How To Get The Most From Your Facial: What to Do and What to Avoid Before Your Next Appointment

Excited to come visit Charles McKnight Skin Spa? You’re not the only one! I am so excited to welcome you to my treatment room.

Whether this is your first facial with me or you're a returning regular, I thought it would be a great time for a quick refresher on how to prepare for your facial appointments. Many people don’t realize that proper preparation is key to getting the most benefit for your skin, but it’s really true.

The condition of your skin when you visit determines how I customize your treatment as a practitioner and what kind of results we are able to achieve together. So, to help you out and make sure that you get the most out of every visit, here are my top ten tips:

Aggressive products can compromise your skin prior to a professional treatment. To prevent excess exfoliation, you will want to discontinue using any harsh or exfoliating products - such as acids, enzymes, scrubs, and exfoliating brushes - as well as any retinoid products (i.e. Retinol, Retin-A, Renova, Differin and other Vitamin A derivatives), for about 5-7 days prior to your facial.
Waxing of facial hair is also not recommended 24-48 hours prior to a spa facial. Waxing beforehand can lead to irritation and excess sensitivity in the skin. In other words, schedule these services at least a few days apart.
For at least five days before your appointment, I recommend staying out of the sun as much as possible to avoid tanning and sun damage. If your skin is exhibiting signs of sun damage at the time of your appointment, the focus of your facial will need to be on healing and soothing the skin, which means we may not be able to target or address deeper concerns.
When working with a cosmetic dermatologist in addition to getting facials, I advise waiting a full two weeks between appointments with your cosmetic injector and your facialist. This will allow treatments like Botox and fillers to fully settle properly before other facial modalities are administered.
If possible, please try to arrive at your appointment with a clean, fresh face. Less time spent on makeup removal at your facial means more time to work hands-on with your skin and to address your goals with targeted treatment.
Get comfortable! Light, loose-fitting clothing, that are easy to change in and out of, work best for cozying up in the treatment room. Of course, if you’re coming straight from work, don’t sweat it. You can always bring a change of clothes for before or after your facial. A few of my clients even bring their pajamas!
P.S. Don’t forget to remove face piercings, necklaces and other jewelry prior to your service. This way, I can pamper your entire face, neck and decolletage and you won’t have to stress about moving it or taking your accessories off mid-facial.
If you love to sweat, just be sure to schedule accordingly and to do it before your appointment. (Also don’t forget to hit the showers for a quick rinse!) Heavy workouts should be avoided following a facial, as sweat and heat may irritate your freshly cared-for face.
Hydrated skin is happy skin. Having water throughout the day prior to your visit, will help you maintain proper hydration levels. Just be sure not to overdo it right before your appointment, if you want to avoid needing a restroom break mid-facial. I also recommend hitting the bathroom before you settle in, for this same exact reason.
Are you getting your skin ready for a big event? If you've never had a facial before and don't know how your skin will respond, I strongly suggest scheduling an initial appointment about six weeks in advance. This will allow me to better get to know your skin and see how it responds to my facial treatments. Then, we can determine the perfect time to book your pre-occasion appointment.

Don't have a ton of time? No worries. Just let me know your timeline and I can still work with you to customize a treatment that will help you put your best face forward.

Other things to know

At Charles McKnight Skin Spa, you are in expert hands. Every facial treatment is tailored to your skin type and concerns and I love helping you achieve all your skincare goals. Whether you want help determining the right service or assistance choosing home care products to maintain results between visits, don’t be afraid to ask. Collaborating with you to design your skincare is what I love to do!