Your First Facial: What to expect from your Esthetician
If you’ve never had a professional facial treatment from an esthetician before listen up….
A professional facial works in numerous ways to improve the appearance and health of your skin, from cleansing to exfoliation and beyond. If you’ve never had a facial before, you may feel intimidated when it comes time to schedule your appointment. In this blog, we’ll look at what you can expect during your first facial so there are no big surprises when you hit the studio for a day of relaxation and rejuvenation.
Once you’ve taken the plunge and booked yourself a facial, you may be wondering what to expect when you come for your appointment. While there’s not much you need to do to prepare for your facial appointment, there are a few products you should consider putting aside until after your appointment. Many experts recommend avoiding the use of retinol, any exfoliants, or any other facial products that may dry out or sensitize your skin within 5 days of your treatment. They may also recommend that you don’t shave, pluck, tweeze or have had any other skin treatments prior to your appointment. This helps to reduce any unwanted sensitivity and ensures that they are able to use the best ingredients available to maximize your treatment. It is also wise to stay out of the sun before a facial.
When you meet your esthetician you’ll probably want to have an idea of what your skincare goals are. Are there certain things that bother you about your skin or complexion? Have you found some products to work better than others? These are great questions to ask yourself before you head to your appointment.
What Happens During Your Facial
While it is possible to achieve healthy and glowing skin at home, many people turn to an Expert when they need some extra help. A facial treatment will not only deeply cleanse your pores, exfoliate dead skin cells, and treat your skin concerns with custom-blended serums and a customized mask, but your professional will also diagnosis your skin.
Let’s look at the five main steps of a facial treatment below.
- Cleansing
The first part of your facial will involve the cleansing of the skin. We actually double cleanse your skin to make sure it’s perfectly clean and prepped! Your skin care specialist will gently massage a cleanser into your face and neck to remove any initial traces of makeup and dirt using a soft facial sponge, or cloth to gently remove the cleanser from your face using warm water. - Diagnosing Your Skin
This is where your professionally trained esthetician takes a good look at your skin under a magnifying lamp in order to see exactly what your skin needs and why. - Exfoliation
Your professional esthetician carefully chooses which kind of exfoliation (physical, manual or a combination of both) your skin needs to most effectively buff away dead skin cells. - Extractions
The extraction process is performed to help clean and clear any pores that are clogged with excess oil or dead skin cells, as well as whiteheads, blackheads or any acne breakouts. This can be performed with or without a tool and is usually not uncomfortable. - Massage
If you have booked a European Facial you may receive a face, neck and shoulder massage. This is the part you can really look forward to where your esthetician uses gentle yet firm pressure to relax you, to improve lymphatic drainage in your body, to increase firmness and tone, all while putting you to sleep. - Masks
Once you’ve enjoyed your European massage, your skincare expert will apply a serum(s) chosen and blended specifically for you as well as create a customized facial mask. This will be applied to your face and neck with a brush. You will then relax for 10-20 minutes (while the ingredients are being absorbed by your skin) before your mask is removed and finishing treatments are applied.
Other Things To Remember For Your Facial
- It’s your Facial!!! Don’t hesitate to ask a question and communicate with your skin care professional about your needs
- Your Treatment Always Depends On Your Skin Type And Your Real-Time Skin Condition
Just as no two people are alike, no two skin types are alike. When you meet with your esthetician, he or she may ask you questions about your skin and any skin sensitivities you may have. Once they have a thorough understanding of your skin and skincare goals, they will be able to recommend the best type of facial treatment for you. While you will usually leave with hydrated, glowing skin, it’s also important to realize that your complexion may not look picture-perfect immediately after your appointment. Since a facial involves the process of pulling impurities from deep within your pores, you may experience slight pinkness that will subside within a couple of hours after your appointment.
If any of your concerns or questions weren’t answered here, please don’t hesitate to give me a call!
See you soon!
Francine
The Beauty Pro
San Fran Esthetician