Why Facial Upgrades Are A Must In Winter
By BR Amelia
There’s nothing like having a proper facial done by a trained therapist. Yes you can create the facial experience at home, but it’s never quite the same as having a firm pair of hands that don’t belong to you slip and slide and moisturise and massage your skin, while you lie back with your eyes closed enjoying the sensation of someone taking else care of your skincare needs for a change.
Facials in winter are especially luxurious, the warm room, the soft towels, the candlelight, they all seem that much cosier and welcoming in winter than they do during the summer months. But the extra ambience isn’t the only reason you should see, or continue to see, a therapist during the cooler months. The number one reason to go is that winter, when your skin can be at its driest and gluggiest and the sun is at its weakest, is the perfect time to enjoy some add-ons on top of your usual facial. The two top treatments being microdermabrasion and skin peels.
Regular exfoliating during winter is a fantastic way to battle dry and flaky skin. It sloughs of dead skin cells and promotes cell turnover, helping to create softer smoother skin. At-home exfoliation does a good job, but in-salon microdermabrasion takes it to the next level. Most often a wand is used to blow crystals onto the skin before suctioning them away. In some salons diamond tip wands are used as they’re gentler, but the process and results remain the same – the top layer of skin is gently worked on to remove dead skin cells and encourage cell renewal and collagen creation. It can also help reduce the appearance of scars, fine lines, wrinkles and sun damage.
Another salon add-on that is perfect for winter is a facial peel. These can range from lactic to fruit enzyme to salicylic to glycolic acid peels, and within those categories the strength of a peel can vary too, so it pays to do your research before you book. Much like exfoliation, a peel’s purpose is to remove dead skin cells and rejuvenate the skin, whilst working to reduce the visible signs of ageing like lines and sun damage. A peel can be preferable to exfoliation as it can be tailored more to your skin’s needs. Peels can also penetrate the skin more deeply, provide quicker and more obvious results.
The other reason to peel or try microdermabrasion in winter is that after the treatment your skin becomes much more sensitive to the sun, so you’ll want to apply spf and keep out of it as much as possible, which is a lot easier to do in winter than in summer when the sea, sand and sun beckon.
Whatever method you choose you can be sure your skin will thank you for it while you sit back, relax and enjoy the cosy atmosphere inside as outside the wind howls, the trees shiver and the rain lashes the windows.
Have you had microdermabrasion or a peel before? How did you find it? Tell us all about it! (and don’t forget to review the salon in our Salon Review area.
Ooh I've been interested in what these enzyme peels are. Good article