What To Know When Getting a Facial

KristyG
May 08, 2022

Nothing beats a facial for relaxation, feeling pampered, and investing in the wellbeing of your skin. And nothing can interfere with an amazing facial experience like unrealistic expectations and not knowing what you are getting yourself into! Whether you are new to the world of facials or a seasoned veteran, all too often we can experience this treatment unaware of how to fully make the most of it - and how to avoid things potentially going awry.

That’s why we have enlisted the help of Julie Powers, one of our esthetics instructors, to provide some basic tips for making your facial amazing every time. Some tips are specific to our particular arrangements at IWC, but most are generally applicable to all esthetics experiences. We hope you will find something new and interesting to enhance your next facial!

  • Honesty on Intake Form - When you arrive, you will be asked to fill out an intake form, which will have questions about your health, medications, allergies, and other cosmetic procedures. It is important to answer thoroughly and honestly, so your esthetician can assess contraindications for the services you want as well as choose appropriate products for you. The services and products used by professional estheticians are more active and work more deeply in the skin than similar products you may be using at home. So not answering completely or being dishonest in hopes of not being denied a service can lead to injury.
  • Timing - It is recommended that you NOT schedule a facial within a week of a big event or special occasion. Why? Because a professional treatment often results in your skin purging all the nasty stuff you don't want in there for 2-4 days post treatment. When you break out in the first few days after a facial, it doesn't mean that the treatment didn't work; it means that it DID. That beautiful, healthy glow is right on the other side of that purge!
  • Skin Appearance After a Facial - Similarly, it is normal to be slightly pink/red following a facial treatment. Particularly if you haven't been spending much time on your skin, a professional treatment is going to increase circulation and provide a lot more stimulation to your skin than you are used to. The color will generally subside in a few hours, though, and you will be left with just your post facial glow.
  • Downtime - Some treatments, like certain chemical peels, advanced exfoliations, and phototherapies, will require "downtime.” Downtime is the span of time where your skin will be recovering and reconstructing from the advanced treatment and will NOT look cute. It is also the part you never see when celebrities and influencers rave about their latest procedure. Chemical peels, for instance, can result in redness, tight, dry, flakey skin and all of your hyperpigmentation coming to the surface, resulting in you looking worse before you look better. THIS IS NORMAL and completely appropriate, but it can be jarring if you aren't prepared for it. Follow your post procedure instructions to the letter, and you will be looking incredible very soon!
  • Home Care - Your esthetician will offer you samples and discuss home care with you following your treatment. This is because achieving the timeless, healthy skin of your dreams is a journey, not something that can be attained in a single visit. Much like going to the gym, consistent work pays off in visible results. You won't get abs in a single workout, and you can't fix skin challenges with a single facial. You need to commit to a long-term strategy to get there, and the products you use at home are a VITAL part of achieving those goals, since that is what you are putting on your skin every single day. Invest in quality, consistent home care, and you will see results much faster!
  • Wait A Month for Results - Your skin requires 28 days (or longer, as we age) to regenerate at the cellular level, so any treatments or products you use need to be given a MINIMUM of a month to see long term results. If you only use products for a week or so then pitch them because you don't feel like they're working, you aren't giving it enough time and you're wasting your money. Skin care requires patience!
  • Communication During Your Facial - Communication is vital to your satisfaction with your skin care experience! Your esthetician will regularly ask you for feedback throughout the course of your facial. If you have questions about anything, don't hesitate to ask. We love to educate our clients about what we're doing, why we're doing it, and how it will help you achieve your skin care goals. If anything is painful or uncomfortable, please let us know!  Even for something as simple as needing a bolster placed under your knees or adjusting the position of the table for you to be more comfortable, we are happy to make sure you enjoy your time in service with us.

 

Let us know which tips helped you and how your next facial goes!

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