The best facial of your life is only an appointment away! Getting a facial is one of the most relaxing and skin-boosting treatments available, and with the right ingredients, your facial can level up to being an experience that makes your skin glow. A holistic facial can give you an opportunity to treat both external and internal causes of your skin’s imbalance, if you take advantage of that time to do so! Keep reading for our suggestions on how to have the best facial of your life the next time you join us at our beautiful studio in Newport Beach.
Book with a Pro
The state of California licenses estheticians to provide a number of esthetic services, such as skin care, hair removal, and more. However, not all estheticians are created equal! When you book a facial, you’ll want to make sure you’re booking with a holistic esthetician, such as our professionals at Integrative Esthetics. Many facialists will be happy to treat your skin topically, and to continue doing treatments as long as your skin remains irritated and your pores clogged.
The problem is, if your skin is being irritated by something deeper (stress, a latent allergy, hormonal imbalance) then you’ll be stuck getting facials and paying for short-term, ineffective treatments forever! A holistic esthetician takes into account all the interconnected systems of your body and mind to help address the root causes of your skin problems, and eventually eradicate them altogether. Holistic wellness means considering your diet, gut health, sleep patterns, stress levels, hormonal components, allergens, daily mindfulness, and more, in order to get the full picture of all irritants that could be contributing to your acne, wrinkles, dark spots, or inflammation. In order to get the full benefit of your facial, discuss these elements with your holistic esthetician, and get their informed opinion about what lifestyle changes may benefit your skin in the long term.
Pick the Treatment That’s Right for You
The beauty of the facial is that it’s highly customizable to your skin! Discussing your skin’s needs with your holistic professional can help them advise on the best facial for your skin type, and what particular elements should be added or subtracted during your session. Your facialist might recommend adding a microcurrent treatment to stimulate cell growth or swapping out a pore-cleansing masque for a hydrating one, depending on what your skin needs. Maybe you have some sun damage that needs soothing, or a certain area of congested skin that needs more extractions. Sculpting, lifting facial massage might be the right choice for more mature skin. Whatever the changes may be, you can rest assured that you’re getting the most out of a facial when it’s customized to your face.
Come Prepared to Relax
Your facial is your time to relax! Booking a facial can be a great way to deliberately plan some downtime in your week, and being prepared for that can help you take full advantage of this opportunity. We recommend arriving in comfortable clothes, so that as you lie down on the table, you are able to fully loosen your muscles and feel comfortable in a reclined position. Thanks to dim lighting and peaceful music, this can be the perfect time to meditate or even nap! Sleep is a highly regenerative process (as you can learn from our recent blog post on the topic) and it’s the perfect compliment to any spa experience. If you’re not the type to fall easily into a nap, try a mindful meditation practice to bring your awareness into your body and away from the stresses of the day. We recommend a body scan meditation, such as this one from Headspace.
During the body scan meditation, with your eyes closed, bring awareness to your breathing. Starting at your toes, try to physically relax the muscles as much as possible. Then, move up to the bones of your foot. Then, your ankles. In tiny increments, keep moving your awareness higher and relaxing your body until you reach the crown of your head. Imagine whatever stresses of the day you may be holding onto rising out of your head like smoke, and disappearing into the sky. You may be surprised at how refreshed and renewed you feel after completing this practice.
At Integrative Esthetics, we actually incorporate meditation into our holistic facial, leading clients into progressive relaxation using visualization techniques designed to enhance their experience and reflect positively on their inner and outer beauty. We’re unique in this area (since most facialists do not include this service), and take great pride in affirming our clients in their relationship with their skin. Book a holistic facial with us to try out a soothing, mood-boosting beauty meditation!
Think Positive Thoughts
This may be the most challenging task that we recommend to our clients, especially those who struggle with more severe acne or skin irritation. There is substantial evidence that the relationship between your thoughts and your skin is a powerful one, and that you can influence the health of your skin positively or negatively depending on how you think about it. If you engage in negative self-talk, it’s possible to decrease the efficacy of your facial and any treatments. Skin-picking, home extractions, and DIY face masks (often practices that you might engage in if your self-esteem is suffering related to your skin) can all worsen skin conditions, introduce new bacteria, and lead to scarring. In general, try to reframe your facial as a practice of self-love, not a punishment for having “bad skin” that needs “fixing.” This mindset shift can not only help you feel better and happier with your skin – it can also materially improve your skin’s health and help boost the power and lasting effect of your facial.
Don’t Undo It
After a facial, it can be tempting to pick at your skin, apply a different product, or to wash your face (if you don’t like the sensory experience of having serums applied to your skin during a facial). In short: don’t! Your facialist has made sure to clean, treat, and soothe your skin the way it needs, and the best thing for the skin is for you to remain hands-off. Whether you mean to or not, you can irritate the skin barrier by intervening, even potentially adding back the bacteria that has just been removed. Our advice? Let your face breathe for a day, and make sure to change your pillowcases and face/body towels so that your face only touches fresh, clean linens. Once a new day begins, feel free to resume a gentle skincare routine (cleanse, moisturize, apply SPF). To really level up, consider investing in high-quality professional products (like those available in our studio from DMK Skincare) that bring the holistic facial experience home with you, so that your facial isn’t being disrupted by pore-clogging products or chemicals that damage your skin barrier.
Interested in getting the best facial of your life? Call, text, or email us to set up an appointment at our studio in Newport Beach! We look forward to consulting with you and constructing a holistic, wellness-focused treatment for your beautiful skin.
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