How Often You Should Receive A Facial

Why do I have to visit my esthetician every month? Why is it so important to have a skincare routine?

You may be wondering how two seemingly simple things can make such a big difference, and this article will explain the science behind why you should receive a facial monthly.

Breakdown: Why Each Step is Important

Double Cleanse: This is one of the most important steps in a facial. We need to get to all of the environmental debris, makeup, and sebum that daily cleansing may miss. The recommended time to spend cleansing your face is 2 minutes, and most people (myself included some days!) usually wash for 30-60 seconds. Starting with a makeup and oil-removing cleanser will create a clean slate for the second cleanser, which contains active ingredients like glycolic acids and antioxidants, to absorb easier for maximum benefits.

Exfoliation: This step can be customized in several ways using ingredients like enzymes, glycolic acid, lactic acid, or salicylic acid, and can sometimes be boosted with mechanical exfoliation with a cleansing device or ingredients like corundum crystals and jojoba beads. This step is crucial in sloughing off dead skin cells, activating cellular renewal, stimulating collagen production, and prepping your skin to absorb products for the rest of the facial. The average adult goes through cellular renewal or sheds their top layer of skin, every 28 days and as we move into our 40s and 50s, it takes even longer. Gentle exfoliation at home once per week will boost your cellular renewal and keep your skin healthy and prepped for a professional exfoliation once per month.

Massage: This is my favorite step! A facial massage is not only relaxing, it releases muscle tension which gives a softened appearance and can help prevent wrinkles. The massage movements also increase your blood circulation, providing nutrients and oxygen to cells to revive and replenish them. Lymphatic Drainage is also stimulated, carrying away waste and toxins, and reduces puffiness leaving the skin glowing. The product used during the massage can also be worked into the skin to deliver key ingredients like antioxidants, peptides, or ceramides that will give vital nutrients to the uppermost layer of the skin and keep it healthy.

Masque: A masque can make quite a difference the first day, but has effects that last until your next appointment when paired with at-home care. This is part one of your targeted treatment. Depending on your skin type, goals, and current state – a customized masque is the MVP in your facial. Masques can target fine lines, wrinkles, elasticity, hydration, congestion, rosacea, inflammation, and more.

Serums: Part two of your targeted treatment is with serums. While serums are paired after the masque to target your skin goals, they are also used to balance, replenish, and deliver nutrients to your outermost layer of skin, keeping your barrier healthy and ready to protect. My favorite is to cocktail serums and works them into the skin until they are completely absorbed. Serums during facials will boost the elasticity of the skin, deliver peptides, stimulate collagen production, and more, but the effects will be short-lived if at-home care is not continued.

Protect: A hydrating moisturizer and SPF protect your skin from sun damage. I especially love a tinted SPF that’s packed with antioxidants to fight against free radicals. SPF is also the number one anti-aging product and will protect against wrinkles and hyperpigmentation caused by the sun.

Timeline: From Day 1 to Day 28

Immediately After: Skin is plumped and glows. Dead skin cells that have built up have been exfoliated away activating cellular renewal and stimulating collagen production. Increased blood circulation replenishes your skin cells with much-needed nutrients. Massage will stimulate your lymphatic system to carry away extra fluids and waste, relieving puffiness and improving your appearance.

1 – 3 Days After: During this time, your skin has an increased level of ingredient absorption. Thus it is soaking up all of your at-home skincare products! A solid at-home skincare routine will be the key to meeting your skincare goals. Your skin has been stimulated to produce hyaluronic acid, increasing the amount of hydrated and healthy cells on the surface of your skin. Skin will feel extra smooth and glowy during this time.

4 – 28 Days After: The fibroblasts stimulated during your facial are still working hard, producing collagen and elastin, plumping and tightening your skin. To maintain healthy cells on the surface, once weekly gentle exfoliation will increase your cellular renewal factor, keeping healthy, hydrated, and plump cells on the surface of your skin. A facial paired with professional at-home skincare will produce wonderful results that you will see while working toward your end goal!

Time For Your Appointment! Keep your skin exercised by keeping up on monthly appointments with your esthetician. A prepped face allows us to use heavy-hitting, professional treatments that will boost your results and achieve your goals! Always remember, you can’t just put on your running shoes and run a marathon, the key to success is the training behind the scenes!

Featured At-Home Routine

This featured routine with GlyMed Plus is great as a pre-treatment for chemical peels and will target fine lines, wrinkles, firmness and elasticity, and dark spots (hyperpigmentation).

Cleanse: AM & PM: Vitamin C Cleanser. PM: First, remove makeup and build up with Mega Purifying Cleanser, followed with the Vitamin C Cleanser.

Treat: AM: Living Cell Clarifier. PM: Treatment Cream. 1x Weekly: Ultra-Hydrating Enzyme Masque.

Balance: AM & PM: Intense Peptide Skin Recovery Complex.

Protect: AM: Photo-Age Sunscreen 30+.

Level Up

So you have the products and the habit down, but want to do more? Here are 3 Tips to level up your routine:

1. Add AHA Accelerator: This amazing product will accelerate your results with 20% lactic and glycolic acids! Add a pea-sized amount to Ultra-Hydrating Enzyme Masque 1x weekly, or, you can introduce this as a serum (in the ‘Treat’ step) 2x’s weekly at night.
2. Use the T-Sonic Cleansing Device: This silicon ultrasonic cleansing device is gentle enough to use every day for both your 1st and second cleanse. It holds a charge for up to 5 months, making it always available to you when you need it. Use it on a lower mode on both your face and body to remove up to 99% of dirt, sebum, and makeup!
3. Follow up with the 2-in-1 Vibrating Massage Roller with Rose Quartz: This is my favorite device. I love the effects of lymphatic drainage with this device. It not only reduces under-eye puffiness, it helps to relieve my sinus pressure. I love to use the Beauty Oil mixed with the Intense Peptide Skin Recover Complex, and roll away — It’s so relaxing! Below is a tutorial from my Instagram, @oasis_skin_studio.