The Beginnings of Good Skin: Give Yourself An At Home Facial
Proper skincare is the first step to looking great with makeup on. The key to proper skin care is to exfoliate, mask and hydrate the skin. When your skin looks good, you will be able to get by with less foundation, concealer and less makeup in general. Also, you will feel better about yourself. The first step in good skincare can be the at home facial. This can be done in between visits to the salon/spa/plastic surgeon/dermatologist. When you go to their offices’ the facials will be stronger and designed to rid the skin of debris in the follicles, possibly do a chemical peel or maybe to do a microdermabrasion or microneedling session.
Today I am going to discuss the basics of an at home facial along with a few products that I have found work very well for a starter facial. There are many, many products one can use for a facial routine. It all depends on your skin and what it can tolerate. Note: this facial is not for skin with any pustules or pimples.
To accomplish this facial we are going to use an exfoliant and a mask. I am going to recommend a light chemical/enzyme exfoliant such as Amorepacific's Treatment Enzyme Peel. This exfoliates with a combination of papain (bromelain) and green tea leaf. Next, depending on your skin type you will be using a mask. A good general mask for an at home facial will help to remove blackheads, whiteheads and clear up pores (clogged follicles) if you have oily skin or moisturize the skin if you have dry skin/normal skin. If you have oily skin with clogged follicles, I recommend bliss Pore Patrol Detox Mask. It has a souffle texture and is made with four different clays as well as glycolic acid. For dry skin I am going to recommend bliss In the Honey Mega-Moisturizing Lavender Honey Face Mask. This mask has super soothing honey and lavender for parched dry skin. It leaves skin dewy and baby smooth. If your skin is more on the normal side, try the bliss Mighty Marshmallow Brightening Face Mask. This is actually a good all around mask to help brighten skin, as it has Vitamin C, marshmallow extract and essential oils of lemon & lime. This mask is also good for dry skin too.
The first step in a facial is to remove all makeup. Often the best way to do this, even with oily and combination skin, is to use an oil based cleanser. Don’t worry, we will be doing a deep cleansing/exfoliation. If you don’t have an oil based cleanser, use the cleanser you normally use and make sure to remove all makeup. Then use a foaming cleanser to remove the last traces of makeup. Double cleansing is a good way to remove al traces of makeup. And, use an eye makeup remover to get rid of the eye makeup on your eyes. Use a toner too, just to make sure the last traces of foundation & eye makeup are gone.
After your makeup is gone and you have good clean skin, it is time to soften it up. Fill up the sink with hot water. Take a clean washcloth and place it the hot water. Apply the wet, hot washcloth to your face and let it rest until it cools off. Then repeat a few times, until 10 minutes is up. This is to soften the debris in the follicles. (Remember, you don’t really have clogged pores, but clogged hair follicles. The dead skin cells clog up the hair follicles and then cause pimples and blackheads). See my acne information (http://iamthemakeupjunkie.blogspot.com/2012/10/what-is-acne-how-to-treat-acne.html).
Now, wet hands and take a little bit of the the Amorepacific Treatment Enzyme Peel in your palm, mix with water and then apply to the face (neck and décolleté too if you would like). Massage in circular motions for 1 minute. This cleanser has enzymes that will help to exfoliate the skin and help to clear up the follicles.
As I mentioned, there are a number of different products that work for a starter facial. You need to find the ones that work for you but accomplish the same goals as the ones mentioned here. I used these because they do accomplish these goals very well. The products used here are great products. The main goal of the facial is to exfoliate and hydrate the skin.
To get an idea of some basic skin care, take a look at my post on skin care Part I:http://iamthemakeupjunkie.blogspot.com/2011/10/some-good-basic-skin-care-to-know-yes.html. I also have a post on skincare for older skin: http://iamthemakeupjunkie.blogspot.com/2011/10/some-good-basic-skin-care-to-know-yes_06.html. These are just some basic ideas. If you need more specific care, such as products for hyperpigmentation or acne scars, feel free to write (mariepapachatzis@gmail.com) or Tweet (@iammakeupjunkie) me and I can give you some recommendations.
If you would like to start a series of facials with an esthetician, it is usually recommended to go every 4-6 weeks. If you have issues with your skin such as moderate to severe acne, hyperpigmentation, fine lines and wrinkles, then the time line might be somewhat different. The key is to find a good esthetician who you feel comfortable with and can give you the treatment you need. For questions regarding this blog post, please email me: mariepapachatzis@gmail.com or send me a message on Twitter @iammakeupjunkie.
Thank you!
Marie Papachatzis
I Am THE Makeup Junkie
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