Sunday Sessions: Pamper Party

Mini Facial

You will need:

A facial cleanser

A good exfoliant or thermofoliant

A clarifying face mask (if you have dry skin then you may want to skip this step)

A moisture mask

A flannel/muslin cloth

Numerous cups of tea

Copious amounts of chocolate.

What I use:

1. Pai Camellia and Rose Gentle Hydrating Cleanser

First, I cleanse my face and neck using gentle, circular motions, remove gently with a muslin cloth, rinse and then pat my skin dry with a towel. If I was just doing my usual morning or evening routine, I'd spend more time gently exfoliating my skin with the cloth by rubbing it gently in (again) circular motions, but as we are going for a full on pampering session here it's not necessary (the second step takes care of that).

2. Dermalogica Multivitamin Thermofoliant

Next, I gently exfoliate my face using - again - the circular motions. I always try not to be too aggressive with this step as I don't want to leave my skin red raw - remember, we are trying to give the skin a treat, not a punishment. I usually exfoliate for 1-2 minutes and then rinse and pat my face dry.

At this stage, it's quite nice to steam the skin, which can be done in a couple of ways. You can either fill your sink or a large bowl with hot water and place a towel over your head, letting the steam permeate your skin and open up your pores, or you can soak a washcloth in hot water, wring it out and place it over your face for a few minutes. If you go for the latter then you may need to replace the cloth a few times to keep it hot, but either way, this is a great way to prepare your skin for the clarifying mask as it will make it easier for it to get into your pores and remove any impurities.

3. Laura Mercier Deep Cleansing Clay Mask OR Nourifusion Multivitamin Clarifying Mask

I tend to alternate between these two masks. I'm not really sure why - it's just because I've got them, really. I do enjoy using both though and think that perhaps each one might bring some slightly different benefit to my skin.

With the Laura Mercier mask, I apply it and leave it for 10-15 minutes, while the Nourifusion one can stay on for up to 20. Both masks will dry within this time, so to remove them I just add water and gently massage my skin. The mask softens and washes away. I normally have to rinse my skin a couple of times afterwards with warm water and grab the muslin cloth to remove any last little bits of residue.

Keep your eyes open for reviews of both of these masks coming up very soon.

4. a) Liz Earle Intensive Nourishing Treatment Mask

Now, at this stage you could really just spritz on some toner and apply a nice luxurious moisturiser (more on that later), but personally I like to give my skin an extra treat by slapping on a moisturising mask. Don't worry, this won't counter the effects of your clarifying mask - the first mask removes excess oiliness and impurities, while your moisturising mask will replenish your skin's moisture, leaving it smooth, supple and soft.

This mask is recommended to be left on for 15 minutes, but I'll be honest with you - when I do this, I don't really feel the effects. What I really like to do is apply a thick layer and then just leave it on. Yep, that's right, I don't rinse it off at all - I go to bed in it, and by the morning, mys kin has absorbed every last bit, leaving it ten times softer than it otherwise would have. Being a cream mask, this won't dry out and leave your skin feeling tight while it's on, but nor will it stay wet and sticky, so there is really no problem with sleeping in it. However, you might not want to sit around with it on your face all evening as it doesn't really mix with eating/drinking, so I usually make sure I do this not long before I go to bed, although on occasion I do remove it after a couple of hours and continue on to step 4b - it's really down to whatever I'm feeling like doing at the time.

OR

4. b) Suti Peppermint Water Organic Facial Toner 

You can spritz this onto you face and gently pat it in to tighten your pores and refresh your skin, and follow it with...

Herbalife Skin Activator

Pop on a nice thick layer to moisturise and hydrate your skin.
If before bed, you will probably want to use a night cream instead.

When I'm having my pamper session earlier in the evening, the next step is usually to get into some comfy loungewear, settle down with a nice big cup of tea and maybe some chocolate and watch some of my favourite Youtubers' latest videos. And catch up on blog reading, of course (I usually have my litttle sessions when I'm on my own so that I can 100% do what I like).  I might also throw a pedicure, some nail painting and maybe some hair masks into the mix, but that's a whole other story - I can't really suggest anything in the way of hair masks as I am still searching for one that has any effect whatsoever on my locks!
Before bed, I often slick some coconut oil or Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream on my lips and apply some foot cream before popping on a pair of socks - I like Sanctuary Moisture Rich Foot Butter at the moment.

What's your idea of a perfect pampering session, and what products do you like to use?


xx