Body & beauty

6 Simple Steps To a DIY Facial

Skin specialist Hayley Hems shares her top tips on how to give yourself a professional facial at home

Step one

Before you do anything else to your face, you need to start your at-home facial with a clean canvas. “If you don’t cleanse your skin properly, dirt and excess sebum can accumulate which contributes to breakouts, dehydration and accelerates the ageing process,” says Hayley Hems, skin specialist and founder of HHSKIN (hhskin.london). To make sure your skin is as clean as possible before you start the facial process, give double cleansing a try with Naturekissd Gentle Cleanse (£13.50, naturekissd.com). Hayley also notes that a squeaky-clean complexion will increase skincare absorption.

Step two

If you’re a facial enthusiast, you know that most treatments include some kind of steaming process. “Steaming your face increases blood flow, opens pores and softens the top layer of your skin to prime it for exfoliation,” says Hayley. If you want to steam your face at home, Hayley says there are two ways that you can safely try steaming your face. You can either soak a clean towel in a bowl of hot water (not boiling) and lay it over your face, or pour some clean, hot water in a large bowl and drape a towel over the back of your head.

Step three

Next up, exfoliator. Any good facial involves exfoliation to slough off dead skin cells and reveal radiant skin. Hayley recommends exfoliating at least twice a week to help with cell turnover, resulting in smooth, dewy skin. Try massaging REN Skincare Micro Polish Cleanser (£23, renskincare.com) into your skin, focusing on problem areas like your T-zone.

Step four

A facial wouldn’t feel right without some kind of face mask. You can pick whatever mask you want to use based on your skin’s needs, but for ageing skin Hayley recommends looking for a mask bursting with anti-ageing ingredients like hyaluronic acid and vitamin C. “Ageing is a beautiful process, but it’s safe to say that most of us want to hold on to our youthful, radiant complexion for as long as possible, so be sure to feed your skin with the best ingredients” says Hayley. Give VITAL C Hydrating Enzyme Masque (£47, imageskincare.co.uk) from Image Skincare a go.

Step five

One of the biggest keys to achieving a radiant glow is well-moisturised skin with a top-rated moisturiser. Once you remove the mask, lock in the hydration with your favourite serum or moisturiser. Our go-to is Organic Works Super Intensive Moisturiser (£23, theowstore.com). Hayley also notes that moisturising is an important step in your daily skincare routine. “While it may depend on your specific skin needs, you should moisturise in the morning, followed by an SPF, and before you hit the sack.”

Step six

To supercharge your home facial, finish using a skincare tool like this Jade Beauty Restorer Lite (£35, hayoumethod.com) from Hayo’u. Simply use a scraping action from the middle of your face outwards – and remember to use a skincare product that offers slip, to avoid tugging the skin too much. “I highly recommend anyone wanting to give this a go to watch a YouTube tutorial and get massaging. Not only will you reap all the skin benefits, but it’s also a mindful practice,” says Hayley.