“Are facials really necessary?” If you have ever asked yourself this question, we have your answer! Here are five proven reasons to add a facial treatment to your self-care list this year. Maybe you have experienced a facial before, but it was lacklustre. If that’s the case, we are urging you to give facials another chance because not all facials are alike, and they are definitely not one-size-fits-all. Before we get into the top five benefits of regular facial treatments, let’s talk about what’s typically included in a traditional facial and what perks to look for when searching for a facialist who can level up your experience and results.

What Are the Different Types of Facials?

For the purpose of this article, when we use the term “facial”, we are referring to a classic facial aimed at healing and maintaining the skin barrier which entails, at minimum, a luxurious cleanse of the skin, extractions if needed, deep exfoliation, and a customized mask. A highly targeted facial may include perks like high frequency, LED therapy, a luxurious facial massage, and, depending on your skin type, microdermabrasion or a gentle peel. At Natology, our most popular facial, the Level 3 Facial, is an hour and forty-five minutes of facial bliss incorporating all the traditional elements of a facial and all the perks we just highlighted for a restorative, rejuvenated, and effective facial treatment.

Side note: chemical peels, microneedling, hydrafacials, and dermaplaning commonly fall under the facial category, but these are considered specialized treatments that don’t entail all the steps that a traditional facial does.

What Is the Best Type of Facial?

The best type of facial is going to be one that is customized for your unique skin. As we said, facials are not one-size-fits-all. Even though the majority of our facial clients book our Level 3 Facial, each appointment is still unique as we customize skincare and techniques to our client’s individual needs and skin goals. When booking a facial for yourself, look for the word “customized” or “customizable” so you know you’ll receive a treatment tailored to your skin.

Top 5 Benefits of Receiving a Monthly Facial

1. Facials Help Calm and Reset Your Nervous System

Your facial should be an experience of calm, quiet, and relaxation where all your senses can be awakened and your mind can slow. Your Vagus nerve acts as a link between your brain and autonomic functions of your body like your heartbeat, lungs, and digestive system. Your Vagus nerve is part of your parasympathetic nervous system which is responsible for bringing the body down to a regulated state. During a facial, specifically the massage portion of the facial, your Vagus nerve is positively stimulated, communicating to the parasympathetic nervous system it’s okay to relax and return to a balanced state. This is why you feel delightfully restful and relazed after a facial treatment.

2. Facials are Highly Effective at Slowing Signs of Aging

Encouraging cell turnover, stimulating collagen and bringing oxygen to the face are three key ways to keep signs of aging at bay, and a facial achieves all three. The skin is awakened, rejuvenated, and encouraged to repair and renew its cells through medical-grade skincare, professional modalities such as high-frequency and LED therapy, and facial massage techniques. Skin damage and signs of aging can take years- decades even- to show on the skin. Even though you may not see signs today, when they eventually start, they surface quickly. Maintaining regular facials helps smooth lines and wrinkles in addition to keeping skin cells in a state of renewal to slow signs of aging from photodamage (the sun), lifestyle habits, and oxidative stress.

3. Facials Repair the Skin Barrier and Detoxify

Bacteria build-up on and under the skin leads to breakouts, a dull complexion, enlarged pore appearance, and limits the efficacy of your at-home skincare. Even if you have no current breakouts on your skin, it’s likely there is congestion sitting just under the surface and dead skin cells clogging your pores. Through a deep cleanse, extractions, and medical-grade skincare using ingredients like AHA, lactic acid, and salicylic acid in peels, masks, and serums, the skin receives a nourishing detox bringing congestion to the surface and leaving you with a clean, hydrated, and nourished skin barrier.

4. Facials Are Surprisingly Effective at Treating Acne + Scarring

Almost every client who comes to Natology seeking acne treatment is recommended to begin with a facial before undergoing any invasive treatments and to maintain a regular facial schedule as part of their ongoing treatment plan. Anyone experiencing acne has a compromised skin barrier (think dryness, excess oil, redness, and irritation. These symptoms are signs of an imbalance and a skin barrier that needs some love). Not only do facials restore harmony to the skin barrier over time, but targeted acne facials utilizing tools like high-frequency to promote oxygen to the skin, steam and cold therapy to calm inflammation, red and blue light therapy to kill bacteria and heal, and targeted skincare can treat and prevent acne along with fading commonly associated discolouration (red, purple, or dark spots left behind from acne).

Learn more about Natology’s method of treating acne and discovering the root cause of your acne in our Acne Blog Series.

5. Regular Facials Boost Your At-Home Skincare Absorption

Think of regular facials as an extension of your daily skincare regime. Your skincare is an investment, and facials are going to help you get the best results from your products. You touch your skin every single day with your morning and evening skincare regime, whereas your esthetician only touches your skin maybe once or twice a month, but these monthly facial appointments have a major impact on how your at-home skincare works for you. Even if you stick to a regimented daily skincare regime, weekly exfoliation and masking, you will still experience pore congestion and a build-up of dead skin cells that will hinder your skincare from fully absorbing and working into the skin. This is because our skin is exposed to so much pollution, toxins, bacteria, and sun that it’s impossible to maintain the standard of health our skin craves without regular facials. Facial treatments like microdermabrasion, enzyme and salicylic peels, steam extractions, and proper physical extractions give your pores the cleanse they need to freely allow your at-home skincare to absorb past the surface layer of skin.

How Often Should I Get a Facial?

Your skin’s natural cell turnover cycle is every 4-6 weeks. This is when dead skin cell buildup is highest on the skin and you may start to notice a dullness in your complexion and congestion starting to build. Maintaining a facial schedule every 4-6 weeks is best to keep up with your skin’s cell turnover cycle and prevent pore congestion. If your facials are highly targeted to treat a skin concern such as acne, your esthetician may recommend a more frequent schedule. You may also want to increase your facial schedule in dry winter months when your skin barrier is more susceptible to becoming compromised from the lack of humidity.

Are Facials Worth It?

We hope you now believe they are! Regular facials should be thought of as an extension of your skincare regime and prioritized alongside your other wellness appointments. Just as your hair needs to be trimmed and your muscles need exercise and love, your skin barrier needs professional care. One facial appointment provides these five amazing benefits (among many more). No matter your skin goals this year, a healthy skin barrier is required to reach them, so do yourself a favour and start your monthly facial regime sooner rather than later. We promise you won’t be disappointed!