When getting to your favorite spa is impossible, here are some DIY steps for a facial at home. You probably know what type of skin you have and already own an assortment of products, so the first step is to pull out all of your products and go through them to see what is still fresh. Most products have a 2-year shelf life, but check to see if there’s an expiration date. If an older product doesn’t smell or look funny, then it probably won’t hurt you. However, it may not work as well as it did when it was fresh. The next step is to figure out what issue(s) you want to tackle: blackheads, oily skin, dryness or aging. 

Once we have laid everything out we just need to put the product puzzle together. To do that, we need to get organized. Arrange everything by type, e.g., cleansers, toners, serums, masks, and moisturizers. Estheticians have all types of products, so we can mix and match to really customize the experience, but for your DIY facial at home we will do our best!

Simple Steps for a DIY Facial at Home

1. Wash your face twice with your favorite cleanser.
2. If you have an antibacterial toner, such as the Adios Tonic, you would apply that on congested areas. For dry skin types you will want to use a hydrating or antioxidant toner.
3. If you have enzymes (pineapple or papaya), you can create a paste and apply it all over your face and neck. The enzymes must stay moist and warm. I recommend using gloves to avoid making your hands feel slimy. Stay tuned as my next post is dedicated to enzymes!
4. Saturate a clean dish towel-sized cloth with steamy hot water, then take the towel and carefully press it onto your face for 3-7 minutes. Steam opens up your pores and loosens oil and debris. OR use a standalone, spa-quality facial steamer for the ultimate experience (see below). 
5. Use cotton-wrapped fingers (or an extractor tool) and gently press around your pores to loosen debris. You can check out a previous post on when to pop pimples at home.
6. Immediately wash your face with an antibacterial cleanser.
7. Use a gentle scrub that has antibacterial properties to exfoliate and remove your dead skin cells.
8. Apply a mask with ingredients with kaolin or bentonite to absorb oils and deposit skin nourishing minerals and active ingredients into your skin. If you’re familiar with my products, this would be the time to use either the Hello or Goodbye Mask.
9. Gently wipe off the mask with a clean, cool washcloth and follow with your toner, serums, moisturizer and of course, SPF 30 depending on the time of day.

 *For oily skin, use an antibacterial cleanser. 

Use a Steamer to Boost Your DIY Facial

Combining your enzyme treatment with steam maximizes its effectiveness and creates the ultimate DIY facial experience. You can use a steaming pot of water and place a towel over your head. However, what I recommend is a nano ionic facial steamer which is a device that produces negatively charged, ultra fine steam. Nano steamers make it easier for the water molecules to enter and clean out your pores.

For the Science Geeks

This diagram shows that nano water droplets are 8000 times finer than normal steam.  Furthermore, a nano steamer acts as an ultrasonic nebulizer by gently heating up the water particles and then hitting the water with an ultrasonic wave. The ultrasonic wave vibrates the water molecules at a high frequency, causing them to vaporize. 

Benefits of Facial Steam

A five minute facial steam session can bring a multitude of benefits.

• Smaller is better: Fine water particles help to soften the skin and allow it to absorb more moisture.
• Water is powerful: Water vapor loosens pore-clogging debris.
• Open up your sweat glands: Heat activates your sweat glands, further flushing out congestion.
• Soak up the good: When pores are clear, your skin can better absorb active ingredients.
• Time to unwind: Use for 3-7 minutes. This relaxes both your facial muscles and your body.
• Steam without the burn: Compared to a pot of boiling water, the steam from a spa-grade device will reduce the risk of a skin burn; they produce steam that is warm but not hot enough to cause irritation.
• Super charge with enzymes: If you are using an enzyme paste, the moist heat will activate the enzymes which will further soften your skin.

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