How to Give Yourself a Spa Facial

Get glowing with this luxurious spa facial. You don't have to have a pile of money to get pampered! Do it at home instead.

Things You'll Need

• Hairband, clips, or pins
• Your favorite cleanser
• Fine sugar, white or brown
• Olive, almond, or canola oil
• Saucepan
• Towels
• Herbs or essential oils (optional)
• Hydrogen peroxide (optional)
• Q tips (optional)
• Facial mask, homemade or storebought
• Benzoyl peroxide cream (optional)
• Moisturizer

Instructions

1. Get your hair out of your face. Pull it back and pin it, or secure it with a band or clips.

2. Wash your face and neck with your favorite cleanser and warm water. Pat dry.

3. Mix a small amount of fine sugar with some oil in the palm of your hand. Use mixture to gently exfoliate skin (don't do this if you have very irritated skin, or lots of deep blemishes- use a non-gritty exfoliating lotion instead.) Avoid eyes, nostrils, and lips. Rinse with warm water, but don't dry.

4. There should still be a fine film of oil on your face. If you used the commercial exfoliant, pour about a tablespoon of oil into the palm of your hand and spread on face. It's ok if your skin is oily or blemished-this will all be reomved in subsequent steps and shouldn't cause any flare ups.

5. Massage face, using the oil as a lubricant and adding more as necessary. With first 3 fingers of each hand, move from center of forehead to temples several times. With middle and ring fingers, stroke down sides of nose and across cheeks. Use first 3 fingers to stroke from jawline to apples of your cheeks.

6. Heat water till boiling. Add herbs or essential oils (whatever smells good is fine, the water does most of the work, not the herbs, so don't worry about skin type here.) Make a "tent" with the towel and put your head under it. Steam for 5-10 minutes (take a breath of cool air occasionally if you need to). Your skin will be flushed and sweaty.

7. Rinse with warm water, but don't dry. Now is the time to do extractions if you're going to. Wash hands, then press down along sides of the blemish. The infected crud should pop out. Keep pressing until all the pus is removed. Rinse in warm water. Using a Q-tip, dab in a little bit of hydrogen peroxide to eliminate any lingering bacteria.

8. Smear the mask of your choice on your damp face.

9. Let mask sit 5-10 minutes, then rinse face with warm water. Rinse in progressively cooler water to close pores and stimulate circulation.

10. Smear benzoyl peroxide ointment onto any extraction sites or existing blemishes.

11. Moisturize. Use an oil free moisturizer if you have greasy skin.

12. Let skin rest for at least several hours, overnight is best, before putting on makeup.

Tips & Warnings

• Oatmeal based masks are soothing, tomato, cucumber, or clay are nice choices for oily skin, and egg, milk, or honey based masks are good for dry skin.

• Don't try to extract a blemish unless it has already developed a white "head" or you'll just irritate it and maybe cause scarring. If it doesn't break open by the second try, leave it alone.

• Don't try this right before a wedding, prom, or other big event unless you already know how your skin will react. While it feels wonderful and will improve skin in the long run, facials can cause redness, irritation, and, sometimes, temporary breakouts.