Who doesn’t want their client to walk out of the treatment room with glowing, radiant skin? Performing hydrating treatments is a sure-fire way to have a selfie ready client post service! Beyond the selfie, this can also be great for special event or wedding prep as well. Dehydrated skin tends to have a dull and crepey appearance.
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Who doesn’t want their client to walk out of the treatment room with glowing, radiant skin? Performing hydrating treatments is a sure-fire way to have a selfie ready client post service! Beyond the selfie, this can also be great for special event or wedding prep as well. Dehydrated skin tends to have a dull and crepey appearance.
You can assess your client’s hydration during the skin analysis. When doing this, look for an exaggerated number of fine lines and a shine when moving the skin around while examining. Most people, even those with oily skin types, will have some dehydration present, so it’s important to include a hydrating step in every service. When it comes to giving your clients the ultimate glow, there are so many different treatments, products and routines that can be used. So, where do we start?
Everything Exfoliation
Get the glow started with exfoliation! As we age, the natural desquamation cycle slows, which leaves us, more often than not, with a layer of dull corneocytes sitting on the surface of the skin. Performing some type of chemical or physical exfoliation at the beginning of the service will clear away that layer of dull, dead skin cells to pave the way to fresh new skin (See Chemical Exfoliation vs. Physical Exfoliation Sidebar). This exfoliation will also allow the rest of the products you use during the service to penetrate the skin more efficiently.
Physical exfoliation includes treatments like dermaplaning or microdermabrasion that work by physically removing the outermost layer of dead skin cells. Depending on your state, you may be able to combine physical exfoliation with chemical or enzyme exfoliation. Examples of those include chemical peels and enzyme masks.
Enzyme facials are especially helpful for creating that post treatment glow. They work by breaking down the keratin molecules in the outer layer of the skin to allow those cells to gently slough off. Since this is a gentle treatment in comparison to microdermabrasion or a chemical peel, you will typically not see a bothersome amount of erythema, that you will then need to combat during the service. Once the enzyme is removed, you should already see a difference in the radiance of your client’s skin.
Related: Korean Skin Care: Let's Glow Crazy
Masking a Glow
Now that your client’s skin is freshly exfoliated, it’s time to hydrate and soothe. This can be done a number of different ways by using either various masks or various finishing products under an alginate mask. During a longer service, several masks can be applied and removed before finishing products are applied. Some helpful products include clay masks, nutrient rich, hydrating masks and antioxidant rich, brightening masks.
Clay masks should be done first, so they can pull any excess impurities out of the skin. These masks will typically feel cold once applied, beginning the soothing process immediately. After removing the clay masks, we want to nourish the skin with hydrating ingredients or hydrating masks. Once the hydrating mask is on, facial massage or cold globes can be used to promote product absorption. Finish with an antioxidant rich mask made for brightening. Since the skin is already optimally hydrated, this mask will be able to work more efficiently. If your service does not allow for the use of multiple masks, that’s okay too! Going straight to a hydrating mask post exfoliation will still deliver beautiful results.
Another trendy way to create glowing skin is by applying serums or ampoules and then applying an alginate or “jelly” mask. These masks will firm after being applied to the skin, pushing the products applied underneath directly into the skin. In addition to promoting product penetration, these masks will also typically feel cool once applied further soothing any erythema. Serums to apply prior to an alginate mask include hyaluronic acid, vitamin c, CBD and any other nourishing formulas.
It’s important to also apply the right sunscreen for your client’s skin and Fitzpatrick type after the service. There’s nothing worse than getting a client glowing, then applying a sunscreen with an ashy white cast over all your hard work. A lightweight chemical or hybrid sunscreen that has the texture of a moisturizer makes a great finishing product for most skin and Fitzpatrick types.
Modality Magic
There are so many modalities that can be used for glowing skin. These can be stand-alone services or add-ons to your existing facial protocol. There is a modality for every budget, so even if you cannot afford the most expensive hydrodermabrasion machine or oxygen dome, there are still tools that you can use to enhance your client’s results.
Hydrodermabrasion services result in radiant, smooth and rejuvenated skin instantly. It is highly effective in improving the skin’s overall texture, reducing fine lines and wrinkles, and providing deep hydration to the skin. Hydrodermabrasion is great for boosting cellular turnover by removing excess sebum and dead cells on the skin’s surface. Pricing on these devices can vary greatly depending on the brand.
LED therapy makes a great addition in the treatment room for glowing skin. Some of the many benefits of LED include the reduction of inflammation, improvement of tone, texture, and clarity and increased circulation.
High frequency is a low cost and quick way to reduce inflammation, increase circulation and renew the skin. This is especially helpful if you had to perform extractions. High frequency is a go-to modality to soothe post extraction erythema.
Oxygen facials are one of the best ways to get your clients glowing, as these treatments lead to instantly renewed, hydrated and balanced skin. These devices can be on the pricier side, so they will not be an option for everyone.
Cold globes or cold rolling is another quick, low-cost way to soothe the skin. Ideally, this would be performed over a hydrating mask to improve product penetration, soothe residual erythema and increase circulation. All of which will aid in giving your client that healthy post facial glow.
Remember, hydrated skin is glowing skin!
Sounds Like Spa Covers Everything Wedding
For more information on wedding planning for the spa professional, and what brides are looking for in their skin services, be sure to check out the latest Skin Inc. Sounds Like Spa podcast episode HERE. Check out our video recording of the episode below.
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Alex Hernandez is a licensed esthetician and the clinic manager and lead educator at the Face Reality Acne Clinic in San Leandro, CA. She became a Face Reality Certified Acne Expert in 2018 and has worked with hundreds of acne clients in her esthetics career.
