How often should you do a facial?

The short answer is once a fortnight. That is the rhythm we give for our own five-step kits, and it is what we would tell a friend.

The longer answer depends on your skin and on your month. This guide explains why we say a fortnight, why a facial every week does not give you twice the result, and how to time one before a wedding or a function.

How many times a month should you do a facial?

Twice a month, about two weeks apart. A five-step facial includes a scrub and a peel-off mask, and our kits carry active ingredients such as kojic acid and niacinamide. Those steps are meant to be an occasional deep clean, not a daily routine.

If you have never done a facial before, start with one. Wait the full two weeks and see how your skin behaves before you make it a habit.

Is it good to do a facial every week?

We would not. The scrub step exfoliates, and exfoliating too often can leave skin feeling sore, tight or sensitive. That is the opposite of what you wanted from a facial.

A facial every week also costs twice as much for no clear gain. We sell the kits, and we are still telling you to buy fewer of them.

If your skin looks tired between two facials, the answer is rarely another facial. It is usually the daily routine: a face wash at night to take off the day, and sunscreen every morning.

What does a month of facials look like?

Here is a simple plan you can copy. It needs two kits a month and nothing else that is special.

Day 1. Do the five-step facial. Keep half an hour free for it.
Days 2 to 14. Face wash twice a day, a cream, and sunscreen every morning. No extra scrub for the first few days.
Day 15. Do the second facial, if your skin was comfortable after the first one.
Days 16 to 30. Back to the daily routine.

That is two kits a month, which is ₹780 at today’s MRP. If that is more than you want to spend, one facial a month is a perfectly good rhythm too.

What should you do between two facials?

The twelve or thirteen days in between matter more than the facial. This is the plain routine.

Wash your face twice a day. Morning and night, with a face wash and water. Ours start at ₹99. See the face washes.
Moisturise. A day cream in the morning and a night cream before bed. Our guide on day cream vs night cream explains which to buy first.
Wear sunscreen every morning. Apply it 15 minutes before you step out, and again every 2 to 3 hours when you are outdoors. See Sunscreen SPF 30 PA++.
Scrub rarely. A separate face scrub is for twice a week at most. Leave it out in the days around a facial, because the facial already has a scrub step.
A clean-up, if you want something in between. A clean-up is the shorter routine. We suggest you do not do a clean-up and a facial in the same week.

How many days before a wedding or function should you do a facial?

Not the day before, if it is your first time with that kit. Try a new kit well ahead, a week or more, so that if your skin reacts it has time to settle.

If you have used the same kit before and your skin was comfortable with it, we suggest two or three days before the occasion. That leaves a margin, and you are not doing something new to your face on the day itself.

When should you skip a facial?

Broken, sunburnt or irritated skin. Wait until it has healed.
Sore, active breakouts. A scrub over sore pimples hurts. Wait, or ask a dermatologist first.
Skin that is still sore from waxing, threading or bleach. Wait until your face feels normal again.
If the last facial stung. Stop using the product and seek advice from a dermatologist before trying it again.
Pregnancy, or skin under a doctor’s treatment. We make cosmetics. We are not doctors. Ask your doctor before you use a kit with active ingredients.

Does your skin type change how often?

We do not have a different number for each skin type, and we would be guessing if we gave you one.

Our advice is to start at a fortnight. If your skin feels tight or sensitive afterwards, stretch the gap to three or four weeks. Do not go the other way and shorten it.

Our take

Once a fortnight, and not more. We sell the kits and we are still asking you to buy two a month, not four. What you do on the other days, a face wash, a cream and a sunscreen, matters more than the facial.