Self-care doesn’t get better than pampering your skin with an at home facial! This is our expert approved guide to creating a luxurious just-like-a-salon skincare experience on a weekly basis at home.
Light a scented candle and play some relaxing tunes to really turn up the day spa vibes!
Cleanse Your Face
Just like a professional treatment, the first step in your facial at home is cleansing your skin.
Double cleanse
Set the tone for the rest of your facial with a deep double cleanse.
Doubling up on the cleansing step removes all dirt and stubborn debris - like makeup, SPF, oil, and even pollution nanoparticles - from your skin.
Use a gentle cleanser
Every skin type and concern benefits from a gentle cleanser. Not the harsh kind that strips the skin of all oil and moisture; you’ll only end up with a dry, tight face and increased oil production.
For your best facial at home choose a gentle, non-drying cleanser to maintain the delicate balance of oil and moisture on your skin.
- Aloe vera: Aloe vera is hydrating and calming with gentle exfoliant properties.
- Green tea extract: An anti-inflammatory to soothe and calm redness.
- Stearic acid: Helps cleanse and protect against water loss.
- Capric triglyceride: Helps to reduce skin dryness.
We recommend The Uncomplicated Cleanser (All skin types)
Infused with aloe vera to calm and heal and the protective, antioxidant properties of camellia leaf (green tea) extract the cleanser balances skin and won’t leave it dry or tight - just clean, calm, and supple.
Targeting a specific concern? You may like to use The Uncomplicated Cleanser for the first cleanse and follow with one of the following for the second cleanse:
- The Uncomplicated Cleanser plus Anti-Redness - Redness concerns
- The Uncomplicated Cleanser plus Brightening - Hyperpigmentation and dullness
- The Uncomplicated Cleanser plus Anti-Ageing - Ageing concerns
- The Uncomplicated Cleanser plus Charcoal - Congestion and oiliness
How to double cleanse
Apply a pearl-sized amount of the cleanser to damp hands and massage gently into skin with an upward motion. Rinse thoroughly with lukewarm water or remove with esmi's Microfibre Facial Cleansing Mitt. Simply repeat the process for the second cleanse.
Exfoliate!
For a post-facial glow, don’t skip the exfoliation step.
Exfoliation removes the dead skin cells from the surface, helping prevent and unplug clogged pores.
When old cells pile up on the outer layer of your skin, your complexion looks dull and fine lines are enhanced. Exfoliating as part of your at home facial reveals the healthier looking skin beneath and your face looks brighter instantly!
Over time, regular exfoliation can promote smoother skin tone and may help minimise the appearance of hyperpigmentation.
We’ve put together our exfoliant recommendations based on skin type / concern for your facial at home.
Sensitive, dry, and mature skin
Rose And Bamboo Facial Exfoliant from esmi Gentle Foliant range. The delicate exfoliation action of bamboo extract works in harmony with the power of mixed fruit enzymes for a close up exfoliation suited to dry, damaged or sensitised skin.
Normal and combination skin
Hydrating And Ageless Volcanic Sand Facial Exfoliant from esmi Gentle Foliant range. This formulation pairs the physical element of volcanic sand with the power of cranberry enzymes to encourage a clearer complexion.
Oily, congested, breakout prone skin
Detoxifying Exfoliating Charcoal Serum. Ideal for most skin types tackling blackheads, acne, and underlying skin congestion to draw out impurities, smooth rough skin and polish away pore-clogging debris
How to apply the Detoxifying Exfoliating Charcoal Serum
Using the dropper, apply a pea-sized amount to your charcoal brush or fingers and massage into freshly cleansed skin, avoiding the under eye area.
Leave for 5-10 minutes before wetting the charcoal brush or fingers and massage around the face to remove any softened dead skin cells before washing off.
How to apply Rose + Bamboo or Hydrating And Ageless Volcanic Sand
Apply a pea-sized amount of the exfoliant on damp, cleansed skin.
In small, circular motions, very gently apply the exfoliant to skin. Massage around your face to remove build-up and allow enzymes to deeply cleanse pores. Don’t apply too much pressure.
Leave on for 2–5 minutes and rinse with cool water or with your dampened esmi Face Mitt and follow with your esmi skin regime.
Take a little extra time during your facial at home to use these exfoliants on your neck and décolletage as well.
Apply a Mask
Treating yourself to an at home facial is the perfect time to indulge in an extended masking session. A face mask is ideal to help target specific skin concerns including congestion, dullness, dryness, hyperpigmentation, and ageing concerns.
Choosing a mask for your specific skin concerns
Here’s our quick guide on the ingredients you’ll want in your mask depending on the skin issues you’re dealing with.
- Ageing concerns - fine lines, wrinkles, and dullness: Peptides (collagen promoting), antioxidants (neutralise free radical damage) and hyaluronic acid (hydration).
- Hyperpigmentation and uneven skin tone: Vitamin C (brightening) and ingredients containing Vitamin C, such as kakadu plum.
- Inflammation and redness: Niacinamide (barrier strengthening) and natural ingredients with anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties including Tasmanian pepper leaf, cockspur thorn, and wild mint.
- Dehydration: Hyaluronic acid (hydration), niacinamide (barrier strengthening) and aloe vera (hydration).
- Congestion and breakouts: Kaolin clay (detoxification and oil regulation) and charcoal (detoxification).
- Dryness: Shea Butter (skin soothing and conditioning), Niacinamide (barrier strengthening), plant oils such as avocado, almond, and coconut that provide fatty acids for barrier strengthening and promote moisture retention.
Hyaluronic Hydrating Booster Mask - Suitable for all skin types and concerns
This super-saturating mask instantly boosts hydration with skin cell soaking hyaluronic acid while minerals, vitamins, and oils restore, protect, and balance.
No matter your skin type, this is the perfect mask for your at home facial to target issues of dehydration, dryness, oily and problematic skin. Banishes dullness, plumps fine lines and balances oil flow.
Target Skin Concerns
Incorporating a serum will supercharge the skincare results of your at home facial.
Serums are products formulated with potent doses of active ingredients designed to target specific skin concerns. The lightweight consistency of a serum gives it the ability to penetrate deep into the skin and take rapid action in targeting various skin concerns.
We recommend the following serums from the esmi Skin Treats range to help with the improvement of these common skin complaints:
- Ageing concerns - fine lines, wrinkles, and dullness: Golden Anti-Ageing Serum
- Inflammation and redness: Anti-Redness Minty Green Smoothie
- Dehydration and dryness: Hyaluronic Hydrating Serum and Hydrating and Nourishing Acai Duo
- Hyperpigmentation and dullness: Pomegranate Brightening Serum
Need a hand choosing the right serum? We’re here and ready to help. You can chat online with a skincare expert or book your free skin consultation.
Moisturise Your Skin
You’ve treated your skin to some real TLC! Now it’s time to wrap up your at home facial with a moisturiser.
Moisturising helps lock in all the moisture, nutrients and vitamins from the previous steps plus supports your skin barrier to strengthen it against external stressors.
Moisturising serums - the ultimate combination
A moisturising serum is ideal for this step. These ‘hybrid’ formulations combine the intensity of a water-based serum and moisturising benefits of an oil.
The oil component supports your skin’s natural barrier (lipids, cholesterol, and ceramides) to improve derma strength and assist in boosting hydration levels by sealing in moisture to prevent it from evaporating off the skin. The serum component helps target specific skin concerns we mentioned in the Serum step.
It’s a win/win for your skin!
Key ingredients to look for in a moisturising serum include:
- Plant-based oils such as acai, jojoba, almond and kiwi fruit seed oil to support derma strength and promote hydration by sealing in moisture.
- Emollient ingredients such as squalene to minimise water loss.
- Hydrating, humectant ingredients including glycerin and hyaluronic acid.
- Active ingredients to target specific skin concerns. For example, Vitamin C for brightening.
Hydrating and Nourishing Acai Duo
Lightweight hydration plus nourishing anti-ageing properties address multiple skin concerns at once - healing, protecting and hydrating.
Ideal for thirsty skin in need of extra nourishment to combat dehydration, fine lines and damage this skin treat hydrates, softens and regenerates.
Skin Care and Facials: Things to avoid
Getting your ultimate post-treatment glow means avoiding a few things during your facial at home.
Here’s what not to do:
- Squeezing pimples and extracting blackheads: It’s so tempting to squeeze but please don’t! It only spreads breakout causing bacteria and increases the chance of scarring.
- Over-steaming your skin: Steaming your face is a great way to prep skin for your facial but please be careful to avoid over steaming! Using water that is too hot to steam can strip the skin of its natural oils and increase dryness.
- Going OTT with exfoliation products: You’ll do more harm than good going overboard with exfoliation. We don’t recommend exfoliating more than 2 or 3 times a week - or as recommended by your esmi Skin Consultant. Over exfoliation strips the skin of its natural oils leading to dehydration, broken capillaries, breakouts, and sensitivity. Always choose a product suited to your skin type.
Our Skin Bundles are perfect for at home facial pampering!
Purchase everything you need for an incredible at home with our ‘Self Care Kit’ or one of our other healthy skin bundles. The best facial kits in Australia!
