Relax with a DIY Facial at Home

tips for having a DIY facial at home, including a massage

(Contains some PR Samples, I’ll mark them with an * . Plus affiliate links.)

Missing your regular facial at a spa or beauticians or just want to do a DIY facial at home? My easy to follow guide will help you add a little bit of pampering and self-care to your skincare routine. You’ll feel relaxed and your skin will be glowing in no time! Read on.

I’ve always used skincare as part of my daily self-care routine. It’s one way I cope with chronic pain and other health issues. Adding a relaxing facial massage to my skincare routine regularly helps lower my stress levels and relieves tension in my face.

You can easily use your hands for an at home facial massage. Just make sure your hands are clean and been warmed up to get the full benefit. Or you could use a tool like a jade roller or gua shu tool.

How to do a DIY Facial at Home

1. Cleanse

Start with a double cleanse. The best cleanser for makeup, sunscreen removal etc is an oil or balm cleanser (I prefer a balm- you can read about some of my favourite ethical cleansers here.)

I’m working on a more comprehensive post about cleansers as I’ve used lots of amazing balms and washes lately that I want to share with you.

When I’m treating myself to a spa style cleanse at home I use something a little more special like Five Dot Botanics Calm Shift Cleansing Balm. This a beautiful cleanser from a really interesting up and coming skincare brand. Five Dot Botanics ethos is on slow beauty and minimalist ingredients. Find out more about Five Dot Botanics here.

If you’re looking for a more affordable cleanser I highly recommend Inkey List Oat Cleansing Balm. This is a great oat based cleansing balm that’s perfect for sensitive skin. The thick balm easily removes everything and leaves skin soft. This is now one of my absolute favourite cleansers. I’m doing a round-up of my favourite cleansers soon, so look out for that.

The Ordinary AHA BHA Peeling Solution exfoliating treatment

2. Exfoliate

I don’t like an abrasive manual (or physical) exfoliator. I do like a rice powder scrub every now and again though. A couple of my favourite rice scrubs are Dermalogica Daily Superfoliant and a more affordable rice scrub is SRB Stablised Rice Bran Enzyme Powder Wash.

For chemical exfoliation my choices are The Ordinary AHA/BHA Peel for a deeper exfoliation. If you have sensitive skin I wouldn’t leave it on for the full 10 minutes. I only manage a few minutes.

I also like Korean toners like Cosrx Aha/Bha Clarifying Treatment Toner. Or The Ordinary Glycolic Toner.

3. Steam

A facial steam is super relaxing plus it can help open pores for better absorption of product and helps get circulation moving. The easiest ways to steam at home are to fill a bowl with hot water and place your face close to it. The heat should be soothing not burning!

Alternatively, pop in a bath or a hot shower and steam your face that way. To get more of a spa experience add some essential oils to your bath or get fresh eucalyptus and hang it in the shower.

4. Mask

It’s now time to add a mask. The type of mask you use will be entirely dependent on your skin type plus what you want from the mask. I like to add a deep cleansing mask to my routine about once a week (when I remember!) and also a brightening mask.

A couple of my favourite masks currently are Heimish Black Tea Mask and Five Dot Botanics Pure Rewind Mask (PR sample).

5. Eye Mask (optional)

You don’t need to do this stage but I do like it. It’s especially good if you have dry tired eyes. Put the eye masks in the fridge for extra soothing boost of hydration. My current favourite eye masks are Heimish Bulgarian Rose Water Hydrogel Eye Patch. I really like these. They’re also perfect for popping in if your eyes are tired from looking at a screen all day or just not getting enough sleep.

serums from Purito featuring niacinamide and green tea for bright skin

6. Serum

It’s time to put your favourite serum on. If your serum is the right consistency you could also give yourself a face massage at this stage.

My two favourite serums at the moment are both by Purito (I’m planning on doing a brand overview soon, so look out for that!). Both serums have green tea extract which is a great anti-oxidant plus niacinamide which is great for brightening the skin plus lots more amazing ingredients.

They are Purito Centella Unscented Serum and Purito Galacto Niacin 97 Powder Essence. I honestly love these and I imagine they’ll be part of my skincare routine for a very long time.

7. Facial Oil with Massage

Now do a relaxing facial massage. As well as using my hands I also like to use a gua sha tool. I like this gua sha tutorial- it’s a good how to if you’re new to gua sha. It’s still good to follow if you’re just using your hands, or even a jade roller.

I love facial oils from affordable face oils right through to expensive treats. Some of my favourite choices are The Ordinary Squalane Oil, Kiehl’s Midnight Recovery Serum, Five Dot Botanics Deep Feed Oil* (PR Sample) and L’AVES Bright & Lift Facial Elixir* (PR Sample). L’AVES oil smells absolutely amazing- full review coming soon!

While your doing your facial massage remember to drop your shoulders and slow your breathing. Pay attention to how your skin feels and try to keep your mind in the moment, in a gentle way.

If you have oil leftover on your hand gently massage the back of your neck and shoulders. Take deep breaths and stretch your neck out and roll your shoulders.

You could do a mini version of this everyday in your daily skincare routine. It’s a simple way to add a little bit of self-care and relaxation into your daily routine. It’s amazing how small moments of calm throughout the day can impact your wellness in big ways.

If you’re looking for an easy to follow guide on how to apply your skincare I have a post here that includes free printables.

8. Moisturise

Lastly is moisturiser. You can use this stage instead of the previous if you don’t have an oil. I think an oil works much better for a facial massage though.

I understand that oil before moisturiser can be contentious but I like moisturiser to seal the deal. Something thick to keep all the good stuff close to the skin. I have lots of favourite moisturisers but my current favourite is La Roche Posay Cicaplast Soothing Face and Body Balm B5 which is absolutely amazing.

If you have sensitive skin you’ll love this balm. It is rich but it’ll sink in leaving your skin hydrated and soothed. It’s also multi-purpose so can be used on rashes, dry skin, minor injuries etc. I was worried that it’d block my pores and cause spots but it doesn’t. I LOVE this cream.

Remember the aim of the DIY facial is to give you a chance to pamper yourself at home. So don’t worry if you don’t get all the steps right, or do the facial massage quite right or have all the products.

Life is stressful and is especially stressful in our current climate. Taking small moments throughout the day to drop those shoulders and have a few deep breaths can have an amazing overall effect on our well-being.

A facial massage is a simple way to take a moment to check in on yourself as well as treating your skin to some lovely products.