Try This Cooling At-Home Facial

I grew up in Northern California where it’s at least 100 degrees for a few months out of the year and air conditioning isn’t always enough. I spent my fair share of childhood summers running through the sprinklers, dreaming of swimming pools and cooler days. Inside, my sister and I would do clay masks together, wiping them away with chilled hand towels we’d retrieved from the fridge. In the summertime heat, a cooling at-home facial feels like a retreat when you can’t go to a spa—a customizable, at-home getaway.

PREP

While I’m preparing my cooling facial, I love to listen to music and make a pitcher of iced herbal ginger tea. It’s a refreshing and energizing drink, and I can store the tea bags in the freezer to use as a de-puffing eye treatment later. Since I was a kid, I’ve kept pre-rolled, wet washcloths in the fridge to keep my skin cool in the summer. Most facials will use a warm washcloth to steam the face, but you can use the opposite for a cooling, pore-tightening effect. This is a good time to pop those in the fridge, along with your eye cream and moisturizer. More on those later.

CLEANSE

The first step of the facial itself is to cleanse using the Superfood Cleanser. Make sure you remove any traces of makeup and sunscreen. Rinse with cool water—it doesn’t have to be ice cold, but cool water is better for the skin. 

EXFOLIATE

Sloughing off any dead, dull skin will help decongest pores and help minimize the look of pores. And later on, when you apply your mist and masks, they’ll absorb better. Put two minutes on the clock and grab your Yerba Mate Resurfacing Energy Facial. Don’t forget to rinse it off with cool water!

MIST

If I’m doing a full facial, I like to use a mist as much as possible. I use the Adaptogen Soothe + Hydrate Activated Mist directly after rinsing off my Energy Facial, but I use it throughout the entire routine, too—whenever my skin can use a pick-me-up.

MASK

Pick your mask based on what your skin needs. If hydration, oil control, and a detox is your end goal, I would recommend our Superfood Skin Reset Mask. But if your skin is feeling dry and needs some extra moisture, I would mix the Superberry Hydrate + Glow Oil with a thick layer of the Superberry Hydrate + Glow Dream Mask. For combination skin, use Dream Mask where your skin is dryer and use Reset Mask where your pores are more visible. 

Gently set the chilled tea bags on your closed eyes and lean back. For the next 15 to 20 minutes, relax! When I’m ready to lay down, I’ll usually listen to a Headspace meditation. I’m a terrible napper; I always feel like I have too many things to do. I love Headspace, though, because I can select a meditation that is specific to my mood and customize it to the amount of time I have to lay down. 

TREAT

Wipe away your mask with the pre-rolled, wet washcloths you placed in the fridge earlier. Mist your skin (yes, again) and follow it up with the Superfood Firm + Brighten Serum and the Superberry Hydrate + Glow Oil. Then, go in with ice globes, a facial massager, or a cooled jade roller to give yourself a lymphatic drainage massage. The idea is to move from the center of the face outwards, towards the ears and down the neck to help relieve any kind of buildup of mucus or toxins. This facial massage technique—along with the chilled massaging tool of your choice—reduces any puffiness in your skin.

MOISTURIZE

Head back to your fridge for the final step of the cooling facial: your moisturizer and eye cream. Thanks to the hyaluronic acid, spinach, and green tea they contain, the Superfood Air-Whip Moisture Cream and the Superfood Hydrate + Firm Eye Cream both have a natural cooling effect that’s only elevated when stored in the fridge. Take time to gently massage the eye area when applying your pre-chilled eye cream. And if you’re going outside (or even if it’s just daytime), don’t forget to wear sunscreen!

The best part about this routine is that you can customize it to your skin type. Curious about yours? Click here to schedule a free, 15-minute consultation with Youth To The People’s expert education team to get all your skincare questions answered.