In case you’re new here, we love skincare—all things skincare—including daily maintenance and special treatments. One way that I like to treat myself is doing an at-home facial. Do I wish I could go into a spa and get a facial done? Yes, 10000%. But the sad truth is that with covid and with the steep prices of facials, it is difficult to get it done as frequently as I would like. So in an effort to ball on a budget, I started giving myself at-home facials with the products that I already use on a semi-regular basis.
Using up all of the products that I already have on hand also helps me push through products, particularly if they do not get used as frequently as they should be! And I made this in video format as well! You can check out that video on my Instagram.
Oh, I forgot to mention that a silk robe is also PRIME for giving yourself a facial!
Before you get started, make sure you set the mood! I love to light a candle, dim the lights, and put on some music (AKA some Ariana Grande because I am forever obsessed with her). And nobody asked, but some of my favorite candles right now are from Jo Malone and Santos Candles. They are the perfect little addition for your little skincare getaway!
Step-by-Step Tutorial
Of course, your at-home facial should be truly special to you and catered to your needs, wants, and desires. We are all different human beings and your you time should be what you are craving. I have provided some recommendations here, but feel free to choose whatever you would want!
Cleanse: You want to start off with a nice cleansed face so that you have a blank canvas and are not caking on products on top of the grit from the day. Some cleansers that I really enjoy using are the Allies of Skin Molecular Silk Amino Hydrating Cleanser and the Otzi Skin Crystal Nova Makeup Remover. Other cleansers that I like but are not in love with from Maxwell, Kate Somerville Goat Milk Cleanser, and Milk.
Exfoliate: Remove the outermost layer of your skin to reveal the healthy next level of skin after it. This also helps your nutrients penetrate in further than if you were to do it without exfoliation. And we all know what the benefits are of exfoliation and promoting cell turnover. Also, if you overexfoliate, be sure to check out my skin barrier guide!
Some of my favorite exfolating masks (rather than serums) are from Kypris Glow Philtre, Kate Somerville Exfolikate, Banish Pumpkin Enzyme Mask, Youth to the People Yerba Mate Resurfacing Energy Facial. The latter two leverage enzymatic exfoliation, where there are sequence-non-specific enzymes that catalytically cleave various peptides. The Glow Philtre and Exfolikate rely on AHAs to power through the molecular glue that holds cells together and allows them to slough off. Exfolikate is very strong, so beware!
Clay Mask: Now that you have gotten off the skin, you want to clear out those pores and detox your skin. Your pores harbor a lot of gunk in them, so we want to keep them as clear as possible to help prevent pimples and create a better general appearance.
Some of my favorite clay masks include: Otzi Dough Therapy Pore Treatment Mask (it has SUCH a good texture and spreads so easily), Kiehl’s Rare Earth Deep Pore Cleansing Mask, and OneKind Pore-fectionist Refining Facial. These all do a really good job of detoxing and they generally wash off pretty cleanly. The Kiehl’s mask is the most difficult and I like to use this before a shower because it is pretty messy.
Hydration and Moisturizing Mask: The past three steps have really given your skin a beating—you removed the dirt, you removed the outer layer of skin, and you went deep into those pores to get them clean. Now, it is time to give your skin some loving because it has surely had enough tough love!
Some restorative masks that I like are Dermalogica Multivitamin Power Recovery Mask and Farmacy Honey Potion. You could also skip this step and do your normal skincare routine, focusing on hydrating serums and really good thick moisturizers! And bonus points if you use a nice overnight mask as well, which will help give your skin a lot of healthy fats. If I go through with just a normal skincare routine instead of a mask, I will typically finish it off with an oil (tamanu oil or rosehip oil) so that you get a lot of good antioxidants and fats. In case you cannot tell, I really do go for that glazed donut vibe when I go to sleep!
The Wrap-up
Doing a facial at home is so much easier than people make it out to be! It’s a simple series of steps using products that you likely already have at home. And if not, it is always easy to pick them up while Ulta or Sephora has a series of deals like the Ulta 21 Days of Beauty or Sephora Spring Sale! I normally will pick up good products when there are sales like that, even if I am not at a stage where I can immediately open them. Products have a decent shelf-life so keep that in mind if you’re looking to be a budget-friendly skincare guru!
One more thing that I forgot to mention was that you can steam your face throughout this entire facial. I find that this really helps relax my face/skin more. You can achieve this with an actual steamer or you can use a washcloth with hot water and just place that onto your face for a bit. Again, we’re here ballin on a budget, so do whatever works for you and your lifestyle!
Not only is a facial good for your skin, but it is also amazing for your mental health. I love skincare because it gives you a moment to pause and slow your day down. It provides you a space to reflect on what happened in the day or to give yourself a pep talk before you tackle the day. It is meditative, in a sense. Doing a nice facial is also great for slowing the day down because you get to appreciate each and every breath!
So go out there and do something good for yourself!