Navigating the world during the coronavirus pandemic has been a challenge. Although some states are reopened at different levels, at places like beauty salons and spas, customers and specialists both have to adjust to new regulations and safety standards. Getting a facial is one of the most relaxing ways to take care of your skin (and we could all use a little less stress right now), but how can you safely get a facial during COVID-19?
One of the most important ways to slow down the spread of the coronavirus is wearing masks or face coverings to stop transmission, but during a facial, masks just are not a possibility in the same way as they would be at a nail appointment or hair salon visit.
In this post, you’ll learn:
- Will getting a facial be safe?
- Why are people hesitant to go back to facials?
- Should you wear a mask to your facial?
- What’s the bottom line, need-to-know information about facials during coronavirus?
- How to DIY a facial at home if you want to avoid going out
Will Getting a Facial Be Safe?
When spas and salons are allowed to safely re-open in your state, things will look a little different in terms of safety and sanitizing. Although getting a facial is already a safe and clean practice (as long as you go to a quality skincare provider or esthetician) things will be more intense than ever before to keep you and your esthetician safe. Estheticians already have to follow strict, medical-grade sanitizing procedures, along with hospital-strength disinfectants to kill bacteria, germs, fungi, and viruses. Most spas and salons will be putting additional sanitation procedures in place to make sure that estheticians and their clients are healthy and protected.
Beyond sanitation protocols, your spa or salon will likely need to limit the number of clients allowed inside at any given time. This is why making an appointment in advance is so important. At many locations, you will be asked to call when you arrive and wait outside in your car until it is safe for you to come inside, especially as specialists work to disinfect between clients. Estheticians will also encourage regular use of hand sanitizer among clients as they arrive and throughout the appointment.
Many offices have even invested in special UV lamps to kill viruses and disinfect surfaces. It is absolutely okay to contact your esthetician to find out what special steps they are taking to keep clients safe. In ensuring your own health and safety, remember to also be kind to your esthetician and other professionals at the salon or spa. They are putting themselves at risk to provide services that help take care of their clients, so be kind and gracious as they too navigate this unprecedented time.
Why People Are Hesitant to Get Facials During Coronavirus
More than any other skin care or beauty procedure, facials involve a much higher level of personal contact. Guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) specifically reference salons and spas as needing to limit close contact as much as possible. During a facial, estheticians are typically only inches away from their clients.
The CDC recommends limiting the use of indoor spaces with less ventilation where it could be harder to keep people apart, since it increases the risk of virus transmission. Additionally, CDC guidelines recommend wearing facial coverings or masks during all interactions with others, and during a facial, a mask just is not possible for skin care clients.
It is important to note your state’s individual guidelines for reopening—facials will be available at different levels in each state. Remember to also check in with your favorite spa and esthetician to see what their new policies are. They may be closed, only offering specific treatments, or totally open. If your spa is available for getting a facial, be sure to find out what is required for both you and your esthetician to be safe during the appointment.
Should You Wear a Mask to Your Facial?
Wearing a face mask for the entirety of a facial is obviously impossible. Your esthetician will be required to wear a mask, but remember that they will be exposed to any germs you may be carrying when you unmask during the appointment. That is why most salons and spas will require health checks before you are able to enter. Usually, this will involve temperature checks before you are able to enter, as well as a screening-type questionnaire about your recent health, any symptoms, and activities you have engaged in. Masks are required at many salons and spas up until the actual facial begins. This helps to protect any other clients, professionals, or people present. Even if a mask is not required by law in your state, consider wearing one into your appointment and once the facial itself is finished, like while you pay. This is a small inconvenience, but shows that you respect and care for the health of your esthetician, all while keeping everyone in the spa or salon safe.
The Bottom Line Surrounding Getting a Facial During COVID-19
As businesses reopen across the country, it can be a challenge to resist booking all of the beauty and skincare appointments you have had to put off for so long. Investing in your skin is valuable and your estheticians want to get back to taking care of you, but both your professionals and you should only do so when it is absolutely safe for everyone involved.
Remember that you can support your beauty care providers in many other ways that won’t risk anyone’s health. Whether that means purchasing a gift card, sharing social media posts, or even recommending them to a friend, you can provide support throughout the pandemic even from home. When spas reopen in your state or area, you have to evaluate whether or not getting a facial is worth risking your health and the health of your skin care provider.
You Can DIY If You Want To Stay Home
Doing a DIY facial at home is an amazing way to protect everyone’s health while still taking great care of your skin. Creating an impactful at-home facial is easy and safe.
Make sure to cleanse your face first. Use natural ingredients to cleanse without stripping your skin or adding harsh chemicals. Coconut oil and raw honey, which can sometimes be mixed with apple cider vinegar or lemon juice, are both effective for removing makeup and other impurities. Mixing aloe vera gel and liquid castile soap is an easy way to create a liquid cleanser, or choose a gentle cleanser from your skincare collection.
Next, create the steam effect that we all love during a facial. To steam your face, boil water and pour into a bowl. Find somewhere relaxing to sit (play some ambient spa music to create the mood of a spa!). Lean over the hot water with a towel draped over both your head and the bowl—but be careful not to burn yourself! When you do a steam treatment, do it for at least five to ten minutes for the best results. This helps to open up your pores and prep your skin to absorb any nutrients or other skincare you apply. You can also add dried herbs like lavender, chamomile, or rosemary to the water after it’s warm to benefit your skin and make everything smell amazing.
You can then proceed with your skincare. Add a good exfoliator to keep your skin soft, smooth, and glowy after you finish your at-home facial. Then, be sure to follow up with a nourishing moisturizer to seal all of the benefits inside. The best part of an at-home facial is how much money you’ll save.
Getting a facial is always an amazing way to treat yourself and take care of your skin, but making the decision to get a facial during coronavirus is very personal. There are a number of factors to weigh in whether or not it is safe, and many of those rely on where your specific state is in the reopening process. Creating a facial at home is an easy and safe way to keep your skin happy if you choose to hold off on heading back to the spa or salon.
