Pre-holiday facial

[greenhart]

I'm lucky enough to be going to Morocco in a couple of weeks time and am hoping to get a facial (or two) to help brighten my complexion a bit before I go.

I've only had a few basic facials before so don't really know what I'm looking for. Am a bit flummoxed by all the options (micro needling, dermaplaning etc).

I'm 50 and my skin looks ok but I don't look after it very carefully (wash with flannel, soap and water and use an SPF moisturiser daily and that's about it)

My skin looks a bit puffy, I have uneven pigmentation, lots of open pores and some tiny blackheads on the sides of my cheeks.

I'm not expecting miracles, but I'm wondering if I still have time to do some sort of 'sloughing off' facial now followed by a more gentle nourishing one just before I go away. There are lots of different salons locally offering different services and I'm not entirely sure where to start.

Any advice gratefully received!

Definitely go for something gentle first that will include extraction of your blackheads, help close big pores, tighten the skin and also be very nourishing/moisturising. I'd probably go somewhere where they offer a bespoke facial , so they will assess your skin and decide what is best.

They might advise at a later date you try some microneedling etc but likely they will say to avoid anything that makes the skin sensitive for a week or so if you're going in the sun. You don't want anything that will take layers of skin off and make you more likely to burn etc.

Also call a few salons if you're overwhelmed. Explain your predicament and see who takes time to tell you about their treatments and what they suggest. Also check google reviews.

But facials are amazing, if you can afford to I'd definitely recommend getting them from time to time.

Hope that helps a bit!

Do you really use soap on your face? Mine would be like parchment if I did that.

I agree, get a bespoke facial. Find a salon that does a good one - Dermalogica, Elemis, Decleor etc.

I have a 90 minute facial every 4 weeks. My skin looks and feels amazing afterwards. It involves lots of massage, but also steaming and exfoliation as well as deep cleansing. It’s pure heaven.

Make sure the place you choose doesn’t leave you in the room with a face mask on - this is my pet hate. You’re paying for that time. My therapist uses that time to give me a hand and arm massage.

@llyh @DillDanding
Many thanks - that's really useful :)

Also, just to confirm - yes, I do just use soap and water. Probably should start a better routine but I'll save that for another thread!

Agree on the micro needling. I’ve not long had it, and like the results but my skin was very dry for a few days afterwards.

if it’s a couple of weeks away, maybe dermaplaning? They remove the very fine hair, it makes my skincare feel like it’s absorbing more and my skin looks brighter. Microdermabrasion in theory could work but it did nothing for me, even after a course.

try looking on fresha (or treatwell or Booksy, but fresha is the most popular around by me!) and you’ll see which places are highly rated but you’ll also be able to see the different treatments they offer.