How many times have I heard someone say, “I love facials, they are such a treat!”, or “I always get a facial when I’m on vacation”.   I agree facials can be a luxurious way to escape from our day-to-day stress.  However, facials are also a way to maintain healthy skin.  Now, I don’t know about you, but my face is the first thing people notice and if my skin looks dull, lifeless with uneven pigment and blemishes am I creating the best impression possible?  I don’t think so.  Taking care of our skin is as important as taking care of our teeth or getting a regular check-up.  If you don’t skimp on those areas of your health, why would you skimp on the feature you present to the world everyday? 

So, since maintaining the health of your skin is a priority: how do you decide what to invest in and whom to trust with this important job?  There are literally millions of products available in stores, on the internet, on television, through mail order that claim to make your wrinkles disappear, your acne heal, your pigment disappear. Magazine ads display pictures of 30-year-old models airbrushed, with perfect skin claiming you can have the same results.  As with most claims if it seems too good to be true, it probably is.

Products widely available for purchase are limited in how much active ingredient they can offer.  The purpose of these products is to appeal to the masses and if the ingredients are too active then the product is difficult to offer to a wide audience.  If your goal is to use products that provide the best results then you also need to think about how much of the price of the product goes into the jar vs. into the marketing machine that gets you to buy the product in the first place.

The benefit of choosing products that are offered through trained estheticians are that these products are recommended based on you skin type and goals.  As you achieve various goals, the program can be adapted to address new concerns.  Skin care like exercise should be adapted to keep improving and a professional can help you make the right choices.

So the next time you’re on vacation, go ahead indulge in a facial.  But don’t forget to schedule a regular visit when you get home.  Beautiful skin isn’t a luxury it’s a necessity.