How to Give Yourself an At-Home Facial, According to Experts

Close up of woman looking in the mirror with face mask having a spa day

Stocksy

There's nothing like a good facial to get you in a good mood. When life feels a little chaotic or you just need a respite from the noise of the world, booking into your favorite facial can feel like a much-needed escape. But having to wait for the perfect time slot to open up, or needing to justify yet another expense this month, can really put a damper on our favorite self-care ritual. So, we decided to bring the same mental, emotional, and skin benefits to our home—because self-care shouldn't be put on the back burner.

To help you make the most of your DIY spa day, we reached out to skincare experts for their choice tips to recreate a spa-like facial at home. These go-to tricks will get you there—and your face will thank you.

Meet the Expert

  • Jennifer Herrmann, MD, FAAD, is a board-certified dermatologist based in Beverly Hills, California.
  • Nicole Hatfield is an esthetician for POMP Beauty, an online skincare consultation service.
  • Candace Marino is a Los Angeles-based medical aesthetician.
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Think Like a Facialist

Select your products like an editor, but put them into practice like a skin pro. Whenever we receive a professional beauty treatment (facial or otherwise), we're not just taking notes to relay to our dear readers—we're mentally filing them away for ourselves, too. Ask your esthetician questions about the products they're using, why they're using them, and what they recommend at home for your skin type.

This also means taking a multistep approach, rather than just slapping on a mask and calling it a day. It's your facialist's job to customize your treatment and to kick it up a notch according to your complexion and issues, but consider this your general roadmap:

  1. Cleanse
  2. Exfoliate
  3. Steam
  4. Extract
  5. Mask/Treatment
  6. Tone
  7. Moisturize
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Curate the Right Atmosphere

Facials may offer a host of skincare benefits, but that's not the only reason we splurge on the treatment. It's all about the holistic sense of relaxation that really amplifies the whole experience, and if you've ever booked in for a more clinical approach, you know the difference. Replicate that same sence of tranquility by splurging on a plush robe, lighting a few candles, spritzing a calming room spray, putting on the most serene playlist you can find, and making sure the room temperature is set to cozy. Bonus: to replicate the warm feel of a treatment table, sit on a heating pad or hold a hot water bottle as you wait to rinse off your mask.

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Cleanse Accordingly

Any good skincare regimen starts with clean, dry skin. Most estheticians recommend defaulting to a good double-cleansing method to ensure any makeup, sunscreen, oils, or whatever your skin has recently been exposed to is washed off.

Byrdie Tip

The warm water will also prep the skin to adequately receive any following treatments and properly absorb subsequent products.

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Try a Peel

Facial peels take exfoliating a step further, promising to chemically resurface dead skin to reveal a brighter, younger complexion underneath. It's the ultimate fast track to a radiant glow. If you're looking to add a peel to your at-home facial regimen, Nicole Hatfield, an esthetician for POMP Beauty, says the Drunk Elephant T.L.C. Sukari Babyfacial AHA + BHA Mask ($80) and the Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Alpha Beta Extra Strength Daily Peel ($92) are great starting points.

These peels "won't actually lead to peeling as they are self-neutralizing," Hatfield says. "It is not safe to do a highly concentrated chemical peel on your own at home, but these concentrated [over-the-counter] products can resurface the skin and hold you over until your next professional peel," she explains.

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Blow Off Some Steam

In addition to helping draw dirt, oil, and grime out of pores, a facial steam feels oh, so relaxing. It's easy to DIY, too: Heat some water over the stove, and add a mix of dried flowers or tea—plain lemon slices are fine, too. After letting it simmer and steep for a few minutes, pour the mixture into a large bowl, and drape a towel over your head and the bowl so the steam has no other place to escape. Stay put for about five minutes.

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Relax the Face with a Massage

Facial massage is just as much a part of proper treatment as the products themselves; it boosts circulation and lymph flow and may help ensure that the formulas penetrate deeply. Gently massage your products into your skin in a circular motion and switch to light tapping with your fingers on the delicate skin surrounding your eyes. When your skin needs a little extra TLC, take a facial massage to the next level with a leave-on balm.

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Amp Up Your Massage Technique

To up the ante with your massage technique, try using a jade roller. "Jade rollers can help promote relaxation and if there is excess fluid/swelling in the skin, using a jade roller can help stimulate lymphatic drainage," explains Beverly Hills-based dermatologist, Jennifer Herrmann. For an optimal jade rolling experience, Hatfield says to roll it in upward and outward motions. "You should try to avoid dragging your skin down with the facial roller," she adds. 

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Enlist in Power Tools

It's an easy (and fun) way to add a professional touch to your spa sesh—and you don't have to shell out big bucks to do it. Try a derma-roller to iron out acne scars and fine lines. Feeling extravagant? Spring for the NuFace Trinity ($350). "It helps to tone, lift, contour, and smooth the skin by delivering energy to the tissues and the muscles. The current helps stimulate collagen synthesis and helps keep our elastin strong. You can literally give yourself an instant facelift with this device, and with long-term daily use, you will see incredible results," explains medical aesthetician, Candace Marino.

If you're looking to go all out with an at-home treatment, consider adding the Vital Red Light ($529) to your facial routine. "The Vital Red Light is equipped with industry-leading, medical-grade 5-watt LED lights that are not only effective but get the job done in less time... A 10-minute treatment daily will aid in skin rejuvenation, collagen stimulation, reduction of inflammation (the key trigger to the aging process), and reduction in redness," she says.

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Double-Team Your Masks

Even if you're too time-strapped to do anything else on our list, try this for a near-instant face refresh. For an experience that comes close to a facial at the spa, Marino likes to use an exfoliating mask, then follow with a hydrating one. "The Kora Organics Mask Duo contains the Turmeric Brightening and Exfoliating Mask to polish the skin and break down cellular debris [...]. I leave this on 5 to 10 minutes and follow with the Noni Glow Sleeping Mask, which addresses the hydration of the skin and can be left on overnight to sleep in. You'll wake up with a soft, plump complexion, fewer fine lines, and an insane glow," she says. 

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Treat Your Skin with a Serum

Dullness got you down? Looking to obliterate those blackheads? Consider targeting any specific issues with a serum. "Serums are a great way to deliver concentrated ingredients into the skin that help to treat your skin concerns. I highly recommend investing in high-quality professional-grade skin serums that can make real changes to your skin over time," explains Hatfield.

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Stock Up on Water

You might be inclined to ignore this step, but don't: Any skin-pampering session requires replenishment. "Drinking water is important because when skin cells are adequately hydrated, they function optimally, meaning they optimally absorb nutrients and generate collagen and elastin most efficiently," says Dr. Herrmann. Besides, do you ever really need an occasion to knock back some H2O?

Article Sources
Byrdie takes every opportunity to use high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial guidelines to learn more about how we keep our content accurate, reliable and trustworthy.
  1. Cleveland Clinic. 5 myths about massage therapy. Updated June 24, 2020.

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