WHEN it comes to pampering, the best at-home facials are the ultimate indulgence for keeping our skin in tip-top condition. While it is always recommended to wear moisturiser and SPF daily, incorporating facial treatments can help with the texture and condition of our skin long term.
However, opting for facials at specialised beauty clinics can come with a hefty price tag. Then there is the added mission of factoring in time to book in which may not always work with your time, schedule or bank balance.
Skincare expert Lorena Oberg shares that while a treat at a beauty clinic may be great, without maintenance at home it can leave skin dull, dry and lacking glow.
'It would be impossible to keep your skin healthy without basic at-home routines. These routines vary from person to person and you need to consider your age and skin type. Daily skin routines such as cleansing, moisturising and sunblock are what will always give you long-term results and it is so important to clean and exfoliate your skin to promote healthy skin rejuvenation.'
But what if there was a way to treat your face and save a few pennies in the process?
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Enter the at-home-facial, a pampering treat that leaves your skin feeling rejuvenated, refreshed, and ready to take on the world. And the best bit? You'll barely have to leave your sofa.
Lorena notes that facials at home can be high-tech, they don't always have to be and that there's something to suit all budgets.
'To keep it simple, a good wash, daily moisturiser with SPF and a nurturing night cream is a great starting point. There are all kinds of facemasks on the market but essentially, facemasks are a good intense moisturiser for your skin and they help your skin look plump and healthy.'
We've rounded up the best facial devices, products and treatments that you can use time and time again all from the comfort of your own home without paying clinic prices.
From skin-tightening radio frequency to ice-cool sheet masks to pore-tightening mud masks we've tested the ultimate at-home skincare extravaganza that will leave you feeling like royalty without barely lifting more than a finger. Glowing.
Best at-home facials at a glance:
- Best for acne-prone skin: Beauty Bio Gio Facial
- Best budget: Face Facts Ceramide
- Best for tightening: CurrentBody RF
- Best facial set: Lixirskin The Collette Facial Set
- Best mud mask: Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Hyaluronic Clay Pore-Tight Facial
CurrentBody Skin RF Radio Frequency Skin Tightening Device
- CurrentBody Skin RF Radio Frequency Skin Tightening Device, £299 from CurrentBody - buy here
Rating: 5/5
Pros: Instant lifting
Cons: Needs regular use, a higher price tag so an investment piece
Radiofrequency is hailed as the secret that many celebrities use to keep their skin tight, fresh and bright. Often described as the no-needle Botox for banishing fine lines and wrinkles it used to be a fixture that was only available in beauty clinics- until now.
CurrentBody RF offers an at-home facial which has the same quality as a beauty clinic appointment. There are different levels of frequency, which we had to get accustomed but it comes with comprehensive instructions. Using the radio frequency gel is essential and when gliding across the face we felt a tight hot ping on the skin (again nothing to fear this is normal with radio frequency).
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We tried it on one side of the face to see if there was a visible difference and it definitely smoothed and lifted on the side we tried, particularly over the eyebrow area.
While it should be used frequently for regular results, at least weekly, we also think it would be a great facial for a special evening out, event or wedding. Sold.
Face Facts Ceramide Gel Cream
- Face Facts Ceramide Gel Cream, from £2.99 at Amazon - buy here
Rating: 4/5
Pros: Really moisturising and sinks into the skin well
Cons: Did not help puffiness on the skin
The Face Facts Ceramide range is cheap and cheerful, starting at just £2.99. It will suit a range of budgets but is not sold as a set so you will need to pick and mix to get a few different items from the range.
We opted for the cleanser, serum and moisturiser which was simple, quick and easy to use. While it is not an extensive facial, it's great for deep cleaning and quickly treating the skin in under five minutes.
The cleanser is best used with a facial cloth or gentle flannel and lathers up easily. And the bonus is the bottle is huge so is guaranteed to last a long time.
The serum sat on the skin well and was not greasy. We found a little goes a long way and you can top up with moisturiser on the neck and decollete as we did.
Although online the moisturiser is described as getting rid of puffiness we would say that it didn't quite fulfil this, although it definitely hit high in the moisture stakes.
It has a natural smell and we think it's particularly great for dry skin. Ah, the power of simplicity.
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The Collette Facial - Lixirskin
- Lixirskin The Collette Facial, £68 from Harrods - buy here
Rating: 5/5
Pros: Has a spa-quality professional feel, leaves skin really smooth
Cons: Need at least 30 minutes in the day to apply
Buying different facial bits and bobs at separate shops can be timely and leave you with uncertain product compatibility so finding a facial set combined with all the right ingredients makes sense in the long run.
The Lixirskin Collette facial set does just that, containing all the ingredients for a home spa feeling.
We first applied a sachet of Iconic Shot electro gel cleanser which was easy to work up into a mousse-type foam. It wasn't too sticky and removed excess makeup with ease. Tip. Use a flannel or cleansing cloth to really clean the skin. In the second step, we added the peel express. While this is a relatively quick peel, it goes on for the same time as you would need in a professional salon, so sit back, relax and let it work its magic (just don't fall asleep!)
This was topped with a vitamin C paste which you gently massage into the face, eye contour, lips, neck and décolleté. It has Ascorbic Acid so is meant to be used sparingly rather than slathering on. The end result? VERY clean skin, which was left feeling scrubbed and fresh. Obsessed.
Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Hyaluronic Clay Pore Tight Facial
- Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Hyaluronic Clay Pore-Tight Facial £36, from Cult Beauty - buy here
Rating: 5/5
Pros: Really cleans the skin, a delicious scent
Cons: Needs a hot cloth or flannel to really take off the product properly
When you think of a mud mask, you might envision the drying clay masks of your youth that crack the skin and require vigorous scrubbing with a flannel to remove.
Mud masks generally have natural absorbent properties that help draw out impurities, excess oil, and toxins from the skin. They provide a deep cleansing action, unclogging pores and removing dirt and debris. But, and there's a big but, depending on the type they can dry out the skin.
Could there be a more sophisticated recipe out there? We tried the Glow Facial which is a mud mask infused with watermelon and literally smells good enough to eat.
We put it onto freshly cleansed skin and although it feels quite thick, it comes with a spatula which we think is essential to smooth out the product. It dried in the recommended time and taking it off we used a gentle hot cloth or flannel as it wasn't easy to take off.
The result? Really clean cleansed skin. Although it needs some prep we think it's great for relaxation at home and if you twinned it with a nourishing serum or other high-tech skin tool then you'd really be in facial heaven. Dreamy.
Beauty Bio GloFacial Hydro-Infusion Pore Cleansing Tool
- Beauty Bio GloFacial Hydro-Infusion Pore Cleansing Tool £199 from Cult Beauty - buy here
Rating: 4/5
Pros: Cleans pores well, easy to hold the device,
Cons: Maintenance needed, requires frequent charging
Prone to spots or blocked pores? While it's common knowledge that picking at spots can be harmful to the skin, is there a safer and more convenient method for extraction? The Glo Facial device thinks so.
The BeautyBio GloFacial is designed to provide a deep and thorough cleanse for your skin, clearing the pores without a squeeze in sight.
We found the device sleek and easy to hold with its compact design, making it easy to maneouvre along the skin. You need to apply it to damp skin so it can glide, and it is much harder to use without cleansing first.
It comes with a USB charging cable, which is convenient for recharging the device, which you will need to do before use. We found the main highlight was it helps to loosen impurities and unclog pores and is much better than manual extraction.
You need to keep the tool moving and not drag it too hard across the skin or it will block the tool. You can change to the smaller tip if you are having difficulties with the sharper areas like jawline which we found really helped with congested areas. Adore.
FOREO FAQ™ 101 RF Radio Frequency & LED Device
- FOREO FAQ™ 101 RF Radio Frequency & LED Device, £369 from Currentbody - buy here
Rating: 4/5
Pros: Refreshes skin with LED light and RF, easy-to-use device
Cons: Regular maintenance for optimal results
Combining the benefits of radio frequency technology and LED therapy, the compact Foreo FAQ tool aims to improve the appearance of the skin, targeting signs of ageing and promoting a more youthful complexion.
You will need to fully charge the device before use and get to grips with the manual for use but it is a sleek device which is particularly lightweight to use.
You'll need the primer gel to ensure the tool can smooth across the skin and after one go it left the skin visibly refreshed and feeling rejuvenated.
While this item is an investment piece and in the higher price range, it is the same technology that is being used at beauty clinics around the world, giving it that just walked out of a salon glow from the comfort of your home.
Garnier Hyaluronic Cryo Jelly Mask
- Garnier Hyaluronic Acid & Icy Cucumber Cryo Jelly Face Mask £4.99 from Superdrug - buy here
Rating: 4/5
Pros: Cooling on the skin, a good moisturiser for all skin types
Cons: Needs to use regularly for optimum results
Need a quick fix for a night out? Or maybe you want some refreshment the morning after? Then sheet masks can help with adding some much-needed moisture back into a skincare routine.
On the quicker end of the scale, the Garnier Hyaluronic Cryo Jelly Anti-fatigue mask cools the skin down, especially if you've been out in the sun and have inflammation.
We tried it on freshly cleansed skin and found the mask easy to apply and it felt slightly tingly on the skin. You can leave it on for 15 minutes and relax or even prep hair and nails.
Warning. When putting it on, your hands may get quite a lot of product due to the density but we wiped this on the neck area for an extra treat.
While we think this needs to be a regular fixture for upkeep, for a quick refreshment it was perfect. We also think using the matching eye patches would be a good addition.
Tip. Pop it in the fridge for half an hour for an even fresher experience!
Patchology FlashPatch Eye Gels Single Pair
- Patchology FlashPatch Eye Gels Single Pair, £2.40 from Boots - buy here
Rating: 3.5/5
Pros: Easy application, leaves eyes feeling refreshed.
Cons: Need to do weekly for best benefits
Ready to go on a night out and feel like you need a disco nap but have no time? Then you may want to invest in a little extra help. These eye patches sit snug under the eyes and can give some much-needed moisture to this delicate area.
Rich in vitamin C with some other added brightening ingredients such as collagen and caffeine, they work as a short quick blast for the skin.
We applied them while getting ready and they stayed perfectly on the skin while we blow-dried our hair.
While you will need to do this frequently to see good benefits we think it's the ultimate quick freshen-up, and the product felt smooth on the skin and easy to apply makeup after. Result.
Where can I buy at-home facials?
You can find masks, facial devices and LED masks online at several beauty shops. Here are some of the best places to buy one.
- Amazon
- Boots
- Cult Beauty
- Currentbody
- LookFantastic
- Sephora
What are the best items to use with a facial?
Facials can consist of cleansing and a face mask, or more high-tech devices that can clarify, clean pores, lift, tighten and brighten skin.
Facials also work best by using products that help your skin type and it's important to find a daily moisturiser that will work for you.
For an all-round basic moisturiser then the Nivea Soft is a steal at just £2 and can be used all over the body.
For an SPF one that can deal with hot days as well as overcast is essential. The recommended SPF is 30+ or 50+ for hotter days or holidays.
Many also like to also add Retinol for anti-ageing purposes and to resurface the skin texture or serum at night for extra moisture.
Is there anything else that can help with skincare?
While a daily good skincare routine and SPF can do wonders to protect the skin, particularly when out in the sun, it's important to keep hydrated and healthy too. To supplement facials, you can also try vitamins, such as Bioglan, which specialises in collagen supplements which can help keep skin, hair and nails in a healthier condition.
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