How to Get a Spa Facial at Home for Under $100
There’s no better way to pass the time than getting a facial- it’s a massage, skincare and therapy session all in one. If it wasn’t for the cost, I’d get one weekly. Trying out different facials over the past few years, I’ve realized that the whole process comes down to a few solid products, and beauty tools. While you won’t get the added relaxation benefits of a massage, you’ll save a whole lot of money, and get to experience the benefits much more often by doing a facial at home once a week.
Before you get started, do what you can to set the mood and make it a more spa like environment. Dim the lights, set up your favourite TV show or playlist, light some candles and ask everyone to leave you alone for the next 20+ mins or so.
1. Remove makeup with a microfibre towel or cotton rounds
Remove all makeup or skin products before starting. I like to use these reusable cotton rounds, they’re super soft, and better for your wallet and the environment. They come with a laundry bag and 16 cotton rounds, which is more than enough to get you through the week (they’re bigger, so you only need one, two max for your entire face). I like to use the rougher side first to get all the makeup off, and then the softer side for any remaining product.
Soak them with micellar water (instead of regular water) for added skincare benefits.
2. Use a gentle cleanser to prep skin and remove any residue
Get rid of any leftover residue with a gentle cleanser to get your skin ready for your treatment. Don’t use any harsh chemical cleansers or exfoliants at this stage. I like to use my daily cleanser for this: Boscia Clear Complexion Cleanser it’s gentle, but effective.
3. Open up pores with a facial steamer
This is one of my favourite parts of a facial, and while the benefits in terms of anti-aging and daily use are up in the air, it definitely feels great. Grab your headband to keep your hair out of the steam, and steam for up to 5 minutes (or whenever you get bored). I got my steamer off Amazon, all you do is add water and wait a few seconds for it to heat up. I prefer not to add essential oils to mine.
Tip: If you’re feeling lazy and don’t want to do a full facial, but still want to experience the benefits of steaming in your skincare routine- turn on your steamer while you brush your teeth and cleanse your face at night.
4. Exfoliation and Extractions (optional)
Exfoliate your skin gently once you’ve opened up your pores. I like to use the Dr. Brandt PoreDermabrasion exfoliant for this step. It’s super effective and gives yours skin a clean you can feel. If you’re looking for something more gentle, Dermalogica’s Daily Microfoliant is a great alternative (and one you can use everyday) you can feel the physical exfoliation it is, so be careful not to scrub too hard or you can still cause micro tears.
Extractions is the process of getting all that gross stuff out of your pores- I won’t go too into detail here because I don’t recommend doing this at home. It’s easy to spread the germs around and make things a lot worse. Leave this to your facial pro, if you’re getting one once every month or so, that should be more than enough! However, if you do choose to go down that route, make sure you do a ton of research so you don’t scar your face, and use an extraction kit rather than your fingers.
PRO TIP: I noticed that when my facial specialist uses tea tree oil immediately after each extraction, it drastically reduces healing time and ensures that breakouts don’t spread. Soak a cotton pad in some and wipe gently after extracting.
5. High frequency machine
This is probably the most important, and effective, part of any facial. The high frequency current was invented by Nikola Tesla way back in the 1800’s, and is great for minimizing breakouts and acne, increasing blood circulation and collagen production, it can even be used on your scalp to encourage hair growth.
I got my high frequency machine off Amazon, and it’s the same one that the spa I go uses during facials. There’s no need to splurge on a fancy, super strong machine- you likely won’t even use this one on full strength. Although the purple argon gas is meant to be for acne and breakouts, I find the orange neon gas just as effective (and reviews suggest it works even better than the argon).
6. Mask
You should be doing no more than two chemical or exfoliating masks a week, one of which can fall during your weekly facial. I like to do this full routine on Sunday’s, which would include a clay mask. Clay masks help to draw out impurities, detoxifies and helps to regenerate your skin. I love this Peter Thomas Roth Sulfur Clay Mask– Morgan Stewart swears by it, and her skin speaks for itself.
Mid-week I like to do a peel, something like the Juice Beauty Green Apple Peel, or depending on my skin, The Ordinary Salicylic Acid Masque. Be cautious (especially if you’re using sheet masks) that they don’t have any ingredients that irritate your skin- these usually don’t get washed off and stay on your skin, so you’ll want to make sure that your skin likes whatever is getting absorbed!
7. Toner, Serum, Moisturizer
Finish off your at home facial with your usual toner, serum and moisturizer routine. If your serum is particularly strong, skip it for this evening. If you have a rose mist, spray it all over as the final step to round out your at home facial.