Six Easy Steps To Do A Home Facial

Supplement your daily skin care routine with a monthly home facial. It will cleanse deep down into the pores, soften the skin, temporarily boost the circulation and give your complexion a healthy glow. It should not be used, however, if you are suffering from your acne.

The steam treatment in step 2 is used for only a few seconds, to make your skin more receptive to the facial. However, it is not suitable for anyone with broken capillaries or damaged skin (specifically anyone suffering from sunburn, pustules, rashes, open sores, cold sores, rosacea or psoriasis).

Items required:

- Cleanser

- Tissues

- Facial sauna or large bowl

- Large towel

- Blackhead extractor

- Magnifying glass

- Cotton wool buds

- Surgical spirit

- Conditioning cream

- Cotton wool squares

- Kaolin mask, made up as follows: 5ml / 1 teaspoon Fuller's earth or kaolin powder (available from chemists), mixed with a little distilled water to the consistency of single cream

- 6mm / ¼ inch paintbrush

- Eye lotion

- Timer

- Moisturizer

Step 1

Clean face and neck thoroughly with cleanser. Wipe it off with tissues.

Step 2

Heat up the facial sauna, or put some hot water into the bowl, then hold your head over the steam. Cover with a towel. You should remain over the steam for only a few seconds, in order to soften the skin.

Step 3

Dry your skin with tissues. Holding a tissue in one hand and using a blackhead extractor, position the hole over a congested pore, and press gently. The stale plugs of oil will come out through the hole in the extractor. Do not press over a spot. Work your way around the face, using the magnifying glass to locate small blocked pores.

The centre of the T-panel will be the main problem area, but you should also check around the ears. When the process has been completed, treat each spot individually by dabbing it with a cotton wool bud soaked in surgical spirit.

Step 4

Take up some conditioning cream with your fingers and, beginning at the neck, work up and over the neck and face. Use slow, circular movements and work in around the eyes.

Finish off across the forehead and then repeat the process, once again working from the neck upwards. Blot with a tissue and, using pads of cotton wool soaked in tepid water, remove any surplus cream from the neck and face.

Step 5

Make up the mask as described above and, with the cream paintbrush, apply it over the face and neck. Kaolin and Fuller's earth have the effect of degreasing and unblocking pores. Place a pad of cotton wool, soaked in eye lotion, over each eye and rest for ten minutes with the mask on your skin. It is best if you take a kitchen timer with you so that you have a chance to relax.

Step 6

After ten minutes, rinse off the mask with warm water and pat your face and neck dry with a soft towel. Apply a little moisturizer to the neck and outer sides of the face.