To look after your skin in Australia following a facial is as simple as three things: shield it from the sun, be gentle in your routine and let it have its time to settle. You will find your complexion may be softer or brighter after a facial, if not a little red for a while. Then there is the matter of sensitivity; exfoliation, massage and extractions can leave the skin more on edge than normal.
As a Melbourne skin therapist and salon trainer I am Thalia Hayes and I have had my share of clients who have put an end to a good facial by putting on full makeup or some strong acid before their skin has had a chance to recover, or by going out in the sun. With this country’s heat, dry winters and the way the weather turns on you, plus the UV, it is easy to make trouble for yourself. But post-facial care need not be made complicated. A calm approach and some consistency are what count.
What To Do In The Aftermath
In the first couple of hours the aim is to see to the skin barrier. Think of your face as a newly painted door once it has been in professional hands: you can appreciate it but do not run furniture over it.
Make sure to get some aftercare advice from your therapist before you go, and ask what was applied and what to stay away from. There is a difference in the care required for an extraction facial versus a peel or enzyme treatment. Any reputable service will tell you when to put active ingredients back in play and if the skin calls for more moisture. For ongoing support, consider a professional facial service.
A First-Day Checklist
For the remainder of the day keep things uneventful. Put off any exercise or time in the sauna that will have you hot and flushed; friction and sweat are no good for skin that has just been treated. Wash your hands prior to any contact with your face and do not rub at it.
- Cleansing should be with lukewarm water and nothing but a mild cleanser, and only if you are told to.
- A broad-spectrum sunscreen and a basic moisturiser will do in daylight.
- Leave blemishes and rough or flaky skin alone rather than picking or scrubbing.
- And put aside the notion that drinking more water is going to fix any irritation come morning.
Some would have you believe in piling on the products for quicker results. Yet put five serums on top of exfoliated skin and you will have stinging, breakouts and redness to show for it. Make an aftercare regimen you can recall even when you are worn out.
The Australian Sun
After a facial, and certainly one involving exfoliation or anything that makes the skin feel warm, steer clear of direct sun. Treated skin is apt to be more reactive to UV and you risk uneven pigmentation and damage.
Do not be fooled by a cool morning in Melbourne or the wind and clouds, check the forecast. The Bureau of Meteorology has a UV Index that can top 11 and they advise on protection from an index of 3. Their figures are a good reference for current conditions.
Physical Cover and SPF
Your last step in the morning should be an SPF 50+ as per the directions. Reapply if you are out and about, swimming or in a sweat. A hat and sunglasses may not have the glamour of a serum ad but they are far more useful.
Should you need to get somewhere after your appointment, take the tram or train where you can and make use of covered walkways. An hour by a sunny window is best avoided. You can make it to the car in a short walk but perhaps leave the long beach afternoon for later.
Makeup Is Best Delayed
The prudent thing is to forgo makeup for a day or so, in the case of a peel or extractions all the more so. Of course if your therapist has other instructions from the treatment then you follow them. Makeup brings bacteria and preservatives to bear on sensitive skin and sponges and brushes add to the friction. If there is a wedding or work function coming up, book the facial a day in advance instead of making it a last minute affair.
Getting Back To Cosmetics
Once you do start wearing makeup again, have clean tools and new products to hand. If the skin is flaky or tight, heavy foundation is not called for. A mild cleanser will do to take off your makeup in the evening, or follow what your therapist has put you on. There is no need to rub at the skin in an effort to dislodge the very last of the mascara.
Then there is the matter of expectation and reality. While a facial will put hydration back into the skin and make it smoother, less congested in appearance, one should not be under the impression it is a sure thing for flawless skin come an important occasion. In some instances the outcome is simply more at ease and comfortable skin as opposed to anything like an instant filter.
Calm, Hydrating Products
What you put on after a facial ought to be in support of the skin barrier. A hydrating serum, moisturiser and gentle cleanser with lukewarm water are fine provided the skin can handle them. Make it a straightforward routine, eschew any strong scent, abrasive bits or a host of unfamiliar ingredients.
Those with dry, tight skin may find a facial oil of use but it is by no means a must. Oils serve to limit water loss, they are not a stand in for sunscreen or a moisturiser. For the acne-prone, an oil should be taken up with care and put aside if it seems to cause congestion.
A Short Routine
In the 24 to 48 hours following a treatment, most will find this sufficient while the skin gets used to things: in the morning cleanse, put on a hydrating product if you have been told to, then moisturise and apply your sunscreen. At night, just cleanse and moisturise.
| Skin Situation | Helpful Choice | What To Watch |
|---|---|---|
| Comfortable skin | A gentle cleanser and SPF 50+ with your moisturiser. | Refrain from putting on a number of new products. |
| Dry or tight | Go with a richer moisturiser and hydrating serum, facial oil is optional. | Be on the look out for flaking or stinging. |
| Sensitive or red | Keep to a minimal, fragrance-free routine and a cool environment. | Any burning that does not subside or redness that spreads is to be noted. |
| Acne-prone | Gentle cleansing and a light, non-comedogenic moisturiser. | Do not pick or scrub. |
Once you are back to your usual way of doing things, add in a product here and there so as to tell what is causing any irritation. A patch test is a good idea if you have had reactions in the past.
Hold Off On The Strong Actives
Unless your therapist says to go ahead, keep active ingredients at bay. With the skin barrier in a state of flux, lactic or salicylic acid, retinoids, a potent vitamin C, glycolic acid, scrubs and the like will sting. There is nothing to be gained by putting your whole routine back in place right away. Let the skin return to normal, free of any odd heat or tenderness, which for most will be 24 to 72 hours, longer in the case of a peel or something more intensive.
One At A Time
When you are ready, you can put the actives back but do it in stages. Have one on in the evening and do not mix exfoliants. If you are on a prescribed retinoid or acne medication, check with the professional or your therapist as to when to resume.
A facial is not the time to go after every blemish. Extractions have a way of making a breakout stand out before it is over with. Picking only brings on more inflammation and marks; hands are not the finest instrument in the bathroom.
Tailor Your Care
The aftercare for a sensitive or an acne-prone complexion will differ. It depends on the treatment, the weather and your own skin.
Dry And Sensitive
With dry skin the aim is to stem water loss. Hot water and long showers are best avoided; put on your moisturiser when the skin is still a little damp. In southern Australia the heating indoors and the winter air can compound any tightness. Sensitive skin calls for less experimentation. No essential oils or harsh exfoliants and do not rub. Should a product burn, put it down and go back to basics.
Acne-Prone
Consistency is key. A cleanser and a light moisturiser that is not going to leave you feeling greasy. Leave the post-facial bumps alone, do not try to scrub the roughness off. You may have some breakouts from the extractions or sweat. If the congestion is not abating, get a plan from your therapist rather than run out and put three new acne products in your basket.
Make Allowances For The Weather
In Australia the climate will dictate your aftercare. Treated skin can feel tight in the dry air or uncomfortable with the humidity and sweat. One finds different conditions in the Top End between wet and dry season than in the cooler climes of Adelaide or Melbourne.
One does not want to put an intensive facial on the calendar in northern Australia right before some outdoor activity in the heat of the year. Between the humidity, heavy rain and the odd cyclone warning, travel is no comfort and one will be sweating. Then there is the summer bushfire smoke and heat to set off sensitive skin; a period of indoor recovery is often the wiser course.
Plan for the conditions at hand
An aggressive peel or a lot of extraction is best put aside if an event is but a day away; go with something hydrating and mild. Make sure you are not off to the beach or for a long hike, nor doing hot yoga or any work outdoors the next day. A facial is more of a pleasure when one’s time is not as full as a sardine tin.
In winter you should have a lip balm, sunscreen, moisturiser and a good cleanser to hand. In more humid climes, bring tissues to blot sweat without rubbing and a clean hat along with your sunscreen. A humidifier has its place in a dry room, provided it is well cleaned and not seen as a replacement for your moisturiser.
When to get assistance
Some facials will leave you with a little redness, tightness or small bumps for a while. Normally these will abate and not get worse. The therapist will tell you what to expect from the treatment.
But should you experience blistering, pus, a rash that is spreading, marked warmth or redness, or pain and swelling of an increasing nature, put in a call to your skincare professional. For anything as serious as difficulty breathing or severe swelling indicative of an allergic reaction, medical attention is called for.
Make a note of things
Note the products and treatment and the onset of any symptoms. Photographs in natural light are useful if matters progress. It is all information a doctor or therapist can use to determine if an ingredient, exfoliation, infection or an allergy was to blame, or nothing to do with the facial.
Some of the more common questions I am put by clients on how to tend to their skin post-facial
The answer in brief tends to be to be patient and apply less product and more sunscreen.
On the 4-2-4 Rule
This cleansing method calls for four minutes with an oil, two with a foaming cleanser and another four to rinse. Not a standard in any medical or professional sense and the rubbing can be excessive for aftercare on sensitive skin. Heed the provider and be gentle.
Afterwards?
Stick to a broad-spectrum sunscreen, moisturiser and a cleanser of the gentler sort with lukewarm water. Let the skin settle before you make up or get active and stay out of the sun and heat. Do not pick at blemishes or hasten the peeling.
An Australian brand for mature skin?
Needs being what they are, there is no one brand to crown the best. Mature skin can be dry or prone to acne and pigmentation. Look to the ingredients and tolerability and take some professional counsel instead of going by the label.
The seven steps of a facial
You will not find a clinic that adheres to a rigid seven-step order. Depending on the state of your skin and the treatment, there may be a consultation, some steam or softening, massage, a mask and so on.
Is exercise out of the question?
For the balance of the day it makes sense to forgo the sauna and any strenuous exertion or very hot shower. Friction and sweat are irritating. If your face is sore or uncharacteristically red, hold off and let the therapist advise you.
Aftercare need not be complicated
The soundest advice for Australian skin is to shield it from the sun, be kind to the barrier and allow any irritation to pass. Adapt to the dry air of winter or the humidity.
A facial of merit will provide you with the necessary knowledge, not a cupboard of things bought in a panic. Have some common sense and give your skin a quiet day; it is in no need of a rescue operation.
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