Salon Secrets…

Dare to Bare – Part 2

Returning to our quest for amazing skin we are looking at the three essential steps we need to take to get the beautiful, clear skin we dare to bare. Facials are an essential part of our skin care routine. A trained skincare therapist will be able to diagnose and treat skin problems that we may not even know about as well as recommend the correct products to assist us in our quest for perfect skin.

For best results facials should be done on a monthly basis. This is because, as a living organism, it takes around 28 days for your skin cells to move up from the dermis to the surface where they die off. If you have ever wondered what to look for in a professional facial then look no further, below is a guideline of how a good facial should run.

Salon Secrets

Our facial starts with a double cleanse to remove all make-up, dirt and oil from the surface of the skin. Steam is then be used to prepare the pores for extractions as well as aid in skin hydration. This time may also be used to exfoliate. The exfoliation will be either manual (micro particles that physically scrub away dead skin cells) or chemical (milk or fruit acids are used to peel away dead cells). This will prepare the skin for absorption of products.

We then use a magnifying lamp to look at the skin in detail to note your skin type as well as any problematic areas such as congestion, premature aging dryness or dehydration. We may use this time to discuss your current facial routine as well as advise you on your skin condition.  We will then perform extractions. Extractions should take about 10 minutes and can be painful. Remember that sometimes you may not have all your extractions done in one session as it can be traumatic to the skin. After applying a post extraction solution to close the pores and disinfest the area we will move on to a facial massage.

The specific movements used in a facial massage are designed to bring oxygen rich blood to the surface of your skin where it will aid in feeding the tissue. This will promote collagen development and flush out toxins, as well as help to heal the skin post extraction. Massage also eases tension in the muscles of the face which softens and plumps out expression lines.

We then apply specialised masks depending on the skin condition being treated. You may have more than one mask applied as it is not uncommon to have multiple problems in different regions on the face. Typically a hand massage is done during this time.

To finish off we will remove the mask and do a final cleanse of the skin. We will then apply specialised serums in accordance to your concerns, an eye cream and lastly a specialised moisturiser that will benefit your skin. After the facial we will have a quick consultation on how your skin is doing and what products or routines we can change to keep on getting better results going forward.

Now that you know what to look for in a great facial go out and try one! Our bet is that you will love how your skin glows.

In part 3 we will be talking about diet and make-up.

Until then, stay beautiful

Nadia x