At Home Facial

It’s one of our missions to help all people achieve glowing skin and make it more accessible and affordable. What’s not so affordable on a regular basis? facials. Professional spa facials, as luxurious as they are, can really leave a dent in your back account. 

The good news though, you can try replicate an at-home facial for some (affordable) self care. Particularly for those of us in lockdown who need to take some time for self-care.

1. Cleanse 

We want to start with a clean canvas to make sure all the subsequent products are reaching their full potential. I do a double cleanse, with oil then with a foam cleanser but it’s really up to you. If you have dry/sensitive skin go for a cream cleanser but if not, foam is suited to most types including oily and combination skin. The Etude House AC Clean Up Cleansing Foam (150ml) in our lockdown love bundle is a tea tree madecassoside based weakly acidic cleansing foam for balancing skin tone, and removing sebum and impurities. It’s also a low pH level cleansing foam that helps reduce acne (or maskne).

2. Steam (optional) 

I know most of us don’t have an at home facial steamer but this can easily be done without the high tech machines! Simply boil some water in a kettle and pour it into a large bowl or the bathroom basin and hold your face over the water for a few minutes. It’s a good idea to drape a towel over your head so the steam doesn’t escape. It’s optional but I’d highly recommend this step as it will open up your pores, so we can really get in there and clear out the dirt and oil afterwards. 

3. Exfoliate or peel (optional)

Now we want to really do a deep clean of our skin and pores. You can use a gentle exfoliator or opt for a peel. Glycolic Acid is great because it has the smallest molecular structure and hence works the quickest. Since you only need to wear a peel for 15-20 mins, you want it to work quickly. 

Look out for peels with 10% AHAs - you can go stronger if you are used to acids but 10% is the norm for peels. BHA is also a great option as it helps further unclog the pores. 

Note: don’t use AHA or BHA if pregnant or have sensitive skin. Go with a gentle exfoliator.

4. Clay mask 

We love a good clay mask. You want to do a clay mask after a peel because the clay can act as a vacuum to suck the loose skin cells as well as facilitate the absorption of sebum and further loosen blackheads. The clay you use is a personal choice, but these are the basics:

• Bentonite clay - great for oily/acne prone skin
• Rhassoul clay - rich in minerals, perfect magnet for sopping up impurities
• Kaolin clay - great for dryer and sensitised skin types (especially pink kaolin clay)
• French green clay - sucks up oils, boosts circulation 

The Innisfree Jeju Volcanic Clay Mask (100ml) also featured in the bundle uses sebum control technology to keep excessive sebum buildup at bay and keep skin fresh and smooth. It supports tightening pores and contains Jeju volcanic minerals (alkalescence properties) that are effective in removing dirt, blackheads, whiteheads and other impurities embedded deep within the skin. This is also suited for oily skin so if you have combination or dry skin, use as spot treatment.

5. Nourish (optional)

Once your skin has been properly exfoliated, you want to nourish and introduce nutrients. We love using manuka honey (UMF 5 and up) and its antibacterial and wound-healing benefits (great as a reparative mask). Make sure you apply honey on damp skin as it's a humectant, so it draws moisture into the skin. You want to give it a base of moisture so it can work its magic better. If manuka honey is out of your budget, use organic raw honey. Other alternatives include acai berry, coconut oil, oats, cocoa, turmeric and the list goes on!

Unfortunately we don’t stock honey BUT we’ve added the 9 Wishes Ultimate Collagen Ampule Serum (25ml) in the lockdown love bundle so you can add an anti-ageing step in your at-home facial. The serum is a highly concentrated formula of hyaluronic acid, hydrolyzed collagen and multi pep-7 for firming skin and increasing elasticity.

6. Brighten and hydrate (flexible)

Now you want to wrap it up with a brightening and/or hydrating mask. Brightening your skin with vitamin C to get the radiance when you rinse off everything and hydrate it to get that glowy plump.

Look out for ingredients like Ceramides, Niacinamide, Probotiocs, Centalla Asiatica (aka Cica) in your sheet mask. They don't cost a fortune and intensely hydrate your skin. We’ve included some bonus sheet masks in the lockdown love bundle for you to choose from. 

This is what we recommend but we understand everyone’s needs are different so if you feel like you need a mask that is just hydrating or just repairing, there are so many options. And of course, if you have sensitive skin and/or pregnant opt for a gentle mask. 

If you want to give this a go this lockdown, check out our Lockdown love bundle which includes the mentioned cleanser, clay mask, serum, 2 Kocostar Foot Masks, 2 Kocostar Hand Masks, Missha Natural Soft Jelly Cleansing Puff (Charcoal), 5x Bonus Sheet Masks and a surprise Character Home Spa Headband!