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Pick-me-up facial – Metro US

Pick-me-up facial

When winter turns to spring (if it ever does!), why not go for a pick-me-up facial?

“When the season changes, your skin changes,” says Suzanne Soares, spa manager of Concepts Salon & Spa in downtown Toronto. She recommends women and men have a professional facial done at least four times a year, with the changing seasons.

A facial helps to refresh your skin and give you a hydrated, glowing complexion, says Norma Daniel, an esthetician and spa director at HighFields Country Inn & Spa in Zephyr, Ont., less than an hour’s drive north east of Toronto.

“After winter the skin can be dehydrated from cold winds and central heating,” she says.

During a facial, your esthetician analyzes your basic skin type: sensitive, dry, excessively dry, normal or oily. “Education is important,” says Daniel, “so that you are aware of your skin type and know how to treat your skin at home. For example, we would use a water-based moisturizer for oily skin and an oil-based moisturizer for dry skin.”

Having a regular facial is also a safe way of dealing with blemishes. For instance, trying to extract black heads on your own could lead to broken capillaries or bruising, says Soares. And, adds Daniel, exfoliants, over stimulation, and aggressive extractions, can all cause keloids, scarring and discoloration that can be irreversible, especially with dark skin.

When to time your facial? It’s best to book it the day before (not the day of) a big event. After your facial, your face may be a little red for a few hours, and you shouldn’t wear make-up because your skin needs to breathe.

It’s important to care for your face at home in between facials, agree Daniel and Soares.
“It’s like going to the dentist,” says Soares. “There’s no point unless you brush your teeth regularly at home. You need to continue proper skin care at home.”

Caring for your skin between facials

Norma Daniel, an esthetician and spa director at HighFields Country Inn & Spa in Zephyr, Ont., and Suzanne Soares, spa manager of Concepts Salon & Spa in Toronto offer their tips on caring for your skin between facials:

• Use an eye-specific cream because the skin around your eyes is more delicate.

• Don’t skip the toner/tonique: It re-establishes your skin’s pH factor and prepares it for moisturizing.

• Try to stick to the same line for all facial products: toner, cleanser, moisturizer, serum and eye cream. This way you’ll get the full benefit.

• If you’re on a tight budget, go with at least a high-quality moisturizer.