What do you think of when you think of a getting a facial?

Luxury.

Relaxation.

Beauty.

Rejuvenation.

Treating ones self.

Glowing skin.

Felling your best.

All these positive adjacent characteristics is probably why we often think of facials and specialized skincare when preparing for a big event.

We want to look and feel our best for our event. People aside, there are likely going to be tons of photos taken of us at this event, so we’d like the best version of our skin memorialized. Glowing, hydrated, youthful looking skin, all traits a facial can help achieve, is quite the seller!

Not to mention that planning for a big event can be stressful! So the thought of enjoying a relaxing and rejuvenating facial (or five) sounds like pure heaven. It might even be the very argument you need to try a facial for the first time.

But how do you actually incorporate a facial, or a collection of facial treatments, into your event planning?

We’ve had brides, class reunion attendees, and other clients with big events on the horizon, call us up and want a complete skincare transformation 2 weeks before said event.

And while we empathize with wanting to look our best, and dedicated skincare can make impressive transformations happen, they don’t happen overnight. Moreover, the more intense skincare treatments that can help make those leaps in the skin rejuvenation direction, are the exact treatments you don’t want to be having so close to an important event.

So that’s exactly what we’re tackling today. Not only when to actually schedule your facial before an event, but also the side effects of facials from the various treatments they include, and how that impacts your skincare timeline.

Let’s jump right in!

When should you schedule a facial before an event?

What “big events” are we talking about?

Since we’re discussing how to optimize our skin looking its best, when we say “big events”, we’re largely talking about events where you will see many people, and/or be seen by many people. Events where you are concerned about presenting the best version of yourself. These would include, but of course are not limited to:

Weddings
Engagement parties
Graduations
TV appearances
High School or college reunions
Photoshoots
Being a presented speaker

For all these types of events, we really want to be putting our best foot forward, and having a skin care plan is a great piece of accomplishing just that.

Not all facials are created equal (and shouldn’t be)

Facials can be as unique as the skin that’s being treated. In fact, they’re at their best when they are personalized for the individual. This is why personalization is one of our core focuses in our Cedar Rapids based salon for any service we provide our clients. Your skin is unique, so your skin care should be, too!

In turn, this means that facials can cause different results and side effects based on the different treatments and products used in that particular facial. All this variation stems from the varying initial goals for a facial for a specific client and their unique skin.

A facialist faced with a client with dry, mature skin with the goal of hydration, will choose a specific set of treatments and products. When that facialist is then faced with a client with young, acne-prone skin with the goal of treating existing acne, the provider will choose a completely different collection of treatments and products.

Benefits from a facial before an event

While a single facial isn’t going to completely transform your skin (we’ll talk more about achieving dramatic results for an event further on), there are some real benefits you can take away from just one or two treatments.

A very popular facial treatment for existing clients at our salon is the Micropeel, especially for weddings. It gives a “glow of youth”, makes the skin look more alive, and helps makeup go on smooth and easy. This is often a recommendation from our skincare specialist, Teresa, when she is already familiar with a client’s skin and knows it can tolerate the treatment.

Other facial treatments can help to heal existing acne, promote collagen production, and provide nourishing hydration. Plus, getting away from the chaos of event planning can help reduce stress levels, which has its own impact on our skin.

If there are specific benefits you’re looking to achieve, talk with your skincare specialist for help choosing the best personalized facial treatment for you.

Temporary side effects of facials to consider

Since we have a variety of different facial treatments, each one will have its own collection of side effects with varying levels of severity. With the more severe corresponding to more time needed between it and your event.

If you’re getting a facial with a more intense treatment, i.e. microdermabrasion, the use of an exfoliating product, or a chemical peel, this is where you’ll see those more intense side effects. You may experience some side effects ranging from general irritation and localized pink or redness, all the way to a higher redness presence and peeling.

How long it takes for these side effects to subside also depends on how intense your treatment was, and your individual skin’s reaction. And while we only offer lighter chemical peels in our salon, you still may need a week or two, or more, for your skin return to event-worthy display.

On the other side of the spectrum, there are facial treatments and products that are designed to be very gentle and nourishing on the skin. These kinds of facial options are much safer to have closer to your event date.

However, even if you’re considering a gentler facial, and don’t intend on trying out an exfoliating treatment, Teresa, our skincare specialist at Professional Image Enhancement in Cedar Rapids, recommends to never have your very first facial earlier than a month before an important event.

“A client can have reactions, and you just never know. You have to be sure. That means start your treatments way before your event.

If they’ve never had a facial before, try it a month before a big event. Then they know how their skin reacts and can have a treatment closer to their big event.”

Finally, your facialist will tell you what you should and shouldn’t expect after a specific treatment. Some amount of redness and peeling can be expected for certain treatments, but if you’re ever concerned that something is not right, always give your facialist a call.

Looking for bigger results? Start before the facial

If you’re looking for something more than just an hour of relaxation, but really making your skin look it’s absolute best, you’ll want to start far before your event date.

In order to achieve dramatic skincare results, (think healing and preventing acne or reversing aging) you will need multiple treatments spanned over many weeks. But your dedication will be rewarded!

Depending on the current state of your skin and what skincare goals you want to ultimately achieve, there can be 1-2 weeks in between treatments, which quickly ads up. For this reason, we’d recommend booking your initial skincare consultation at least 6 months before your event. This will give you enough time for a facialist to make a solid skincare treatment plan for you that can address all your concerns. And it will give your facialist plenty of time to really get to know your skin.

If you’re a veteran of facials and have a great ongoing relationship with a specific facialist or skincare specialist, booking an appointment with them well in advance of your event is still a good idea. Since they know your skin well, they can help guide you to an event-prep treatment plan that will fit all your skincare goals and get your skin event-ready.

A facialist that knows your skin well will be able to provide the utmost personalized treatments, maximizing your results. The more time you dedicate, the better results you will have.

Schedule A skincare consultation

Getting to know your skin with a consultation is the perfect first step when you want to look your best for whatever event or celebration is on your horizon.

Book your skincare consultation online

Your schedule depends on your goals

The exact timeline for when to book your facial before your event ultimately depends on what kind of treatment you’ll be including in your facial and what your goals are.

Check which situation best applies to you, and see our recommendations for when to book your facial before your important event.

Looking for dramatic skincare results for your event?

Begin: 6 months - 1 year before your event

Whether you’ve ever had a facial before or not, visit a skincare specialist to discuss your long-term skincare goals leading up to your event. Together, make a skincare plan and start scheduling your treatments.

Never had a facial before and interested in trying one out specifically for your event?

Begin: At least 1 month before your event

If this is your first foray into facial treatments, schedule a skincare consultation and first facial as a trial no sooner than 1 month before your event. This will give you and your facialist time to see how you skin reacts and plan your event facial.

A facial treatment veteran looking for a polish?

Schedule: 1-2 weeks before your event

If you already have a good relationship with a facialist who knows your skin well, and depending on your skin, you could be a great candidate for a Micropeel. This treatment gives amazing benefits for an event like smooth makeup-application and a glow of youth!

Always feel free to connect with your esthetician even sooner than we’ve listed here. Remember, the more time you have, the better results you can achieve, and the better your facialist can get to know your skin and recommend the best treatment for you.

Additionally, not all treatments are appropriate for all treatment goals or skin types. So always discuss your goals and desires with your facialist or skincare specialist.

After your event

Phew! You made it through your big event! Be it a wedding, class reunion, or public speaking event, you’re likely coming down from a bit of stress, or at least adrenaline! This is a great time for a follow-up facial treatment.

Now that the event is over, one option is to focus on those more intense treatments, like a chemical peel, now that you don’t need to worry as much about their side effects.

We’d encourage you to consider other treatments as well.

As stated earlier, you’re likely coming down from some stress and adrenaline, and that can definitely impact our skin. Time in a calm and relaxing facial treatment can help treat your stress itself. Soft music, low lighting, gentle massage… Can you feel your stress melting away already?

As for the effect of stress on the skin its self, many people experience stress-related acne which can be partly caused by stress-triggered excess oil production. So post-event, you may experience some lingering acne. A facial focusing on treating oily skin and acne is a great option if this is the reality for you.

If your event was outside, maybe in the hot, humid, and sticky Iowa summer weather, where your skin was exposed to pollution, sweat, and sun, your skin could wildly benefit from a deep cleansing facial.

And of course, as we’re constantly saying all over this blog, take some time to speak with your skincare professional of choice. They’ll take a closer look at your skin and how you specifically are reacting to coming down from your big event, and can recommend the best treatment for you.