How to Give Yourself a Spa-Level Facial at Home

Getting a facial is one of the most enjoyable things you can do for yourself. But it’s equally expensive. So, why not learn how to give yourself a facial at home? It’s the ultimate self-care and the perfect way to spend an evening or a Sunday. It’s relaxing and therapeutic. Not to mention, great for your skin!

Creating an at-home spa and giving yourself a facial is way less expensive than getting one at a spa. However, depending on how extra you want to be with it, it can be more expensive. Feel free to decide how far you want to go with it.

But here’s the thing; the difference between a skincare routine and a DIY at-home facial is the “gonna take my time” aspect of it all. So even if you don’t want to splurge on face tools to enrich your experience, you’re going to want to stretch out every step of the facial. Because it’s all in the details.

“No hurry” is the name of the game. We’re going to make things take longer and do it in the most unapologetically self-indulgent way possible. It’ll take a good portion of your day so you have a good excuse to bail on people.

Keep scrolling to find out how to give yourself a spa-level facial at home.

How To Do a Facial at Home

Step 1. Create The Ambiance

That’s the major difference between a skincare routine and a proper facial, isn’t it? Being in a hurry and squeezing every step into 5 minutes is what you do on a Monday morning.

So, there’s no limit here. Light up your scented candles, put on some music, put on your silk robe, and put on a hairband. Get in the mood! Pour in a glass of wine.

Step 2. Start with a Clean Face

This is the first step of your at-home facial. Instead of rubbing your cleanser onto your face for 30 seconds and washing it off, take your time with it. Do a double cleanse.

Use an oil cleanser to melt away the makeup. Massage it in to dissolve everything. Use a warm cloth to wipe everything off. Then move on to your regular cleansing step. Wash your face thoroughly and rinse it off.

Step 3. Fire Up The Steamer

Steaming is essential in any facial. If you own one, use your face steamer to warm up the skin and open up your pores. If you don’t have one, put some hot water into a bowl and lean over to steam your face.

This is where you want to be careful because it’s supposed to be gentle. So remember to put a proper distance from the bowl; about 10 inches. Sit like that for about 5-10 minutes.

When you’re done, pat your face dry. If you have very sensitive skin or rosacea, either do it for a couple of minutes or completely skip this step. The hot temperature is a common trigger for rosacea flares.

Step 4. Leave Extraction to Clay Masks

This would be time to do some extractions if it was a professional facial. But doing extractions during your facial at home can go either way.

You may damage your skin when you’re using an extraction tool and you don’t know what you’re doing. For the sake of keeping things safe and light, you can try pore strips and oil-minimizing clay masks.

After steaming, use a nose strip to remove blackheads. For the rest of the face, apply a clay mask. They’re great for detoxifying the skin and pulling out blackheads like a magnet.

And since we’re going for spa vibes, try using tools for applying masks. Use an old makeup brush to spread out the clay mask instead of using your fingers. When you’re done, use a warm cloth to get rid of the mask.

But to keep things spa-like, you can try compressed sponges just like they do in the spa. Instead of face splashes, you can get fancy and use sponges for product removals.

Step 5. Exfoliate Gently

Your skin is super ready to absorb your products. That means your products will be more effective. But it also means that they can be more irritating.

Your face is completely clean and all that trapped-up dirt is out of the way. It’s a great time to apply your exfoliant. But it’s important to be gentle about it.

Exfoliants come in all forms. Instead of using a leave-on liquid peel, try a gentler peel pad to wipe your face with. A low-concentration glycolic acid pad is going to remove the dead skin cells and also brighten up the skin.

If you have oily, acne-prone skin, use a salicylic acid pad to clear up pores. Use your peel pad on dry skin and give it 5 minutes until it’s fully absorbed.

If you’re going to use a serum or a cream with active ingredients later during the facial, skip this step. A retinol serum or a vitamin C serum can irritate your skin if you exfoliate in the same routine.

Step 6. Put On a Sheet Mask

Now that you’re done, it’s time to bring back the glow. Use a hydrating sheet mask to plump up the skin and achieve that post-facial glow. Apply your juiciest sheet mask and use a Jade roller to massage it in.

Once you’re done with the sheet mask, remove it and keep massaging the leftovers using the roller. It’ll help with absorption, depuffing, and lymph drainage. Remember, masks are the most fun part of giving yourself a facial at home.

Try binge-masking or colorful masks to make things different from a regular boring skincare routine. Again, no rush! Lie down, close your eyes, or start singing. Take your time with it and focus on relaxing.

Additionally, gel masks and hydrogel under-eye patches go really well with this step. Your skin is fresh as a daisy, so hydrating products really amp up your glow.

Step 7. Apply a Serum

Your serum has the lightest consistency. Before using your creams, apply your favorite serum onto your freshly plumped-up skin. Make it a dewy-finish one to add some glow.

If you have dry skin, even a simple hydrating serum will make all the difference for your skin and bring about a natural glow to your complexion and some flush of color to your cheeks. You can also use a brightening serum to revive and energize the skin.

To enhance this step, you can use a Gua Sha tool to give yourself a massage. Your serum will make the tool glide easily on the skin. Start from the mid-face. You always want to go outward and upward to tone and lift up the skin. It’ll help increase circulation as well.

Step 8. Moisturize

Get a pea-sized amount of your moisturizer and gently pat it on. Instead of slathering your face with it and possibly moving around products, try pressing it in to keep the glow in place.

Don’t forget to apply your eye cream. And drag your moisturizer down to the neck and chest as well.

Step 9. Add Some Oil

This is optional but it does make a difference, especially during colder months. Get a few drops of your facial oil and pat it on your cheeks to lock everything in and put the cherry on top.

Face oils are glow-boosters by default. They increase radiance and keep the skin moisturized for longer.

Step 10. Plump Up The Lips

Your face is plump and glowing. As a final touch, use a lip balm to bring out the color of your lips.

This completes our guide on how to give yourself a facial at home. Unfortunately, all it takes is an annoying phone call or the presence of a negative person to burst your bubble and ruin your vibes. Learn to keep your cool and hold on to this mood for as long as you can. After, skincare is self-care.

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