I’ve been going for regular facials since I was 23 and since then, I still enjoy going for facials just to get rid of the gunk embedded in my skin. Currently, I have been going for regular facials at Indulgence Beauty.
My facial treatments are usually for acne-prone and oily skin, which also includes facial extractions. Over the years, I found myself sticking to the list of things which I will take note of before and after a facial.
Based on personal experiences and advice from beauty therapists, I learnt that there are certain things which you should avoid doing before and after a facial.
1. Wear Contact lens
Some beauty salons provide contact lens cases and multipurpose cleaning solution for you to remove and store your lenses probably but some don’t provide. And it’s always best to swop your lens for glasses because facials usually involve some form of eye massage. Though some therapists might not be too bothered by the fact that you’re wearing contact lenses, it is always best to take them out.
2. Staying out in the sun
The UVA and UVB rays not only damage the skin but it also increases the sensitivity of the skin. If you’re undergoing a facial treatment which involves the use of machines, it is best to avoid the sun.
Even after the facial treatment, it is best to apply some sunblock and avoid the sun as much as possible. Some of the facial products used might contain photosensitive ingredients so it is best to avoid going out in the sun at least for the first couple of weeks after treatment.
3. Exfoliating Your Skin
The last thing you want to do before a facial is to exfoliate your skin. Since this exfoliation step will usually be done during facial right after cleansing, you do not have to exfoliate your skin a couple of days before facial. Over exfoliation of the skin can cause your skin to become more sensitive.
4. Book a facial right before, during or right after your menses
Hormonal changes in your body can affect your skin condition to some extent. My acne condition will tend to aggravate just before menses and if you were to go for a facial, it is going to be really painful to go through facial extractions. Even right after menstruation, your skin tends to be more sensitive. At least for myself, I find that my skin tends to be very sensitive and tender right after menstruation. During extraction, it can get quite painful for me. Somehow the pain sensors get triggered very easily even right after your period. However, this may vary from individual to individual.
Thus, my personal advice is to book a facial appointment about two weeks after your facial treatment or after your skin has started to clear.
5. Exercise immediately after facial
While exercise can also improve the health of your skin, it is not the best to do especially right after a facial treatment.
In the past, I used to go straight for gym classes right after facial. And what I noticed is that my pores start to clog up again the very next day. All the effort that goes into cleansing my skin had gone down the drain.
When I shared this with my facial therapist, she advised me to wipe off the sweat immediately after exercise. So I guess if you must exercise after facial, do remember to dab the sweat away to prevent bacterial growth.
Another reason why my skin started to clog up again after exercise could also be due to the enlargement of pores after a workout. With the increase of blood circulation and heat generated in your body, your pores will enlarge. Thus, making it easier for excess sebum and dirt to enter the pores.
Lastly…
Does that make any sense to you? Nonetheless, all these body reactions really depend on the individual. These are just some things which I’ve learnt from after going through many facial treatments before.
Lastly, remember to hydrate and moisturise your skin after a facial treatment to enhance the skin recovery process (especially right after extraction). It will also help to keep your skin looking healthy and dewy-looking for a prolonged period of time. Til then, hydrate and drink up!
If you would like to find out more about the facial treatments I’ve been doing at Indulgence Beauty, you head over to this page.
