It's not my first time going for facial. Now it has been abt 4months but just thought of sharing my facial session experience for bride/groom-to-be who had never been for facial before.
Well, just like you, I had never been for facial before. Not because I have beautiful flawless skin but cos I've never cared of how I look. I was even too lazy to follow the daily facial care routine at home. I'm those type of shower-comb-hair-put-on-tshirt-jeans-grab-bag-and-go-out kinda girl (of cos occasionally out on abit of lose powder on some special occasions).
But I was advised to go for facial in preparation for the wedding (plus i got a free 1st time trial and discounts on the package) so I tried.
Anyway...what to expect on a usual facial session...
Upon arrival, u'll be greeted by your beautician for the day. She'll serve you tea (some times) then show you to your private room (for your facial treatment). In the room, you'll be left alone for you to place your personal belongings into your personal safe box, then u remove your tops, hang it on the hanger provided, put on this robe (its like a long skirt and covers right up to your chest), then u lie down and get comfortable on the treatment bed and cover yourself with a towel blanket. Relax and wait for your beautician to arrive.
She will knock on the door first and ask if you're ready before entering with all the equipments needed for your facial treatment. You just lie down and relax (or try to). Yeah, it gets a bit uncomfortable especially for first timers but your beautician will engage in small talk to help u relax.
And.....the treatments starts
For me, it starts with cleaning and cleansing my face. I just close my eyes and my beautician will apply the cleanser / foam / scrub. She'll inform your verbally what she will be doing. It really pampering and relaxing, someone else is cleaning your face for u, while u just lie down with your eyes closed accompanied by relaxing scents and music. She'll even massage your face.
After the cleansing routine, its steaming time. Your eyes remain closed and your beautician will set up this steaming machine over your face and leave you alone in the room for awhile while the machine steams your face (its actually to open up your pores to prepare for the next step of the treatment).
After awhile (I lost sense of time cos my eyes were closed all the time, u cant open your eyes, its covered with something), the beautician will come back for the most torturous part of your facial treatment. (I'm not trying to scare u but giving u a close to reality account). Its the EXTRACTION! I said its torturous cos for myself, my skin is oily and pores clogged so the extraction process is really painful. Feels like your face is being squeezed, poked, scraped, on every inch, yes even the most sensitive parts. Its actually to clear your pores of dead skin cells, whiteheads,blackheads and impurities. I cried the first few times (cos its too painful, when u bear the pain, ur tears just fall). But it gets less and less painful after the first few sessions depending on your skin. Mine took more than 6 sessions for me to get used to it and for the pain to lessen.
After the torture, your beautician will apply cooling antiseptic and then apply masks on your face. On different days, she'll apply different type of mask to suit your treatment and your skin type. All the pain disappears and the mask has a cooling and soothing effect. She'll leave you alone again in the room while the mask dries and harden (probably about 30mins?) Im not sure cos I will doze off.haha.
When she comes back, she'll remove the mask and then proceed with the LED light treatments (something like applying some fluid/collagen onto your face and massaging it with this LED light machine all over your face). After that, I had the Oxygen infusion treatment where my face will be blown by this cool oxygen (its cold!!!). After that, she'll give me an eye massage and apply some lotion+mosturizer+sunblock (plus massaging my face) then give me a shoulder and back massage. THE END!
She'll pack her machines and leave me to dress up and pack my belongings and make myself pretty (comb your hair, straighten your clothes blabla). Then you just leave the room on your own, make your way to the counter to settle payment (or if u have paid for a whole package, u can book your next appointment preferable 2weeks later).
After the session, your face will appear red/puffy on certain parts. So that is why it is not advisable to go for facial a day before your big event.
So hopefully my account will help prepare first-timers and at least u'll not be lost or be too afraid like I was during my first facial session. :)
