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Are salon facials worth the money?

Results so far:

No		55%	239 votes	Total: 432 votes
Yes		45%	193 votes	Total: 432 votes

No

1 of 10

Salons are a business. Businesses are out to get your money from you. They will tell you theirs is an essential product, that you need something extra, or need to come in weekly to fix some little problem.

They want your custom.

What they don't care about is the cost to you. They may provide a perfectly adequate treatment. Give facials that leave you feeling refreshed and rejuvenated and provide you with that bit of 'me time' so often needed in this fast paced world.

But ultimately your money is more important than you in the salon owners eyes.

Like the hair stylist they're are well versed in small talk, (perhaps there is a degree in it somewhere). But the small talk ends abruptly once your facial is over and its time to pay.

The strange thing about facial is that unlike having a hair cut where it can be difficult to cut your own, it is so easy to do your own facials!

On the market today you can find many facial treatments including steamers. Of course even the steamers are an extravagance as a bowl of boiling water and a towel does the very same job!

Many of the mask products used can in fact clog your pores rather than clean them. At home, using products easily found i your kitchen, you can produce the same results as a salon for just a few cents.

Back in the days before salons were even thought of ladies still took care of their skin. Lemon was used to soften and whiten. Salt cleans the pores, and oatmeal and sugar were used as exfoliates.

Pampering yourself at home without the burden of going out and the expense associated can be a wonderfully relaxing experience.

A hot bath with honey and milk added should be made ready. A jug of warm water with 3 tablespoons of honey mixed in should also be readied.

Take some lemon juice and sugar, using just enough juice to wet the sugar without dissolving. Take small amounts on your fingertips and rub in circular motions over your face staying clear of the eyes. It will sting the eyes but do no real damage.

Spend some time on the forehead area and the neck as well as the rest of the face.

First rinse using some from the jug of honey water. Leave a few minutes and rinse with clear water.

Use the remaining lemon and sugar as a hand treatment. Rubbing the mix vigoursly all over the back and front of the hands then rinse. Never will you have known your hands to be so soft!

Salt can be used instead of sugar but the smaller grains are not quite as effective.

Then climb into the milk and honey bath and treat your whole body to an experience of ancient luxury. Showering off the residual after a long soak is fine if you so desire but no really needed.

Pampering never needs to be expensive. Salon are no more than overpriced kitchens. This little luxury is so affordable anyone can do it! Enjoy.

Learn more about this author, D K Mitchell.
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Yes

1 of 8

by Gabriella D'Anton

Before judging them as good, bad or indifferent, we need to understand the clear distinction between facials and skin care treatments.

Facials are usually performed in spa resorts or hair and nails salons; they are intended for relaxation and pampering. Special attention is being paid to creating an inviting environment and a relaxing atmosphere; soft music, candles and pleasant young beautiful technicians, more often than not, constitutes the dcor.

Based primarily on the enjoyable experience and immediate well being of the client, such facials will not have visible and long lasting effects. At best this type of facial will refresh the skin and make it softer.

Those facial will involve minimum cleaning, usually an enzyme mask for dissolving some of the dead cells on the superficial layer, or a mud mask designed to draw impurities to the surface. The rest is mostly a relaxing massage using aromatic oils, followed than by more masks with limited penetration effects, but with hydrating or temporary tightening results.

Since deep pore cleaning is associated with discomfort and even pain, this procedure is almost never performed. The deep pore cleaning technique requires special training (in order to apply just the right amount of pressure without damaging the skin or leaving visible red marks) and special sanitation conditions (rarely present in a hair salon). Those requirements of cleanness should be observed no matter where you have the treatment..

Skin care treatments in the other hand, are being performed by licensed aestheticians who most of the times work in a dermatologist's office or in specialized skin care cliniques.

Those treatments are specially designed to have corrective proprieties and are intended for balancing the skin and improving specific metabolic functions. Most of the time effective methods of exfoliation (microdermabrasion or acid peels) will be used and deep pore cleaning and removal of black and white heads is routinely performed.

As a result the skin will show visible and long lasting improvement; the emerging skin will be invigorated and a new radiance will be noticeable.

Freed of debris and stimulated, the skin's capacity to absorb essential nutrients is obtained.

Without much exaggeration the difference between facials and skin care treatments is comparable with eating fast food as opposed to gourmet meals. It refers to quality and price as well.

Depending on the desired effect and considering the cost, the choice remains as usually with the customer.

However, being informed about the differences of the two possible procedures will minimize the risks and eliminate disappointments.

Learn more about this author, Gabriella D'Anton.
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