Traditional Facials Are More Important Than You Think.
Hydrafacials, lunchtime peels, microneedling, laser therapy - the list of advanced aesthetic treatments continues to grow at such a rapid pace that at times I feel like I need to hang on for dear life. One of the things I’ve loved most about being an esthetician for almost a decade has been watching the industry I love grow, flourish, and evolve.
As an industry, we’ve taken traditional methods, chopped them up, put them back together with a little pizazz, and BAM! Here’s a brand-new 40K facial machine promising the best skincare treatment of your life in just 15 minutes. The combination of practices and technology allows estheticians to do much more than we could even 10 years ago. It also allows clients to pop in over their lunch break, drop by after work, and “squeeze in” some self-care.
I distinctly remember starting as an esthie. I was a wide-eyed twenty-something all about putting some cucs on the eyes and vibing out with my clients in a darkly lit room. It felt so trance-like.
I would spray the room with space-clearing mist, dab some “balancing” essential oils on my wrists, and then proceed to nourish the shit out of those clients until they were snoring.
At the time, I was seeing about 7 clients a day. Most of those appointments were spent massaging their hands, arms, necks, shoulders, and scalps after applying fruit pulp on their face.
The ambiance and interactions were all so ritualistic.
Though like many estheticians of my time, I developed a deep-seated obsession with the stronger side of skincare. Once I performed my first chemical peel, there was no turning back. I threw myself (fast & hard) into a rabbit hole of skincare machines and potent ingredient knowledge, and the rest was history. Tina Rachelle Aesthetics, education-focused skincare, was born.
I find that in this day and age, clients are quite different from what I saw back in the day. They are skincare “woke.” They ask for treatments by name. They know exactly what they want and don’t flinch at acids or needles.
We seem to have forgotten the true magic and benefits of a good old-fashioned traditional facial. Have we become so skincare-obsessed that we’ve come to take it for granted?
Hear me out on this one. What if the traditional facial is that homebody friend you’ve known forever? They’re not the ones you invite to concerts or hang with on your day off. Maybe you run into them at the store, and while you’re happy to see them, you never end up calling to catch up. That is, until your guy dumps you for that chick you thought was a friend, and suddenly your life feels like it’s falling apart. You know you can call that forever friend, and they’ll be there when you most need them.
Facials are THAT friend. They’re always there for you, to nourish you back to health. You don’t truly appreciate them until you’re reminded of just how important they are to your overall well-being. So here’s that reminder. Traditional facials deserve time and place on your calendar, and shouldn’t be taken for granted in our quick-results skincare era. The benefits of what one might call a “fluff treatment” will enhance all your other skincare endeavors.
Relaxation relaxes wrinkles.
When was the last time you truly relaxed? Have you ever taken a moment to consider the toll that can take on your body? The truth is that even relaxing for one hour per month can do AMAZING things for the resilience of our skin. It loosens wrinkle-making muscles (I’m talking to you, brow lines) and releases endorphins that contribute to the ultimate glow up. Pain is beauty is a myth. You CAN enjoy things AND improve yourself too!
Facial massages work muscle fascia, drain lymph and promote healthy circulation.
That 10-minute facial massage feels amazing, but did you know there’s much more to it than that? A skilled esthetician is not only trying to make you feel nice (though that part is much appreciated); our movements are intentional and designed to introduce several benefits. By moving the fascia, we are releasing tension in the face. By moving lymph, we are eliminating toxins that contribute to puffy faces. By increasing circulation, we are bringing nutrients to the skin and brightening our complexions.
Our senses connect us with our body.
Because facials feel good AND smell good, they bring us back to ourselves. We need to stop thinking of our skin as a separate entity from us, and realize that it is all a part of the bigger picture (Isn’t that some real hippy-dippy shit?) The sensations in a facial promote overall well-being, which can be directly seen in the quality of our skin.
Masking is a form of nutrient delivery that improves the balance and health of the skin.
Thinking of it as “just a facial” will cause you to miss out on what your skin is begging for, which is a bit of TLC. Many higher-ticket services focus on stripping the skin (removing texture, dead skin, or debris from our pores), but do not put good things back into the skin. Traditional facials are king when it comes to customizing healthy antioxidants, moisture, and other beneficial ingredients we NEED to make those other treatments work better.
There is a time and place for everything. Are advanced skincare treatments incredible at creating change in one’s skin? Yes. Will a traditional facial help enhance the results of those treatments tenfold? YES. This isn’t an either-or type of situation. I recommend that clients schedule facials in addition to the services that I offer. This is coming from the girl who wants ALL the peels, the needles, and the advanced technology. I get in for a facial at least every 8 weeks to keep my skin looking FRESH, because facials are a staple in any skincare regimen.
What are you waiting for? Let’s get you scheduled for a facial!
