How to Give a Facial

Want to get rid of those pesky pimples and even out your skin tone? Professional salon facials are the fast track to a better complexion, but are very expensive. You can give a friend a great facial at home with supplies you already have on hand. Hopefully she'll return the favour!

Steps

1. 
   1
   Wash your hands thoroughly with anti-bacterial soap and hot water. Bacteria and/or dirt on your hands blocks pores, causing spots.
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2. 
   2
   Using a ponytail holder, tie back long hair and pull hair back from the face using a headband.
3. 
   3
   Wash your face using a mild cleanser. For dry skin, a gentle cleanser. For oilier skin, any oil free blackhead eliminating wash is recommended. Thoroughly rinse the face, leaving no traces of cleanser.
4. 
   4
   Use an exfoliating scrub in a circular motion on your face and neck, but avoiding the eye area (nothing south of the eyebrow or north of the eye socket). Rinse the skin thoroughly with a soft, clean wash cloth and warm water.
5. 
   5
   Pat face dry with a clean towel.
6. 
   6
   Apply a facial mask and leave on for about 10 minutes.
7. 
   7
   Wash off the mask with warm water and a wash cloth.
8. 
   8
   Apply an alcohol free toner to a cotton ball and wipe on face, especially to the t-zone.
9. 
   9
   Apply a moisturizer and you should feel clean and smooth and have a nice glow to your skin.
10. 
    10
    Repeat this facial weekly, but wash your face twice daily.

Alternative Approach

1. 
   1
   Pull hair off the face and start with a large clean pot. The opening of the pot should be larger in width than your face. A pot that you would use to boil pasta in would be best. Wash your hands and face and pour about 2 cups of distilled water in the pot. You can pick up distilled water at any local drug store, costing about $2.00 or less.
2. 
   2
   Bring the 2 cups of water to a rolling boil and shut off stove. Keep your face about 12 inches from the top of the pot (use a stool to stand on if needed). Do not put your face into the pot. Also, never “tent” your face with a towel. This can actually cause your skin to burn. The steam needs to flow freely. If not, this can actually slightly burn the skin. Steam no more, and no less, then 10 minutes.
3. 
   3
   Wipe the skin gently with an astringent, when the pores are open. It is advisable to use an astringent with no alcohol, especially for those with sensitive skin.
4. 
   4
   Moisten the face with lukewarm water. Take your daily cleanser for your specific skin type and cleanse skin with a gentle circular motion for about 1 minute. Rinse.
5. 
   5
   Extract gently any white/blackheads or pimples. The steaming process makes this easier and less damaging to the skin. If a pimple does not extract easily, do not force it as this can irritate it and possibly damage the skin. It is simply not ready to be extracted.
6. 
   6
   Wipe skin again with the astringent and use an exfoliating cleanser with natural AHA (alpha hydroxy acid) on moist face. Exfoliate with gentle circular motion for 2 minutes. Rinse skin with lukewarm water.
7. 
   7
   Pat skin gently. This is when you will apply a masque. Leave on for about 10-15 minutes. During this time, you may want to lie down and put relaxing music on. Take deep, relaxing breaths as you would during meditation or yoga.
8. 
   8
   Remove masque with a moist cotton washcloth. Rinse skin by splashing distilled water on face. The distilled water should be at room temperature.
9. 
   9
   Take a clean cotton wash cloth and dampen it with cool water. Lay down and cover your face with this and apply gentle pressure. Leave on for about 5 minutes. This will help to close pores.
10. 
    10
    Apply anti-aging treatment and moisturizer. If heading outdoors, use a sunscreen that does not clog pores.
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Tips

• If you really want to keep your skin under control, the best thing to do is have a routine. Wash, tone and moisturize twice a day, everyday.
• Make time for your D.I.Y facial once a week.
• After you've done your facial, don't wear make-up for a few hours to give your skin a break.
• Apply a little tea tree oil to any really big pimples.
• Pick a face mask depending on your skin type. Clay masks are great if your have oily or pimple-prone skin. If you have sensitive skin stay away from peel-off masks.
• For super soft skin, apply the moisturizer while your skin is still wet, to lock in the moisture.
• See other articles on how to make a facial mask.

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Warnings

• Always make sure to test ANYTHING going on your face at least a week BEFORE a BIG DATE, or OTHER OCCASION! There's only so much that make-up can cover before you just look plain silly!