The idea of a woman lying back relaxed and refined beneath a face pack is almost the stuff of cliché nowadays, but it’s one that only the foolish would mock. For the aromatherapy massage is not just respected by millions of people around the world, but also something to which they’re thoroughly loyal. And there must be a strong reason or, rather, undeniable benefits behind such devotion, mustn’t there? Absolutely. If you’re not convinced or unaware of these underlying benefits, you really ought to read on and discover why an aromatherapy massage may be just the thing that’s been missing from your beauty regime.
Essential oils
Aromatherapy facials make use of essential oils,which tend to be fragrant oils extracted from plants, chiefly through steam distillation (such as eucalyptus oil) or expression (such as grapefruit oil). These oils possess excellent qualities to care for the face’s skin; dealing with potential beauty problems like acne, rashes and pimples. Usually, a therapist will select which essential oil should be used according to your skin type – this is possible because of the large variety of essential oils that are in existence (the oils date back in origin to ancient times).
Clear skin
Often an aromatherapy facial starts off a with a facial steam; in fact, this tends to be the ideal beginning to the treatment because it cleans the skin pores thoroughly and removes impurities that may have accumulated in the pores over time. If possible, drops of essential oils will have been added to the water before it’s heated to become steam, having the effect then of reaching deep into the pores.
Dead cell removal
The facial steam is followed by the exfoliation process. This comprises applying an aroma scrub to the face, which removes all the dead cells. In spite of an owner taking deliberately good care of their face through frequent and thorough washing, a number of dead cells will still always linger on the face’s skin, thus will require removal via exfoliation to leave just the smooth skin underneath.
Relaxation
Many people find that exposure to essential oils a particularly relaxing experience – hence why aromatherapy massages are so popular. With their abundant application of essential oils, as well as other aromatic products, essential oils (even only when applied to the face) can play a dramatic role in soothing your senses and nerves. They tend to work extremely well in relaxing your body and mind. Undoubtedly then, this is one of the most essential – and obvious – aromatherapy facial benefits.
Why not try it yourself?
While we strongly advise you visit our own luxurious spa to be found in the salubrious Montcalm Hotel at the top of Park Lane in the heart of London’s West End, it’s certainly possible to make and apply up an aromatherapy facial yourself, when your budget won’t quite stretch to one or it’s simply not convenient to visit an excellent spa such as ours exactly when you’d like to.
A home aromatherapy facial – the six simple steps
Ideally, you’ll have already experienced an aromatherapy facial at a venue such as the Spa at the Montcalm, so will have had a qualified and expert aesthetician analyse your skin and apply – and, thus, recommend – the right essential oils for your skin type. However, for the sake of simplicity here, generally speaking lemon oil, lemongrass oil or orange oil tend to suit oily skin best, while jasmine, rose or sandalwood are best for dry skin, lavender or chamomile go well with normal skin and sensitive skin is best served by neroli oil or vetiver oil. Once you’ve established the oil that will suit your skin, you can go about your facial by following these six steps:
1. Create a relaxing, appropriate atmosphere and aura by dotting aromatic candles around the room
2. Blend olive oil with tea tree oil and aloe vera gel, and wash your face with the resultant mixture
3. Pour out a hot tub of water – adding to it a few drops of essential oils (you don’t have to be selective here) – and use it for the opening of your facial, the steaming process
4. Gently massage your face’s skin with your favoured massage cream, along with more drops of essential oils. Make sure to wipe away any excess cream afterwards with a wet cloth
5. Now comes the face pack – which you can create by mixing together yoghurt, honey and sandalwood powder with a few drops of tea tree oil
6. Once the mask is dry and before it becomes too hardened, wash it off. You should now apply an aromatic facial toner, which you will also have prepared prior to the massage. The toner should contain chamomile oil, geranium oil and around 100ml of rosewater for dry skin; alternatively for oily skin it ought to contain a few drops of tea tree oil and more of lavender oil with around 50ml of distilled water.
Obviously, in order to create, prepare and apply an aromatherapy facial, with the necessary mixing of oils and water to make face masks and the toners, it takes time, effort and a bit of expense. Sure, you can do it in the comfort of your own home, but really there’s nothing to beat just walking into an establishment dedicated to relaxation to destressing clients so you might be pampered with a perfect aromatherapy facial by a trained and expertaesthetician.
Indeed, as mentioned, the Spa at the Montcalm is the ideal location for exactly that pampering – an exquisite treatment for your face that does immeasurable good too for your whole body, mind and spirit.
