I will be the first to admit that I can’t stand the aftermath of a facial. I’m a prime candidate for the non stop extractions, too much exfoliation and not enough love. For my skin to look good after a facial it can take about 5-7 days for it to recover. If this is a problem for an esthetician it can obviously be an issue for anybody else. In order to recover from a facial flawlessly there are a few steps you can follow no matter what your skin is going through. Here are my go to steps to insuring your skin’s best health post facial.

Hydrate- Yes, we all know to drink tons of water to maintain that perfect post facial glow but it’s also important to watch anything that will dehydrate you. Case in point, caffeine and alcohol will not be your friend. Stick with alkaline water, electrolyte water (as long as it’s low sugar) and filtered spring water. This is also important due to the fact that any facial will include stimulation to our lymphatic system. Drinking tons of water will flush out any toxins that may be lingering in your lymphatic system. Not doing this can lead to infected breakouts such as whiteheads. Here in California we do have a hard time drinking enough water to stay hydrated because of the drought so it is important to watch your sourcing. A great alkaline water recipe is:

spring water

himalayan pink salt

organic raw, local, unfiltered honey

Mix everything together and let it sit overnight. You’ll immediately feel the difference in how hydrated you feel.

Alkaline Diet- My favorite easy way to keep my skin clear and glowing is to eat lots of greens. A green juice should always be your first beverage after your treatment. Whether it’s the morning after an appointment or immediately after your appointment. Think the greener the better and low on fruits.

Look for any or all of the following ingredients:

Kale

Spinach

Romaine

Cucumbers

spirulina

ginger (for circulation)

celery

parsley

chlorella

green apple (try to avoid this being the number one ingredient)

These ingredients are so rich in antioxidants and have a plethora of vitamins that will aid in the healing of your skin. They also will keep your gut very alkaline and promote the proper filtration of toxins in your system.

If you don’t tolerate raw ingredients very well make sure to include a digestive enzyme and probiotic.

Avoid sugar, gluten, dairy, caffeine and alcohol for at least 3 days after your treatment.

Sleep- Getting sleep is number one for helping your body recover from everything. Lots of rest is essential to regenerate any trauma to overworked organs. Your skin will be so happy as soon as you wake up from a fully rested night. Just be sure to maintain a gentle skin care regimen for the following morning. Fresh pillowcases and linens are also a must as your skin is super fresh and more susceptible to absorbing bacteria and dirt. If you find you have a hard time sleeping look into some natural sleeping aids. For most simply adding in a liver suport will do, drink a dandelion root tea and hour before you go to bed and your liver won’t wake you up around 3 am because it’s working overtime to detoxify your body. You can also add a small amount of magnesium to your nightly water intake for a little relaxation. This will help your body fight your sugar cravings as well as help aid digestion. Quantities really depend on the person so start with a little bit.

Avoid heat/sun- If you need to work out after a facial you have to give yourself at least a few days timeline for your skin to heal. Try low impact workouts that won’t stimulate too much heat to the skin. Skip the hot yoga, day hiking and spin classes for another time. Too much heat and sun can lead to more permanent damage if your skin is still healing from a facial. I think exercise is great after a few days to continue flushing out toxins and oxygenating the skin properly. Just give yourself some time to heal first or do your workout before your treatment.

Homework- I give all of my clients very specific homework. Whether I require them to food journal or switch up their skin care, these “homework” assignments are going to assist in your skin recovery. Specifically for post peel and post extraction. If someone is not recovering in the time frame designated by your esthetician review the steps above and don’t hesitate to reach out to them. The most important conversation I have with my clients is a few days after when I check in to see how they are doing. About 95% of them are super happy enjoying their glowing skin but there is the small 5% who seem to struggle. 9 out of 10 times it’s because one the above steps were overlooked.

If you’ve followed all the homework and are still dealing with some breakouts consider the following.

Are your hormones regulated? If you can’t answer this question then maybe you need to start educating yourself on your hormones. With the number of polycystic ovarian syndrome diagnoses growing rapidly in this country it is clear that we need a better education on our hormones in general. My favorite discovery was when I was suggested The Woman Code by Alissa Vitti. Every woman should read this or see their local endocrinologist for more information.

What makeup and skincare are you using? The only times I ever have someone break out immediately after I spend 2+ hours extracting them is because they were synthetic based makeup. To put parabens, silicones and other synthetics on your skin after clearing each pore is like eating McDonalds after a cleanse. It makes the whole experience pointless. Try going makeup free or invest in brands such as W3ll People or Alima Pure. These brands are clean and are made of very few ingredients that are naturally sourced. You will still have amazing coverage but also feel like you’re wearing nothing.

The last and best piece of advice I can give you on how to recover flawlessly is to be kind to yourself. You invested not only in your skin care but in your overall well being. Don’t stop at the hour mark once your facial is over. Invest in the above steps and you will feel renewed in so many more ways.  

Find more ways to discover Your Best Skin, Your Best Self with Therapeutic Skin Coach