Your face and hands are exposed to the same aging elements: cigarette smoke, pollutants in the environment, changes in hormones as you age. In fact, your hands are exposed more often and to more chemicals, such as cleaning products and soaps, than your face. However, it is easy to forget that your hands need as much care as your complexion.
Facials
Facials include deep cleansing, steam, exfoliation, extractions, peels, masks and massage. Your facialist is able to cleanse your skin more deeply than you can, using gentle products for cleansing, steam to soften and moisten the skin, exfoliation to slough off dead dry skin cells and extractions to remove comedones from your pores. She will follow this treatment with a mask to hydrate the skin and restore minerals. Occasionally your facialist will use a peel to exfoliate more deeply, removing not only dead skin cells, but also the top layer of aging skin to reveal the smooth, new skin below. She will always end the facial with massage, using moisturizing creams and sunscreen.
Hand Treatments
A spa hand treatment is much more than a manicure. Therapists will cleanse and exfoliate your hands using products similar to those used in facials. He will apply a mask to your hands to hydrate and restore minerals. Your therapist may use special creams for age spots and other sun damage and to moisturize. Dipping your hands in paraffin softens your skin and reduces pain in arthritic joints. This is followed by a moisturizing massage.
Reflexology
Reflexology is a special form of massage on reflex points located in your hands. The theory is that these reflex points not only reflect the condition of your organs and health, but they also can balance energy throughout your entire body. A spa hand treatment often includes reflexology massage. As part of a facial, your facialist may perform reflexology massage on your ears and face, using acupressure points.
Ingredients
Alpha-hydroxy acid, fruit acids or vitamin C are used to exfoliate your skin. Your facialist may use sugar, salt, oatmeal or other grainy ingredients to polish your skin. Moisturizers contain antioxidants, such as green tea extract, to slow aging and to ward off the effects of free radicals in environmental pollution and humectants to retain moisture. Clays tighten the skin as they dry and are somewhat exfoliating. Mud contains minerals from natural mineral water or the sea or botanicals from the bottom of ancient lakes. Mud helps to remineralize the skin. Sunscreen protects your skin from sun damage. Hydroquinone is used to lighten age spots on your face, chest and hands.
Home Treatments
Remember that whatever products you apply to your face to exfoliate, smooth, moisturize or cleanse can also be used on your hands. Apply a clay or mud mask to your hands as well as your face. Use a scrub on your hands and face to make them smooth. Apply alpha-hydroxy acid to your hands, too. Follow with moisturizer and sunscreen. Massage your hands as well as your face when you apply moisturizer.
References
- "Milady's Standard Esthetics Advanced"; Milady; 2010
- "Milady's Standard Cosmetology"; Arlene Alpert; 2007
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