Whether you’ve never gotten a facial or you’ve never gotten a good one, here’s what to know before you go for glowing results.
In Korea, getting a facial is not looked at as a luxury or a treatment reserved for special occasions only. Instead, facials are considered an essential part of skin maintenance, and it’s not uncommon to get one every week (of course, the prices are much more reasonable than they are stateside). Thankfully in the U.S., spas like Heyday, where you can get a 50-minute treatment for under $100, are making facials more accessible.
RELATED: The Difference Between American and Korean Facials
Because for many of us the treatment can still feel like a splurge, we asked Cali Strauhs, a skin therapist at HeyDay’s New York City locations, to share what to know before booking a facial appointment to ensure you get the most out of the experience. Read on below for her pro tips and insight.
A facial should be relaxing and educational.
Your esthetician should guide you towards understanding how to take care of your skin at home, because your home regimen is where the real work happens! I love educating and empowering my clients to understand their skin and body.
To get the most out of your facial, come armed with information about your skin, routine, and even overall health.
It’s essential for your esthetician to know the basics. So start with information about if you’re pregnant, breastfeeding, have any skin conditions (even if not on your face), use retinol or if you’re on any topical medications from the derm, or have been on Accutane and when. Sometimes these aren’t obvious and can have big effects on your skin. For example, imbalances in the gut or hormonal imbalances can be a reason for inflammatory acne on the skin.
Also share information about your skin care routine so we can help figure out what may or may not be working. It’s really a matter of understanding what could potentially be the missing link in a client’s routine, or figuring out what they may be over-using in their routine. Sometimes we don’t even need to change a routine, but changing how often they should be using what can make a big difference.
You don’t always have to get extractions.
Every skin type and condition have different needs. For example, sometimes someone may just need a gentle enzyme peel to slough away dead skin cells, to help improve the efficacy of their skin care products. While another client may need to focus on nourishing, repairing, and reducing any inflammation. We also have high frequency and LED light therapy that can kill any bacteria lingering on the skin, so we have lots of options beyond extractions if a client would rather not. We also offer a 30 Minute Facial that is more focused around nourishing and hydration, that does not come with extractions.
It’s normal to experience breakouts and redness post-facial.
This isn’t something that happens regularly, but it can — and is normal. Your skin cells regenerate every 28 days and perhaps you had some bacteria brewing beneath the surface of the skin. I’d recommend skipping exfoliants post-treatment since we probably exfoliated during the facial. I’d also want my clients to load up on anti-inflammatory ingredients to reduce redness and irritations. Lastly – and most importantly – wear SPF!
So to be safe, get one four to six days before a major event.
Though this depends on your skin’s current condition and if you’ve been regularly having facials. It’s always best to call first, so we can come up with the best treatment plan for you. However, we wouldn’t want to do any extractions the week of an event, so if you’re looking for that type of support, I’d recommend starting earlier.
A post-facial glow typically lasts for a few weeks.
Your skin cells regenerate about every 28 days, so I would say I see the post-facial glow in my own skin for the next few weeks, but it’s very based on how you keep up at home, if you continue to get professional treatments monthly, and what lifestyle choices you make.
Image courtesy of Heyday.
