Skincare • 02 January 21

With a lot of hours in the house ahead of us, we're going to let you in on the beauty secrets that are helping to keep us sane. Our Editorial Content Manager, Amy, shows you to recreate the ultimate glowy-skin facial at home.

As someone who’s worked in the beauty industry for most of my career, skincare has always been at the forefront of my routine. However, I can’t always find the time (or the extra £££) to get to the salon, so over the years I’ve picked up a few tips and tricks when it comes to mastering the perfect glowy facial at home…

Set the scene

Immersing yourself in the ultimate spa at-home experience is key to getting the most out of your treatment.

Spa attire such as a robe, slippers and white towel are most definitely optional. A glass of prosecco and lighting a candle however? Absolutely essential.

Cleanse

Just like at the salon, the beginning of a good facial really starts with the cleanse - so don’t scrimp on time or products at this stage.

Why? Because cleansing the skin well removes all of the dead skin, oil and grime that has built up on your skin throughout the day.

I’ve heard a lot of people asking “do I still need to cleanse even though I’m not going out as much or wearing makeup” and the answer is...yes.

Free radicals like pollution can be found everywhere (yes, even in your house) so cleansing is still really important.

I’d always recommend cleansing with a device because the results are just far superior to than just using your hands - six times better in fact with a Clarisonic. My personal preference on a cleansing device is the Mia Smart, mainly because it’s compatible with all of the brand’s brush heads and it’s super easy to use.

I start by wetting the skin and applying my favourite cleanser directly on to the skin. Some prefer to apply the cleanser to the brush and then cleanse, but personally I find that gets a bit messy - but either is fine.

Exfoliate

Exfoliating is a key step in any facial. I really wanted that squeaky clean feeling, so switched up the head on my Mia Smart to the Exfoliating Brush Head.

The bristles look like they’re going to be rough but they’re actually really gentle and after 60 seconds my skin feels super smooth.

Exfoliating properly means that my skin is well and truly rid of any dead skin or nasties that could stop my skincare absorbing properly, which is important if you want that instant after-facial glow.

Massage

Massaging the face boosts blood circulation and stimulates a fresh flow of blood and oxygen to the surface of the skin.

I apply my favourite serum, you can use moisturiser but I prefer serum as the molecules are smaller and sink deeper into the skin.

I then use the Clarisonic Massage Firming Head to massage it in, it’s got endless anti-ageing benefits but most of all it just feels amazing!

You can use it on the neck and decollete too, which I’d recommend doing as this is often an area that gets missed.

Focus your attention on the eyes

Next, grab your favourite eye cream. This time I used the Body Shop Oils of Life Eye Cream because the consistency is gel-like so it’s really cooling and refreshing on the eyes.

Next, I attach the Clarisonic Eye Massager Head to the device - making sure the two massaging balls are at the right hand side of the device and turn it on to gentle mode.

I begin by gently rolling the device under the eyes before moving on to the outside corner of the eye (where you’d get crow’s feet) and hold it for 10 seconds - this feels incredible and works wonders on eye bags and puffiness.

My top tip would be to pop the attachment head in the fridge before using it for an extra cooling, de-puffing treatment.

Mask

The final and my favourite part of the treatment is the mask, for this I use the FOREO UFO 2 Smart Mask Device.

The device combines the concept of traditional sheet masking and mixes it with warming and cooling T-sonic pulsations, along with 8 different LED lights to push the essence from the mask into the skin.

For this treatment I chose the Glow Addict Mask, as it tackles dull skin and I really wanted to get that instant after-facial glow but there’s loads of different ones to choose from, so you can cater it to whatever your skin needs.

The treatment takes just 90 seconds from start to finish, after I rub the leftover essence into the skin like you would with a normal moisturiser.

I’d also recommend connecting it to the FOREO For You App, which guides you through the treatment and shows you which areas to focus on.

Glow

Now all that’s left to do is enjoy the glow! Even if I don’t have anywhere to go… FaceTime anyone?