How to Give Yourself a Home Facial

Facials can be repeated once every week or two weeks.

Facials are relaxing and, if applied correctly, can be great for your skin. However, salon and spa facials can be expensive and require an appointment days, even weeks in advance. Still, there are ways to treat yourself to a facial at home using inexpensive products you can find at your local drugstore or, better yet, from your very own kitchen.

Difficulty:

Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Gentle facial cleanser
• Gentle exfoliant
• Gentle astringent
• Pot of steamy water
• Floral essences or extracts
• Gentle oils
• Cotton balls or pads
• Facial mask
• Facial moisturizer

1. Wash your face with a mild cleanser, like Cetaphil or Purpose Soap. You may also try 1 to 2 tbsp. of warm whole milk mixed with a drizzle of olive oil. Gently rub the cleanser into your skin, using a circular motion, for at least one minute. Rinse with several splashes of warm or tepid water.

2. Scrub your face with an exfoliant, like St. Ives Invigorating Apricot Scrub. You may also use a simple paste of baking soda or sugar and water, or oatmeal and almond oil. Make sure to avoid sensitive areas of your skin, like the tissue around your eyes. Rinse and pat dry with a towel.

3. Sweep a cotton ball or pad soaked in a mild astringent, like Sea Breeze, across your face, paying special attention to the areas where you break out most often. You may also use the peel of a ripe papaya.

4. Dribble a light oil (like olive, almond or linseed) onto your fingertips and massage into your skin. Allow the oil to set for a few minutes. Do not remove.

5. Tent your face with a towel over a pot of steamy water infused with chamomile, rose or lavender extracts. Hover above the water for three to five minutes. Pat dry.

6. Apply a clay facial mask, like Boots Botanics Conditioning Clay Mask, again making sure to avoid sensitive areas like those around the eyes. These clay masks are best for oily skin, as are masks made of beaten egg whites. For something more hydrating, try a mixture of egg yolk, 1 tbsp. of honey and a drizzle of light oil, like safflower. Allow mask to set for 15 to 20 minutes, or until thoroughly dry. Rinse your skin and pat dry.

7. Daub your favorite moisturizer, like Aveeno Active Naturals Positively Ageless Daily Moisturizer, across your skin and gently rub in circular motions until face and neck are coated in a thin layer.

References

• Washington Post; Do Your Own At-Home Facials; Diana L. Carswell; November 14, 2004
• "Women's Day"; 8 Do-It-Yourself Home Facials; April 27, 2010
• Jenny Jones: Skincare - My Six Step at Home Facial
• The Gloss: Home Facial - How To