From double cleansing to masks, exactly how to give yourself a fancy DIY facial at home.

In my opinion, anytime is a great time to give yourself a facial at home.

But for those who are normally busy working, looking after kids or just can’t be effed, weekends or evenings spent staying in mean you now have the time to give your isolation skin some attention.

Everyone from Zoe Foster Blake to Jessica Alba is doing it, so why shouldn’t you? Even better if your skin is feeling a bit dry, pimply or blah right now and you aren’t able to book in to see a skin specialist or dermatologist.

If you’re keen, keep scrolling for the ultimate, non-intimidating guide to doing a DIY facial.

WATCH: We tried the Insta-famous glitter face mask to find out if it’s worth your money. Post continues after video.

DIY facial basics.

How long will it take? 20-30 minutes, depending on how many steps you feel like doing.

What products do I need? Below are a list of the types of products that are great for an at-home facial, but you don’t need them all. Have a look at what you’ve already got in your bathroom/in amongst a pile of crap in your spare room and go from there.

• Clean towel.
• Oil face cleanser – you can skip this step or sub with coconut oil, jojoba oil, extra virgin olive oil if that’s what you’ve got handy.
• Gentle face cleanser.
• Chemical exfoliant OR gentle face scrub.
• Face mask(s) – you can use a clay mask, detoxifying hydrating mask, firming mask, brightening mask, sheet mask or a combination of a few.
• Serum and/or face oil.
• Moisturiser.
• Facial massage tool – quartz roller, gua sha or your fingers!

Do I need to do every step? Not at all. Do what you want to do. And if you’ve got sensitive skin, just do the steps that will work for your skin.

Next, get into your comfy pjs or house clothes, chuck your hair back off your face and shut the bathroom door. Heck, light a candle and pop on some tunes if you please.

Pro tip: I time my at-home facials with my hair washing day. After jumping out of the shower, I put my hair up in a hair turban, do the facial stuff while the towel does its thing and then when I’m done, I blow dry my hair and emerge from the bathroom a changed woman.

You can watch Zoe’s full facial video below!

 

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A post shared by ZOË FOSTER BLAKE (@zotheysay) on Apr 20, 2020 at 3:21am PDT

How to do a facial at home.

Step 1: Start with an oil cleanser.

If you don’t have an oil face cleanser, you can skip this step but if you’re wearing makeup and/or sunscreen, or want to go all out, it’s the first step in the double cleansing method.

Take an oil cleanser and pump a generous amount into dry hands. Apply this onto your dry face – yep, dry hands and dry face for this step – and spend around 30 to 60 seconds massaging it all over. Rinse off with warm water.

Here are some great oil/balm cleansers: Go-To Fancy Face Nourishing Oil Cleanser ($45), Neutorgena Deep Clean Hydrating Cleansing Oil ($18.99), Dermalogica PreCleanse ($67.50) and Clinique Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm ($56).

 

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A post shared by Amy Clark (@theamyclark) on Jan 28, 2020 at 3:06am PST

Step 2: Now, let’s double cleanse.

If you care to double cleanse, go over your still-damp mug with a gentle cleanser.

Use whichever cleanser you normally use – this could be a gentle foaming cleanser (foams without stripping you skin), a milk cleanser (milky texture) or a cream cleanser (looks like a moisturiser).

Here are some great gentle cleansers: CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser ($12.99), CeraVe Gentle Foaming Cleanser ($14.99), Fresh Soy Face Cleanser ($56) and O Cosmedics Gentle Antioxidant Cleanser ($54).

*BONUS STEP*: Feel like a face steam?

Welcome to your first bonus step in the choose your own adventure at-home facial!

Steam does a really great job of opening up your pores so you can clean all the gunk out of them, but it’s also relaxing and great for stuffy sinuses, too.

Here’s how to do a face steam at home:

1. Boil the kettle.
2. Pour the boiling water into your bathroom sink with the plug in, or a bucket/big bowl if you don’t have a sink plug.
3. Add a few drops of an essential oil, or lemon juice, or Vicks to the water. You can also add nothing if you prefer.
4. Place a towel over your head and hold you face above the bowl for no longer than 10 minutes.
5. Take some deep breathes and think about whatever you want.

Step 3: Pick your exfoliant.

Once your face is dry from your cleansing/steaming, you’re ready to clean your pores and get rid of dry, dead skin cells.

Here, you have two choices: a chemical exfoliant or a physical exfoliant.

• A chemical exfoliant uses AHAs (alpha hydroxy acids) and/or BHA (beta hydroxy acids) – these ingredients eat dead skin cells for breakfast, lunch, dinner and a binge-watching snack.
• A physical exfoliant uses gentle granules and texture to manually slough away dead skin cells.

If you don’t already own either product type, you can also use a warm face washer or microfibre towel by gently rubbing it over your face. Note: if you have sensitive skin, you can skip this step.

Here are some great chemical exfoliation products: Go-To Exfoliating Swipeys ($46), NIP+FAB Glycolic Fix Daily Cleansing Pads 60 Pack ($34.99), Alpha-H Liquid Gold ($59.95), The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution ($14.50) and REVOLUTION Skincare 5% Glycolic Acid Tonic ($20).

Here are some great physical exfoliation products: Jojoba Bead Cleanser ($29.95), Swisse Skincare Bamboo Skin Refining Exfoliator (11.99) and Drunk Elephant Slaai Cleanser (54).

LISTEN: Not sure about chemical exfoliants? We explain it in this episode of the You Beauty podcast below. post continues after audio.

Step 4: Choose your mask.

Every great professional facial involves a mask so goddamn, you deserve to do one at home, too.

Choose a face mask to suit your skin concerns:

• Oily skin, congestion, blackheads = clay, detoxifying or purifying mask.
• Dull skin tone and texture = brightening mask.
• Dry or dehydrated skin = hydrating mask and/or sheet mask.

Here are some great face masks: L’Oreal Pure Clay Mask ($19.99), Andalou Naturals Brightening Pumpkin Honey Glycolic Mask ($22.95), Aceology Detoxifying Treatment Mask ($69), Cosmedix Detox Activated Charcoal Mask ($90), REVOLUTION SKINCARE Hyaluronic Acid Overnight Hydrating Face Mask ($16), Lanolips Face Base Aussie Flyer Mask ($25.99), Beauté Pacifique Instant Hydrating Mask ($73), Sukin Hydration Deeply Hydrating Biodegradable Sheet Mask ($8.95), Skin Republic Sheet Masks (from $7.99) and Innisfree Sheet Masks (from $2).

*BONUS STEP*: Feel like doing another mask?

As Zoe said in her at-home facial tutorial, go ahead and chuck on a second mask if you’ve got the time. You can even do a third if you’re feeling really fancy.

But what order do I do my face masks in? Great question. It goes: clay mask or any mask you peel off, hydrating mask, sheet mask.

 

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A post shared by Amy Clark (@theamyclark) on Apr 22, 2020 at 1:26am PDT

Step 5: Serum.

Once you’re all masked out, apply a few pumps of your favourite face serum. Or serums, if that’s what your face likes.

If you’re new to skincare or have sensitive skin, choose a lovely hydrating serum without potent active ingredients like retinol or vitamin C. If you don’t have a face serum at home, move right along to the next step.

Here are some great gentle serums: Beaute Pacifique Defy Damage Skin Repair Serum ($89), CeraVe Hydrating Hyaluronic Acid Serum ($29.99) and La Roche-Posay Hyalu B5 Hyaluronic Acid Anti-Ageing Serum ($69.95).

Step 6: Face oil.

Feeling a bit over it by now? You can skip this step if you like!

That said, face oils are very nourishing and feel very nice when rubbed into your face. They’re also essential if you choose to throw in the next bonus step.

Here are some great face oils: The Ordinary 100% Plant-Derived Squalane ($13.90), Jojoba Company Australian Jojoba Oil ($19.99), Go-To Face Hero Face Oil ($45) and Biossance Squalane + Vitamin C Rose Oil ($122).

*BONUS STEP*: Feel like a face massage?

The last bonus step, should you choose to accept it, is a DIY face massage… because the massage is the best bit of any facial, no?

You can use a facial massage tool like a quartz roller or a gua sha, but you can also just use your fingers.

Whichever tool you use, pull the skin upwards and outwards and make sure you’re lubed up with oil to avoid dragging. Go from the side of your nose to your cheekbone, the middle of your chin to under the ear, gently under the eye to the temple, and from the middle of your forehead outwards. Apply gentle pressure and go slow.

Watch this facial tutorial from Sydney beauty therapist Diandra Politano to see how to give yourself a face massage with your fingers at home below.

 

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A post shared by Beauty Therapist (@diandrapolitano) on Apr 20, 2020 at 6:15pm PDT

Step 7: Lock everything in with moisturiser.

Ah! You’re almost done!

The very last step of your at-home facial is popping on your favourite moisturiser to lock in all your hard work. Use whichever moisturiser you usually use in the evening.

And that is how to do a DIY facial at home. Capeesh?

Feature image: Instagram/@zoetheysay and @theamyclark.

Would you try doing a facial at home? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below!