8 Steps to a Luxurious At Home Facial

I don't know about you, but I LOVE treating myself to a facial. Being pampered is always fun and my favorite form of self-care ;) I try to get professional facials every quarter, if budget allows, but in the in between, I have developed a little at-home process that is also really great. I thought I'd share it with you as we enter a new season here (hopefully soon, ha!) So I'm coming to you live in my favorite new pajama's (similar sweatshirt I almost got) and no makeup...here we go:

1. Cleanse: for this step, I encourage you to use a cleansing butter or balm first. One that is super hydrating and removes makeup from your skin at the same time. I use about a dime size of this Cleansing Balm and massage it all over my face (also comes in a travel size). 

 After learning some massage techniques on YouTube and from estheticians, I learned you should be using your entire hand for massaging your face, not just your fingertips. It's important to get the blood flowing and massage muscles in your face and jaw that you don't even know you have ;) So that's what you see me doing here-- the Cleansing Balm is all over my hands and I'm massaging it into my skin upward, towards my cheek bones and ears, to promote tighter skin.

After this first cleanse, I follow with a Charcoal Bar to remove any impurities. 

2. Exfoliate: this is a quick step I sometimes do and sometimes don't, depending on if I think my skin needs extra exfoliation. I use this one and gently massage it on my skin, then wash off with warm water. 3. Steam / Heat: if you have access to steam machine or even a humidifier, that is awesome! When I was sick two weeks ago, my Dr. told me to turn on my humidifier and put a sheet over it to sit under and left the steam really get into my skin (for my congestion) but I love this idea for a facial, too! If you don't have one, get a couple towels really warm and lay them over your face, pressing the warmth and steam into your pores. Let them sit for a few minutes. If you want an added element of luxury, put a couple drops of essential oils on the towels before you run them under hot water. The smell will be so lovely! If your skin is extra dry, you can actually apply more of the Cleansing Balm before this step so the steam will press the hydrating oils into your skin.

4. Mask: there are lots of awesome mask options out there, but my favorite is this charcoal mask. My goal during a facial is usually to draw out impurities and hydrate it, so the mask does the first part and everything after this step does the latter. I leave it on for 10 minutes (or until dry) then wash off with warm water and pat dry with a warm wash cloth. You could even do this step while you take a bubble bath to further promote relaxation ;)

5. Peel / Serum: this is the point in a professional facial where they would usually apply a chemical peel. Since you're at home and probably don't have access to this, I'll give you a couple options that are similar! I have tried the m-66 peel and I thought I loved it the first day after, but then I broke out pretty severely the next day and the blemishes took almost a week to go away. It was covering my face and neck, so that didn't work for me. I have friends who swear by this peel though.  I've heard amazing things about Drunk Elephant's baby facial. I don't think it's 100% safe/non-toxic, but I know the company does hold those things as important to them, so it is a better option than a lot of things! Another good one is Goop by Juice Beauty's Instant Facial. Currently I use Beautycounter's Resurfacing Overnight Peel. It has 15 botanically derived acids and is made to clear away dead skin cells and smooth the skin while giving you a more even skin tone. It also clears up acne, which is an amazing added benefit!

Just to note, peels don't typically actually make your skin peel. If you get a very strong professional peel done, then yes, that might happen. But these I mentioned shouldn't peel your skin. If you use them too often, it might get dry and start peeling, but these are meant to be used as directed on the package. I use the resurfacing peel 1-2 times a week in the winter and 3 / week in the summer. A serum is meant to be applied after cleansing on a regular basis, not just during a facial. This is the one I recommend because of it's hydrating properties. It contains Vitamin C, which is one of the most important things for our skin to drink up, and helps even skin tone and lessen the appearance of wrinkles. 6. Oil: this is the game-changing step in my skincare routine! Face oils are so luxurious and help hydrate and brighten your skin. I apply this one every day, but do a couple extra drops if I'm doing an at-home facial for added luxury and results ;) 

7. Moisturizer: Obviously the finishing step to any skin care routine, moisturizing is super important. It locks in every previous step! This is my favorite moisturizer for night time (which is usually when I do facials). Hyaluronic Acid is one of the main ingredients and is one of the most effective hydrating ingredients, delivering moisture without clogging pores. It also contains plum oil, which is rich in Omega 6 & 9 and Vitamin E. If you're doing this in the AM and plan on going outside, don't forget about sunscreen! In the summer I use this tinted moisturizer with SPF 20. It also contains vitamin C so it's working for you while you're protecting your skin from the sun. 8. Eye cream: don't forget the eye area, ladies!! This is where a lot of our first wrinkles appear. If you're wanting more of an anti-aging cream, this is for you. If you're not quite there yet but want to still hydrate your eye area to prevent dryness and fine lines, this is the one I use!

 I use my ring fingers to tap in the eye cream since they're your most delicate finger.

Those are all the steps I take to a fun at-home facial. Do you have any favorite masks or other facial products?! Happy pampering!! xoxo interior design website / services / portfolio