What Happens During a Facial? A Step-by-Step Guide

What happens during a facial? In short, your skin is cleansed, checked, exfoliated, steamed, cleared of clogged pores where needed, treated with a mask and finished with moisturizer. Most facials take about an hour to an hour and a half, and you spend almost all of it lying back with your eyes closed.

Before it starts

Expect a short chat or form about your skin first. Mention:

• your skin type and any concerns, like dryness, breakouts or sensitivity
• the products you use, especially retinoids, acids or anything prescribed
• allergies, and anything that has irritated your skin before
• recent sun, waxing or other skin treatments

This isn't small talk. It decides which products go on your face.

Then you lie back, get comfortable, and your hair is wrapped away from your face so nothing gets in the way.

Tips for your first facial

• Skip heavy makeup on the way in if you can. It saves cleansing time for the good parts.
• Hold off on waxing, scrubs and strong exfoliants for a couple of days before.
• Arrive a few minutes early, so you start relaxed instead of rushed.
• Say what you like. If the pressure is too much or you'd prefer quiet, tell your esthetician. It is your hour.

Step 1: Cleanse

The facial starts with a thorough cleanse to remove makeup, sunscreen and the day's oil. Some facials use two cleansers, one to melt away makeup and one to clean the skin itself.

Step 2: A closer look at your skin

With your face clean, your esthetician looks closely at your skin, often under a magnifying lamp. They check for dryness, oiliness, congestion and sensitivity, then tailor the rest of the treatment to what they see.

Step 3: Exfoliate

Next comes exfoliation to lift away dead skin cells. That might be a gentle scrub, an enzyme or a mild acid, chosen for your skin type. Your skin should feel smoother, not raw.

Step 4: Steam

Warm steam softens the skin and loosens what is sitting in your pores, which makes the next step easier. It feels a little like a spa day inside a cloud.

Step 5: Extractions

If you have blackheads or clogged pores, your esthetician may gently clear them. This part can feel a little uncomfortable, but it shouldn't hurt. Speak up anytime, and if you'd rather skip extractions, just say so.

Step 6: Mask

A mask chosen for your skin goes on and sits for a few minutes: hydrating for dry skin, clarifying for oily skin, calming for sensitive skin. Relax. Close your eyes. Nobody minds if you drift off.

Step 7: Moisturize and protect

The facial finishes with moisturizer, plus sunscreen if you're heading back out into daylight.

After your facial

Your skin may look a little pink for a few hours, especially after extractions. For the rest of the day:

• skip heavy makeup if you can
• go easy on strong actives like retinoids and acids for a day or two
• avoid saunas, hot yoga and long hours in the sun
• drink some water and wear sunscreen

If you have a big event coming up, book your facial a few days before rather than the same morning, just in case your skin wants a little time to settle.

How often should you get one?

Some people book a facial every four to six weeks as part of their routine. Others save it for a treat before a wedding, a trip or a birthday. Both are perfectly good reasons.

Facials at EverCutz

Our basic facial is done at the beauty salon in Richardson, at 525 W Arapaho Rd, Suite 24. It includes steam, extraction, a customized mask and moisturizer, and our estheticians tailor it to your skin type. Plan for about an hour and a half, and see the basic facial page for the current price.

For men, the barbershops in Richardson and Murphy offer a men's facial with deep cleansing, exfoliation, extractions and a hydrating mask.

One thing not to mix up: every EverCutz visit comes with a complimentary face mask, a lovely little extra. A full facial is a dedicated treatment of its own. The salon is open seven days a week, 10 AM to 9 PM, and every service is backed by our satisfaction guarantee: if you're not happy, you don't pay, and your next service is on us.