Facial treatments are many and varied. There are so many wonderful treatments and products available it is hard to know where to begin and why.
Why? Because one face you will have and it is important to look after it now, so many people are happy to spend a small fortune on clothes and accessories well now its time to spend wisely and invest in your future in a whole new way.
Facials range from cleansing, moisturising and nourishing to revitalising, lifting and rejuvenating. Fine words, but what so they really mean? More to the point, what do they mean to you? They could mean the difference between a beneficial facial treatment and a nice relaxing hour in a salon. Is it possible to have both? Of course! Be informed, know what is available. Know what you want and what you would like to achieve (and be realistic!). All facial treatments should follow an informative consultation between yourself and a qualified beauty therapist, if not you really need to ask, "Why not"? A very often asked question is "If I attend a salon each month for treatment do I need to buy the product as well?" answer; Absolutely, you would not buy one shoe would you? The treatment needs to be complete and that involves the care you give yourself at home.
The main concern when choosing your skin care regime is the correct identification of your skin type if you get this wrong then your skin care is going to be ineffective.
Skin types are hereditory resulting from the function of the oil glands, and are generally divided into three categories;
- normal
- oily
- dry
In most cases there is a combination of these most commonly normal with an oily T zone or normal with dry cheek areas.
If you find your skin type has changed quite dramatically for instance if oily skin has become dry then it is more than likely to be the result of an ineffective skin care regime stripping the skin of its oil. Too much astringent or over use of facial scrubs can cause this effect.
Normal skin has perfect hydration skin tone and muscle tone. It has an appearance that is soft, supple, dewy and has an even colour with no visible signs of lines or wrinkles. This is mostly found except in the case of children where the effects of the environment and hormones are not yet evident, but can also be found in adults who have had an oily skin and whose oil secretion has slowed down due to the aging process, although in these cases it is rare to find even colour and has a less supple appearance due to the slow funtion of the basal layer.
Normal skin requires effective cleansing both morning and evening, with consistant use of a protective moisturizer throughout the day.
Oily skin is an hereditory skin type which develops due to overactive sebaceous glands. It has an appearance which is shiny, thick and firm. It also has enlarged pores and is very prone to blemishes. Oily skin really needs to be treated with care, as while it needs to be balanced and the use of astringents, scrubs and especially AHA's are really beneficial over use can result in drying out the skin as it will be stripped of it's natural oils. Another major consideration of stripping the skin is not just the appearance and feel of dry skin but also the fact that the oil in the skin provides protection form infection and so the skin is left suseptable to infection. A general misconception wiht oily skin is that it does not need moisturizing this is totally wrong it most definately does as the skin needs to be balanced with oil and water to maintain its suppleness.
Dry skin is also an hereditory skin type as with oily skin the sebaceous glands are overactive with dry skin they are underactive so the skin appears very fine, delicate and thin.