If you managed to read my previous article on the Skincare 101: 5 Basics to Remember and have started to practice some of the steps, then it is time for you to proceed to the next level towards greater skin – well, I said ‘5 basics’ for a reason, you can’t actually think it is going to end there right?

Well the next level of proper skincare for both men of women is to include a regular visit to professional facial – once a month would be good (Find out how to win a free facial worth S$180 a the end of this post) .Taking the time off to get a facial is a way to enhance your skin and as a added bonus a way for you to relax in a spa atmosphere. Although you might be washing your face regularly, there will still be some dirt and grime that gets trapped in your pores that only a good facial can reach. There are many types of facial available  to address different conditions like dry skin, inflamed pores, acne, and even just tense faces and a good skin specialist will be able to help you.

Generally, a basic facial would consist of a process where an aesthetician first assesses your skin condition and help you choose the best type of facial for you. The aesthetician will look at a number of factors to determine your skin type for example your pore size, skin texture, tone, and oil production. There are calming facials that use gentle products while still cleaning out your skin. Acne-fighting facials may include special extractions in addition to the deep cleansing to fully remove built-up blackheads. These days, most facial comes with a face, neck and shoulder massage during this process to help relax the muscles of your face and relief your stress and tension.

Take my recently trip to Aura Day Spa for example, I had a 75 mins Men’s Facial to give my face a through cleansing. After determining my skin requirement, my aesthetician did a deep cleansing  and exfoliation for me to remove the grime and dead layer of skin on the surface. This was followed by steaming my face with hot stream to open up the pores and prepare my skin for the subsequent step – extraction! (During extraction, a fine sterilized needle is sometimes used to help remove blackheads and extract the impurities that build up in your pores – but if you are uncomfortable with this step, let your specialist know that you would like to skip this step. With a trained help, the extraction can be done safely with no harm to the skin.)

After the extraction, I had a facial and eye massage with some hydrating products from the spa. This was the most relaxing part and I dozed off for a while during the process. Following the massage, a hydrating mud mask was applied onto my face and left on to dry for 20 mins – I was left on my own for another moment of deep relaxation as I drift away to the soothing  new age tunes in the background.

Finally, the mask was rinsed off and my aesthetician completed the facial with a final inspection followed by application of rich hydrating moisturizers and sunscreen on my face. Oh yes, and not forgetting another gentle shoulder massage and a cup of ginger tea to end the session.

So there you have it, for those of your who have never been to a facial before, the above account pretty much sums up what you will aspect in a basic facial. When I told the manager from Aura Spa about this blog, he was really generous and offered to invited 15 of my readers to his spa to experience the facial there. Gee…thanks! (Just so you know, I am not getting any advertising fee for this. LOL!)

Win a Complimentary AURA DAY SPA Voucher that offers you a choice of a Men’s Facial worth S$180 or an Aromatherapy Massage worth S$150.

Here’s how to win it.  Name me the 5 basics steps to remember in my SKINCARE 101 article and drop me an email at [email protected] by the 20th March with your name, email, address and contact number. 15 lucky winner will be drawn and the winners’ name will be announce here and on Facebook after the closing date. The spa voucher will be mailed to the address provided by the winners.

Note: As AURA DAY SPA is located in Singapore, this contest can only be opened to those living in Singapore.

AURA DAY SPA is located at Cuppage Terrace 29 Cuppage Road Singapore 229458.

 Announcement: Winners of Men’s Facial at AUra Day Spa

Congratulation to the following 15 gents who participated in my contest and have each won a men’s facial worth S$180. I will contact each of you for your address and mail the vouchers to you. The winners are…

1) Vin Ang
2) David Lee
3) Kyaw Min Than
4) Noor Asyraf Bin Kamil
5) Berton Tan
6) Asmond Chew Pinn Lin
7) Muhammad Bin Roslee
8) James Pillai
9) Victor Chan
10) Muhammad Sufian
11) Ng Han Wee
12) Kevin Wang
13) Francis Koh
14) Jeremy Pek
15) Brian Foong