Facials: a necessity or a luxury?

Between stressful schedules, dirt and grime, and exposure to harmful sun rays, one’s facial skin tends to take a toll often leading to dullness, dryness and even whiteheads and blackheads.

Professionally done facials can offer much relaxation and pampering to your skin. While some swear by the benefits of these rituals, others believe they’re unnecessary and can be substituted with a good home care regime. It’s also uncertain when is the best age to start getting facials and how often. Read on to find out.

EFFECTIVE WHEN DONE WELL
Aakriti Kochar, beauty expert, Oriflame India says facials do much for your skin including help release tension, improve skin texture and radiance, remove puffiness and delay skin ageing. “However, facials are effective when done correctly. That is without being too rough or harsh on the skin as it can cause skin loosening. It is advised to not over-exfoliate and keep the massage very gentle,” she says adding a healthy diet with fruits and vegetables also helps in the long run. Facials also vary according to skin types.

While the technique remains the same, the products used differ such as for normal to dry skin, indulge in cream based facials with moisturising qualities. While for combination skin, treat dry and oily areas differently and apply an ice pack after cleansing.

AGE AND SKIN TYPE MATTERS
Lorene Martin, international stylist, Dessange Mumbai explains the process of a facial generally involves exfoliation, steaming, extracting blackheads, followed by a massage and a mask. “While there is no particular age as such to start facials, I would recommend getting them post the age of 19 or 20. The gap between the facials depends entirely on the skin type and problems plaguing it.

This can vary from around two weeks for anti-ageing facials and around four weeks for normal facials,” she says adding, “If you get the right facial done then you will really see a difference in the quality of your skin. Our clients appreciate both the improvement in skin quality as well as the pampering massages.

OPT FOR A MEDI FACIAL
Increasingly, skin clinics today are offering facials using medical grade products medifacials among their repertoire of treatments says Dr Rickson Pereira, Dr Minal’s Dermatherapie Centre which combines the benefits of skin actives with a relaxing massage.

“Facials provide an instant feeling of freshness and leave your skin moisturised and radiant. In addition to relaxation, a facial can provide benefits to the skin such as improved lymphatic flow.

Depending on the skin concerns such as dullness, fine lines, tan, dryness; the right combination of actives can help target these concerns. The exfoliation can help improve penetration of skin care products prescribed by your dermatologist; and the actives have an adjuvant effect to your skin care regimen,” he adds.