What to do (& not to do) before your treatment.

Here is a list of do's & don'ts and other helpful information before coming for a treatment with us.

1. Don’t use retinol or exfoliate for 3-5 days before your appointment. Skip any other strong at-home facial treatments the week before your appointment too.
2. Please let us know if you are pregnant or breastfeeding so we can tailor the treatment for your comfort, safety, and specific needs. 
3. Avoid steam rooms, saunas’, hot baths and exercise 24 hours before your appointment.
4. Avoid hair removal on the area being treated for 24 hours prior to treatment.
5. Do wear your make-up. Or don't. Either way your skin therapist will cleanse your skin as part of any of our facial treatments.
6. Avoid sunbathing or tanning beds at least a week before our signature facials. (A sunburn will make for a very unpleasant experience as well as defeat the purpose of getting a facial). For peels and microneedling, please wait at least 2 weeks, and for laser treatments, allow 2-4 weeks.  
7. (Avoid injectables. If you're getting Botox or Fillers, it should be at least 2 weeks before a facial. We can’t massage skin that has been recently injected as there is a risk of moving the injectable around to the wrong area.
8. Please wait 4 weeks after a semi-permanent or microblading treatment to allow the skin to heal properly and ensure you get the best results.
9. Do be prepared to discuss your skin concerns and what your goals might be.
10. Do ideally take a photo of your at home routine if you would like to discuss this with us or know your skincare routine, names and main ingredients of the skin care products you are using at home. Knowing these details will help us make recommendations for products you may want to add or delete from your at-home routine.
11. Do let your skin professional know any medications, medical conditions, allergies, and/or past skin conditions you may have had. Even over-the-counter medications can affect your skin, so it is good for them to know what may be contributing to your concerns and the way your skin reacts to certain products.
12. We do recommend that you discontinue the use of any products that will thin your skin before your facial. Roaccutane is a minimum of 6 months for most of our treatments. Topical retinoids are to be avoided 5 days before your facial, and 2 weeks before if you are having a peel in your treatment. But please discuss when booking for advice.
13. Regrettably, we cannot proceed with treatment if there is an active flare-up of psoriasis, eczema, or a cold sore in the treatment area.
14. Are you getting your skin ready for a big event? If you've never had a facial before and don't know how your skin will respond, let us know about your concerns in order to recommend the right treatment(s) that will help you put your best face forward.
15. Leading swiftly on from point 14  above, we do recommend that you schedule your appointment accordingly. We suggest that you do not book a facial the day of or the day before a major event such as your wedding. Most likely your skin will be fine but let’s not chance trying something new before your big day. You are probably already stressed enough.
16. Will you break out after a facial? Most likely, no, but there is always a small possibility a breakout may occur. Depending on the condition of your skin, if you aren’t used to exfoliating, any excess oil will be released after a facial. This may result in a breakout but don’t worry, it will be gone in a few days and your skin will still be glowing.
17. Arrive 10 to 15 minutes early. This is your time and you want to get the most of it. Allow yourself time to fill out any necessary forms and to talk to your skin therapist. If you're late, it'll cut into your facial treatment. We want to put your best face forward but can’t do that if you don’t give them adequate time to work with.
18. Do know that we are honoured that you have chosen to have a facial with us and we are here to help you get the most for our expertise and make sure you continue to glow long after you leave the clinic. We want you to trust us to look after you for the long haul, so we will not make you feel pressured to commit to anything you don't want to on the spot (excuse the pun!). We will send you a follow up email and sometimes give you samples to try at home, so you can go home armed with the knowledge to make that decision yourself.

As ever, any questions on any of these pointers or any other questions, get in touch.  For specific pre-treatment advice, please check the treatment page.

What to do after your treatment (Aftercare Guidelines). 

After your facial we will always explain your post-treatment guidelines to you, in-person and via email. We recommend that clients follow the specific aftercare guidelines, provided by us post treatment and these include the following:

1. Any alcohol-based toners, AHA/BHA exfoliators, retinol, harsh scrubs, skin lightening cream or benzoyl peroxide products should generally be avoided for 3-5 days after the treatment. However, your Dermal Therapist will give you specific information related to the products you are using and the treatment you have had.
2. Try to avoid wearing makeup for the rest of the day if possible.
3. Steam rooms, saunas and/or exercise should also be avoided for 24-48 hours.
4. Due to the exfoliation we perform in your treatment, your skin may be sensitive, so try to avoid touching your face for 8 hours to avoid spreading bacteria and absolutely no picking at it please. Ideally change your pillowcases/bedding before going to bed too.
5. Please ensure you are wearing SPF for at least 14 days post-treatment. Ideally we recommend wearing SPF everyday on an ongoing basis - who doesn't want to prevent pesky environmental effects on the skin?
6. In the case of laser and peels, avoid direct sun exposure for at least two weeks, your skin would be more delicate and sensitive to the sun after the treatment. For our signature facials, try to avoid direct sun exposure for 48 hours, or until any redness/effects of the facial have subsided.

We will send you a handy reminder email with this info and also specific treatment and product recommendations after your appointment, but please call or email us if you have any other questions.