5 Home Facial Tips – Take “Me Time” For Glowing Skin

Yes, a home facial!  Let’s all just take a moment and dream of everyone of our clients taking our suggestions for home care to the level where they do a mini home facial a few times a week to make sure that their skin is in top notch shape in between their visits to the most fabulous spa or skincare center!

Why A Home Facial Routine Is Important

One of the best quotes that I’ve ever heard was from an esthetician named Kate. I worked with Kate years ago when I was running a chain of medical spas.  She once told a client an analogy that nailed the importance of doing a home facial on a regular basis.

“I am like a dental hygienist who deep cleans your teeth.  I deep clean your skin.  You brush your teeth every day and then go to the dentist every 6 months to get a deep cleaning.  I need you to do a home care routine on a regular basis and then maybe a mini home facial a few times a week.  This will make sure that your skin is in its best shape!”

It’s a great analogy and clients loved it.  They understood it and many of Kate’s clients were compliant with their come care because of this advice.  Helping clients understand why and how is crucial.

Get Clients To Commit To Regimented Home Care and Home Facials

I’ve had the opportunity to talk to hundreds of skin care professionals from all over the world.  I also had the chance to talk with Josh from San Francisco.  Josh owns a skin care clinic and told me that all of his new clients understand that when they come to him for treatments, they are also committing to doing a regimented home facial care ritual on a regular basis.  He informs them that they are in partnership to improve the client’s skin.  So commitment to home care is essential or he won’t take them on as a client.

6 Tips For An Amazing Home Facial

1. Make It A Ritual

It’s important to note that a home facial isn’t an every day event.  Clients should do a home facial a few times per week, be sure to let them know how many times you want them to add in those extra steps, over and above the daily use products.

Advise them to make it a ritual for a little “me time”!  The first thing they’ll say is that they don’t have the time.  That’s when we suggest you have them read Lisa Gornall’s January Advice From Our Experts Column on Self Care!   This will help them understand that rituals are important, so are boundaries, and they need to create a time for themselves to be able to be the best mom, wife, employee, boss, etc!  Lisa advises on the importance of creating a morning and evening ritual.

So one of the best ways to create a ritual is to have a space for it.  Many do in the bathroom where all of their products are located.  We suggest getting everything for the home facial out and lined up, ready to be used.  Then make it special; you can do that by lighting a special candle,  we love the Hollow Tree candle from the Beauty Of Hope Collection available at California Skincare Supply.

2. Start With A Clean Face

One of my favorite things to do every day!  I make washing my face an event – advise your clients to do the same.  Washing the face is so much more that swishing some cleanser on, and then quickly washing it off.  Teach clients to make washing their face an event.  Teach them how to apply cleanser with deep slow massage strokes to start.  This helps to get the blood and lymph flowing, it warms up the muscles, and manipulates the skin.  All of that helps to improve the effectiveness of this cleansing step!  What’s our favorite cleanser?  We have so many that we love!  Here’s a list of all the cleansers that we love!

Vital Steps To Make Home Care A Home Facial

3. Exfoliate 

Close your eyes and manifest clients who exfoliate regularly!  You CAN will it into existence!  We all know that exfoliation is pretty much essential if clients want great skin.  Some need it more than others, regardless of frequency, it needs to happen.  Make sure you instruct your client on the frequency and which products to use.  We have two exfoliating products that come to mind that are mild and yet effective.  Dawn Lorraine Skincare’s Fruit Acid Cleansing Scrub and Sesha Skincare’s Renu Exfoliating Gel.

4.  Mask

I know, you’re gushing as you imagine your clients doing a mask at home!  They’ll do it if they understand the importance of it!  Sheet masks are huge right now – you can suggest a great sheet mask for them to try. We love them too, here’s an article we did on 6 Of the Most Effective Sheet Masks – see if you like any of these.  Jenni is currently obsessed with the Black Mud Nourishing Mask from BelleCôte Paris; it’s making her pores seem (almost) invisible! Barry’s obsessed with the Vita Cura Gold B3 Lifting Mask from Repêchage – he even used it to prep for the Grammy’s Afterparty last week!

5.  Treat The Skin

Here’s a news flash.  Clients rarely understand product categories.  They don’t get that serums are different than moisturizers.  It’s important to explain to them that a serum is designed to treat skin conditions and are essentially the work horse of the home facial ritual.  We’re obsessed with serums.  Here’s a list of serums that we love and you can choose anyone of them for your clients!

6.  Moisturize

Everyone needs moisture, especially in the cold, dry winter months!  Even oily skin – don’t let your clients walk out not understanding that little nugget!  We have so many moisturizers that we love.  If you’re dealing with really dry skin from the winter weather, check our our Winter Skin Care Guide for some great solutions!

Be Your Client’s Coach

We take for granted everything that we know about skin.  Coach your clients on their home facials.  Do follow up questions on how their skin felt after the home facial.  Give them feedback on what you are observing with their skin and let them know which parts of the home facial can help to improve.  Coaching clients will show them that your relationship is a true partnership!