6 Benefits of Monthly Facials

You can get customized at-home skin-care routine recommendations

Aestheticians aren’t just focused on the hour or so facial treatment. They can also provide expert advice on what you should be doing for your skin at home. Celebrity aesthetician Shani Darden says experts will “be able to analyze your skin to determine the perfect routine for your skin.” She notes that maintaining a dedicated skin-care routine at home is important. “If you’re not using the right products for your skin consistently, the results of a facial won’t last as long,” says Darden. She often recommends clients use Retinol Reform ($88) at night to maintain the benefits of a facial.

Your aesthetician can tell you when you need to change your skin care products

“Monthly facials are a great way to see what’s working and what isn’t. From there, your aesthetician can adjust your routine to get you on the right path and help you achieve your best skin,” says Darden. Czech agrees that a regular skin analysis is beneficial as skin changes daily. At a monthly facial, your aesthetician “can make sure that products and treatments are adjusted for maximum benefits of whatever skin conditions need to be addressed,” says Czech.

The massage can boost circulation

Celebrity aesthetician Nerida Joy is a huge proponent of massages. “Massage not only stimulates muscle tone, but it also helps with circulation and the movement of the lymphatic system. To keep skin looking pretty, hydrated and dewy, massage is key,” says Joy. Czech is also an advocate for the benefits of a deep tissue massage. She says it “increases blood flow and oxygen to the tissue. It exercises your face muscles the same way body exercises work.”

You can safely have impurities extracted

Popping pimples can be tempting, but we all know we’re not supposed to touch our faces. Czech says extractions are safer and pose less of a risk of damage when done by a professional. Due to this, Joy notes that facials are especially important for those with oily or combination skin. “Oily skin has blackheads all over, and those blackheads (bacteria, dead cells and sebum) build up inside a pore, stretching a pore size if it is not cleaned out by extraction,” explains Joy. “Oily or combination skin types need good daily cleansing, exfoliation and regular extractions to keep pore size smaller and to keep the skin less congested.”

It can have stronger results than at-home skin care

You can exfoliate all you want at home, but it’s unlikely to get as deep as exfoliation during a facial from an expert. Czech says for those seeking stronger results, deeper exfoliation, chemical peels and microneedling that aestheticians offer can do the trick.

It can help bring aging skin back to life

Joy says a monthly facial can help revive dryer, aging skin. If the skin is lacking moisture, flexibility and tone, “massaging in treatment serums and moisturizers is an excellent way to stimulate muscle tone and bring bounce and life back into a dull, tired skin.”