Beauty Therapy: Skin Care, Facials and Make-up
Skin Care, Facials and Make-up tests skin assessment, product selection, cleansing and massage routines, mask choice, make-up colour matching and hygiene.
Core rules
- Cleanse, tone and moisturise according to skin condition, not just type. Distinguish oily, dry, dehydrated, sensitive and combination; dehydration is a condition, not a type.
- Patch test products where indicated; remove make-up and cleanse before analysis. Use gentle exfoliation; avoid scrubs on inflamed or broken skin.
- Extraction only after softening with steam or warm compress, and only for suitable comedones. Do not extract pustules, moles or undiagnosed lesions.
- Make-up: match undertone at the jawline in natural light, sanitise pencils and palettes, and avoid sharing mascara. Explain aftercare. Record products used, skin response and advice given. Avoid alcohol-heavy toners on sensitive skin.
Worked example
A client has an oily T-zone, tight dehydrated cheeks and redness. Reasoning: a strong oil-control cleanser and scrub could worsen barrier irritation. Choose a gentle cleanser, light hydration, a calming mask, and non-comedogenic moisturiser; avoid harsh exfoliation and hot steam on the red area. Refer persistent redness.
Traps
Diagnosing medical conditions, over-exfoliating, using comedogenic products on acne-prone skin, extracting without preparation, and promising that a facial 'cures' acne. Hygiene failures such as double-dipping or dirty brushes also cost marks.