The Ten Steps in Every Facial at Dante Salon & Wellness Spa

Ever wonder what takes place during a facial? Did you know it's much more than just having your face massaged? The purpose of a facial is more than a pampering indulgence. In addition to relaxation- the purpose of a facial is to repair, protect, and prevent.. the relaxation of having a professional facial is just an added benefit. In fact, this holds true to massage as well (check out our other posts for more on the many health benefits of regular massage- some you can even get from having your facials)... There is a lot of science behind the anti-aging affects of receiving regular facials. Read on to learn more about what happens when your receiving a professional facial...

Cleanse: Each of our master estheticians begin each facial by removing any makeup with a basic cleanse, double cleanse or triple cleanse- depending on what is needed based on the state of your skin. Once skin is bare, your service provider will massage cleansing milk into your face, your neck and your décolleté area.
Consult: Your esthetician will cover your eyes with moistened pads for the next step to shield them from the bright light your esthetician will be using. Then using a lighted magnifying glass, your esthetician will evaluate your skin tone and texture by both visual and tactical evaluation. Your esthetician will lightly your pinch skin or press on it to check for elasticity & thickness. During this phase, your esthetician will discuss her findings with you and ask you about your skin care regimen and your expectations for the facial. This is a great time for you to bring up any questions you may have.
Exfoliate: Once your esthetician understands your specific skin care needs, she will choose an exfoliation technique appropriate for your skin. There are many types of exfoliation techniques such as creams, gels, masks, gommage, enzymes, chemical peels and microdermabrasion. Certain types of exfoliation products require being left on face or massaged in for a few minutes to dissolve any oil plugs that cause blackheads… Your esthetician may choose to use steam in-conjunction with this method. Other types of exfoliation such as microdermabrasion contraindicate the use of steam, so the next step (steam) may be skipped all together. *Even if you do not receive microdermabrasion, your esthetician may decide to forego the steam all together or use hot towels instead. ALL of our estheticians are master estheticians & are highly trained… many have backgrounds in chemistry and chemical engineering so they understand what your skin needs or doesn’t need, and what it can withstand, or what it can’t withstand. It is extremely important to ask questions if you are unsure of something and ultimately trust your service provider (one of the many benefits of coming to a reputable, high-end wellness spa)!
Steam: As mentioned before, depending upon the exfoliation technique your esthetician used, steam will either be applied during Step #3 or after the product has been removed; this is decided by the service provider. This helps to loosen any oil plugs and helps your skin to sweat out any impurities trapped in your pores.
Extract: During the extraction phase, your esthetician will remove blackheads and possibly whiteheads if you have any. Your esthetician will likely use a lighted magnifying glass to examine skin as she is extracting, unless you have specified that you solely want an relaxing facial or to skip the extractions. Sometimes facial congestion doesn’t appear to be there, but you can feel it- so your esthetician may use her hands to find the congested area. If she does not see anything to extract, there may not be any congestion to extract. Sometimes we are hyper-aware of our own problem areas, so it’s important to tell your master esthetician any particular problem areas you want her to target.
Stimulating Massage: Your esthetician will perform a facial massage to help stimulate healing and to lubricate skin. Depending on how much time you have left she will likely squeeze in a demi massage for your neck, shoulders, décolleté and/or scalp as well. Don’t worry if this massage is brief as it is solely meant to stimulate the skin. During or after the next step your esthetician will give you a longer massage.
Mask: Depending upon your skin care needs, your esthetician will choose a mask for that specific need. If your skin is too oily, your esthetician may choose a clay mask to draw out excessive oil. If your skin is dry or dehydrated, your esthetician will choose one that hydrates and balances to replenish moisture in the skin. The products used in our spa are highly specific, more potent than what you can get at a store, and are formulated to treat each individual’s specific skin care needs.
Relaxing Massage: For the 10 minutes (or so) that you’re waiting for your facial mask to fully do it’s job, your esthetician will perform a massage on your hands, arms, neck, and scalp- depending on your preference... don’t be shy to tell your esthetician what you would like massaged, this is your YOU time, so choose whatever you like! You might notice that your sinuses feel a lot clearer after your facial, this is due to the lymphatic drainage that often occurs with the type of facial massage your esthetician performs during the facial. To learn more about lymphatic drainage massage (which is also one of the many services we offer in our spa), stay tuned to our next blog post about the lymph, and the benefits of assisted lymphatic drainage.
Specialty Serum: After your esthetician removes your facial mask, she will then apply a specialty serum to your skin. Some spas charge extra for this step, but we include it as part of each full service facial. Our specialty serums include those formulated for anti-aging, irritated skin, blemished skin and sensitive skin. Each one of our serums contain antioxidants to help fight free radicals (something you should be applying every day in addition to moisturizer & SPF).
Protect: Before sending you out the door, your esthetician will apply a protective skin-specific cream with SPF to your skin to protect your skin after you leave. At some point during the facial, you should consult your esthetician about what skin care products you should be using at home, at-home skin care maintenance is so important! In addition to having professional skin care products and techniques being applied to your face, and being incredibly relaxing, a facial can also be a good time to learn about skin care. Questions don't have to be limited to the consultation- anything you think of at anytime during, before, after, or even once you have left the spa feel to ask your esthetician. She is not only your skin care provider but also your skin care support specialist!

*Prevent: After the facial, your esthetician will show you any products she recommends for your at-home skincare routine. We have products for all of your skin care needs; we carry the IMAGE Skincare International product line. It's important to purchase from a licensed retailer as when you purchase online, the authenticity & integrity of the product cannot be guaranteed.

The top 4 vital steps you should be doing on a daily basis are:

1) cleanser... 2) toner... 3) hydrating SPF in the morning... 4) hydrating moisturizer each night!

These are the top 4 must have products to incorporate in your routine (everyone should be wearing SPF everyday). Serums & masks are also very important to maintaining healthy skin! Prevention is key, it's best to maintain healthy skin before it becomes a problem but regardless as to what state your skin is in- your esthetician will assist you in achieving your skin goals! Be sure to re-book before leaving to ensure you get your desired time for your next facial treatment, you should receive a facial every 4-6 weeks as your skin cells tend to build up as they turn over.

There you have it- all 10 steps. Now you know exactly what to expect from a spa facial at Dante! For more info on facials, you can visit our other blog posts or call us at 703-352-2800. We are happy to answer any skin care questions you may have!

*To book an appointment call us at 703-352-2800 or visit our 24/7 online booking page for convenient booking anytime, anywhere! We look forward to seeing your face! xoxo