achieve a more radiant look and for the following products to penetrate even more.
6. Steamer or Hot Towel
Heat on the skin will help to soften to pores, so that it will be easier for the removal of blackheads. However, some people can’t have heat on their skin, mainly if they have dilated capillaries, unless the steam’s purpose is to bring hydration to the skin.
7. Blackheads (comodones) Removal
Some people ‘don’t mind’ this stage, because it is a necessary evil, while others want to get it over and done with or not have any extractions at all. Unfortunately, most of the time the only way to remove blackheads is during a facial, where the trained skin therapist will remove the blackheads correctly without scarring or damaging the skin. Note: an appropriate product and a regular facial routine can help minimize the amount of blackheads.
THIS IS THE TREAT AND CORRECT STAGE OF A FACIAL ROUTINE
8. Massage
This is the best part of the facial for most and it is this stage which makes a huge difference between a ‘home’ facial and a facial performed by a skin therapist. Massage helps to stimulate the muscles, remove any toxins, tighten the skin, and because you are in a relaxed state the products tend to penetrate more. Different types of massage exist to treat different skin conditions – a lymphatic drainage can be performed on sensitive or acneic skin, while a more invigorating facial is usually chosen for mature skin.
9. Mask
The appropriate mask is chosen usually according to the outcome of your skin analysis, although sometimes this might change during the course of the facial, after the therapist would have worked on your skin and might realize that a different mask would be more appropriate. Sometime a choice of 2 masks can be done of different parts of the face – say a clay based mask for the oily t-zone, while a hydrating mask for the rest of the face, or a different mask for the face and the neck. In addition, at times the mask can be done before the massage, with the valid reasoning that your mask is always removed, while the massage cream chosen can be left on the skin and serve as a continuous treatment long after the facial is over.
10. Tone
Toning the skin is done to rebalance the pH of the skin and to make sure that there is no residue left from the mask. Toning can be also done at different stages throughout the facial.
11. Final creams + Sunscreen
Your eye cream goes first, then an appropriate ‘moisturizer’ is chosen. And at the very end a sunscreen is applied. (I prefer a separate product for a sunscreen, rather than having a moisturizer with an SPF.)
THIS IS THE PLANNING PART FOR THE ‘COURSE OF ACTION’
12. Assessment, Recommendations & Prescription
Here the skin therapist will do a sincere evaluation of your home maintenance – namely your skin treatment routine and products. A realistic skin care routine is jointly planned, and if appropriate new products are prescribed, based upon the thorough skin analysis and how the skin reacted during the facial.
This step is essential as doing a facial once every season or one every six weeks, and then not having a proper home care routine will get you nowhere.
13. Treatment Planning
A course of action is planned for the treatment room. Typically one is advised to have a professional facial once every six weeks, or at least one every season, to prepare the skin for the next season. Most of you have noticed that the skin changes with the seasons – hence a different facial is performed, or rather, a different choice of products is chosen. In addition, even the home care routine should adjust to the seasons, example one might need to add a mask targeted to a specific problem or change one’s day cream for something lighter in summer. However, if a condition is being treated, then a sequence of customized treatments is recommended within a specific time frame.
At the end of the treatment, the skin therapist will note in your Client Record Card:
the skin analysis outcome,
the products used during the facial,
how your skin reacted to the different steps, and
the best treatment plan for you.
So during your next facial, enjoy all the steps, knowing that every step chosen has its purpose.