Caitriona's At Home Re-Balancing Mini Facial

Our skin and our bodies are very sensitive to changes in stress levels, routine, exercise, eating habits and even a change in seasons.  Sound familiar?  Normally we only have to deal with one or two of these issues at a time, but lockdown has thrown them all at us at once.  I don’t know about you, but I’m finding my skin is oily in areas, dehydrated in others and I’m getting painful breakouts as well.  I felt it needed a bit of TLC and when I thought about it, I realised that a lot of you may be having similar issues, so I decided to share my mini facial with you.  Naturally I used all Dermalogica products not only because they are what we use in the salon but because they are the first range I have used on my skin that actually does what it says and my skin has never been better.  Even now, with my COVID breakout, it is not half as bad as it was in before I started using the products.  Below is a breakdown of the steps to a mini facial and I will explain about the products I used and why.  I didn’t use an SPF because I incorporated my evening routine into the facial, but I will go through the step with you anyway.  
Steps:
1.  Pre-cleanse
It’s important to always double cleanse.  The first cleanse will remove any excess oils and makeup from the skin to allow your cleanser to really get in and do it’s job during the second cleanse.  I used Dermalogica’s Precleanse Balm but it is also available in an oil form.  Precleanse is designed to remove stubborn oils, makeup and environmental pollutants from the skin and it also helps to lock in moisture.  It is amazing at removing waterproof makeup and is safe to use around the eye area though don’t use too much, a little really does go a long way and you will be forced to clean the excess out of your eyes if you do.

2.  Cleanse
Many people overlook the importance of a cleanser.   A good cleanser that is targeted towards your skins needs can greatly enhance the effect your skincare routine.  My skin was in need of rebalancing and I had recently bought the new Dermalogica Active Clay Cleanser which was perfect for the job.  Active Clay Cleanser is formulated to absorb excess oils while protecting the skins natural lipid barrier which means the skin won’t have that tight, dry feeling that is associated with some oil absorbing cleansers.  It smells divine too!

3.  Exfoliate
Exfoliation removes old, dead skin cells from the surface of our skin, exposing a smooth, fresh layer underneath.  I used Dermalogica Multivitamin Thermafolient which is extremely popular as it combines both manual and chemical exfoliants with anti-aging ingredients.  You will see immediate smoothing results with the manual exfoliant and the chemical exfoliant gives a longer lasting result.  It will give your skin a fresher, smoother look.

4.  Masque
The masque stage is where you can effectively boost your treatment while really pampering yourself.  It’s the one product that many of us will have numerous tubes of, each to address different skin concerns.  Be sure whatever masque you choose is going to address whatever skin concern you need help with at the moment.  For this facial I went with the Dermalogica Sebum Clearing Masque.  It helps to clear breakouts while helping to prevent future ones and also has a lovely cooling effect on the skin.  This is a ten minute masque allowing you enough time to relax and put your feet up with a quick cuppa.

5.  Toner
Toner is another often overlooked product that has been somewhat demonised in todays market.  I often have clients tell me that they don’t use toner because it dries out their skin.  This is a sign that the toner in question has far too much alcohol in it.  A good toner is designed to enhance your skin, not worsen it, and should help prep your skin to enhance moisture absorption.  I use Dermalogica’s Multi Active Toner.  It’s light and refreshing and is packed with humectants which draw moisture to the skin.  It is also in a handy spray bottle, like most of the Dermalogica toners and I even carry a travel size one in my handbag to give myself a refreshing spritz on a hot day.

6.  Eye Cream
Eye creams and eye serums are specially formulated to treat the delicate eye area.  They are an important part of any skincare routine because the molecules in your face cream are too large to penetrate through the thinner, more delicate skin of the eye area and are incapable of addressing the issues associated with it.  Today I used the new Biolumin-c eye serum which is fantastic for brightening dark circles and firming the eye area.  An eye cream should always be applied using your ring finger, as it is the weakest finger on your hand, you will be less likely to add too much pressure to the area and drag at the delicate skin.

7.  Serum
Serums are my favourite part of my daily routine.  They are designed to address specific skin concerns and are very effective.  They are usually highly concentrated so you only need to use a little and you can often patchwork them and only use them on specific areas if needed.  They must be sealed in under a moisturiser.  My chosen serum is the Age Bright Clearing Serum.  It was released within the last year because Dermalogica realised they had no product in their range that targeted both breakouts and ageing in one.  It is very good at taking the inflammation out of a breakout and leaves your skin feeling soft and velvety.  It pairs extremely well with Age Bright Spot Fader which can help reduce the appearance of new acne pigmentation and scarring.

8.  Moisturiser
As this was my evening skin routine, I used my night cream which is Dermalogica Sound Sleep Cocoon.  Our skins optimum recovery time is at night and this gel based cream helps to aid this, improving and brightening the skin tone.   It also has encapsulated Lavender which helps you have a restful nights sleep and in turn boosts skins radiance.  I often find it hard to get to sleep and this cream has literally changed my life!

9.  SPF
SPF is the single most important product you can use to combat skin aging.  It should be an essential part of your morning routine whether the sun is shining or it is overcast and raining.  The suns rays can penetrate and affect your skin even through the clouds causing pigmentation and fine lines.  Many moisturisers have SPF in them but it is important to also top up your SPF throughout the day which is often forgotten.  I use Prisma Protect SPF 30 in the morning, which is a moisturiser and SPF combo and I use Invisible Physical Defence SPF 30, which is solely an SPF, for topping up as I don’t like to waste my moisturiser for this.
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I really hope this and my video helps you to do a mini facial at home and give yourself a well deserved treat and some TLC.  If you need any help in personalising your home facial or if you are in need of new products please don’t hesitate to contact us, we will be happy to help.  We do have some products available on our website and if we don’t have what you need we will give you a code to use on the Dermalogica website which will ensure you get a free gift.  Please continue to stay safe as we can’t wait to see you all back in the salon when we return.