How do I know which type of facial I should start with?

The following blog is NOT transcribed from our video- you may pick-up unique things from both the video and blog so we recommend at least browsing both for the most compresensive information!

We know trying to guess the right facial for yourself can be difficult, especially if it’s your first time or it has been awhile.  I mean, we have Aquaglo, Rezenerate, Microneedling, Dermablade, and Classic facials! How could one choose, right? One thing to take off your plate right now is that our estheticians always do a skin analysis at the beginning of your appointment to ensure that the facial you are there for is the best for your skin at the moment and will communicate with you about your best path for future appointments. However, if the appointment booked is not compatible for your skin and is too short of a time for another type of facial we may need to reschedule.  To avoid a possible rebooking we do encourage people to utilize our consultations as we can give you a skin analysis and talk with you about any concerns you have about your skin before booking any facial appointments, this can help you have peace of mind when booking a specific type of facial. However, we’ll still answer the question - how do you know which facial you should start with? 

First up is figuring out what is your skin type and what your skin concerns are - if you already know this you can skip to our esthetician's facial recommendations.

There are a few different ways to determine your skin type. The first way is to examine your pore size.  Larger pores typically mean more oily skin. If your pores are large on all areas of your face you would be classified as having oily skin.  If your pores are larger only in the “T-Zone” (Forehead, nose, chin) your skin type is combination.  If your pores are small and tight all over your skin type is likely dry.

The second way to check your skin type is to wash your face as normal, but to not apply any products afterwards.  Thirty minutes to an hour later, how does your skin feel? Tight and/or dry? Your skin type is dry. Hydrated and/or oily? Your skin type is combination or oily. In this case, observe if your whole face feels the same or if some areas feel dry/tight or more oily than others. This will help you determine if it is the T-Zone and therefore combination skin, or if it is all over feeling hydrated/oily= oily skin.

Now that you can determine your skin type, lets look at which facial you should start with!

Our estheticians number one choice for starting if you haven’t done a consultation is the Aquaglo facial. Typically a great starting point for most (not all (but we’ll get into this)) people, especially acne prone, oily, and dry skin, will be an Aquaglo facial.  Why?

The Aquaglo facial is a great starting point because it removes dead skin cells from the top layer of your skin which gives an even better look at what your skin needs. This will assist your Esthetician so their skincare and facial recommendations can be honed even further. 

Congestion be gone! The Aquaglo facial removes congestion from the pores and along with the gentle exfoliation taking away the dead skin, the products used on you in the facial and your at home products will penetrate further into your skin, increasing their efficacy. This is especially beneficial for those using active enhancement products such as Benzoyl Peroxide for acne or Retinol for anti-aging.

An added bonus of the Aquaglo facial is its blue-light cooling wand which helps destroy acne causing bacteria. This also reduces inflammation which can decrease the redness and swelling of acne lesions.

Runner up for our estheticians is the Rezenerate facial.  The Rezenerate facial is very adaptable to skin types and concerns, but is a wonderful choice for fine lines and mature skin concerns.  This facial uses nano technology to create micro-channels/pathways in the upper layers of skin.  This allows products to penetrate deeper into the skin for better absorption and efficacy.  It also encourages the body to produce more collagen and elastin which leads to improvements in the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, and texture.

Our esthetician's honorable mention facial is the Classic Facial. Classic facials are adaptable for most skin types.  They don’t get quite as deep as our machine based facials (Aquaglo and Rezenerate) but they are called classic for a reason! Classic facials utilize professional enzymes and hydration masques to remove dead skin cells and increase your skin's hydration.  This makes them a great starting point for getting your skin used to the process of monthly facials.  

On the flip side, while we love a chemical peel and microneedle, we don’t recommend either of those as a first facial. We need to see how your skin responds to one of the other three types first, so we can assess to what level you can begin chemical peels or what depth of microneedle. 

We hope you feel more in the know about which facial to start with, but if you still have some lingering concerns not addressed here, please feel free to reach out via email at info@amberbudd.com or book a consultation with Amber or Taylor and get personal guidance on your skin type and concerns.