What Are the 7 Steps of Facial?

Facials are an increasingly popular spa treatment designed to rejuvenate skin. A facial usually includes cleansing, exfoliation, steaming and massaging the area being treated, as well as helping remove blackheads or blocked pores.

First comes a thorough cleansing, to remove makeup and impurities from your face, followed by a facial massage to increase its efficacy.

1. Cleansing

An effective facial begins with a thorough cleansing to remove makeup, dirt and oil from the skin and help prevent breakouts while simultaneously allowing facial treatments to penetrate more effectively into the face.

Next, dead skin cells are gently exfoliated away using physical or chemical exfoliation methods in order to smooth out rough textures and brighten dull patches on the skin. This step also unclogs pores and removes excess oils that contribute to acne or oily skin conditions.

Facials can benefit all skin types, from sensitive to dry. However, they should not serve as a replacement for regular dermatological exams when it comes to individuals suffering from specific skin conditions.

2. Exfoliation

Experts advise double cleansing to thoroughly remove makeup, sunscreen and other skincare products before exfoliation.

Exfoliation removes dead skin cells to prepare your complexion for other skincare products and increase effectiveness of moisturizers, serums and treatments by clearing away the layer of dead cells that prevent their penetration into your skin.

Physical exfoliation entails using a scrub, wash cloth or other object to physically rub away dead skin cells from your surface. As it can be drying for your skin, however, be sure to follow up by applying an hydrating moisturizer after each session of physical exfoliation.

Chemical exfoliation employs AHAs or BHAs as exfoliating ingredients, to dissolve proteins that adhere to dead skin cells on your face surface and dissolve the protein bonds that hold onto dead cells – a much gentler solution than physical exfoliation!

3. Steam

An esthetician typically utilizes steam during the cleanse portion of a facial to open pores, helping loosen any oil or dirt build-up, making blackhead extractions simpler.

At-home face steams can be as basic or luxurious as desired (and are significantly less costly than professional facials). To enhance the experience, adding essential oils like rose or lavender essential oil into the water is an effective way to elevate it further.

Be sure to use a face steamer that offers temperature regulation and has safeguards in place to protect your skin from too-hot water, and do not exceed 10 minutes of steaming as this could dehydrate your skin and potentially deplete its hydration levels.

4. Extractions

At this step, an esthetician will use a comedone extractor to remove blackheads and whiteheads from your skin using steam therapy to loosen any blockages that might prevent proper extractions from taking place.

Removal can be quite painful if there are many blackheads or heavily clogged pores to clear away. For this reason, it’s wise to seek professional assistance to avoid infection.

After facial extractions, some redness and sensitivity may occur, which should subside within 24 hours as part of a natural purging response from your skin clogging up with debris from facial extractions. It’s a sure sign that pores are being cleared out!

5. Toning

After cleansing, toner helps to balance pH levels and prepare the skin to absorb serums more readily. For maximum efficacy, apply it while your skin is damp using cotton pads (or better yet your hands!). Gently sweep them over your entire face until soaked through.

Facial toning (often referred to as facial muscle stimulation or exercise) is a non-invasive technique for diminishing wrinkles and sagging skin. Re-educating facial muscles promotes collagen production for an enhanced, youthful look – something we offer at Chandra Wellness Center through our cutting-edge EMFACE facial toning technique.

6. Massage

Massage helps stimulate skin stimulation and blood flow, increasing radiance while smoothing fine lines and wrinkles and stimulating collagen production to firm the skin. This leads to enhanced radiance, improved smoothness, smoothed fine lines and wrinkles and an increase in firming effects on collagen production for firming purposes.

Facial massage stimulates lymphatic drainage to alleviate puffiness and dark circles under the eyes, as well as exercising face muscles that improve skin tone while simultaneously creating supermodel cheekbones.

Before beginning, make sure your hands are thoroughly cleansed and apply a small amount of facial oil or cleansing balm – this will allow your fingertips to glide effortlessly over the skin.

7. Mask

At its core, a facial is a non-invasive skin treatment intended to cleanse, exfoliate and moisturize. But facials also involve more advanced practices, like laser or needle techniques which can be tailored specifically to meet your skincare concerns and needs.

For example, if dullness is your main issue, LED (light-emitting diode) facials may provide the solution you need. Temple and Vargas recommend not exercising immediately following such facial treatments, as sweat can remove vital serums that had just been absorbed into your skin by sweat.