In partnership with Foreo.
Salon quality facial treatments are no longer limited to a salon environment. The next generation of beauty devices are combining treatments and tech, allowing us to experience LED light facials, massage and even cryotherapy from home.
I’ve spent many years trialling, building upon and refining my at home facial routine. Working in beauty has afforded me the privilege of trying a number of beauty devices, and while I would never deem anything “essential” to anyone, there are a handful of devices that I consistently reach for that have become the pillars of my routine.
My DIY facial changes depending on what my skin needs, however a few steps remain uniform. I am regularly asked which devices are truly worth the investment for those who wish to enjoy a spa facial at home, and my answer rarely strays from Foreo. Foreo served as my introduction to the beauty device category almost four years ago, and my love for the brand has not wavered. Whether you are a skincare devotee or new to facials entirely, Foreo devices are effective, simple to use and deliver salon quality results.
A facial must begin with a deep cleanse (more on cleansing here). While many associate a spa facial treatment with a rich treatment or mask, it’s important to note that no treatment can effectively deliver its benefits to the skin if the pores are blocked.
I begin every at home spa facial with a double cleanse- first, a manual cleanse specifically to remove surface grime, makeup and product residue like SPF, followed by a deep cleanse of the pores using my Foreo Luna 3. The Luna range served as my introduction to the brand close to four years ago, and I have religiously used varied incarnations of the device (namely the earlier 1 and 2 generations before release of the 3, and the Luna Go while travelling) almost every day since.
Where many prefer to use a water-based cleanser for their second cleanse, I choose a cleanser based on my skin’s needs on the day. In the video left, I’ve chosen an oil cleanser as I wanted this particular facial to hydrate the skin through each and every step.
Take your time during your cleanse. While the Luna 3 delivers a deep, intense cleanse in as little as 60 seconds, I like to lower the intensity and spend a few extra minutes on this step to really lull me into the right headspace for my at home facial.
If my skin is looking and feeling congested, I’ll use this next step to start working with LED light therapy. Once the skin is clean and the pores cleared, I’ll apply the Foreo Espada to any visible blemishes and areas of congestion. The Espada, a device that has remained a staple of my home spa routine for upwards of two years, uses 415 nm blue LED light and Foreo’s signature T-Sonic pulsations to laser-target the acne causing bacteria buried within the pores. The treatment is complete within 30 seconds however you can repeat the treatment on the same spot up to four times. In the video above, I’ve given myself one treatment as the spot in question was nearly healed.
To deeply hydrate the delicate eye area, I enhance the effects of my eye cream using the Foreo Iris– another device that I have relied on for upwards of two years at the time of writing. The device gently massages the eye area through two modes- Pure Mode, which replicates the feeling of a manual massage, and Spa Mode, which combines that tapping with delicate pulsations. The greatest benefit I take from the Iris is its ability to relieve fluid retention. Under eye bags are, more often than not, a result of fluid retention. Targeted facial massage can relieve that retention, leaving the eye are smooth without puffiness.
The device I recommend to anyone seeking a true spa experience from home is the Foreo UFO, a tool I have regularly used since its launch into Australia in May of 2018. I deem this the ultimate at home facial device as it combines multiple spa treatments into one- a mask application to target your specific skin concerns (I’ve chosen Bulgarian Rose above to improve my skin’s hydration), full spectrum LED light therapy using 463 – 627 nm LED wavelengths and both thermo and cryotherapy.
I find the UFO device is most effective when paired with the Foreo mobile app. Each of the UFO™ power activated masks, and the ingredients they contain, deliver unique benefits for the skin- so too do different colour LED lights, thermo and cryotherapy. Connecting your UFO to the Foreo app allows your mobile to register the mask you’ve chosen for your treatment, ensuring the UFO functions work in cohesively with your mask to deliver the benefits your skin seeks. For example, the Bulgarian Rose Hydrating Mask is activated by a combination of green and red LED and both thermo and cryo therapy, while the Matte Maniac Purifying mask works best with blue LED (blue LED, as used in the aforementioned Espada blemish clearing device, is particularly beneficial for oily, congested or acneic skin).
The treatment itself takes 90 seconds, however, as per my at home spa facial video above, I like to squeeze any excess serum from the mask packet, disperse it evenly across the existing microfibre mask, then repeat the treatment.
For a closer look at my DIY facial essentials, watch my Home Spa Facial tutorial above or via IGTV.
This article is sponsored by Foreo however all views are, as always, my own.
