How to do a facial at home that will rival your regular spa
If your skin is struggling during lockdown, we feel you. Like many of us, your skin might be struggling with the effects of this uncertain time and not looking its best, and without the option to head to a professional to fix the issues, you might be tempted to try a little DIY facial - and we’re here to guide you along the way.
Whether it’s a lack of vitamin D your skin is struggling with, the side-effects of all that delicious sugary home-baking you’ve been enjoying, or simply the stress of this tricky period, there can be all sorts of reasons why your skin might be misbehaving. One easy way to remedy it is with a facial - completed at home, of course.
If you’ve never done an at-home facial before, don’t fear, simply follow our top tips to gorgeous, glowing, healthy skin…
Step one: Create the right environment
Have you ever felt stressed in a spa? Thought not. Your at-home facial needs to have the right ambience, just as it would in a treatment room. Wait until you have peace and quiet, and lock yourself in the bathroom for some premium pamper time.
We recommend taking a long, steamy shower to relax and get your skin ready for treatment - and lighting a candle with a gorgeous calming fragrance too. Now, you’re ready for your facial.
Restore candle, £7.50, Marks & Spencer
Step two: Cleanse
A thorough cleanse is an essential step, so take your time and do this bit properly. First, remove any makeup with a high-powered micellar water and cotton pads. Then, use an oil-based cleanser, whether that’s a balm or a liquid formula, to really get down deep into the skin and melt away remnants of makeup, oil and grime left on the skin. Massage it in well, and remove with a damp cloth that’s hot to the touch. Hold it to your face for a few seconds to allow that heat to really sink into the skin.
If you have an oily complexion, or suffer with blackheads or blemishes, you might like to use an acid-based cleanser next, to dissolve excess oil and dead skin cells. A cleansing wash packed with glycolic acid can really help with this step, leaving your skin fresh, thoroughly clean and ready for the next steps.
Bioderma Sensiobio H20 Micellar Water, £10.80, Boots
Camomile Sumptuous Cleansing Butter, £11, The Body Shop
Mario Badescu Glycolic Acid Foaming Facial Cleanser, £14.50, Beauty Bay
Step Three: Exfoliation
Exfoliating your skin is an essential part of maintaining a smooth, bright complexion, however you prefer to do it. Some people prefer to use a physical scrub, packed with seed kernels and moisturising ingredients to physically grind down and remove dead skin cells or areas of dryness. The Hood team prefer a liquid, chemical exfoliator, which you apply to a cotton pad and sweep over the skin, to break down dead skin cells and resurface the skin’s texture.
Alpha H Liquid Gold, £33.50 Cult Beauty
Step Four: Peel
A skin peel might sound dramatic, but this at-home version is anything but. A glycolic acid peel will help to boost the results from your exfoliator, refining your skin’s texture to give your complexion brightness, radiance and a beautifully healthy glow that will show even through makeup. Follow the product guidelines carefully and don’t leave on your skin for longer than recommended - just apply and enjoy reading Hood whilst you wait!
Caudalie Glycolic Peel, £22, Caudalie
Step five: mask
After all that exfoliation, it’s time to be gentle to your skin - and the best way to do that is with a hydrating, moisturising face mask. A soothing, hydrating face mask will cool and comfort skin after the aggressive chemicals in the exfoliating and peeling stages, bringing you a plumped-up and glowing complexion. Apply a thick layer and make yourself a cup of tea - it’s time to relax! And once it’s done, remove with another hot-to-touch flannel and massage in the remainder.
JAPANFUSION™ BIO-CERAMIDE MOISTURE MASK, £12.32 beautypie.com
Step six: massage
Facial massage is an essential step for maintaining a bright, healthy complexion, as it boosts the skin’s circulation and the flow of oxygen and nutrients to the surface, giving you a radiant glow. Plus, regular massage encourages lymphatic drainage, which de-puffs the face and helps to sculpt areas like your jawline and cheekbones. A roller tool is the ideal way to give yourself an at-home facial massage, as it’s easy to use and also helps to push your products deeper into the skin’s surface.
Apply a few drops of a hyaluronic acid serum, to boost hydration, and then sweep your roller across your face, pushing down gently at lymphatic drainage points to encourage that puffiness away. Sweep up at your cheekbones and along your jawline, and remember to just use your fingertips to lightly tap around the eyes.
The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid, £5.90 Cult Beauty
Revolution Skincare Rose Quartz Roller, £15, Look Fantastic
Step seven: moisturise
The final step in your at-home facial is to apply moisturiser, sealing in all the goodness you’ve applied to your skin and helping it to relax and unwind, ready for bed. Apply a small amount of moisturiser all over the face and neck, massaging in gently using upward sweeping motions, and remember to tap lightly around the eyes. Massage into the skin until fully absorbed - now you can bask in the glory of your post-facial glow!
