Do-It-Yourself Facials

Yes, yes, we all know how much better our skin would be if we had regular facials. But these days, who’s got the time? When your skin starts resembling a month-old passionfruit but your schedule is too hectic to book into the salon, it’s time to take matters into your own hands with a Do-It-Yourself at-home facial!

Step One: Cleanse
Cleanse once to take off all your makeup, and then cleanse again. Make sure you use a clean facecloth to remove your cleanser.

Step Two: Exfoliate
Remove dead skin cells using a scrub-type exfoliator. Massage the scrub in small circles on your skin, avoiding the eye area and concentrating on the T-zone (forehead, nose and chin). Wash off the scrub with lukewarm water.

Step Three: Steam
Steaming your skin will help to improve hydration. Fill a large bowl with hot water (NOT boiling!!), add a few drops of essential oil if you like (try Ole Henriksen Skin Inhalation Therapy, which can also be used as a warm compress), throw a towel over your head and hold your face 30cm over the bowl. Breathe in the aromas for 5 minutes or so.

Step Four: Mask
Apply a mask to your face, again avoiding the eye area. Use a deep-cleansing mask if you are prone to blackheads and breakouts, or a moisturising mask if your skin is on the dry side. Leave the mask on for about 10 minutes (make sure you relax, don’t run around trying to clean the house!), then gently remove with a face cloth soaked in lukewarm water. If you like, while the mask is drying you can rest a pair of MD Formulations Soothing Eye Gels over your eyes.

Step Five: Tone
A toner will help to remove any traces of the mask or cleanser and rebalance the pH of your skin - apply to a cotton pad and gently wipe over your skin. Try a hydrating toning mist if your skin is dry - spritz lightly over your face, then head to the next step while your skin is still damp.

Step Six: Moisturise
For dry skin, massage first with a hydrating oil treatment (try Aesop Damascan Rose Facial Treatment). Apply 5 drops into your hands, warm the oil between your palms, then press over the face. Massage gently with small circular movements, upwards and outwards, until the oil is absorbed. Finish with a cream moisturiser to seal the oil in.

If your skin is oily or acne-prone, try a gel moisturiser – this will replace the water lost without adding more oil. Check out Aesop Oil Free Facial Hydrating Serum or MD Formulations Advanced Hydrating Complex Gel.

Finally, go to bed and get a good night’s sleep - your skin will glow in the morning.