How To Do The Basic At-Home Facial

There’s nothing better than getting a professional facial, but they can be expensive. To maintain your healthy skin between professional treatments or to do them yourself, try this basic at-home facial once a week. This basic facial works on oily, dry and combination skin.

And don’t worry, I’m not going to make you whip up a batch of egg-whites and oatmeal, but you will save money if you do your own mask. I list a bunch of organic, natural Homemade Face Mask Recipes for every skin type. But if you don't want to make your own, you can buy a great mask at health food stores or even your local drugstore.

Difficulty: Easy

Time Required: 25-30 minutes

Here's How:

1. Cleanse the skin
   You’ll want to wash the face, neck and ears with a good facial cleanser to remove any grime or dirt. I recommend some great options in my list of the best cleansers.
   Don't forget to remove eye makeup with a makeup remover. My hands-down favorite is Clinique, but Neutrogena's eye makeup remover is a great drugstore option.
2. Exfoliate
   Using your fingers, rub a gentle exfoliating facial scrub in a circular motion on your face. Concentrate on the areas around your nose and forehead or if you have combo skin, work harder on the areas that tend to be "greasy." Rinse your face well since exfoliating scrubs tend to be drying.
   See my list of the best scrubs or make your own using brown or white sugar mixed in with extra virgin coconut oil. Get the recipe here.
3. Steam
   There are several ways to steam your face. You can fill your sink with warm water, dip a washcloth in and press to your face repeating 2-3 times or you can take it further by boiling water in a teapot. Find out how in My Favorite Teapot Face Steam.
4. The mask
   For oily skin, use a clay-based face mask. For dry skin, go for a hydrating gel or cream mask.

   Apply the mask, avoiding the areas around the eyes. Keep it on for 10-20 minutes (or, according to the directions on the product). Rinse completely. You can even make your own face mask.
   Get recipes for every skin type in 25 Homemade Face Mask Recipes.
5. Moisturize
   Smooth on a soothing, basic moisturizer over your face and neck. See my list of the best facial moisturizers. If you want organic and cheap, try extra virgin coconut oil. It's my go-to moisturizer (read about it here).
   Tip: Stay away from strong moisturizers containing retinols or acids. These will over-exfoliate your skin.
6. For another great facial, try my friend Janine's "When You Can't Afford the Spa Teapot Facial." It's only 3 steps and Janine's been doing it for years and I tell you the girl looks a good 10 years younger than she is.

What You Need

• Gentle cleanser
• Exfoliating scrub
• Warm water & a washcloth
• Clay-based or cream facial mask (based on skin type)
• Basic moisturizer