BY: Vivian Moreno
How many times have you looked in the mirror and thought you might need a facial? Where would you start looking and which facial would be right for you? In my many years of experience as an Esthetician I have found there are 2 main categories, a Basic Facial or a Treatment Facial. Under the main categories of Treatment and Basic, there are thousands of sub categories. So where do you start? You have to ask yourself do you need cleaning, hydrating, or rejuvenating?
A facial is one of the best ways to take care of your skin especially if given by an experienced and knowledgeable Esthetician. Any facial program is aimed at the overall improvement of the skin regardless if it’s a series of cleaning and relaxing or peeling and painful. A really good Esthetician can point you in the right direction.
A Basic facial consists of deep cleaning, light exfoliating, moisturizing, and massaging. There are many variations to a basic facial. You could ask for a simple Basic European Facial to a Super Duper Free Radical Fighting Facial loaded with Anti-oxidants, Vitamins, and maybe a little Gold. The Basic Facial comes in many shapes and sizes and are usually found at resorts or Hotel spas where it’s all about the feel-good luxury experience. The benefits are plentiful, it can enhance the immune system, aid in detoxification, reduce the amount of fluid that has built up in the face and aid in stress relief especially when aromatherapy and Lymphatic drainage is added.
A Treatment facial is designed to help with the repair of certain skin conditions and to aid in the rejuvenation process. Your treatment may consist of Deep Cleaning, Oxygenating, Microscrubbing, Chemical Peeling and Hydrating. The results and benefits of a Treatment Facial far out weight that of a basic facial. It really is the most least-invasive way to get good solid results. Chemical peels help rejuvenate or correct the face by increasing the production of new skin. Some benefits of Chemical peeling are, it stimulates collagen and inflammation which results in skin contouring, improves discoloration, age spotting, removes fine lines, some wrinkles, and provides for a general superficial resurfacing of the face. All of which provides better clarity, texture, and youthfulness to the skin.
In my own career I am totally a Treatment Esthetician for sure. My facials are anywhere from pleasantly painful to extremely uncomfortable. I don’t do a Basic Facials at all. I work with a couple Estheticians and Physicians in my community that I can refer to if I have a client that needs something lighter or stronger than what I do.
There are different chemicals an Esthetician can use in his or her practice. My standard for almost 20 years has been Glycolic Acid. I have recently added some Pumpkin Enzymes which contain a combination of Lactic Acid and Glycolic Acid. Other chemical agents are Retin-A, TCA Trichloroacetic acid and Phenol Peeling. In my opinion Phenol and Retin-A should be only used by a Physician or a Medical Aesthetician.
When looking for the right facial experience it’s better to start off consulting with an experienced and knowledgeable Esthetician. Consult with a couple if you feel you need to. Start off slow, whether it be a light peel or a basic facial no one should start out with a full blown Chemical Peel. Finding the right Esthetician, with the right skin care plan can provide you with amazing, long lasting results.