Are Facials Useless?
Filed under: Skin Care, Beauty Tips
DIY Facial
Just because we're in a recession doesn't mean your skin has to suffer. Skip those pricey spa trips by indulging in your own at-home facials, and piggy bank what would otherwise cost you hundreds of dollars. Read on as celebrity facialists guide you through all of the essential steps, with tips customized for your skin type.
By: Melissa Goldberg
1. CLEANSE
Fill your sink with lukewarm water and add a few drops of essential oil - lavender for normal to dry skin and eucalyptus for normal to oily skin. Drench a terry face cloth in the relaxing aromatic mixture and press it against your face five to 10 times for a gentle cleansing, suggests celebrity facialist Ole Henriksen.
Getty Images
2. STEAM
Lean over a large bowl of boiling water, drape a clean towel over your head and position your face about 10-12 inches above the steam for several minutes. The warm water vapor softens pores so that your skin can reap the full benefits of the treatments to come, says Elena Arboleda, Head Aesthetician of NY's Mario Badescu Spa.
3. STEAM: EXPERT TIP
If you're acne-prone, steaming is a critical step to unclogging pores. Add a drop of tea tree oil to your water to disinfect it, and then dip a washcloth into the very warm water once you've finished steaming. Lay the cloth on your face for several minutes for a deeper steam treatment, says celebrity esthetician Kate Somerville.
4. EXFOLIATE
Mix equal parts finely ground sugar and sesame oil into a paste, and apply it to your face with upward, outward circular motions. "This scrub provides all the benefits of natural AHAs for exfoliation while the oil nourishes and hydrates with a smooth glide across the skin," says Henriksen. This recipe is gentle enough for all skin types.
5. EXFOLIATE: EXPERT TIP
If you prefer a store-bought scrub, "Look for one that uses natural enzymes that digest skin cells, or one with spherical beads that are round and lift cells off the surface without injury to the skin," says Somerville. If you're super sensitive, you can use plain yogurt instead - lactose, the sugar found in dairy products, is a natural exfoliant.
jupiterimages
6. MASK
"I love a plain honey mask because it's great for taking redness out of skin, it kills infection with natural anti-bacterial properties, it's soothing and hydrating, and will work on all skin types," says Henriksen. Apply either pure organic or sage honey to your face, keeping safe distance away from the hairline.
8. MASK: EXPERT TIP
If your skin could use a refreshing and invigorating mask, mix avocado with ground flax seeds and apply as a 15 minute treatment to restore moisture and essential nutrients back into the skin, says Somerville.
8. DON'T FORGET YOUR EYES
Roll sliced cucumber into a long strip of gauze. Place it over your eyes as you lie down and relax with your mask on for 10 minutes. Cucumber de-puffs eyes and the juices saturate perfectly through the gauze, says Henriksen. Relax, breathe, enjoy and then rinse off.
9. MOISTURIZE
Apply your favorite moisturizer to your perfectly cleansed, exfoliated and prepped face. "Don't forget to finish with a lip balm. I love Julie Hewitt's Camelia Lip Balm - we use it at our Hollywood clinic," says Somerville.
Julie Hewitt Camelia Lip Balm, $14, www.essentialdayspa.com
Valentine's Day isn't just about fancy dinners and lingerie and chocolates (although, those are all good things, for sure). It's about pampering -- pampering your sweetie, if you want, but mostly, we're thinking about pampering ourselves. And, we have a whole slew of products to help us do just that!
The recession is certainly taking its toll on our beauty routines. But you don't have to sacrifice your spa trips completely. Just move the spa into your own bathroom.
Metamorphosis Day Spa in New York City is offering something new: a Stem Cell Facial.
Heidi Montag has some serious celebrity power -- the power to make people vomit, that is. Maybe that's because she's the next bionic woman (
I wash my hair with good-old-fashioned shampoo, and I figured I was lookin' alright. But today I learn that if I want my hair to really shine, I need to spend the big bucks.
Odd how the people with the most stress in their bodies are often the people who can least afford to get it massaged away. 
In America, where 30 million citizens don't have access to health insurance, the idea of government-sponsored spa services seems not just decadent, but downright crazy. In Chile, however, where all citizens have access to free basic health care, the situation is quite different. 
One of the nice things about getting a facial is that the treatment is fairly standardized. Sure, the order of the process might differ along with the products, but you can pretty much bet the farm that a facial in any spa around in the world will include cleansing, exfoliation, steaming and a mask. 
