How to do a facial, step by step

A facial is not complicated. It is five small jobs done in the right order: cleanse, scrub, massage, mask and protect. A single-use facial kit gives you one sachet for each job, so there is nothing to measure and nothing left over.

This guide walks through the five steps the way our own kits are packed, with the time each one takes. You can follow it with any five-step facial kit. Where we mention a price or a timing, it is the one given for the Skin Beaute kits.

What do you need before you start a facial?

Ten minutes of getting ready saves the facial. Do these before you tear open the first sachet.

A patch test, the day before. Dab a little of each product on your inner arm and check the spot the next day. If the skin is red, itchy or sore, do not use the kit on your face. Follow the instructions on your product packaging.
A clean face and clean hands. Take off any make-up, wash your hands and tie your hair back.
A moist sponge or cotton, and a bowl of water. Most steps end with the words “wipe off”. A soft, moist sponge does that gently.
An old towel. Put it around your shoulders. Scrub and mask both drip.
Half an hour with no interruptions. The steps add up to 20 to 30 minutes. A facial done in a hurry is just a face wash.

Then lay the five sachets out in order before you begin. On the Age Repair kit the numbers 1 to 5 are printed on the sachets.

What are the steps of a facial, in order?

These are the five steps in every Skin Beaute facial kit, with the time each one takes.

Step 1. Cleanser cream, 3 to 4 minutes. Massage it over your face and neck, then wipe it off. It takes off the day’s dirt and oil, so every step after it touches clean skin.
Step 2. Scrub, 3 to 4 minutes. Small, gentle circles with your fingertips, then wipe off. The fine grains do the work. Pressing harder does not make it work better.
Step 3. Massage cream, 4 to 5 minutes. Small circles over the face and neck. This is the longest hands-on step, and the one people cut short.
Step 4. Peel-off mask or pack, 10 to 15 minutes. Spread it evenly, keeping clear of your eyebrows and hairline. Leave it for the full time. Then peel it off from the bottom up, or wipe it off if your kit has a pack.
Step 5. SPF 30 cream. Finish by applying it evenly on your face and neck.

The steps you do with your hands take about a quarter of an hour. The mask does the rest while you sit still.

Why does the order of facial steps matter?

Each step prepares your skin for the next one. The scrub works on skin that has already been cleaned. The massage cream goes on after the scrub has cleared the surface. The mask is the last treatment step, and the SPF cream goes over everything.

Change the order and you undo your own work. A scrub after the massage cream wipes the cream away. A cleanser at the end removes the sunscreen you just put on.

So do not skip a sachet to save time. If you are short of time today, do the facial another day.

How long does a facial take?

Plan for 20 to 30 minutes. The cleanser, scrub and massage together take roughly a quarter of an hour. The peel-off mask or pack then needs 10 to 15 minutes on its own.

You do not need to do this often. Once a fortnight is enough, and our guide on how often to do a facial explains why more is not better.

What mistakes spoil a facial?

Scrubbing hard. Use light to medium pressure. If your skin is red after the scrub, you scrubbed too hard.
Cutting the mask short. A peel-off mask that has not dried tears instead of peeling.
Sharing one kit between two people. A single-use kit is measured for one facial. Half a sachet of mask will not cover a face evenly.
Ignoring a burning feeling. A little warmth or tingling is normal, because the kit has active ingredients. Burning is not normal. Wash it off.
Trying a new kit the day before a function. Do your first facial with a new kit well before the occasion, so that a reaction does not show up on the day.

Which facial kit should you choose?

Skin Beaute makes three five-step kits. Each one is ₹390 and has one sachet for each step.

Pearl Glow Facial Kit. For skin brightening. All skin types. With kojic acid, niacinamide and shea butter. See the Pearl Glow kit.
Radiant Facial Kit. For glow. Normal to dry skin. See the Radiant kit.
Age Repair Facial Kit. For dull, tired-looking skin. All skin types. See the Age Repair kit.

If you only want a quick refresh, a ₹150 clean-up may be all you need. Our guide on clean-up vs facial sets the two side by side.

Our take

A facial is about the order, not the price. Do the five steps slowly, give the mask its full time, and stop if it burns. We would rather you use a ₹390 kit properly than a costly one in a hurry.